Best In-house Research Team Award

Who should apply?
Any in-house reseach or insight team which has had an exceptional year and whose work (including getting best value from external agency resources) during the 12 months up to 01 July 2011 has had a transformational impact on their organisation.

What will the judges be looking for?

• evidence of a body of research work which has genuinely affected an organisation’s strategy, orientation, business or focus
• practical demonstration that the research/insight team’s wider contribution to the organisation led directly to a stronger campaign, programme or way of working/delivering.
• working and influencing across departments – to include marketing communications disciplines but also to go beyond them – to deliver tangible bottom-line results
• demonstration that the resources available/used – both internal and external agency support – have been well managed to deliver the best value and most relevant insight
• innovative approaches focused on partnership and mutual improvement

How to apply
A valid entry will comprise:

• one copy of the submission document
• one copy of the entry form
• a high resolution copy of your company logo (in .jpg format)

Entries should be sent to researchawards@mrs.org.uk by 5pm on Wednesday 27 July 2011.

Submission Format
Basis of submission: 500 word (max) statement supporting your case plus specific additional information.

Your statement should:

• include details of budgets and timings for the activity/activities or programme in question
• provide hard evidence of bottom-line business impact/transformation
• include, where possible, examples of how the team has made a real difference to your business, campaign or focus
• a clear indication of where and how the impact/transformation came about and its likely future impact on the business, product or service

In addition to your statement you should specify:

• numbers employed (split between executive and support staff)
• how the team is structured, how it operates within – and the size of – the wider marketing communications team
• how the team works/engages with the wider organisation/business and external agencies/consultants
• research budgets for the last two years (where possible)
• client name and contact
• you may also include anecdotal comment from the team, colleagues within the organisation (the more senior the better) and external organisations (agencies you work with or your customers)

Only electronic applications in the required format will be considered for this award.

• Download and complete the MS Word submission document and entry forms – these two forms will constitute your award application.
• Your submission will be judged on the merits of the submission document alone – no appendices or additional material will be considered.
• You must send a high resolution version of your company logo, or two logos if the project is an agency/client partnership, in print quality jpg format (about 300dpi) to be used for publicity purposes if your entry is shortlisted for an award.
• The submission document, entry form and company logo should be sent as attachments to the same email with the subject line Best In-house Team Award Entry 2011.

Rules of entry – Best In-house Team

• Only in-house teams are eligible for this award, not research agencies.
• The work must have been done in the 12 months up to 01 July 2011.
• You must nominate a primary contact on your Entry Form who will take overall responsibility for the entry.
• The primary contact must ensure that permission to enter the Awards is obtained from all parties involved including any clients or suppliers.
• Entries must not overtly ‘sell’ any organisation. Company logos are acceptable.
• The judges’ decisions are final. The Panel will not enter into correspondence about why an entry is not selected as a finalist.
• All submission materials will remain confidential to the Judging Panels and MRS during the judging process. We may subsequently wish to publish information based on the materials provided but specific permission to publish will always be sought from the entrants.
• Entries must be received by 5pm on Wednesday 27 July 2010 to qualify. No extensions will be granted.

There is an entry fee for this award. You will be invoiced once your entry has been processed. Failure to pay by 01 September 2011 will cancel your application.

One ticket to the Research Awards Dinner in December will be allocated per shortlisted entry. Additional tickets can be purchased nearer the time at the standard advertised price.