Political pollsters have known for years that advance polls are generally a pretty poor indicator of actual voter behavior. Why? As my real estate agent likes to say, "Buyers are liars." It seems that as voters and consumers we are not very good at predicting our own behavior, let alone the behavior of others. That's why I suggest that we should always remember to take focus group and survey results with a grain of salt.

Don't believe me? Have a look at the following story from The Toronto Globe and Mail on January 11th, 2007.

SOCIAL STUDIES
A DAILY MISCELLANY OF INFORMATION BY MICHAEL KESTERTON
11/Jan/07

'Hip, edgy' watch

"Some of you probably have heard the story about Sony Corp.'s efforts years ago to determine the right colour (yellow or black) for a new portable stereo system (or 'boom box' to you Gen X'ers out there)," writes Janice Lachance in the journal Information Outlook. "Their market research team invited teenagers -- their target demographic -- to give their opinions. Unanimously, the group selected yellow, because they perceived that colour to be 'hip, edgy and cool.' To show their thanks for the group's participation, Sony offered the new product to them, free of charge. They were offered yellow or black boom boxes. Everyone took a black one. Sony made their new boom box black."