MRG Conference 1995 – Barcelona – Round-Up
This was the first MRG conference I have attended where you could state with any confidence that the industry is satisfied with the research it pays for.
No BARB-bashing or NRS-knocking this time. The industry contracts are all likely to be extended (for slightly different reasons). Only sections readership in the national press has drummed up a following keen to see this added to the NRS. But while everyone wants to see this data, and two independent initiatives have already carried out studies, it is notable that not everyone wants to see this as part of the NRS (reasons of questionnaire length, extra cost, impact on the rest of the survey.)
Independent research, although still carried out by a relatively small number of media companies – is now an accepted part of the research mix. Some of this is done for competitive advantage, some to boost revenues, some largely for PR reasons, it seems, but all of it adds value, and we are bound to see much more of it.
Mike Baker’s award-winning paper on IPC research into the readership of specialist magazines included a PPA recommendation that just five new specialist titles ought to be added to the NRS each year over the new contract period. I suspect that a few years ago the demand would have been for many more, and with some haste. Perhaps the experience of the last expanded BARB contract – sub-demographics demanded, added, paid for and now, it would seem, under-utilised – has done much to stem the clamour for more, more, more.
Of course, underlying all this is the greater fragmentation of existing media, and the unknown new media future. I share Simon Waldman’s view in Media Week recently that “agencies have not yet come to terms with the Internet and the World Wide Web”. There are exceptions, as Ogilvy & Mather demonstrated, but should maybe agencies should attempt to do little more than think about, talk about and read about the possibilities, and then treat it like posters or direct mail and employ a specialist? Whatever, do not let your client spend £250,000 on it as Tango claims to have done. How is the first question that springs to mind.
New Media involving a degree of technology and software tends to worry mediafolk. There is plenty of expert advice required in areas agencies are more comfortable with, and which are changing just as fast – cable, satellite, digital TV and radio.
However, the corny “communications” planner/buyer/researcher tag is likely to become more evident and accepted. Media researchers should not be short of gainful employment over the next few years, but it seems there is now a slot for some of these to become, let us say, “Communications Analysts” (sounds grand anyway), or for new blood to come into that role – working in tandem with the researcher and the media department, but providing a wider view of all communications options.
To support this one only had to note the well-balanced range of promotional activities outlined by the client speakers from McDonalds, Tango and Buena Vista, from all embracing advertising and sponsorship to interactive marketing to all manner of cross promotions and imaginative hype.
Finally, to the conference itself. As a non-researcher, I am as keen to hear the broader issues discussed as the specifics of new data, and I can see exactly why we kick off with the big picture. But I think that the MRG would satisfy more of its core market (those working with media research on a daily basis) if it backed its membership to provide two full days of media research discussion; more research papers and much more research debate, involving people on the podium who truly understand the research.
This is not to downgrade the presenters, whose presentation skills were widely appreciated, but one got a little frustrated as, in some sessions, speaker after speaker started by explaining away their lack of research knowledge. There were plenty in the audience, not least the committee members themselves, who are experts in this field. Back yourselves. I think commercially the conference would be just as successful if you did.
Derek Jones.