Go Knock Doors: “New” Dimensions in Market Intelligence

Abstract

The 2006 Canadian election is considered a pivotal election with respect to the introduction of new market research techniques and approaches by the Stephen Harper campaign team. This development led to a dramatic evolution in public opinion research. The new techniques have heralded an approach more akin to market intelligence than traditional public opinion research. This chapter consider market research in the context of the 2019 election by using in-depth interviews with campaign managers and research leads from Canada’s three largest political parties. If offers interesting findings and concludes that sometimes the best approaches for new market research innovations are simply to double down on traditional techniques such as knocking on doors.