New Year, New Standards…
I’ve been asked to partake in a discussion on the need for, get this “social media research standards” provided by the marketing research trade org nearest you.
Last year it was ISO standards that CASRO and ESOMAR wanted to push. In an tempt to stay relevant and add an extra revenue stream they had hope to capitalize on the globalization and offshoring trend by offering a system for large MR suppliers to move projects beyond borders under the guise of “standardizing” the intricate mix of science and art which is market research.
I predicted ISO would never take off in the US, and have been proven right. I parted ways with ESOMAR as a result, and it has been a liberating experience. I found I was far from alone in my view that most trade orgs do more to stifle innovation than promote it.
As ESOMAR and CASRO didn’t make the revenues they were hoping for with the ISO Push, they along with a couple of other marketing research trade orgs have started eyeing a new set of guidelines in an attempt to stay relevant in an industry that is moving faster, and in ways their leadership is not equipped to understand.
This time it’s an equally ludicrous set of standards, actually several sets, that various groups are hoping will gain acceptance.
I was recently asked if I wanted to be part of a live debate on these standards. My answer was that I really didn’t have any interest in these type of standards whatsoever, and therefore thought a discussion would be unproductive. Similar to having a discussion about the best way to jump off a bridge. However, a couple of the organizers felt my position would still be valuable, and I see the value of shining the lite on what these trade orgs are up to. So if you have some time Monday morning feel free to login to hear the discussion live.
I’m not optimistic about changing the trade orgs minds on this or much else. Should you miss the call, I plan to post a recording with a summary of my thoughts on the call here afterwards.
@TomHCAnderson
PS. Below are just a couple of the NGMR Meme’s from last year relating to ISO Standardization. I think they’re almost equally fitting for these new proposed standards, though I bet we could think up a few more. If you have a good NGMR Meme on this subject please forward. I’d be happy to post it here. I think most of us would agree that the best way to deal with bureaucratic idiocracy is with a good laugh.
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6 responses so far ↓
1 Jason Anderson // Aug 22, 2011 at 1:56 pm
I listened to the discussion, and came away feeling like it was a big-corporation-vs-boutique-firm argument. Big corps are more sensitive to legal risks, and are generally less in tune with the nuances of individual niches. Personally I couldn’t care less about industry association norms and policies when it comes to social media…every single social media app is governed first and foremost by the TOS of each app. I’m more concerned about what Facebook, Twitter, or Apple could change in their TOS to make my life more difficult than in what misguided politicians might think.
But then again, I have the luxury of managing research for an online service where we control our own TOS.
2 Megann Willson // Aug 22, 2011 at 4:00 pm
ARRGH, standards. I have standards. High ones. But the kind of “standards” that come up in these debates are invariably simple non-tariff barriers for competition and creativity, designed by people who want to believe that there is one “right” way to solve any given problem. If we all do the same work in the same way, the opportunity to provide clients a purpose-built solution for their unique need will go away. That’s unacceptable.
Kudos for shining a light on one of our industry’s dark, dismal places…
3 Of Privacy and Games (Marketing) Research | GameHex // Aug 22, 2011 at 6:37 pm
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