Call for Papers (English version) German Market Research Congress, 26 June 2025, Berlin
Creativity and skills as key success factors in market research – shaping the sector’s future with next-level competencies
Market research is experiencing a profound transformation, affecting all stakeholders from institutes to in-house research teams to respondents and target groups. New skills and researcher creativity are therefore in demand. That is why the Congress of German Market Research is dedicated to this disruption with a focus on opportunities, challenges and new skills in the age of AI and automation.
How are tasks in market research changing?
Will the market researchers of tomorrow become all-rounders, equally well versed in technology, data analytics and strategic consulting? One thing is for sure: AI and automation are increasingly taking over routine analyses, data processing and transcription, thereby disrupting traditional roles. In addition, AI is making qualitative research more powerful and scalable. Market researchers have to combine technical, analytical and curatorial skills going forward. They also have to monitor data quality from the questionnaire to evaluation more than ever before. Because one thing is already clear: AI is not (yet) reducing fakes and poor survey data.
How are projects and collaboration changing?
AI is also transforming business models and pricing: Automated, scalable solutions are lowering unit costs but causing competition for the lowest price. Institutes have to create new added value to remain relevant and in demand. Customer relationships are becoming more data-driven and complex. Midsize enterprises, on the one hand, are gaining easier access to market research possibilities thanks to AI and can handle more tasks with the helpf of “AI assistants”. In-house market research could gain importance as a result. Internal teams are repositioning themselves with specialisations and analytics departments are gaining influence compared to classic research teams. However, project planning between institutes and client-side teams is also becoming more demanding: What can be expected from AI projects? Dynamic time lines with iterations and experiments are the new reality. Outcomes and target criteria need to be anticipated early on. Effort for reviewing data quality, data protection and model validation is increasing as well. Projects need to become even more collaborative and learning-oriented: Customers provide training data, institutes develop models and both benefit from the transfer of knowledge.
How are subjects and target groups changing?
Lastly, respondents are changing their response behaviour in the age of AI. This is readily apparent from the responses to open questions. Increasingly, data is also being generated in real time from various sources such as social media or behaviour tracking. And will AI make the segment of one a reality, with each customer being treated individually based on their unique profile, behaviour and preferences?
One thing is certain: Not only the industry is changing, but so are its stakeholders – from researchers to respondents.
The BVM represents all perspectives
Institutes and operations, CEOs, researchers and scientists will have their say. The study with the greatest innovation performance will receive the 2026 Innovation Prize and outstanding young reserchers will also be recognised.
Join us!
“Share your Vision” campaign: What will market research of the future look like?
5-minute presentations at the Congress of German Market Research
In a departure from the PechaKucha presentations of previous years, we are inviting short five-minute presentations this year. Share your vision by submitting a short presentation: What will market research of the future look like?
Possible central questions for a short presentation:
- All in one or what? How is the job description changing in market research?
- The new self-image: How do market researchers add value?
- Low budget versus high performance: How are the business models of institutes changing in the future?
- DIY 4.0: What can in-house market research achieve with AI?
- Test and learn: New forms of collaboration – operations and institutes in the AI test lab
- “Deformed” subjects: How is the use of AI changing target groups?
- Segment of one: Does AI support the individual treatment of target groups based on profile, behaviour and preferences?
Apply by 2 February 2026 to become a speaker for the industry’s highlight event on 20 May 2026 in Berlin!
What awaits you?
- A central platform for the exchange of industry knowledge and networking
- An interested audience and the feedback of around 200 specialists and managers
- Comprehensive advance communication through BVM and specialist media (digital and print)
- Follow-up reporting in BVM and trade press publications
Tips for a successful application
- Present an original - Contributions that have already been presented or published in German-speaking regions (Germany, Austria, Switzerland) will not be approved for the convention. If you have already published or presented your contribution at an event outside of German-speaking regions, please inform the program committee accordingly.
- Get to the point - Describe your idea or approach as precisely as possible. Make the decision easier for the program committee by expressing everything essential in your abstract (using about 4,000 characters).
- Do not shy away from specializing - Illustrate what the special strengths of your contribution and your know-how are.
- Meet the deadlines - Please note the specified submission dates.
- Less is more - A maximum of two speakers will give presentations. For each contribution accepted into the convention program, one person is given the opportunity to attend the convention on the day of his/her presentation free of charge.
- Refrain from self-promotion - Rather than a sales pitch, your contribution has to be a professional and objective examination of an issue or problem.
Frequently Asked Questions about the Call for Papers
- Are presentations submitted in response to this call for papers eligible for the German Market Research Award? - Before submitting your presentation, please decide whether you want to respond to this call for papers or compete for the German Market Research Award. Competing with the same contribution in both competitions is not an option.
- Who evaluates the submitted contributions? - The BVM Program Committee decides on the contributions, which will be part of the congress program.
- Who serves in the BVM Program Committee? - The program committee members are market researchers who work in commercial and institutional settings. The members are excluded from submitting contributions in response to the call for papers and may not compete for the German Market Research Award.
- When do people who responded to the call for papers learn whether their contribution was accepted? - First, we let you know that we received your contribution. If you do not receive such a confirmation of receipt, please contact us as early as possible. We will let you know whether we accepted your contribution by the end of January, the beginning of February 2026.