Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Beirut/NTSC voted blog of the year by the Lebanese consumer.

The title of this post may have been true, or false. Or perhaps true... Confused? Great, so am I. In the past couple of weeks three TV ads appeared having the logo "Voted product of the year by the Lebanese consumer" - they are namely, Revitalift from l'Oreal, Puk cheese, and Special K from Kellogg's. I am usually very wary of such signs, but to apply them on heavily aired TV ads gives the products in question credibility and in trun gives the award in question exposure and reconnaissance.
But here's my question(s): Who was the consumer sample? Was it biased? Was it representative? How was the data gathered? By one on one interview? By phone interview? By questionnaire? Was the questionnaire open-ended or closed-ended?
For many of you, these questions are trivial, but anyone connected - even remotely - to surveying and research will automatically grasp the major issues I am trying to raise. In any survey there is the inherent question of the bias - anywhere from the initial sample, to the method of surveying and even in the results themselves.
Now comes my biggest problem: WHO FINANCED THE SURVEY?
Can you imagine? If I distribute product X in the market, and I finance the study, then product X will come on top - don't you agree? Maybe this whole entreprise is very legitimate, but as someone who has participated in numerous studies, researches and surveys, I can tell you this: It is very easy for me to get the results I want from any research (luckily, I don't do it).
And with this: Beirut/NTSC has been elected blog of the year.
Do you dare dispute? I can show you the data if you wish!

8 comments:

yasmine said...

I also saw some energy drink I never heard of post it on their ad when I passed by TSC Jnah the other day. Conclusion = never trust products with this award.

Tarek Chemaly said...

Do you mean to say that you doubt that Beirut/NTSC was voted as best blog by Lebanese consumers? :) How dare you after all that money I poured into the survey! :)

Unknown said...

Do the three products in question (four, if you count the energy drink) have anything in common? Maybe the same distributor? That would probably answer the funding question.

CĂ©line said...

Hahaha. Good approach to the problem! :-D

Danielle said...

I knew you would win the title! Aww man.. I hope to win next year! Congrats Tarek! You, of all people, deserved it for all of your valiant efforts. :D

Tarek Chemaly said...

But Danielle, it could have been you! I mean, all I did was sway the ballot my way... though my hard effort of course :)

lboodl said...

AND ZA WINNAR... IZ...

actually, it's an international organization, purely commercial for sure ;-) but it exists nevertheless. Check it out here ProductOfTheYearMe.com

You pay 2,500$ to make it to the finals (in case you get voted first) and then, if you win, you pay another 7,000$ for the rights to display it on your product for one year :-|

2 "awards" went also to Doritos and Ocean Spray Cranberry juice...

Ali Rahmoun said...

Hi, tarek..
i used to lurk around on you blog for a couple months now, but never commented.. but on this.. i think that they know they can get away with such an award/claim based on the general lack of attention to details, and inaccuracy of our communities.