Deadline for submissions has now passed.
For more information about your submission, please contact Rachael Feigenbaum at Rachael@thearf.org.
Research Transformation
The topic of research transformation is a big one. The dialogue can get very theoretical when what it needs to be is practical. The essence of research transformation is the need for companies to change the way they “do” research to reflect the complexity and uncertainty of today’s decision-making. We want to learn about the “transformed” research function in these papers, which will display such characteristics as:
We seek papers that demonstrate how these transformational characteristics produced successful business outcomes.
Data
The explosive growth of data from every possible source is seen by many as opportunity, by others as confusion. Data analytics is becoming the new highly sought after specialty skill. Teasing insights out of existing data like Steven Levitt does is competitive advantage extraordinaire. These papers should be stories about managing data and using it to get to insights impossible without the art and science employed. A specific topic of interest will be any papers about leveraging the 2010 Census to improve business success. And the tools that were used to do that such as Pivot.
Co-Creativity
Marketers are faced with a “consumer” that has changed beyond recognition due to inexorable demographic evolution (the new mainstream); the new view of materialism spawned by the 2008-2009 economic crisis (“we used to not like your ads, now we don’t like your expensive products either.’); the transformed media consumption habits driven by technology and the changing role of the retailer on the path to purchase. The startling facts about to be confirmed by the completion of the 2010 Census. These papers should be about learning how to engage and co-create successfully with your customers and the role of research in figuring that out.
Today’s America
We seek papers which will explore the different facets of our population – from trends, to Notable Product Consumption, to Attitudes toward Survey Research to interests, to issues people are coping with. How are they attempting to deal with the untidiness of market definitions in our fractionated country today? Instead they’re dynamic mosaics composed of many different items that can emerge, shift, change and decline. This is particularly true of targets like the LGBT. Similarly, the Communispace study on the “sandwich situation” reveals that the caregiver market is not just stressed-out Baby Boomers, but reaches all the way down to 20-something millennials. WE are looking for papers that successfully tie empirical findings to marketing, advertising and media actions.
Research Quality
In the face of the escalating pressure for faster and cheaper, “the better” is increasingly at risk from the explosion of new methods and approaches – many yet unproven, some perhaps even unprovable, by existing methods of proof. WE are seeking papers that develop frameworks and acid tests by which “the better” can be more clearly discerned (with greater speed and assurance) and papers that share new research-on-research and new solutions to quality issues, and addresses practices as well as methods. The industry concerns with the quality of “fast-cheap” online research is only the tip of the research methodology iceberg. Much has been learned about improving online research quality, from the ARF-led FOQ research, but more is needed. Share your empirical findings on sampling, analysis and questionnaire design.
The Digital World
The more pervasive “digital” becomes, the less we seem to know about it. Are there any top-level digital empirical generalizations? If so, we are seeking those. For instance, a finding was just announced in Ad Age that claimed – “digital advertising cannot be successful unless it includes a role for the consumer.” True? Proven? We want this paper. Also, “what is the role of digital on the path to purchase?”…we want this too. The true impact on media consumption from screen to screen…do we know? We particularly welcome insights from outside the United States and from global campaigns.
ROI Proxies
The ROI search continues. Have all of the technology driven changes made it easier to find ROI proxies or harder? Does market mix modeling provide better results today vs. ten years ago? Or, not? Is a DAGMAR* 2011 study possible? Can we even create a 2011 ARF media model that reflects up to date media consumption? And includes paid, owned and earned media? We want papers about where your company is looking for ROI proxies and some proof that you are finding them.
*Defining Advertising Goals Measuring Advertising Results
Re-Thinking Consumer Engagement: 360° Media Marketing
The media and marketing evolution continues at a quickening pace. Aside from noteworthy changes in traditional media, we are all experiencing an ongoing cascade of new digital and social media and platforms. As a result we live in a media/marketing environment rich with variegated consumers Touchpoints. Expanding consumer interaction with media also means that there is even more usage to capture and understand. In response to these ongoing changes, consumer-centric communications planning has become the new normal, which in turn requires new tools to harness new opportunities. We seek papers on the latest in communications planning tools, testing, ROI assessment, evaluation of methods, and cross platform metrics.
New Media Currencies For Our New World?
It is time to dream, be bold … within reason. Yes, of course there have been substantive enhancements in measurement of media/Touchpoints, and occasionally a new approach or metric. But what would you recommend if you could ignore legacy issues and develop a blueprint for a research approach for media measurement today? Pick a medium, or several. The only hurdles, other than your imagination, would be these qualifications: any reference to a device would have to be on the market by early 2011; the system would have to serve the myriad constituency users, including negotiators, planners, media companies and modelers; be respondent friendly and from a sound sample; and be financially sound. Or, we welcome another perspective, that you argue, or behalf of one or many media, that things are just swell now, and defend that position.
Papers must be submitted by Friday, October 15, 2010. The ARF will notify key contacts of the status of their paper submission by Friday, November 19, 2010.
Marketers/Advertisers as co-presenters: If you have done research on behalf of a client, especially a marketer, having the marketer co-present with you will affect the committee’s rating and thus your chances of being selected. The judging committee, when reviewing the papers, will require client co-presenters confirmed on the submission form in order to participate in the first round of selection.
Focus on new information, not your new tool/technique: Presentations about new tools or techniques should focus on how this new effort helps move the industry forward, bringing new insights. Proposals that focus on the tool or technique may not be selected if they are sales-oriented.
Learning something that will alter the way the industry works.
Please use the form below for your submission. Your paper synopsis should be no more than 3 pages. Your submission should include:
For more information, please contact Rachael Feigenbaum at Rachael@thearf.org.
