I feel as though the question of spin in research really comes down to a basic, normative question: Did you commission research to develop insights, or did you do so to support pre-determined insights? And this is at the core of marketing-research ethics, in my book.

I think that when companies commission research to support pre-determined insights they (a.) have missed the point of research and (b.) are already 99% on the path to spinning those results.

Good dialogue.

FYI — I’m going to do more with this topic on my blog — where I’m planning a future piece on how marketing research and customer insights are evolving in the Web 2.0 world. Will keep you updated.

Also FYI — We’ve added The Harte of Marketing to our blogroll. Like the dialogue on your site!

@ShannonPaul, thank you ma’am! My BS meter almost made me fall of the chair. I can’t believe an agency would pull this stunt…okay, well, I can. But still.

@MarcMeyer, mind altering chemicals or someone was spinning around in an office chair for a little too long. Glad you are trying to educate your co-workers, I hope they are listening.

@JamesHelms, thanks! I have heard the same thing. Some marketers know the buzz word, but don’t really know what it means. Surveys like Cones do not help. Again, thought they’d be “listening,” and perhaps respond, but no dice.

Cone needs to read the posts on when to fire your SM Consultant! Amber Naslund’s post (http://tinyurl.com/3jp6s8) and Alex Hillman’s (http://tinyurl.com/3lwele)

I buy the 60% number when you look at what that might mean. Comments on a blog, video, or news article. Visiting a forum, or an online video site like YT…who knows what or how cone phrased the questions. They should have presented more details about the survey.

Again Beth, great article.

flash forward to last week. Somone asks, What’s a widget? another co-worker answers with, “its similar to a doo0-hicky. At which point I leapt out of my chair and so hold hold hold hold it….

and then explained.

Those numbers have to be post ingestion of mind altering chemicals

You Rock!