Why do people buy second-hand? How do we expose fake news? And what motivates us to repair things instead of throwing them away? Questions like these have long since not only affected the economy and politics - they reflect the changes in our consumer culture. This is precisely where contemporary market research comes in: It makes hidden patterns visible and provides a sound basis for decision-making. With the Consumer Research Award, Marketagent and the Master's programme ‘Consumer Research & Data Driven Marketing’ have for the first time honoured projects that get to the bottom of such questions with creative research designs.
First place went to Natalia Aldana and Chieh Pan, founders of ‘In-Kind’. Their project investigates how consumers can be motivated to act sustainably when social impact is part of a transaction. At the centre of the project is a digital platform that efficiently manages donations in kind and combines them with elements of the second-hand economy. The research question combines social innovation with consumer psychology - and impressed the jury with its clear focus on implementation.
Second place went to Maximilian Neudörfer and Tobias Sattler. In their project "Fake News in the Age of AI," they aim to analyze how well different generations can recognize AI-generated disinformation on social networks. The goal is a data-based comparison of media-related skills that will provide insight into age differences in digital news consumption.
Felix Ambros, co-founder of thinkubator.earth, secured third place with "Smart Repair Decisions." The project explores the conditions under which consumers choose to repair rather than buy a new product – and how digital tools can help. The focus is on developing a repair cost calculator that aims to promote sustainable consumer behavior through transparent information.
In addition to the three main prizes, seven other outstanding contributions were honored with the "Research & Art" recognition award from renowned Austrian artist Peter Jellitsch. These limited-edition, signed art prints celebrate creative thinking and symbolize the connection between science and art.
The winning research designs will now be implemented in practice together with Marketagent – supported by professional tools and reach. Another call for entries for the award is already planned for 2026!