For the fourth year, GfK MRI is offering a complementary trial of its University Internet Reporter (UIR) service to participants in GfK’s Next Generation (“NextGen”) Competition. UIR gives college students and instructors online access to rich data– including media and product use by different demographic groups – from GfK MRI’s Survey of the American Consumer®.

Designed to be used in classrooms or university libraries, UIR lets students quickly profile consumers by a wide array of product categories. Users can target a particular category, select profile criteria, and then view data by demographic characteristics and media consumption patterns.

Interested students can request UIR access by writing to nextgencompetition(at)gfk.com.

The NextGen Competition challenges US undergraduates in any major to design and execute a market research or data analysis project, vying for a grand prize of $1,000 and a trip to GfK’s New York City headquarters. Initial entries are due December 1st. 

Click here to view a video about the NextGen Competition.

For this year’s NextGen Competition, GfK suggests that students focus on one of four topics of key interest to marketers today:

• Understanding the Now Generation
• Mapping the digital purchase journey
• “Future-proofing” new products
• Bringing tech and other industries together

NextGen teams can also study a marketing issue or challenge of their own choosing. For almost any topic, students can use GfK MRI’s UIR to look at relevant trends – how products are performing, how are groups differ, and where people shop and make purchases. (Note: Use of UIR is not a requirement for the competition.)

NextGen finalists will be selected by December 15th and have until March 30, 2018, to carry out their proposed research and submit final reports. The winning team will be announced April 20th.