Turning numbers into decisions is what separates research as a profession from simply collecting data. This is the view of Jane Frost, CEO of the Market Research Society (MRS) in the UK and a member of the Empath Awards 2026 jury, the competition that recognises the impact of research on business in Romania. Drawing on her experience with the MRS Awards, she explains what makes a research project worthy of recognition and why the strongest entries tell a story instead of mechanically answering questions. She also outlines what the Romanian market can gain from celebrating its own research sector.
Data or insight: what’s the difference?
Data is just numbers and lists. You can’t do anything with it until it has context and you investigate it for insight. Anyone can have data, but not many people have usable insights. And researchers then need to demonstrate that what they do is actionable, because that is how we justify our budgets. This is easier than calculating an ROI, which can require complex modelling, yet it is arguably a discipline that is often overlooked by researchers.
What misconception about market research would you change?
That anyone can do it. We are a profession with qualifications and skills. Just because data can be democratised doesn’t mean that smart data and the insights needed to make better decisions can be left to anyone. I would like to see everyone in the research sector supported to gain qualifications.
What do the best research projects have in common?
The best research starts with curiosity and helps us develop new ways of thinking. It also doesn’t leave anyone behind, giving a voice to all.
What makes an award entry stand out to the jury?
The most important thing is to tell a good story that encompasses the evidence. You need to persuade. Demonstrate original thinking and an appropriate choice of methodology, and explain the difficulties you had to overcome and the barriers you met. One factor often omitted is verbatim comments from clients or stakeholders: saying “the client really appreciated this” needs a quote to substantiate the claim. But above all, never forget the case study is going to be one of many being read by a time-poor judge, so it has to be compelling. You need to want to tell the story, rather than just mechanically answer a lot of questions.
What has the MRS Awards culture taught you about recognising excellence?
I set a target of our Awards being a more desirable event than marketing awards, and they are. Agencies and individuals who win, win business almost immediately after an Award. If you don’t collectively celebrate the great, then your ammunition to prove value is limited. It’s like a giant ad campaign for what we do.
Why should research teams and businesses enter the Empath Awards?
It gets research teams noticed. It is an endorsement: if your work is judged to be good enough for an award, it proves your professional value. It’s great publicity, and clients also like to have award-winning work.
What can Romania gain from its own research awards?
It proves the achievements of the research sector in Romania. It’s a real opportunity to shout about those achievements and demonstrate the contribution Romanian research makes to Romanian business. Businesses get noticed when they are celebrated, because people take notice, and the awards should make people take notice of what research is capable of in Romania. I would love them to demonstrate not just the level of professionalism in Romania, but also the breadth of organisations realising they make better decisions because of research. And I would love to be able to use the case studies internationally, because they prove research matters and that evidence matters now more than ever. Research is the loser when the passion for truth leaves the room.
