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From Amelia Earhart to Barnes Wallis, Malala Yousafzai to Edith Wharton, Ernest Shackleton to Coco Chanel, pioneers have always been a source of hope and inspiration, driving forward our knowledge and our capacity to create.
Wendy Gordon (1942-2023) was a true pioneer in the world of qualitative research and all of us in the industry have benefitted from her groundbreaking thinking, whether knowingly or not. Wendy's insatiable appetite for understanding what makes us human constantly pushed the boundaries and translated into extraordinary ways of doing, thinking and applying qualitative research.
Wendy cared deeply about models of thinking, the "mind-frames" that help us interpret and apply insights, taking research beyond interesting methodology to useful tools and frameworks.
An award to recognise pioneering spirit
The AQR Wendy Gordon Pioneers Award is a celebration of what Wendy brought to the industry and beyond, to brand planning, semiotics, recruitment, marketing and more; her curiosity, her bravery, her intelligence and her pioneering spirit. The award is open to anyone from the insight industry who can demonstrate a similar pioneering spirit in the work that they do. The winner will hold the Pioneers Award trophy for one year, a ceramic which was created by Wendy herself and donated by her family.
What is pioneering thinking or doing?
Innovative and novel approaches that have helped establish a new standard
Game-changing actions or models of thinking that have resulted in a positive shift for a business, brand, community, culture
Initiating a way of thinking that has set the scene for others to follow
Approaches that have challenged the status quo or changed the frontiers of qual
Pioneering business or operating models
A project or programme of research or strategy that could be described as pioneering
Judging panel
Steven Lacey
Winner Pioneer Award 2025, Founder of The Outsiders
Caroline Whitehill
Co-Founder and Strategist, Acacia Avenue
Judy Taylor
AQR Board Member
Research and Strategy Consultant
Tom Kerr
Chair, AURA
Oliver Sweet
AQR Board Member, Ipsos
An other special Judge (to be announced)
Sponsor
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The AQR Wendy Gordon Pioneers Award is sponsored by Acacia Avenue, the insights company which Wendy helped found in 2002.