Canadians Endorse MR

Eighty-seven percent of Canadians believe that market and survey research serves a valuable purpose, according to a poll by the country's Marketing Research and Intelligence Association (MRIA). However, sugging calls are widespread and remain a threat to this goodwill.

'Canadians overwhelmingly maintain a high regard for survey research' says Don Mills, President of MRIA, 'as a forum for providing input and feedback to corporate and government decision-makers. Unfortunately, they continue to be plagued by fraudulent marketers and fundraisers who use the survey research industry's good reputation to sell goods or services or solicit money under the guise of a legitimate marketing research survey'.

53% of respondents reported being contacted for a survey that actually turned out to be an attempt to sell a product or service, and 27% one that turned out to be for fundraising, often for charities. [NB as with so many parts of the English language, usage of the technical terms for this practice appears to differ across the Atlantic. The MRIA defines 'Mugging' as Marketing Under the Guise of interviewing and 'Sugging' as Soliciting Under the Guise of interviewing whereas in the UK researchers tend to talk of sugging as 'selling under the guise of MR' and 'frugging' as 'fund raising under the guise'. Hence the Brits' sugging is the equivalent of the Canadians' mugging and the British frugging the same as the Canadian sugging. (And they ask why we only publish DRNO in English!)].

The study results indicate that the participation rate in surveys has significantly increased in recent years: in 2004, 52% of Canadians had participated in a survey in the previous year, as compared to 45% in 2001 and 42% in 1995. Mills says that respondent rights are at the core of the MR industry, and their violation 'by those who pose as survey researchers under false pretenses is a serious issue... MRIA has been working closely with Canadian legislators to address this issue, including operating the Canadian Survey Registration System to track our members' research projects'.

The telephone survey was conducted in October 2004 among 2006 individuals aged 18+. The Association is online at www.mria-arim.ca

All articles 2006-23 written and edited by Mel Crowther and/or Nick Thomas, 2024- by Nick Thomas, unless otherwise stated.