Padres Uniforms and Persuadable Voters: The Art of Polling with John Nienstedt

The Padres sensed they had a problem. So they called John Nienstedt, who helped them figure out they should switch to brown jerseys. John brought in models who wore different jerseys to a series of focus groups. Each participant in the room was armed with a dial that they cranked one way for approval and another way for disapproval. John used the dial tests to block debate and strong personalities from influencing the room, he said. The Padres, of course, used John’s research and data to switch from blue to brown uniforms a few years ago.

John has been surveying voters, consumers, fans, and others for decades as head of the company he co-founded in graduate school at SDSU, Competitive Edge Research & Communication or CERC. The information he provides his clients helps them make informed decisions about strategy, marketing, messaging, and more.

John counts some of the biggest names and brands in San Diego as clients, including Mayor Kevin Faulconer, COX and Sempra. Nationally, John and his research firm have worked for Costco, Airbnb, and other leading organizations.

On this episode of Dear San Diego, John discusses his love of family, baseball, and polling. At the end of the show, he shares a funny story with Tony and Juan about Tony’s last name. Stick around for that and more.

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The key moments in this episode are:

00:00:01 - Introduction to Dear San Diego

00:01:06 - Catching Up on Personal Lives

00:03:07 - Work and Business Development

00:05:15 - Personal Health and Wellness

00:08:34 - John's Values and Priorities

00:12:56 - The Impact of Seasonal Play on Performance