Trivia

How much do you know about the history of Marketing Research in the U.S.? We at RRG have always been intrigued by the history of our industry (perhaps because our patrón is so old!) …especially when it comes to those research pioneers who developed the methodologies we all rely on today. Recently we came across three (very old) books about our industry:

  • Audience Ratings: Radio, Television and Cable (by Hugh Malcolm Beville, Jr, Lawrence Erlbaum Asociates, 1985)
  • Honomichl on Marketing Research (by Jack J. Honomichl, NTC Business Books, 1986)
  • The Marketing Research Council, 1927-1957 (by the Market Research Council, Special Projects Committee, 1957)

As these books “made the rounds” of our staff, we found ourselves trying to stump one another with history-related questions. Needless to say, one thing led to another, and we thought it might be fun to post some of the questions on our site …just to test your knowledge.

The ideas for these questions came from these three sources, plus from several of our employees. Be forewarned: They're VERY challenging and (occasionally) quite obscure. Good luck!

  1. He was the first president of the Market Research Council. In 1918 he and his wife started one of the first marketing research firms, the Market Research Company. Who is he?
    A.  John Jay
    B.  Percival White
    C.  Dr. Frank Stanton
    D.  Jay John
  2. His wife is equally famous. Her name?
    A.  Janet Jay
    B.  Elizabeth White
    C.  Lois Grey
    D.  Pauline Arnold
  3. Today "CAB" may stand for Cabletelevision Advertising Bureau, but in 1930-1946, it stood for what radio audience measurement service?
    A.  Charles A. Beardsley, Inc.
    B.  Cooperative Analysis of Broadcasting
    C.  Choosing A Broadcaster
    D.  Carlson's Analysis of Broadcasting
  4. The first Spanish-language television ratings survey in the U.S. was conducted in 1965 in San Antonio, TX. A telephone coincidental methodology was employed. The survey was sponsored by SIN and its local affiliate, KWEX. What media research firm conducted this survey?
    A.  American Research Bureau (ARB)
    B.  A.C. Neilsen
    C.  The Pulse, Inc.
    D.  Mediafax
  5. Of the research firms that pioneered the development of syndicated broadcast ratings research, only two - the American Research Bureau (ARB) and The Pulse, Inc. - were not named for their founders. What famous research pioneer founded The Pulse, Inc. in 1941 and served as its president for 34 years?
    A.  James Seiler
    B.  Sydney Roslow
    C.  Alfred Politz
    D.  C.E. Hooper
  6. What famous media researcher founded the American Research Bureau in 1949 and served as its president until 1964?
    A.  James Seiler
    B.  Sydney Roslow
    C.  Alfred Politz
    D.  C.E. Hooper
  7. Many people believe that the first Executive Director of the Broadcast Ratings Council (now known as the Media Ratings Council) was Hugh M. (Mal) Beville. In fact, he did not take over the BRC helm until 1972. The first Executive Director of the BRC - appointed in 1964 - was ____?
    A.  Elmo ("Bud") Wilson
    B.  C.E. Hooper
    C.  Dr. Frank Stanton
    D.  Dr. Kenneth Baker
  8. ;J. George Frederick left the editorship of Printer's Inc. to start what may have been the first business research company, the Business Bource. The year was _____?
    A.  1888
    B.  1927
    C.  1911
    D.  1930
  9. He once said: "If I say 'It's warm in here' - that is a qualitative statement. If I say 'It's 78 degrees in here' - that is a quantitative statement. Qualitative statements are just quantitative statements made at a sloppy level of approximation." What famous researcher (who was, needless to say, no fan of qualitative research) made this statement?
    A.  George H. Gallup, Sr.
    B.  Louis B. Harris
    C.  Alfred Politz
    D.  C. E. Hooper
  10. Although he may not have invented probability sampling, this research pioneer was the first to strongly advocate its use for marketing research. Who was he?
    A.  George H. Gallup, Sr.
    B.  Louis B. Harris
    C.  Alfred Politz
    D.  Sydney Roslow
  11. This major agency lays claim to being the first to establish a formal, in-house research department. The year was 1929. The agency was ______?
    A.  McCann-Erickson
    B.  N. W. Ayer
    C.  Leo Burnett
    D.  Young & Rubicam
  12. What well-known researcher headed the first agency in-house research department (as per Q. #11 above)? Again, the year was 1929.
    A.  George H. Gallup, Sr.
    B.  Louis B. Harris
    C.  Alfred Politz
    D.  George H. Gallup, Jr.
  13. (How about a non-history-related question?) Assuming probability sampling procedures are used, in order to cut a standard error in half, the sample size must be _____?
    A.  Doubled
    B.  Quadrupled
    C.  Increased 50%
    D.  Increased 10-times
  14. In 1933 the president of the Market Research Council, Bill Ricketts, resigned his post due to his relocating to Chicago. The vacancy was filled by random selection: names were drawn out of a hat. Can you name the well-known political pollster who became president of the MRC by chance?
    A.  George H. Gallup, Sr.
    B.  Louis B. Harris
    C.  Alfred Politz
    D.  George H. Gallup, Jr.
  15. Who was John F. Kennedy's pollster in 1960?
    A.  George H. Gallup, Sr.
    B.  Louis B. Harris
    C.  Alfred Politz
    D.  George H. Gallup, Jr.
  16. Based on his work in the area of sampling - as it relates to quality control - this American statistician was a major contributor to post-war Japan's development as an industrial power. Who was he?
    A.  W. Edwards Deming
    B.  James P. Rogers, Jr.
    C.  Jay ("J.J.") Jameson
    D.  Rensis Likert
  17. What Presidential campaign is commonly considered to be the first in which survey research played a key role?
    A.  1948 - Truman vs. Dewey
    B.  1960 - Kennedy vs. Nixon
    C.  1964 - Johnson vs. Goldwater
    D.  1968 - Nixon vs. Humphrey
  18. What broadcast researcher went on to become president of a television network?
    A.  Dr. Frank Stanton
    B.  William S. Paley
    C.  Leonard Goldenson
    D.  Jay ("J.J.") Jameson
  19. This psychologist headed the Division of Program Studies at the Department of Agriculture during World War II. After the war, he and several associates established the well-known Survey Research Center at the University of Michigan. There's even a rating scale - frequently found in survey questionnaires - named for him. With all these hints, by now you know we are referring to ____?
    A.  Paul Lazarsfeld
    B.  Larry Deckinger
    C.  Rensis Likert
    D.  Sydney Roslow
  20. The research technique known as "Content Analysis" was developed during World War II (where it was used by military intelligence) by two prominent social communication theorists. One was Harold Lasswell. The other was a well-known sociologist/social researcher closely associated with Columbia University. His name was ____?
    A.  Paul Lazarsfeld
    B.  Larry Deckinger
    C.  Rensis Likert
    D.  Sydney Roslow
  21. This famous researcher spent several years in New York at McCann-Erickson …and then went to Chicago to become a Professor of Law at the University of Chicago. Do you know his name?
    A.  Roger B. Anderson, Jr.
    B.  Hans Zeisel
    C.  Albert Blankenship
    D.  Larry Deckinger
  22. Probably no one uses the term "head of household" more than marketing researchers. Household head is _____?
    A.  The chief wage earner in the household.
    B.  The oldest person in the household.
    C.  The oldest adult male; unless the household has no adult male -- then the oldest female.
    D.  The person whose name is given when the question "Who is the head of this household?" is asked.