What creatives have suspected all along - focus groups are bunk.

When it comes to bullsh*t data from focus group sessions, it's not just the moderator's fault, or the skewed questions' fault, or the drugged bowl of free M&Ms;' fault... it's also because of the participants lying their pants off (hey - they were on fire anyway). It seems one of the only redeeming qualities of focus groups is that they look good on the client's bill. The Slate reports here.

Perhaps now we can move back to relying on gut feelings, intuition and insight? Not so fast. A recent focus group of top account executives responded with a resounding "No."