Smart Agency: Marketing & PR Leeds, Yorkshire, UK

Let's face it, most of us in the PR industry have done it at some time or another – relied on surveys to generate a little coverage that is – especially when no real news existed.

In most cases it's a tactic that works, however Public Relations practitioners should consider testing their research project against key criteria.

A. Are the survey findings likely to shed new light or generate comment on a topical or newsworthy issue of import to your target audiences (and is your brand/client the right messenger)?

B. Is there a clear link running from the research findings back to your brand, product, service or message?

Without applying these or some other judgements, surveys remain fun but are unlikely to tick the boxes.

Published in PR Week September 21, 2007 in response to an open letter to the Public Relations industry from Guardian Bad Science columnist Dr Ben Goldacre.

In his letter, Dr Goldacre questioned the use of quasi-science, less than robust methodology and endless formula and claimed it damaged the public’s perception of scientists.

Bad science examples held to account by Dr Goldacre include:

• Scientists have found the equation for the sexiest walk
• The most miserable day of the year (Sky travel)
• The happiest day of the year (Wall's ice cream)
• The perfect minibreak ("where the formula was so ham-fistedly concocted that if you stayed at home with a travel time of zero, you had an infinitely good weekend").

Source: the article above was published in PR Week, September 21, 2007

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