--- title: "The100: Fetishized, confabulated, homeboy research" description: "In this issue of The100: different shades, shapes and forms of research; how fake news is a devil of our own creation, and mountain shepherds. Why not." image: https://hello.watchmethink.com/hubfs/Untitled%20design%20(12).png --- [![Bombayworks logotype](https://hello.watchmethink.com/hubfs/raw_assets/public/WatchMeThink_September_2023/images/wmt-logo_inverse.svg "Bombayworks logotype")](https://watchmethink.com/) - [What we do](https://watchmethink.com/#) - [Watch Me Explore](https://watchmethink.com/what-we-do/watch-me-explore) - [Watch Me Develop](https://watchmethink.com/what-we-do/watch-me-develop) - [Watch Me Use](https://watchmethink.com/what-we-do/watch-me-use) - [Watch Me Shop](https://watchmethink.com/what-we-do/watch-me-shop) - [Who it's for](https://watchmethink.com/#) - [Consumer Insights](https://watchmethink.com/who-its-for/consumer-insights) - [Shopper Insights](https://watchmethink.com/who-its-for/shopper-insights) - [Category Management](https://watchmethink.com/who-its-for/category-mangement) - [Innovation & Product Development](https://watchmethink.com/who-its-for/innovation) - [Sensory & Consumer Science](https://watchmethink.com/who-its-for/consumer-science) - [Packaging](https://watchmethink.com/who-its-for/packaging) - [Marketing](https://watchmethink.com/who-its-for/marketing) - [About](https://watchmethink.com/about) - [The 100 Blog](https://blog.watchmethink.com/) - [Contact](https://watchmethink.com/contact) - [Login](https://watchmethink.com/dashboard) - [Sign up](https://watchmethink.com/#) - [Corporate users](https://watchmethink.com/account/register/client) - [Request registration here](https://watchmethink.com/account/register/client) - [Consumer](https://watchmethink.com/account/register/contributor) - [Get paid to review products](https://watchmethink.com/account/register/contributor) Menu # The100: Fetishized, confabulated, homeboy research - Home - [Blog](https://hello.watchmethink.com/blog) - The100: Fetishized, confabulated, homeboy research - [Blog home /](https://hello.watchmethink.com/blog) [Alistair Vince](https://hello.watchmethink.com/blog/author/alistair-vince) 11/07/2017 [The100](https://hello.watchmethink.com/blog/tag/the100) [0 Comments](https://hello.watchmethink.com/blog/the100-fetishized-confabulated-homeboy-research#postComment) 1 Minutes ## Fetishizing Research Personally I tend to switch off when I see the oft repeated and much misused Henry Ford quote about *faster horses*. If the *drunk using a lamp post* analogy is thrown in, I’ve left the building. But as Martin Weigel is such a genius, I’ve forgiven him. [Here’s the gentleman (with a slide deck) on the use, abuse and fetishizing of research](https://www.slideshare.net/mweigel/martin-weigel-salmon-vs-lamposts-the-use-and-abuse-of-research). ## Confabulating Research *“Search is a powerful indicator of behaviour because of the incentives involved; search terms must accurately reflect your needs otherwise you’ll get the wrong results.”* Data’s great. [But we have to use it with care](https://www.campaignlive.co.uk/article/lady-gaga-joy-data-why-pays-not-seduced-easily/1445482). In that article, StreetBump is a sobering example, as is the make-up of Lady Ga Ga’s audience…reminiscent of Freakonomics perhaps. ## Homeboy Research There’s literally no “emptiness” in Hip Hop. The lyrics anyway. This piece looks at [Hip Hop lyrics](https://pudding.cool/2017/09/hip-hop-words/) and is especially cool and fabulously constructed from a presentation point of view. There’s a NSFW version of most used words list, and you can put money on never setting this line in a hip hop song yo: *I cried with a broken heart as I sailed across the sea to a mountain*. [This is pretty smart too](https://imgur.com/gallery/RM3wl) – a little nerdy perhaps (bubble sorting) but still ace. ## Is everyone asking for car crashes? Talking of clever people, Russell Davies [writes fantastically (as always) about Fake News](https://www.marketingsociety.com/the-gym/four-things-about-fakenews#EuCL06JJd1IwAEjH.97). *“The internet rewards attention with cash because of advertising. We built that model. We didn’t build a model that rewards high quality content or trust-worthy media owners or decent editorial environments”* His points on *terms and conditions* at the end resonated with us – you’ve seen [ours](https://watchmethink.com/terms) of course (high-fiving myself). ## Disrupting Disruption Whether or not startups are actually disrupting big brands is a narrative that is familiar (especially in FMCG/CPG) but is it all BS? [This article has a go at analysing the arguments.](https://chrisbolman.com/startup-big-brand-marketing-disruption/) ## Remote control As flexible working grows more and more prevalent (thankfully in my book) this gives some good tips on [how to get it right when the slippers are on](https://work.qz.com/1098646/how-to-work-from-home-tips-for-telecommuting/). And if you’re not feeling it right now, enjoy this [beautiful photo essay on mountain shepherds](https://www.rferl.org/a/28817495.html), or browse the stunning photography on [Tom Jenkins new website](http://tomjenkinsphoto.com/), or watch a mashup of all the [best cinematography winners at the Oscars](https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=357&v=qqvblRXwWVo). Love a good looking video. Did you know: KFC follow 11 people on twitter. The 5 Spice Girls and 6 people called Herb. 11 Herbs & Spices. Love it. Now, [did I check everything](https://writingcooperative.com/10-unusual-but-critical-edit-checks-before-you-hit-publish-3de11cf2972b) before I pressed publ --- #### Tag: [The100](https://hello.watchmethink.com/blog/tag/the100) #### Share: - [Follow us on Facebook](http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=https://hello.watchmethink.com/blog/the100-fetishized-confabulated-homeboy-research) - [Follow us on Twitter](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?url=https://hello.watchmethink.com/blog/the100-fetishized-confabulated-homeboy-research&text=The100:%20Fetishized,%20confabulated,%20homeboy%20research) - [Follow us on Linkedin](http://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https://hello.watchmethink.com/blog/the100-fetishized-confabulated-homeboy-research) - [Follow us on Pinterest](http://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=https://hello.watchmethink.com/blog/the100-fetishized-confabulated-homeboy-research&text=The100:%20Fetishized,%20confabulated,%20homeboy%20researchdescription=Fetishizing%20Research%20Personally%20I%20tend%20to%20switch%20off%20when%20I%20see%20the%20oft%20repeated%20and%20much%20misused%20Henry%20Ford%20quote%20about%20faster%20horses.%20If%20the%20drunk%20using%20a[...]&media=https://3461170.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/3461170/Untitled%20design%20%2812%29.png) --- --- ## From the archives If you like The100, maybe even found it vaguely enjoyable (steady now), you can have a ganders at our previous issues. 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[The100](https://hello.watchmethink.com/blog/tag/the100) 04 September, 2026 #### [The100: Patterns that aren't, time well spent and the knights of Arundel](https://hello.watchmethink.com/blog/the100-patterns-that-arent-time-well-spent-and-the-knights-of-arundel) The leadership of sound bites It’s a strange old time in research and insights at the moment, eh?… [Read More](https://hello.watchmethink.com/blog/the100-patterns-that-arent-time-well-spent-and-the-knights-of-arundel) [The100](https://hello.watchmethink.com/blog/tag/the100) 21 August, 2026 #### [The100: Neurononsense, the gym test and the Republic of Olvana](https://hello.watchmethink.com/blog/the100-neurononsense-the-gym-test-and-the-republic-of-olvana) Cite me if you can If I had a cent for every time I heard “95% of purchase decisions are… [Read More](https://hello.watchmethink.com/blog/the100-neurononsense-the-gym-test-and-the-republic-of-olvana) [The100](https://hello.watchmethink.com/blog/tag/the100) 07 August, 2026 #### [The100: Discount loops, The Batman Effect and crimes against the Y axis](https://hello.watchmethink.com/blog/the100-discount-loops-the-batman-effect-and-crimes-against-the-y-axis) Yellow sticker syndrome Mark Ritson has staged an intervention against price promotions and given… [Read More](https://hello.watchmethink.com/blog/the100-discount-loops-the-batman-effect-and-crimes-against-the-y-axis) - Get started - [Login](https://watchmethink.com/account/login) - [Sign up: Corporate User](https://watchmethink.com/account/register/client) - [Sign up: Consumer](https://watchmethink.com/account/register/contributor) - Resources - [Terms for Thinkers](https://watchmethink.com/terms) - [Terms for Adhoc Work](https://watchmethink.com/terms-for-adhoc-work) - [Terms for Subscriptions](https://watchmethink.com/terms-for-subscriptions) - [Terms for Agents](https://watchmethink.com/agent) - About - [Contact us](https://watchmethink.com/contact) - [About us](https://watchmethink.com/about) - [Blog](https://blog.watchmethink.com/) - [Privacy policy](https://watchmethink.com/privacy) - [Equality, diversity and labour standards](https://watchmethink.com/equality-diversity-labour-standards) - Social - [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/watch-me-think) - [Twitter](https://twitter.com/watchmethink) ![cyber-essentials-plus](https://hello.watchmethink.com/hs-fs/hubfs/WatchMeThink_September_2023/images/cyber-essentials-plus.png?width=96&name=cyber-essentials-plus.png "cyber-essentials-plus") ![mrs-logo-cps](https://hello.watchmethink.com/hs-fs/hubfs/WatchMeThink_September_2023/images/mrs-logo-cps.png?width=216&name=mrs-logo-cps.png "mrs-logo-cps") ![watch](https://hello.watchmethink.com/hs-fs/hubfs/WatchMeThink_September_2023/images/watch.png?width=213&name=watch.png "watch") Watch Me Think © 2025. All rights reserved. ![](https://px.ads.linkedin.com/collect/?pid=1498698&fmt=gif) ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Alistair Vince", "url" : "https://hello.watchmethink.com/blog/author/alistair-vince" }, "dateModified" : "2025-12-01T14:16:15.685Z", "datePublished" : "2017-11-07T15:53:54.000Z", "headline" : "The100: Fetishized, confabulated, homeboy research", "image" : [ "https://hello.watchmethink.com/hubfs/Untitled%20design%20(12).png" ], "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@id" : "https://hello.watchmethink.com/blog/the100-fetishized-confabulated-homeboy-research", "@type" : "WebPage" }, "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "url" : "https://hello.watchmethink.com/hubfs/wmt_logo_rgb_for-web-1.png" }, "name" : "Watch Me Think" } } ```