Daily Research News Online no. 7696 - No Led Balloon - FreshMinds Wins at MRS' Alternative London Night Out

No Led Balloon - FreshMinds Wins at MRS' Alternative London Night Out

December 10 2007

FreshMinds was again named Agency of the Year at the MRS Research Excellence and Effectiveness Awards, the second biggest event in London last night. Essential, TNS and Firefish scooped other key awards and Nick Sparrow received the association's Silver Medal.

Guests at the glitzy evening were treated to wild mushroom and cream cheese gateau followed by roast guinea fowl with red wine, mushrooms and button onions, at a mere £126 a place, marginally cheaper than but not quite such good value as the alternative bash being provided by the reunited Led Zeppelin a few miles to the east and costing one desperate fan an alleged £83,000.

In keeping with the mushroom-themed dinner, there was much talk of fresh talent, innovation and the general springing up of dynamic agencies and methodologies. Essential, founded by former BBC researchers Luca Antilli and Alex Charlton just two years ago singled out as 'one to watch' by judges as last year's awards, won Best New Agency; TNS Best Research Campaign for work for student hospitality company UNITE; and Firefish Innovative Employer of the Year.

FreshMinds, taking the top gong for the second year running, was applauded for its 'strong set of core values - which ranks 'freshness' alongside the usual excellence and integrity'. Disappointed nominees were Flamingo International, Hall & Partners Europe, Opinion Leader and Voodoo.

The MRS/AURA Award for Insight Management went to all four of Sky, Oxford Strategic Marketing, SPA and CFI for their work on the 'Sky Tracker'; and the MRS/BIG Business Award went to GfK NOP for its 360 degree research programme for the BT Corporate Panel.

Awards Panel Chairman Professor Michael Thomas says the night showed research moving 'even further into the boardroom' [so the fifth metatarsal has just passed the doorjamb - Ed]. Says Thomas: ' Whilst last night's celebrations still recognised new methodologies and complex research thinking, this was set against a backdrop of quality, business-focused strategies... The fact that we had so many clients and representatives of other sectors there at the awards last night highlights the changing perception of research as a business tool which everyone needs to be tapping in to.'

The Awards were presented by Kate Gerbeau, Channel 5 and ex-BBC broadcaster, at the Royal Lancaster Hotel's Nine Kings Suite, with over 500 guests in attendance. Full details of winners are below and more information is at www.mrs.org.uk/awards/2007/index.htm. The official Led Zeppelin site is at www.ledzeppelin.com.

Winners for MRS Research Excellence & Effectiveness Awards and Research Awards:

Research Award for Best Agency: FreshMinds

Research Award for Best New Agency: Essential

Research Award for Best Research Campaign: TNS UK & UNITE: Working Together - a customer experience programme

Research Award for Innovative Employer: Firefish

Research Award for Newcomer of the Year: James Morris, Opinion Leader Forum

MRS Applications of Research Award: 4 Digital Group: National DAB Multiplex Application

MRS Public Policy/Social Research Effectiveness: Ipsos MORI Hothouse and Joseph Rowntree Foundation: Making Poverty a Story

MRS / AURA Insight Management Effectiveness: Sky, Oxford Strategic Marketing, SPA & CFI: Sky Tracker

ISBA Award (Advertising Effectiveness): Orlando Wood, BrainJuicer Labs: Measuring emotional engagement in advertising

David Winton Award (Technical Excellence): Bill Blyth: Mixed mode - the only 'fitness' regime?

MRS Silver Medal (Best paper in IJMR 2006): Nick Sparrow: Developing reliable online polls

MRS/BIG Business Award: GfK NOP 360 degree research programme for The BT Corporate Panel

MRS/ASC Technology Award: BuzzBack Market Research's eCollage and Tag Cloud Viewer

AQR Prosper Riley-Smith Award: Acacia Avenue for London Underground
Research 2007 Conference awards:

Best Paper: Robert Heath and Paul Feldwick, '50 Years of Using the Wrong Model of TV Advertising' and Caroline Vogt and Stuart Knapman 'Spaces - the final frontier.'

Best Conference Presentation: Ray Poynter, 'Research 2.0, Walking the Talk'

Best Newcomer: Sinead Jefferies, 'Keeping Customers Posted'.

Special Contribution: Ray Poynter for his Expert Briefing session entitled 'Research 2.0, Walking the Talk'

Best New Thinking: Mark Pearson, Tim Macer and Fabrizio Sebastiani, 'Cracking the Code: What customers say, in their own words.'