Can you predict a person’s politics based on the food they eat?
According to the New York Times, yes you can:
If there’s butter and white wine in your refrigerator and Fig Newtons in the cookie jar, you’re likely to vote for Hillary Clinton. Prefer olive oil, Bear Naked granola and a latte to go? You probably like Barack Obama, too. And if you’re leaning toward John McCain, it’s all about kicking back with a bourbon and a stuffed crust pizza while you watch the Democrats fight it out next week in Pennsylvania.
If what we eat says a lot about who we are, it also says something about how we might vote.
Although precincts and polls are being parsed, the political advisers to the presidential candidates are also looking closely at consumer behavior, including how people eat, as a way to scavenge for votes. The practice is called microtargeting, as much political discipline as buzzword. The idea is that in the brand-driven United States, what we buy and how we spend our free time is a good predictor of our politics.
Political strategists slice and dice the electorate into small segments, starting with traditional demographics like age and income, then mixing consumer information like whether you prefer casinos or cruises, hunting or cooking, a Prius or a pickup.
Once they find small groups of like-minded people, campaigns can efficiently send customized phone, e-mail or direct mail messages to potential supporters, avoiding inefficient one-size-fits-all mailings. Pockets of support that might have gone unnoticed can be ferreted out.
“This is essentially the way Williams-Sonoma knows which of its catalogs to send you,” said Christopher Mann of MSHC Partners, a political communications firm, which has used microtargeting to help dozens of successful candidates, including Gov. Christine Gregoire of Washington and Gov. Tim Kaine of Virginia.
Although gender, religion and other basic personal data are much more valuable for pollsters, information about eating ” along with travel and hobbies ” are in the second tier of data used to predict how someone might vote, he said.
April 16, 2008 - 04:57 PM on April 16th, 2008
The only thing I will not eat is HUMAN For now.
April 16, 2008 - 05:01 PM on April 16th, 2008
but if I must eat human it will only be good looking woman above 18, butt below 40
after all I am A Real Fascism/evil doer and love the ideals od the Totalitariamism guys I think
April 16, 2008 - 05:26 PM on April 16th, 2008
Soylent green! The new food for the masses! Courtesy of your Gov’t!
April 16, 2008 - 09:17 PM on April 16th, 2008
OH, dear, I just ate some fig newtons with some white wine. I have butter in the fridge. I am grateful not to like Bear Naked granola, Yuck! That was a close call, plus I’m not too sure of this survey? I would more likely say if you liked chit lings, pork brains & eggs, and deep fat fried squirrel you would vote for Obama.
April 19, 2008 - 10:09 PM on April 19th, 2008
What dose AL GORE eat besides NUTS BERRIES AND WOOD SHAVINGS?