We are sure that many of you in the evening (when you do watch live TV) have seen the adverts boasting about x number of women/men surveyed achieved results in the product they are promoting. This can be anything from hair products, make up or miracle skin creams as well as various household products. But what you may not have noticed is the small print saying “96% of 51 people surveyed agreed”.

This got us thinking what is the true picture behind the survey? 96% sounds pretty good but why only 51 people which is a tiny sample (remember `percent’ means out of a hundred)? How were these people selected and how can so few people be representative of, well, everyone else? Maybe this new miracle cream isn’t so amazing after all, but when it is being endorsed by a celebrity with a flawless complexion and impressive-sounding statistics to back up product claims then it can be compelling – even if `airbrushing’ has just been applied to the model’s skin.

Discussing the latest miracle cream or cleaning product may sound quite trivial, but what if the subject is more serious or can have a big impact on the way you vote for example? Surveys and opinion polls are now used to influence people’s behaviour. Politicians, perhaps, are more susceptible than most. It only took a single poll from YouGov giving the Yes campaign a 2% lead in the Scottish Referendum to turn parliament into a ghost town and have MPs jumping on trains to head north of the border on what was described at the time as the Westminster Express (in the end “No” won by an 11% margin).

It’s not just voting intentions that can be influenced, the media and government can be the worst at promoting “misleading” stats on policy issues. Take immigration for example, The Guardian carried an article in October 2014 entitled “Today’s key fact: you are probably wrong about almost everything”. The article says: “People from the UK think immigrants make up twice the proportion of the population as is really the case – and that many more people are unemployed than actually are”.

They go on to say – “Such misconceptions are typical around the world, but they can have a significant impact as politicians aim to focus on voter perceptions, not on the actual data”. Brace yourself for a barrage of survey data as we approach the next general election in May.

Here at Aspect Market Research, our business is to uncover meaningful insights that our clients can act on. Whatever techniques we use you can be assured that you will get to see the truth behind the data and that the evidence we derive from research is used to deliver maximum value to your organisation. You may not be using the results to change government policies, but the chances are you will be making future business decisions based on the results.

Get in touch to find out how we can help you and your business or call 0161 831 7171

Photo: “Golden beauty” by Søren Rajczyk, licensed under CC by 2.0