You’ve probably heard claims like 9 out of 10 dentists recommend so-and-so toothpaste. But how can you tell what’s a marketing ploy versus a solid statistic? In this episode, Mona shares three questions to ask yourself when you’re faced with a suspicious statistic. (You don’t need your wisdom teeth to figure it out!)
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Transcriber:
When it comes to toothpaste commercials,
you’ve probably heard claims like,
nine out of 10 dentists
recommend “Brighter, Whiter.”
Or maybe it’s four
out of five or 80 percent.
But either way, these companies expect
you to see a wall of white coats,
trust their authority
and think no further.
Now that approach is basically BS,
and you probably know it’s BS,
but the question is:
How can you trust your BS radar?
[Am I Normal? with Mona Chalabi]
Well, when I’m faced
with suspicious statistics,
I tend to ask myself three questions.
First, what were people actually asked?
Sometimes the question
that is put to survey respondents
is wildly different than the one
that ends up on posters and billboards.
For instance, in 2007,
one toothpaste ad in the UK
claimed that more than 80 percent
of dentists recommended their products.
What that sounds like
is that a majority of dentists prefer
their product over all others,
that those dentists were asked
if this was the best product.
But when the Advertising Standards
Authority looked into it,
they discovered that the dentists were
asked to recommend several toothpastes,
not one single choice.
In fact, another brand
was found to be almost as popular.
To no one’s surprise,
the ad was deemed misleading.
Now, the second question to ask is:
What aren’t you telling me?
In the 1970s, a sugarless gum company
claimed that four out five dentists
recommended their product.
Now, their slogan was pretty upfront
about the fact that these dentists
were only recommending the product
to people who already chewed gum,
but they weren’t so forthcoming
about the fifth dentist.
Decades later, the manufacturer
made fun of it in a new ad campaign
where they blamed the fifth
dentist’s different thinking
on a freak accident,
like a sudden squirrel bite.
Now, since I’m all about
the deviations in the data,
I decided to look into this
a little bit further.
In fact, it’s not that the fifth dentist
recommended chewing sugary gum.
What they don’t say
is that most of them recommended
that their patients don’t chew gum at all.
The last thing to ask is:
What was the survey context?
Because there’s a really big difference
between saying “nine
out of 10 dentists agree,”
and “nine out of these 10 dentists agree.”
Size matters and so does methodology.
According to the American
Dental Association,
there are about 200,000
registered dentists in the US.
I’m not going to bore you
with the maths here,
but to get a statistically significant
sample of 200,000 people,
you need about 400.
So if you’re reading in the fine print
that only 50 dentists were surveyed,
you know that’s not
statistically significant.
It’s just a marketing ploy.
So the next time you see one of these ads,
ask yourself:
What were people actually asked?
What’s gone unsaid?
And what was the survey context?
Hopefully, with those three questions
and a little bit of skepticism,
you will be able to understand
when the data is legit
and when it’s irrelevant.
Nine out of 10 Monas agree.
[*No such survey
took place]
Life Is My Opportunity☀️
October 26, 2021 at 4:20 pm
Oscar Wilde — ‘Most people are other people. Their thoughts are someone else’s opinions, their lives a mimicry, their passions a quotation.’
John Kesich
October 27, 2021 at 1:20 am
“their passions a quotation” – no irony there.
Pep
October 26, 2021 at 4:22 pm
9/10 Companys with adds on youtube recommend this video.
Δ.Μ
October 26, 2021 at 4:28 pm
9 στους 10 κατασκευαστές πλυντηρίων συνιστούν Calgon.
🎵🎶Με Calgon *ντιν ντιν* 🎵🎶
Julie Fisher
October 26, 2021 at 4:31 pm
Wow 9 out of 10 Monas agree…must be true then. But what do they agree about?
TED
October 26, 2021 at 4:32 pm
Enjoying Am I Normal? with Mona Chalabi? Check out more episodes here:
Alwyn Nito
October 27, 2021 at 9:51 am
I’m paranoid somebody’s trying to make me internally combust
Lasagna is pretty cool
October 26, 2021 at 4:38 pm
As a company I could ask dentists from a country where you can buy a degree in a dark alleyway instead of actual licensed professionals by high standards
SPEAK UP
October 26, 2021 at 4:59 pm
SENSODYNE FRESH BREATH FOR LIFE 🥰
SimSim
October 26, 2021 at 5:06 pm
I guess thats the basic of statistic use. The porblem is just that the normal person often doesn’t have the insight or resources to do these basic steps.
American Thoughts
October 26, 2021 at 5:19 pm
Lol
Wabanaki [People Of The Dawnland]
October 26, 2021 at 5:30 pm
Rule #1. If you hear it in an advertisement, presume it to be a lie, as if the US government was saying it.
Walter Bernuy
October 26, 2021 at 5:39 pm
Ads should always be irrelevant and I work marketing
Lyssa’s Letters
October 26, 2021 at 5:55 pm
Great video!!!
Ashwath p
October 26, 2021 at 6:42 pm
Most of indian tooth paste, detergent, facewash ads are using the technology that are not present in the current world but, they do, because their scientists are already living in future 2500😂😂😂😂
BeASporTm8
October 26, 2021 at 7:00 pm
The approach is good. So what to do when the info is hush-hush cuz persona X has rights on it? Its absurd to go out and ask those remaining 350 or even beyond that number of experts.
Els Kersten - van Dijk
October 26, 2021 at 7:06 pm
As the expression goes: they use statistics like a drunk uses a lamp post – for support rather than illumination
David Walker
October 26, 2021 at 7:25 pm
DO NOT USE TOOTHPATE WITH FLUORIDE IN
Giant Asparagus
October 26, 2021 at 8:13 pm
Summarize… Context. thats it
Justin Pamela
October 26, 2021 at 9:18 pm
I realized that the secret to making a million is saving for a better investment. l always tell myself you don’t need that new Aston Martin or vacation in Hawaii just yet and that mindset helps me make more money Investing.
Anita Wilson
October 26, 2021 at 10:37 pm
I met Mr Alvaro William last year for the first time at a conference in London, I invested $25,000 and traded in one month making close to $200,000
Smart Happiness
October 26, 2021 at 10:41 pm
Really you guys know him?, I even thought I’m the only one he has helped walk through the fears and falls of forex trading
Faith Brodrick
October 26, 2021 at 10:42 pm
Most people remain poor only because friends and relatives discouraged and advised them against investing and trading forex while the wise ones kept investing and growing higher financially
Christina Zachary
October 26, 2021 at 10:45 pm
He gives he’s clients nice attention
Kenneth Francisco
October 26, 2021 at 10:54 pm
Believe me he’s the best when it comes to Cryptocurrency trading, your profit is assured.
+❶ ❽❺❽(❽❽❽)❾❹⓿❹whatsApp
October 27, 2021 at 9:29 pm
..
SUSsurro
October 26, 2021 at 9:44 pm
Finally, I can now rest in peace.
Artimis Fowl
October 26, 2021 at 10:45 pm
Confession: I clicked hoping for a deep dive on what teeth care products are actually helpful. Glad for the data analysis refresher though
Goolag Tube
October 27, 2021 at 10:04 pm
Why would you expect a deep dive? This channel is nothing but corporate propaganda.
cow gives milk
October 26, 2021 at 11:04 pm
Can’t wait to make toothpaste that’s recommend by 10/10 dentist.
Eli Nope
October 26, 2021 at 11:28 pm
This is one of those moments in life if I am not sure if I am paranoid or not….
John Kesich
October 27, 2021 at 1:19 am
Yeah, they asked 1,000 dentists, pick the 9 who recommended it, and through in a dissenter to look legit.
John Kesich
October 27, 2021 at 1:19 am
Yeah, they asked 1,000 dentists, pick the 9 who recommended it, and threw in a dissenter to look legit.
Juan Gonzalez
October 27, 2021 at 5:14 am
What’s even more disgusting was that Colgate was found to have fecal traces in their toothpaste coming from China
THE SOPHIST QUOTES
October 27, 2021 at 7:25 am
“I’ve found that luck is quite predictable. If you want more luck, take more chances. Be more active. Show up more often.” – Brian Tracy
Artem Klimov
October 27, 2021 at 8:08 am
Short and very useful, thanks!
dorgesh
October 27, 2021 at 8:16 am
The only reason their products are “recommend by dentists” is because they’re constantly giving our freebies at dentistry conferences
Gerald Merkowitz
October 27, 2021 at 11:03 am
9 dentists out of 10 recommend me to buy something? Sure, that sounds reasonable!
97% of climatoligists recommend we save life on Earth? Nah, they must be sellouts.
BigMo
October 27, 2021 at 12:58 pm
Now if something could be done about all the misleading ads on YouTube….. what a marketing cesspool
iq max
October 27, 2021 at 1:43 pm
Sorry
Tim Rox
October 27, 2021 at 4:58 pm
They also love showing people in white coats that never say they’re dentists or doctors and the public just believes they are because its implied
Barbara Acheampong
October 27, 2021 at 6:39 pm
Great
Some Guy On The Internet
October 27, 2021 at 9:07 pm
Still waiting for Ted to talk,
Goolag Tube
October 27, 2021 at 10:03 pm
When you have to talk down to people and use cartoon graphics, IT’S PROPAGANDA!
Nomar Norono
October 28, 2021 at 2:13 am
I found this video very helpful! 9 out 10 people agreed with me.
Alwyn Nito
October 28, 2021 at 5:53 am
is anybody making sun proof breathable nano overlap multilayer (block light) full body suit uniforms for workers in the sun alot or firemen uniforms to lessen or stop carcinogens from their work getting into them???? Edit: Brackets
Emperor
October 28, 2021 at 7:23 am
ColgateColgate Colgate Colgate Colgate Colgate Colgate Colgate Colgate
Liynox
October 28, 2021 at 9:04 am
Dentists that recommend it work for the company they recommend
Peter Velzen
October 28, 2021 at 11:36 am
Question for everyone: What is the theoretical minimum number of votes with which one could become president of the United states?
Dr Philemon
October 28, 2021 at 5:41 pm
Please what is BI-ES? She meant biased?
WhiteSpatula
October 29, 2021 at 4:33 am
As a child, I had a neighbor named Mona. She was always bright and energetic, optimistic and encouraging, and very savvy. And I just know, with complete confidence, if surveyed, she would most definitely agree. Now.. I really don’t recollect knowing any other Monas in my life. So I’m counting that as 2 out of 2 Monas for me. I’m sold! 😉 -Phill, Las Vegas
John Otvos
October 29, 2021 at 10:06 am
The only question necessary is: *Who is paying for this* ???
Troy Hayder
October 29, 2021 at 6:13 pm
I’m beginning to doubt this whole brushing teeth thing… I didn’t brush my teeth for years… And had no problems whatsoever… Now I brush a lot and I’m getting cavities… Maybe its like hair.. If you stop shampooing it cleans itself…