PRESS RELEASE
On Behalf of SKOPOS

25^th February 2003

The final 6 have been chosen for SKOPOS RealityResearch2003 !

‘Announcing the Final Six!'

The moment that you have all been waiting for is here! After very careful consideration and of course reference to the extensive nominations (well over 100), the final SKOPOS RealityResearch 2003 participants have been chosen. Click on the pictures below to find out more about the people who will be in the spotlight at the end of next week (all day, Friday 7^th March).

‘Make sure that you are watching them on Friday, the 7th of March!'

About SKOPOS RealityResearch 2003:

SKOPOS RealityResearch2003 is an exciting new feature of RESEARCH2003, the Annual Conference & Exhibition of The UK Market Research Society (MRS). This forward-thinking all-day event is to be held on Friday 7th March 2003 at a high-tech viewing studio in Chiswick, London (called iBurbia) – it will also be broadcast live on the Internet (by FlyOnTheWall, the internet broadcasting company that brought you the LG InternetFamily at Harrods). 

For full details of the research industry’s answer to Big Brother (Business Big Brother?) please visit

www.reality-research.com

Those accepting the challenge will be ‘locked up’ with five other ‘room mates’ and filmed whilst undertaking different mental and physical tasks, and discussing various research related issues.

The content of room mates’ discussions will be analysed and interpreted by a panel of research experts (including a psychologist), both for viewers on the web, and RESEARCH2003 delegates. The serious aims are to highlight how un-moderated but observed behaviour/conversation can create new market or customer insight - and to show how new technology can encourage the evolution of new research techniques.  The event will also enable room mates to raise money for charity, have some fun and contribute to discussions at the MRS Annual Conference.

The two eventual finalists, who will be chosen via voting on the web and SMS (during and post the live online broadcast), will be invited to RESEARCH2003 at the ICC Birmingham on 19th to 21st March 2003.  Delegates in Birmingham will then decide the winner after these 2 have had a last chance to canvas for votes at the Conference.

The concept has so far proved extremely popular with over 1 in 6 research professionals in the UK already visiting the SKOPOS RealityResearch2003 nominations website. The number of nominations was also very encouraging with over 150 recorded. Most people put forward colleagues and friends working in the Research industry, although there were also a few who were brave enough (or mad enough depending on your perspective) to put themselves forward! The list consists of a great mix of people of all ages, from different areas of the country, client as well as agency-side researchers and even some famous names. The nominee list reflects the fact that all types of people have been attracted to this innovative event.

The positive reaction to SKOPOS RR2003 is also highlighted by comments so far left on the website, including: 'Good, involving, innovative idea’, ‘A weird concept. I hope it goes ahead’, ‘…it sounds like a brilliant idea’, ‘Excellent concept. Brings observation back into the realms of research’.

For more details contact:

Sophie Russell-Ross, MRS
Tel       020 7566 1876
Email   conference@mrs.org.uk