Potatoes and Research History
Introduction
Etienne Calame's question on the history of marketing research received responses from Ronald Bush and Dawn Southgate
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Previously, Etienne Calame had asked for information on an anecdote concerning Michigan State University, potato marketing, and the history of marketing research. Below are two slightly edited responses:
From Ronald Bush, University of West Florida:
I’ve never heard of the story your professor told you about the potato producers. Here’s what my research has uncovered: while there were undoubtedly many marketing (or market…there’s a difference) research projects that are not recorded in history, the first CONTINUOUS marketing research is said to have been conducted by Charles Coolidge Parlin (1872-1942). He did marketing research for the Curtis Publishing Company to gather information about customers and markets to help Curtis sell more advertising in their magazine, The Saturday Evening Post. He is recognized today as being the "Father of Marketing Research." You can learn more about him at . Go to "Members" and search under the "p." Now back to the potato example: while I’ve not heard of the potato producers example, your professor’s example is certainly consistent with what we know about the early U.S. economy at the time research began. Commodities…potatoes, corn, wheat, coal, etc. dominated trade. It is very likely that, as producers sought more distant markets, they wanted to know more about these markets. Marketing research studies were undoubtedly commissioned for commodities producers/brokers during this time period. Good luck to you in your studies! Ron Bush
From Dawn Southgate, The Chartered Institute of Marketing:
I have not heard the idea of the potato farmers idea but may be the Market Research Society may be aware of the origins ( ).