Surveys: Food for Reporters

Posted: June 16th, 2006 | By: Steve Mullen | Filed under: PR Tactics | No Comments

I like to think of public relations as filling the belly of the news animal. That animal is getting bigger and bigger, with cable outlets, niche magazines, the Internet, and now blogs. Surveys are a great way to feed the animal and make sure you get the publicity you want. If you don’t have a strong news hook, such as the cost of health insurance, go quirky … the quirkier the better! Below is an outstanding example of a survey with a high “quirk rating.”

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Toilet Issue: New York City Named Nation’s Cloggiest

Bathroom Obstructions Occur Most Frequently in Eastern Cities, SCOTT(R)
Clog Clinic Survey Finds

NEENAH, Wis., April 24 /PRNewswire/ — While nearly two-in-five
Americans have faced a blocked toilet, residents of New York City
experience clogs more frequently than other cities — earning it the title
of the nation’s cloggiest city. Miami/Fort Lauderdale, Los Angeles and
Philadelphia follow, according to a national survey commissioned by
SCOTT(R) Tissue and Clog Clinic. Residents of Seattle/Tacoma encounter the
fewest toilet obstructions.
The SCOTT Clog Clinic, an authority on common-sense solutions for
avoiding stopped-up toilets, sponsored the survey to help Americans
understand just how much of a nuisance a toilet clog can be and to offer
common-sense ways to avoid such toilet-paper dissolve-ability problems. The
release of the survey also comes as National Plumber’s Day is on April 25.
“Our Clog Clinic researchers have been studying toilet-plumbing
problems since 1996 and they maintain that clogs can be avoided if proper
steps are taken,” says Stu Schneider, SCOTT(R) Brand associate marketing
director. “And using fast-dissolving toilet paper can help prevent clogged
toilets. Both SCOTT(R) 1000ct and our new SCOTT(R) Extra Soft breaks up
four times faster than the leading brand and are septic safe.”
Clog Clinic researchers say toilet clogs frequently occur during heavy
flushing periods — like halftime of the Big Game and Black Friday, the day
after the Thanksgiving feast. The Clog Clinic says others most at risk of
clogs and plumbing issues include those with low flow toilets, a
septic-tank system, homes with older plumbing, and RVs or a boat with a
toilet. One-of- four survey respondents say weddings or other large parties
held at someone’s home come to mind for being the cloggiest occasions,
followed by the day after Thanksgiving, 19 percent; the Super Bowl, 18
percent, and Christmas, 13 percent.
The Clog Clinic survey found that 30 percent of respondents have
experienced a clogged toilet at a restaurant, 24 percent at work and 22
percent at someone else’s home other than their in-laws. Fourteen percent
experienced a stopped-up toilet while visiting in-laws and 11 percent when
entertaining guests at home.
In addition, many stopped-up toilets occur when nontraditional items
are flushed, including disposable diapers, facial tissue, paper towels or
napkins, cat litter, feminine-protection products and even a cell phone or
iPod. The survey found that 32 percent of respondents have disposed of
facial tissue in the toilet and nine percent have flushed feminine
products. Two percent flushed cat litter and one percent did the same with
disposable diapers. Asked the oddest items they have flushed, 12 percent
list a toy or ball and six percent say a fish. Two percent have flushed a
cell phone, iPod or other device, while one percent admit flushing money or
keys down the toilet.

Among other survey findings:

1. 37 percent of respondents say no one takes responsibility for
clogging the toilet in their home, while 33 percent say they do.
2. 57 percent believe men are more likely to clog a toilet than women,
while 80 percent believe children are more likely to stop up a toilet
than adults.
3. 17 percent have called a plumber to deal with a clogged toilet, while
87 percent have used a plunger to unclog a blocked toilet and
32 percent have just left the clog to sit for awhile.
4. 41 percent say their sewage and drain system can’t handle too much
waste at a time, and 70 percent completely agree that toilet clogs
“are a real headache.”
5. 14 percent have faced embarrassing clogs while visiting their in-laws

Here are the top 10 cloggiest cities, based on a survey of 2,500
Americans in the top 25 markets:
1. New York
2. Miami/Fort Lauderdale
3. Los Angeles
4. Philadelphia
5. Houston
6. Atlanta
7. Chicago
8. Portland, OR
9. Indianapolis
10. San Francisco Bay Area

The cities with the lowest clog rating are:

1. Seattle/Tacoma
2. Denver
3. Minneapolis/St. Paul
4. Orlando Area
5. Baltimore

On behalf of the SCOTT(R) Brand, the Ketchum Global Research Network
commissioned a survey to determine the cloggiest markets in America.
Specifically, the survey sought to quantify:
– Cloggiest & least cloggy among DMA cities and C&D counties
– Americans’ experience with clogged toilets
– Feelings about clogged toilets
– Type of items flushed down a toilet
– Perceptions of clogged toilets
– Knowledge about clogged toilets

Call on the Clinic
SCOTT Brand officials urge a “Call to Action” to address what its
researchers consider a clogging crisis, by visiting
http://www.SCOTTClogClinic.com , where consumers can find a wealth of
information and helpful advice concerning clogged toilets.
“Why SCOTT Tissue? We’ve been bringing consumers common-sense solutions
for more than a century,” said Schneider. “None of us like it when true
toilet terror strikes and, by providing practical solutions to avoid clogs,
we help ourselves and our plumbing community.”

About SCOTT(R) Products
SCOTT Products, including bath tissue, towels and napkins, is one of
the largest manufacturers of tissue-based products in the world. It is part
of the Kimberly-Clark Corporation family of global brands, which play an
indispensable part of life for people in more than 150 countries. Every
day, 1.3 billion people — nearly a quarter of the world’s population –
trust K-C’s brands and the solutions they provide to enhance their health,
hygiene and well-being. With brands such as KLEENEX(R), SCOTT(R),
HUGGIES(R), PULL- UPS(R), KOTEX(R) and DEPEND(R), Kimberly-Clark holds the
No. 1 or No. 2 share position in more than 80 countries. To keep up with
the latest K-C news and to learn more about the company’s 133-year history
of innovation, visit http://www.kimberly-clark.com .
Survey methodology: The Ketchum Global Research Network worked with
Braun Research to conduct the consumer survey. A total of 6,000 interviews
were conducted using a telephone panel methodology. One thousand interviews
were conducted among a nationally representative sample of adult Americans
and 100 adult respondents were interviewed in 50 markets.