Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84; site peora.UUCP Path: utzoo!linus!philabs!cmcl2!seismo!lll-crg!dual!qantel!hplabs!tektronix!uw-beaver!cornell!vax135!petsd!peora!jer From: jer@peora.UUCP (J. Eric Roskos) Newsgroups: net.misc.coke Subject: Re: Taste Test Message-ID: <1462@peora.UUCP> Date: Fri, 9-Aug-85 08:22:44 EDT Article-I.D.: peora.1462 Posted: Fri Aug 9 08:22:44 1985 Date-Received: Wed, 14-Aug-85 22:21:08 EDT References: <55@tekchips.UUCP> Organization: Perkin-Elmer SDC, Orlando, Fl. Lines: 44 > In order to broadcast their taste test commercials, I'm sure that Pepsi had > to use a very large sample of the population ... I don't think this is true, unless the commercials claim a large sample was taken. Consider similar "statistical" claims in commercials: "More doctors recommend the pain reliever inthan any other pain reliever on the market today." (Because contains aspirin. Even if no doctors recommend , the claim is still valid.) "More Olympic medalists use running shoes than any other." (Because donates them. I'm not sure, however, that this sort of claim is allowed any more.) "Choosy mothers choose ." (Makes no statistical claim at all.) "9 out of 10 dentists surveyed recommend for their patients who use ." (The sample size here could be 10; furthermore, all of them could have said, "I don't recommend using at all, but I guess if people insist on using it, would be a good choice.") Awhile back, I asked in here about the relative temperature of the sodas in the Pepsi taste test. This is because, back when the test was going on, a number of people at the college I was attending participated in the test; all of them INSISTED that the Pepsi had ice in it, whereas the Coke was room-temperature. I have never figured out whether this was just a rampant rumor, or the truth in all cases, or just the local people running the taste test trying to improve the results. (You should therefore assume it was a rumor unless you can determine otherwise!) -- Shyy-Anzr: J. Eric Roskos UUCP: ..!{decvax,ucbvax,ihnp4}!vax135!petsd!peora!jer US Mail: MS 795; Perkin-Elmer SDC; 2486 Sand Lake Road, Orlando, FL 32809-7642 "Lbh xabj... jura lbh pybpx gur uhzna enpr jvgu gur fgbcjngpu bs uvfgbel, vg'f n arj erpbeq, rirel gvzr."