Survey Research

This week in class, we have been learning about survey research and how it is the most popular rsearch method in the industry.  The method is so popular because it is cheap, can gather a lot of information with immediate feedback and most importantly, surveys collect quantitative data which is easier to categorize and analyze than qualitative data.  Surveys, according to our textbook, are generally conducted in one of two ways: questionnaires or interviews.  The information then collected is used to make generalizations about the larger population the company or product is targeting.  Once these generalizations are decided upon, the client can then use this data to form their communication objectives and how their campaign will progress from there.

Surveys can be very helpful in Food and Nutrition Public Relations.  Since surveys have the potential to delve deep into participants' personal opinions on matters and why they feel this way, food and nutrition clients can definitely use this to their advantage.  Even better, when a survey shows up favorably for a new food or vitamin, the results can be distributed to the mass media to alert the public of how favorably this product has so far been received and perhaps persuade others to try it.

Here is a very interesting news release titled, "Cupcakes or Cash? New Survey Reveals People Choose Favorite Foods Over Money," of a survey aimed at finding how connected people are to their comfort foods.  The survey found that 40 percent of American adults cannot be pulled away from their comfort foods, (examples given include pizza, tacos and macaroni and cheese,) even if offered cash to not eat them.  The survey was conducted by the American Heart Association to help fulfill their goal of leading people to live a healthier lifestyle without giving up their favorite foods.  It is interesting to me that right in the lead, the release states who the survey was conducted by.  This is great because it shows the researchers did not attempt to be deceitful to their participants or in distributing their information.  

The American Heart Association certainly used the right method to conduct their research.  It allowed them to survey the appropriate number of the American adult population and find out about how attached they really are to their favorite foods.  For the record, I wasn't surveyed, but I would've chosen cupcakes too.