• SMU team clinched Grand Prix OCBC Student Researcher Award in first market and social research challenge in Singapore, organised by Market Research Society of Singapore (MRSS)
• Research insights on “Crafting the Future of Beer” relate to “Changing Tides” in Singapore consumer behaviour and market
• Cross-disciplinary team of undergraduates from business and social sciences schools

An undergraduate student team from the Singapore Management University (SMU) won one of the four top awards in the MRSS Illuminator 2016, the first market and social research challenge in Singapore, organised by the Market Research Society of Singapore (MRSS).

The students hailing from SMU’s Lee Kong Chian School of Business (LKCSB) and School of Social Sciences (SoSS) clinched the Grand Prix OCBC Student Researcher Award at the inaugural competition’s finale held on 30 June 2016 at the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) Centre. They were: Frank Ng Yu Hang (a recent SoSS graduate), Lim Zhen Ting (LKCSB), Shona Tan Hui Shan (LKCSB), and Cheyenne Koh Tat Huey (LKCSB).

The winning team took home a cash prize of S$2,000, an MRS (Market Research Society, UK) Foundation Certificate course for every team member, and a one-year MRSS membership for every team member.

Their report on “Crafting the Future of Beer” presented original, critical and scientific thoughts, and beat those from two other teams from higher educational institutions in the student researcher category.

The team sought to understand the trajectory of the burgeoning craft beer industry, and its greater implications on "maker" products in general. Their research found that winning brands were able to go beyond the "beer geek" segment and tap into wider middle-upper consumers that present an opportunity to be upsold. They also provided recommendations for craft beer companies to overcome three sets of challenges: overcoming tyranny of choice, trade / channel restrictions, and an over-saturated market.

They were one of seven teams in total, including four in the junior researcher category for research agencies, which competed at the finale. A total of four awards were presented – the OCBC Student Researcher Award, Ipsos Young Researcher Award, Millward Brown Impact Award, On Device Research Award for Creativity.

The team was mentored by an industry professional – Savaraman Yegnaraman, Executive Director, Innovation Practice, Nielsen – while conducting their research, before delivering the insights at the finale.

The panel of judges included Melanie Ng, Executive Director, Ipsos; Chin Mun Hong, Head of Market Research, OCBC; Wilfred Leu, Head of Insights APAC, General Motors; Regina Soh, Director, Marketing Measurements & Insights, AP, Visa; and Madeleine Dy, Senior Manager, CMI, Global Oral Care, Unilever.

The objectives of the MRSS Illuminator 2016 were to raise awareness and create interests on market research, connect young bright minds with established practitioners and partners, and build the talent pipeline for the research and insight industry in Singapore.

The inaugural annual competition themed ‘Changing Tides’ was opened to junior researchers and students across Singapore’s market research agencies and higher educational institutions. It challenged participants to present research insights on one of the six key topics related to shifts in Singapore society and consumer behaviour.

The organisers hope that the participants work towards insights that catalyse real change in both the commercial and public domain, and through these efforts, come to appreciate careers in market research and becoming a talent for the industry.

Team member Shona Tan Hui Shan said, "Thank you MRSS for this opportunity to take on our research independently and within real world constraints – it's not an experience we can easily have doing classroom projects. We learned a lot and this definitely compels us to explore the field further to hone our research skills."

Frank Ng Yu Hang, another team member added, "The finale presented us with many parallel narratives – in this information age, where narcissism on social media is at an all-time high, consumers seek new and complex meanings in their purchases, from luxury to craft products. Amidst this, millennials pursue a new Singaporean dream, and contrary to their unfavourable image in the workforce, do not shy away from pursuing their passions as hawkers and makers in the new working class."

[Featured Photo: The winning SMU team with one of the competition judges Mr Chin Mun Hong, Head of Market Research, OCBC (left) at the prize-giving. The participating students were (second from left, to right) Cheyenne Koh Tat Huey (LKCSB), Shona Tan Hui Shan (LKCSB) and Frank Ng Yu Hang (SoSS). (Photo by SMU winning student team; team member Lim Zhen Ting (Business) is not present in this photo.)]