Self-serving marketing posing as news

Surveys, top 10 lists and technical white papers can contain useful information and be very helpful.  I look for those coming through my inbox and read them with interest. Unfortunately, I've seen a sharp increase in useless, self-serving marketing information being sent out disguised as useful information.

Quite often surveys are really disguised marketing vehicles. The sample size is too small to support the broad claims being made. The survey instrument is made up of biased, self-serving questions designed to make the sponsor's case rather than teasing out important thinking and plans of decision makers. Unfortunately, the ever-increasing deluge of false serveys are causing decision makers to believe all surveys are constructed this way. So, it is increasingly difficult for analysts to learn what decision-makers are thinking.

Top 10 lists presented by supplier executives often present their hopes and dreams rather than having any basis in reality. It's been my observation that most top 10 lists are based upon an executive's conversations with their own engineers, marketing staff or best customers rather than an analysis of events and actual trends.

While I read most of the material that vendors send, I don't comment on much of it here. I'll comment either when the material is very useful or when it is very badly done.