Audience Studies Follow-Up*

So the other day I got a packet of stuff. A videotape and some booklets in the mail. I followed the directions and watched the tape and filled out the paperwork. It came with workbooks and I had to pick which products I liked best. Here's a page from the workbook.:

After watching the program I had to fill out another booklet with similar products and list which ones I liked best. Whatever.

The video tape had sitcom called 'Dads' with C. Thomas Howell and some other dudes. Three divorced dads with three kids. It was as typical as bad sitcoms go. But like a good boy I sat through the show and the commercials and didn't rewind or fast forward the tape as the instructions said.

The Audience Studies dude called to followup and the conversation was something like this:

Guy: Hello. I'm calling from Audience Studies and I have some questions for you.

Me: Ok.

Guy: Did you watch the videotape?

Me: Yes.

Guy: Did you fill out the forms?

Me: Yes.

Guy: Do you have the forms in front of you?

Me: Yes.

Guy: Did you watch the sitcom 'Dads'?

Me: Yes.

Guy: What did you like best about the sitcom?

Me: Mr. Lizard.

(I really didn't like much about the sitcom but there was one side character called "Mr. Lizard" who was the entertainment for the children's party and he kept a live lizard in his mouth at all times and apparently had done that since high school according to one of the dads who looked like Tony Danza 20 years ago. Something bout Mr. Lizard was funny to me though.)

Guy: Mr. Lizard?

Me: Yeah I liked Mr. Lizard.

Guy: What did you like about the Mr. Lizard?

Me: I liked that Mr. Lizard kept a lizard in his mouth.

Guy: Anything else you like about Mr. Lizard.

Me: I liked that his name was "Mr. Lizard."

Guy: Was there anything else you liked about the sitcom 'Dads'?

Me: Not really.

Guy: Just Mr. Lizard.

Me: Yes.

Guy: Did you see a commercial for a shaving cream during the show?

Me: Yes.

Guy: What product was the shaving cream?

Me: Edge gel.

Guy: What do you remember about the commercial?

Me: It was animated.

Guy: Anything else?

Me: Not really.

Guy: Was there anything else you liked about the commercial?

Me: Ummm... I liked the colors.

Guy: You liked the colors.

Me: Yes. I liked the bright colors.

Guy: Any particular colors?

Me: Nope.

Guy: Just the colors in general?

Me: Yes. I liked the colors in general.

The guy went on to ask about other commercials and then other products in the workbook and then he thanked me. My answers were so sort of vague and certain products I had no interest in whatsoever and just picked em at random. I wondered how this all added up in whatever vast data bank and how my answers were of any value to anybody. How could they be worth anything?  How could it mean anything that maybe I like Skippy Peanut Butter over Jif and like Crest over Colgate and Mr. Lizard and the colors in an Edge commercial? What does that add up to? I don't know..

But if you see an animated lizard on a jar of Skippy peanut butter with a bright colored coupon on the back for Colgate toothpaste.... that might be my fault.

ok bye!

tOdd

Thanks to Arvi for sending this in!!