‘An art and a science’: Research Live awards judges on how to win

Following the 2024 MRS Awards, some of the Research Live awards judges share their reflections on the judging process and offer tips for those looking to enter in future.

MRS Awards 2024 ceremony at Old Billingsgate

What trend stood out for you from the judging this year?

Seema Hope, global head of consumer research, The Economist
I'd say that the agencies are broadly moving in similar directions in terms of work life balance, ownership models, DEI initiatives and career progression, so it makes it hard to stand out and differentiate. Ultimately, it’s a good thing that standards are high, but doing something truly original is now harder – eg a four-day working week.

The debate and discussion element is crucial. We have a breadth of skills and experiences which really comes to light in the discussion. For example, having some sector knowledge can really help shed light to something that can be initially overlooked as great.

Patrick Alcantara, strategic customer insight lead, UK & Ireland, Axa
The quality of the submissions – they were of an exceedingly high standard this year. We spent a lot of time in discussing the merits of each entry, and I had good conversations with fellow judges as a result. I particularly appreciated how this year’s entries clearly presented the impact of their work, resulting in better customer, commercial or regulatory outcomes. It shows how insights professionals are deeply embedded within their organisations and truly understand their needs.

Jake Steadman, vice-president, global head of marketing research and data, Canva
An obvious answer, but AI. There’s no getting any from it, it’s going to change everything.

James Holden, former director of marketing and audiences, BBC Nations
AI-related ideas dominated and were core to many submissions, but that feels increasingly more of a must-have in many research solutions than a genuine point of difference these days.

Beyond that, the research agency field feels very, very strong now. There was significant evidence of a very wide variety of agencies doing superb work and creating clearly inclusive and enjoyable working environments.

What was the hardest part of the judging process?

Patrick AlcantaraAxa
Personally, I found judging the young researcher award to be the hardest! Everyone showed incredible skill and potential, which made the judging so difficult. Our young researchers are a credit to our industry. It fills me with confidence when I think about the future of market research and insights. The calibre of our young talent tells me that our future is in good hands.

James Holden, formerly BBC Nations
The calibre of entries is very high, and especially in certain categories. Sometimes the magic is in the additional information, and would be better if it was visible in the main submission.

Jake SteadmanCanva
As always, the difference between a great idea on paper and a great idea that has demonstrable impact is really hard.

Seema Hope, The Economist
The emerging talent entries are humbling and shows we have a talented group of future leaders, but this is the hardest category. 

What advice would you give those looking to enter the Research Live awards?

Jake SteadmanCanva
Evidence is key, in two ways: Firstly, proving what is unique about your innovation, and secondly, proving the impact that your innovation has had.

Seema Hope, The Economist
It’s an art and a science; standout entries show both really well – an authentic story which shows passion and pride mixed with the hard numbers and commercial impact. You want to read it and think to yourself: ‘I wish I worked on that project'.

Patrick AlcantaraAxa
In my view, the winning entries this year had one thing in common, which is the ability to state the impact of their work in a concise, compelling way. I was drawn to entries that used market research and insights to materially improve the lives of people, create commercial value, or drive organisations to do the right thing. Impact is often challenging to quantify, but when done well, sets apart the quality of insights from good to great.

James Holden, formerly BBC Nations

  • Category – choose the right category for your entry by reading the criteria carefully. There are some strong submissions that maybe would have fitted at least as well in another category
  • Narrative – storytelling is key. Make your entry an interesting and enjoyable read
  • Innovative – Be clear about what makes your project groundbreaking or innovative and therefore ultimately a unique award entry 
  • White space – make it easy and straightforward to read so what you’ve actually done can be easily identified 
  • Tangible impact – give clear examples of where the research has directly led to actions by your (or another) organisation or has had an effect on your internal or external customers.

The Research Live awards categories include Agency of the Year, Best Place to Work and Innovation of the Year. The 2024 winners can be found on the MRS website.

We hope you enjoyed this article.
Research Live is published by MRS.

The Market Research Society (MRS) exists to promote and protect the research sector, showcasing how research delivers impact for businesses and government.

Members of MRS enjoy many benefits including tailoured policy guidance, discounts on training and conferences, and access to member-only content.

For example, there's an archive of winning case studies from over a decade of MRS Awards.

Find out more about the benefits of joining MRS here.

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