Market Research

The other day I got a phone call from a market research firm. They were conducting a survey of radio listening habits. I agreed to participate. The first question was "What is your age?"

"57", I replied.

"Thank you, that's all we need to know", he said.

"Wait a minute. People my age listen to radio, too, you know. It's not just..." I reached for some youthful sounding jargon "...hip-hops and - and - and gangbangers."

"Well, sir, we have reached our quota for your age group."

"What if I had told you I was 29?"

"I'd have asked you what radio stations you listen to."

Now I was getting somewhere. "And what if I told you I liked NPR?"

"Then I would know you were not 29". He hung up.

This got me thinking about how advertisers treat people my age. The target age of most TV shows is 18-49. Does that mean people over 49 don't watch TV? I personally like the O.C. -- don't tell anybody. What happens in the blog stays in the blog -- but advertisers don't care who watches the show, only if the people who watch the show are susceptible to their advertising. I imaging the first thing they would want to know about me is “When was the last time you changed brands of beer?” Well, it’s been about 30 years so chances are they’re wasting their money trying to convince me that it is vital that I switch to the newest Budweiser offering.

So I guess I see their point, but I can’t help feeling a little lonely out here on planet 57 where we all drink the same beer, drive the same cars, and use the same razor blades we always did.

It makes me sad, but not as sad as if Ryan and Marissa don’t get back together. Or will it be Marissa and Alex?

Stay tuned.