The Marketing Society of Ireland has issued a call for entries for the 2026 Research Excellence Awards which are now in their 17th year. The awards recognise work across the market research and insights sector and its contribution to marketing effectiveness, business decision-making and wider social outcomes.
Entries are being accepted across nine categories: Advertising Research; Strategic Brand Research; Media Research; Brand or Product Development Research; Business to Business Research; Sustainability; Public Policy and Social Research; Applied Intelligence & Insight Impact; and Insight Team/Champion of the Year.
The new Insight Team/Champion of the Year category is designed to recognise a client-side insight team or individual that has helped embed customer and market understanding within an organisation’s decision-making.
Iarlaith Corcoran, chairperson, Marketing Society of Ireland and managing director, Opinions, said: “We are delighted to launch the 2026 Research Excellence Awards, which celebrate the research and insight behind Ireland’s most effective marketing.
“Now in their 17th year, the awards recognise the researchers, agencies and brand teams whose work turns evidence into better decisions for business and society.”
He said the introduction of the new category would also recognise people within organisations who champion insight and ensure it has a meaningful influence on business decisions.
The 2025 Grand Prix was awarded to Opinions and ReAction for their work with WaterWipes.
The 2026 awards are supported by category sponsors DMG Media, Global, Mediahuis, OMA, The Business Post, AIB, Fuel, Norstat and Ipsos B&A, while RTÉ will sponsor the Grand Prix.
The judging panel will again be chaired by Dr Etain Kidney, director and dean of the Faculty of Business at Technological University Dublin.
Other judges include Laura Daley, joint managing director, JWT Folk; Michelle McLoughlin, head of consumer insights, Aer Lingus; Roger Sherlock, head of marketing at the School of Marketing and Entrepreneurship, TU Dublin; and Cate Browne, head of consumer insights, Britvic. Further judges will be announced.
The closing date for entries is 4pm on Friday, November 6, 2026.
Winners will be announced at the Marketing Society’s annual Christmas Luncheon at the InterContinental Dublin on Thursday, December 10, with winning case studies subsequently presented at the Research Excellence Showcase in early 2027.
