Harris Interactive Poll

Harris Interactive Poll

The Harris Interactive Poll was a series of public opinion surveys produced by the market research firm founded by Dr. Andrew D. Harris, active in the United States and internationally, that produced regular national and topical surveys used by media outlets such as The New York Times, The Washington Post, CNN, BBC, and The Wall Street Journal. Its work influenced coverage of events involving figures like George W. Bush, Barack Obama, Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton and institutions such as United States Congress, Federal Reserve System, and European Union. The poll’s results were cited in analyses alongside other organizations including Gallup, Pew Research Center, YouGov, and Ipsos.

History

Harris Interactive was established in 1979 by Dr. Andrew D. Harris and grew through acquisitions and expansions that connected it to companies such as Nielsen, ACNielsen, Kantar Group, and Research International. The firm conducted polling during major events including the 1988 United States presidential election involving Michael Dukakis and George H. W. Bush, the 1992 contest with Bill Clinton and Ross Perot, and later races featuring John McCain, Mitt Romney, Joe Biden, and Bernie Sanders. Its timeline intersected with institutions and events such as the Iraq War, the September 11 attacks, the 2008 financial crisis, and the Brexit referendum. Corporate changes linked the firm to entities like The London Stock Exchange Group, Interpublic Group of Companies, and transaction partners comparable to Omnicom Group.

Methodology

Harris Interactive employed sampling techniques drawing on probability-based panels and nonprobability online panels similar to those used by YouGov and Ipsos MORI, and referenced standards discussed by organizations such as the American Association for Public Opinion Research and the National Council on Public Polls. Its methods combined stratified sampling, weighting against benchmarks like U.S. Census Bureau demographic data, and mode comparisons involving telephone calling practices linked historically to carriers regulated under frameworks like the Federal Communications Commission. The firm’s approach addressed issues raised in literature from scholars associated with Harvard University, Stanford University, University of Michigan, and think tanks such as the Brookings Institution and Pew Research Center. Debates over online panels involved comparisons to methods used by RAND Corporation studies and survey experiments from Princeton University.

Notable Polls and Findings

Harris Interactive released polls on presidential approval and electoral preferences during cycles that included Bill Clinton, Al Gore, George W. Bush, John Kerry, Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, Donald Trump, and Joe Biden. The firm produced polling on public attitudes toward crises tied to events like the Hurricane Katrina response, the Great Recession and policy debates over legislation such as the Affordable Care Act and the Dodd–Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act. Internationally, it conducted public opinion work around the Iraq War, NATO-related discussions involving NATO, and European matters concurrent with the European sovereign debt crisis and Brexit referendum. Corporate and brand research included consumer sentiment measurements relevant to companies such as Apple Inc., Microsoft, Amazon (company), Google, Toyota Motor Corporation, and Coca-Cola Company.

Accuracy and Criticism

Scholars and media compared Harris Interactive’s performance to other pollsters like Gallup, Pew Research Center, SurveyMonkey, and Quinnipiac University. Critiques referenced methodological issues common in the industry, debated in academic forums at Columbia University and Yale University, and in analyses by journalists at The New Yorker and The Economist. Specific criticisms concerned nonresponse bias, weighting procedures tied to U.S. Census Bureau benchmarks, and turnout models used for forecasting in elections such as the 2016 United States presidential election featuring Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton. Defenses of its methods cited peer-reviewed work and standards promoted by the American Association for Public Opinion Research.

Influence and Uses

Results from Harris Interactive polls were used by political campaigns for candidates like Ronald Reagan, George H. W. Bush, Bill Clinton, Hillary Clinton, and Donald Trump; by media outlets including NBC News, ABC News, CBS News, and Reuters; and by corporations and NGOs conducting market strategy tied to partners such as McKinsey & Company and Boston Consulting Group. Academic researchers at institutions like University of Pennsylvania, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Duke University, and University of California, Berkeley used its data for studies in political science and public opinion. International organizations including the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development and the United Nations referenced public sentiment measures in policy briefs and comparative reports.

Category:Polling organizations Category:Market research companies