My five fives of 2009

I mentioned over on the Essential Research blog that lists (ie sharing results with respondents) are a non-monetary way of increasing interest in surveys.

However, actively asking people to rank preferences in a survey is problematic since it requires consideration. And my feeling is that few respondents actively consider their answers – the majority are gut clicks on a pre-coded option.

SIDENOTE: This is also why I feel creative testing shouldn’t be conducted using a pure quant approach – there needs to be either a deliberative qualitative element or a carefully recruited panel fully screened to ensure their cooperation and consideration throughout the process

Nevertheless, I like lists as it offers a succinct description of someone’s interests. If I tend to agree with a list, it acts as a good predictor of future similarities, and I am more likely to follow up on a recommendation.

With that in mind, here are 5 of my Top 5’s for 2009

Top 5 Films

(Released in UK cinemas in 2009, which I have seen. Links point to IMDB)

1. Let The Right One In
2. Gran Torino
3. Up
4. The Hurt Locker
5. District 9

Note: I’m still to see Where the Wild Things Are, Avatar and Sherlock Holmes but I’m not expecting any of these to trouble the list

Top 5 Albums

(Released in the UK in 2009, which I have heard. Links point to Spotify)

1. The XX – XX
2. Animal Collective – Merriweather Post Pavilion
3. Future of the Left – Travels With Myself And Others
4. Atlas Sound – Logos
5. A Place To Bury Strangers – Exploding Head

Top 5 Gigs

(That I attended in 2009)

1. Spiritualized @ Royal Festival Hall
2. Final Fantasy @ Union Chapel
3. Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band @ Hyde Park
4. Holy Fuck @ All Tomorrow’s Parties
5. The National @ Royal Festival Hall

Note: I’m seeing Mars Volta tomorrow, so this could change

Top 5 Books

(That I read in 2009 – my book reading has rapidly declined, so I’m struggling to get a list of even 5 books I read in 2009. Links point to Amazon)

1. Moneyball by Michael Lewis (review on this blog pending)
2. World War Z by Max Brooks
3. The Damned United by David Peace
4. Preacher by Garth Ennis & Steve Dillon
5. The Invisibles by Grant Morrison et al

Top 5 Blogs

(There are probably over 100 blogs that I enjoy reading. But with work and study, I’ve found it difficult to keep up to date with all of them. These are five that I tend to check out first. I have listed them alphabetically, rather than rank them)

• Blackbeard Blog by Tom Ewing. Tom is the Social media guy at Kantar Research, and writes one of the smartest, most thought-provoking blogs on research (and its intersection with pop)
• Dave Trott’s Blog by Dave Trott. Great story-telling and lessons from an incredibly successful ad creative
• Feeding The Puppy by John V. Willshire. Lots of great ideas from phd’s Head of Innovation
• Only Dead Fish by Neil Perkin. A great mix of original thought and accumulation of the best of the blogosphere from IPC’s Director of Strategy. Very handy when short on time
• Quaint Living by Alice Watanabe. Alice is an amateur photographer living in Oxford, and her blog is filled with beautiful images of her various adventures – whether cooking a new meal or visiting Japan.

Note: I really need to update my blogroll

While I do like lists, the surfeit of both end of year and end of decade posts and articles is starting to get a bit much. This will be my only contribution.

sk