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UK Esure and Mischief PR secret survey data 2008
From Wikileaks
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File
uk-esure-secrey-survey-data-2008.xls
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Guardian columnist Ben Goldacre wrote this week that a PR company got huge publicity for a survey on public policy, but then they refused to show him any data which could verify their claims.
http://www.badscience.net/2008/07/mischief-pr-and-more-top-secret-data/
This kind of PR claim regularly fills British newspapers. It is frequently based on deeply unscientific data. When a company goes to the press trying to glean publicity for their data, it is perfectly reasonable to expect that they will be transparent about it and show the data to anyone who asks. This is standard protocol for many polling companies.
As it happens the file attached shows that this survey was incompetently performed, and the PR company's claims in their press release are directly contradicted by the original data, which can now be seen and analysed by others.
Survey consisted of four questions:
- How many people live in your household?
- How often is your rubbish collected?
- Are you happy that your council only collects rubbish once per fortnight or so?
- Have you seen any of the following pests/vermin in or near your house since the fortnightly collections were introduced.
- Rats
- Grey Squirrels
- Mice
- Hornets
Respondents are divided by gender, age, and area of residence. 72% (740/1,026) respondents said their trash was picked up once a week. 25% (253/1,026) said their trash was picked up twice a week.
All respondents were asked the fourth question regardless of how often their trash was collected.File size in bytes
Guardian columnist Ben Goldacre wrote this week that a PR company got huge publicity for a survey on public policy, but then they refused to show him any data which could verify their claims.
http://www.badscience.net/2008/07/mischief-pr-and-more-top-secret-data/
This kind of PR claim regularly fills British newspapers. It is frequently based on deeply unscientific data. When a company goes to the press trying to glean publicity for their data, it is perfectly reasonable to expect that they will be transparent about it and show the data to anyone who asks. This is standard protocol for many polling companies.
As it happens the file attached shows that this survey was incompetently performed, and the PR company's claims in their press release are directly contradicted by the original data, which can now be seen and analysed by others.
The issue of PR companies' behaviour, and the media conspiring with them in creating bogus news, is more significant than this sole document, but it will act as a good hook for that discussion, and Goldacre will probably write about it again (and mention wikileaks). I would advise you let him know if you choose to put it online, he is on ben.goldacre@guardian.co.uk