As I’ve said many times, I’m a big fan of research.
Good research.
Research that helps you understand people’s feelings, choices and decisions … research that helps explains ‘why’, not just ‘what’ … research that liberates opportunities rather than keeping things firmly where they’ve always been or – alternatively – stopping brands from embarking on an ego trip and keeping things real for their audience.
Now obviously there are a bunch of good researchers and companies out there, but in my opinion, we’re seeing the credibility of the whole research industry being undermined by people who either talk complete bollocks or state the fucking obvious.
What is even scarier is that the very people who should be putting a stop to this – the clients and the research industry – are seemingly going along with it all because they either [1] like their ego being pampered or [2] don’t want to draw any unwanted attention to themselves.
Of course, the real reason for this is that the industry – like too much of adland – has become focused on the money rather than doing stuff that earns money as a byproduct of its value, meaning and effectiveness.
The reason for this rant is because when I was in Singapore last week, I came across this …
I don’t know Gerard Tan.
I don’t know if he’s been misquoted or it’s been taken out of context … but saying iTunes would probably be welcomed by the people of Singapore is one of the most bland, state-the-fucking obvious things I think I’ve ever read.
What next?
People would probably like to win millions of dollars on the lottery?
Men would probably like to be very attractive to the opposite sex?
Families would probably like to never be ill?
No. Fucking. Shit.
I even hate how he has said “probably”, even though that is exactly what should be said because owners of music and dvd stores will definitely not be happy about iTunes coming to Singapore.
As I said, I don’t know this guy, I don’t know if he’s been misquoted or taken out of context … but anyone who thinks this is some massive insight needs to be sent back to school or taken out and shot and that includes the paper [Straits Times] who saw this newsworthy enough to print.
The right research in the right hands is a powerful weapon.
The wrong research in the wrong hands is a dangerous weapon.
In both cases, it tends to all come from the same source, hence the ‘enemy within’.
A while back, some people wrongly claimed Google was making us all stupid.
They weren’t wrong purely because they need to take some responsibility for their own ‘short-cut/convenient answer’ attitude to life, but because it appears if anyone is, it’s the research, advertising and/or media industries that are doing the lions share of the job.