Why did Penelope Keith matter to advertising and research?

Why did Penelope Keith matter to advertising and research?

Penelope Keith: an AMSR tribute There is a Penelope Keith for every age. To Boomers, she’s Margot Ledbetter, horrified to be living next-door to Tom and Barbara’s garden smallholding in Surbiton. To Gen X, she’s Audrey fforbes-Hamilton in To the Manor Born. And to...
Is Yorkie still the manly choice 50 years on?

Is Yorkie still the manly choice 50 years on?

Launched in 1976, this year the Yorkie chocolate bar celebrates its 50th anniversary. And just like the trucker who featured in its early TV advertising, it’s been on quite a journey. Research reports held within AMSR tell the story… From Launch to Success: The Making...
Whatever happened to Weight Watchers?

Whatever happened to Weight Watchers?

If you trace the long arc of British dieting from the late 1980s to the 2020s, the first thing you notice is that the dieting never stopped. The TGI chart of Trying to Lose Weight, 1987–2022,  shows a steady, relentless rise. By 2022 about 40% of UK adults are trying...
Was 1989 the tipping point in ‘Designer’ Fashion?

Was 1989 the tipping point in ‘Designer’ Fashion?

“There’s no point buying £40 shoes for a £400 suit” says a respondent in a 1989 study for Adidas, who were looking to launch an international lifestyle brand (including shoes). The report, held within AMSR, summarises the UK qualitative research, and...
How popular were the royals 50 years ago?

How popular were the royals 50 years ago?

Recent reports have commented on how the monarchy’s popularity has fallen in recent years – to just 55%, according to one poll. A dip into the Archive of Market and Social Research shows what a shift this is. June 1969 saw the UK broadcast of Royal Family, a TV...