McCann UK and Aldi’s long-standing relationship continues to go from strength to strength at the industry awards shows, with the team scooping the Applications of Research award for Aldi’s Christmas LIVE research at the annual MRS Awards, held by the Market Research Society.
The win is the latest in a series of successes which have seen Aldi and McCann scoop top honours at prestigious creative and effectiveness awards in the past three months.
The team were presented with the award in front of more than 1,000 people at Old Billingsgate in London on the evening of 3rd December, and McCann UK were the only non-specialist research agency at the awards.
The MRS Awards celebrate research's ability to drive innovation, inspire change and deliver results, and some 26 awards were distributed.
‘Christmas LIVE – Aldi shoppers’ journey to Christmas’ was an eight week-long ethnographic study of the retailer’s shoppers conducted through the McCann Truth app that tracked shoppers’ attitudes and behaviours throughout the festive period. The team produced weekly reports that were backed up by research, and using these McCann and Aldi could adjust and optimise the Christmas campaign.
The MRS said, “Christmas LIVE – Aldi shoppers’ journey to Christmas encapsulates just what the judges are looking for in the Applications of Research category: the research started with a sharp focus and delivered clear insights that were then turned into credible business actions.
“Doing it all under the pressure of having to provide answers within the extraordinary demands Christmas places on retailers made it all the more impressive.”
The judges commented, “The combination of approaches here – qualitative, quantative, remote, face-to-face – and the obvious impact made this a clear winner.”
“It was a textbook example of how research can be used in an agile and impactful way to directly affect business performance,” they added.
Jamie Peate, Global Head of Retail Strategy at McCann Worldgroup, said, “This really was a total team effort and is testament to the hard work of everyone at McCann Manchester and Aldi.
“This latest win is a real feather in the cap as there are no other agencies in the UK that have won IPA, Effie, Roses, Kinsale and MRS awards – we are getting recognised for our creative work, research and overall effectiveness.
“We are continuing to reap the rewards of our close working relationship, and everyone connected with McCann and Aldi should rightfully be very proud of this achievement.”