Sparkler, which works with LoveFilm, Virgin Media TV and Universal Music, impressed judges with its creativity, successful growth strategy and strong clientbase, while The Co-operative’s food/commercial customer insight and marketing intelligence team was cited for its “innovative approaches to online and community research”.

Boxclever scooped Best New Agency, while this year’s Best Place to Work went to FreshMinds. Best Innovation went to Ipsos and Lumi Mobile for its MobiLive mobile research platform, which is most notable for its use during the Oscars film awards broadcast to track viewer reaction to the show and supporting adverts in real-time.

Click here for what the judges had to say about our winners

Other big winners on the night included Transport for London, which clinched the MRS Applications of Research Award, which celebrates successful implementation of research findings. For the second year running, ESRO scooped the MRS Award for Public Policy/Social Research, this time with a joint submission with the London Borough of Lewisham. The project, selected by the judges for its “richness in new ideas”, reached a unique target group – repeat offenders. Meanwhile, BDRC Continental walked off with the MRS Financial Services Research Award for their methodology to improve customer retention in the UK mortgage market, which is used by most of the UK’s high street banks.

MRS chief executive Jane Frost CBE said: “From winning business solutions to creative innovations, these awards really show how strong the sector has become, with insights and strategies for both the public and private sector that are truly driving change. The research sector contributes significantly to the UK economy not only in terms of GDP and jobs but, as these awards show, as the basis for strong commercial and public policy delivery. Congratulations to everyone whose achievements have been recognised today.”

The full list of winners:

MRS Awards

MRS Fellowship: Pene Healey
New Consumer Insights Award: Rob Ellis, COG Research and Neel Desor, Haymarket Consumer Media
Financial Services Research Award: Mark Long and Nicola Cormack, BDRC Continental
Healthcare Research Award: Julie Davey, Julie Davey Research and Caroline Cole and Joanna Stanbridge, Glaxo SmithKline
Innovation in Research Methodology Award: Jon Puleston, GMI and Deborah Sleep, Engage Research
Applications of Research Award: Transport for London (TfL) Customer Research Team
Public Policy/Social Research Award: ESRO & The London Borough of Lewisham
Advertising & Media Research Award: Babita Earle, Karsten Shaw and Corrine Moy, GfK NOP
Virginia Valentine Award for Cultural Insights: ESRO and the China in Britain Forum
MRS Silver Medal (Best Paper in IJMR 2010 ): Cataldo Zuccaro
IJMR Collaborative Research Award: Saahier Parker, Human Sciences Research Council, South Africa, Belinda Dor Centre, and Kyle McLoughlin, Synovate Germany
IJMR Young Research Writer Award: Sara Sheridan
MRS Accredited Masters Award: Eleanor Marshall
MRS Advanced Certificate Award: Rachel Hamilton

Other association awards

MRS/AURA Insight Management Award:

Research Magazine Awards

Best Agency:

Research 2011 Conference Awards

Best Presenter: Bob Cook
Best Workshop: John Griffiths and Joanna Chrzanowska
Best Paper: Joel Williams
Best Contribution: Simon Chadwick
Best Newcomer: Gavin Holt
Best Session: Martin Filz, Philip Garland, Steven Gittelman, Martin Oxley and Joel Williams for Online Research