The strange survival of the focus group
ASKED to describe Boris Johnson, the eight Remain voters gathered around a table in a conference room in a shabby hotel in Sutton Coldfield do not hold back. “Troublemaker.” “Egotistical.” “Idiot.” “Laughing stock.” “Malicious.” Nor do the group of Leave voters who enter afterwards have a particularly high opinion of the former foreign secretary. “Goof.” “Joke.” “Buffoon.” “Selfish.”
Focus groups provide a bracing introduction to the great British public. In an era when voters are monitored, tracked and polled more than ever, they may seem anachronistic. Yet they thrive. Demand for focus groups has held up for a simple reason, according to industry executives. Wide-ranging surveys explain what the British public think, says Michelle Harrison, chief executive of Kantar Public, a pollster. Focus groups explain why they think that way.
On the face of it, focus groups have as much credibility as water dowsing. It is an unscientific exercise. A local recruiter rounds up...