MRIA 2012 National Academic Awards Competition – A.B. Blankenship Award

The MRIA Institute for Professional Development, in association with our 2012 corporate sponsor, Hotspex proudly invites your academic institution to participate in one of our National Academic Awards Competitions.

The A.B. Blankenship Award was established in 1994. It was originally named the "Georgian College Award" but in 1997 was renamed to honour Al Blankenship for his contribution in the practice, teaching and writing of marketing research. He was a founding member of PMRS and a founder of the Fellows program. Up to now, the award was given to the student with the highest mark in the Market Research Analyst program at Georgian College.

For a listing of previous A.B. Blankenship Award recipients, please click here.

This year, we have made important changes to the award.  As a National organization, MRIA has decided to extend recipient eligibility to graduating students from a marketing research-related program at any accredited college in Canada.

• The A.B. Blankenship Award competition is open to graduating students from a marketing research-related program at any accredited college in Canada.

Student nominees will have to submit a research proposal in response to a marketing research case/problem.

The winner will receive:

• a $1,000 monetary award;
• a one-year Student or New Practitioner MRIA membership; and
• reimbursement of travel, accommodation and incidental costs to attend the Gala Awards Banquet held at the MRIA National Conference.
  
  (This year’s Gala Awards Banquet will take place on May 31st, 2012, in St-John’s, Newfoundland.)

Timeline for Academic Awards 2012

• Week of January 9: Invitation to download Case study and contest instructions sent to contacts within institutions

• January 31: Institution to confirm that one of their students will be participating

• March 30, midnight: Deadline for submission of written proposals by institutions to MRIA

• April 1 to 20: Selection of 3 finalists

• Week of April 23: Oral presentations of 3 finalists

• Week of May 1: Winners notified

About our sponsor Hotspex:

In 2000 Hotspex was one of the original marketing research companies who grew up with the Internet. Since then, their relentless search for the “new rules” has made them a unique insights, innovation and technology leader focused on helping their clients drive sustainable relationships. Today – across over 20 countries – decision-makers, innovators and marketers rely on Hotspex to target, activate and measure the emotional and rational drivers of behaviour that delineate successful strategies, ideas, and executions that truly connect with consumers.

Hotspex continuously pushes the boundaries of marketing research possibility, developing new ways of gaining better, and more meaningful insight. Recognized by Marketing Magazine as “the Google of marketing research,” a third of Hotspex 70 employees is directly involved in the development of innovative research solutions, applications development and graphic design — a landmark in the research industry.

In addition to Marketing Research, with its brand spanking new Innovation Consulting Solutions Group, Hotspex partners with the likes of Nestlé, Johnson & Johnson, and Kimberly-Clark to develop  "new to the world" ideas, brands, products, services, packaging, and communications that are guaranteed to succeed in market.  
There is lots going on at Hotspex and we hope you’ll consider a conversation with us when you are determining your future as this could just be the place for you!