Posted by Joan Sinopoli, Senior Vice President, Brand & Communications

Chrysler and Clint Eastwood declared that it was halftime in America and virtually hijacked the post-game analysis of the Super Bowl commercials. But it was a beer company and a funny-looking little dog who offered Americans a way to make a difference in their own backyards in this most social of Super Bowls.

Posted by Carol Gstalder, Executive Vice President, Market and Customer Insights

Harris Poll results on customer satisfaction with financial institutions, combined with social media tracking, indicate weak levels of overall satisfaction with Big Banks. This could pave the way for a "Happy Bank Transfer Day" for more customer-centric credit unions and small and regional banks.

Posted by Jon Siegel, Senior Vice President, Methodology

Innovation is once again accelerating in the market research world. Although some advocates in the blogosphere believe these new methods will replace the tools we use today on a whole-sale basis, I think it is much more likely that these new techniques will add diversity to our toolbox. After all this is an evolution, not a revolution.

Posted by Phil Sawyer, Senior Vice President, Solutions Consultant, Brand & Communications

Like many graduate students and instructors of English literature and composition, I spent many years learning how to judge the written word. However, during my second year of graduate school, a professor challenged me to evaluate instead. To me, advertising is akin to literature—largely a product of the imagination and more deserving of evaluation than judgement.

Posted By Humphrey Taylor, Chairman, The Harris Poll

When times are tough we tend to vote against incumbents, and there are many reasons to expect that President Obama will be a one-term president. But voting against Obama means voting for one of his opponents, and there are a number of reasons why many people may be reluctant to do that.

Posted By Jeanne Bonds, Assistant Vice President, Business Development, Energy and Utilities

We are confronted a lot with the terms the grid and, more and more often, smart grid. What are they exactly? Do we need a smart grid? What are the implications of an aging grid? 

This is part one of a two-part piece on the US electic grid.

Posted by Phil Sawyer, Senior Vice President, Solutions Consultant, Brand & Communications

A number of advertisers who had ignored print are exploring the possibilities in the medium again. Why this resurgent interest? Regardless of the reasons, this might be a good time to make the case for print. Here are some points to consider...

Posted by Debra Richman, Vice President, Healthcare Strategy and Christine Hughes, Advocacy Research Leader, GE Healthcare

There continues to be a great amount of uncertainty regarding health care reform and the nature of health care plans today and in the future. However, even in this rapidly evolving and indeterminate marketplace, US adults have definite priorities in the features they require from their health plans, with access to imaging topping that list. 

Posted by Humphrey Taylor, Chairman, Harris Poll

For as long as I can remember we have told ourselves that the health care priorities of the American people are access, cost  and quality.  However there was never a consensus as to what exactly we meant by quality, let alone how to measure it, or pay for it.

Posted by Manny Flores, Vice President, Technology, Media, & Telecommunications

Technology had dramatically changed the way we work and it can do the same for education--there is the potential that technological integration will revolutionize how our children learn and how state and federal governments spend our education tax dollars.