Trial balloon

Trial balloon

A trial balloon is information sent out in order to observe the reaction of an audience. It can be used by companies sending out press releases to judge reaction by customers, or it can be used by politicians who deliberately leak information on a policy change under consideration. In politics trial balloons often take the form of an intentional news leak to assess public opinion.

For instance, a company might announce they are going to release a new computer program in a year, and then read the press coverage for hints on whether or not the product will have appeal in the marketplace. If the coverage is favourable the money will be spent on development, but if not the project can be cancelled before using up resources. A trial balloon under the company's own name is somewhat risky; if too many are "floated" the company risks becoming known as the company that cried wolf, and can find itself being ignored completely. In addition, the company can find that the product being planned is unworkable, leading to the phenomenon of vaporware.

See also

* "Run it up the flagpole"

References

* [http://books.google.com/books?id=NdSRh8IZh4IC&pg=PA222&lpg=PA222&dq=%22trial+balloon%22+leak&source=web&ots=8t5EFG8Bt1&sig=K9nUNOE-bknoa4oASNVO7xK-YfU#PPA222,M1 Origins of the term "Trial balloon"]


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Look at other dictionaries:

  • trial balloon — {n.} A hint about a plan of action that is given out to find out what people will say. * /John mentioned the class presidency to Bill as a trial balloon to see if Bill might be interested in running./ * /The editorial was a trial balloon to test… …   Dictionary of American idioms

  • trial balloon — {n.} A hint about a plan of action that is given out to find out what people will say. * /John mentioned the class presidency to Bill as a trial balloon to see if Bill might be interested in running./ * /The editorial was a trial balloon to test… …   Dictionary of American idioms

  • trial balloon — trial balloons N COUNT A trial balloon is a proposal that you mention or an action that you try in order to find out other people s reactions to it, especially if you think they are likely to oppose it. [mainly AM] They floated the trial balloon… …   English dictionary

  • trial balloon — ☆ trial balloon n. 1. PILOT BALLOON 2. any action, statement, etc. intended to test public opinion on an issue …   English World dictionary

  • trial balloon — trial ,balloon noun count an idea or plan that is suggested to people to see what their reaction is …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • trial balloon — noun 1. a test of public opinion (Freq. 1) • Hypernyms: ↑trial, ↑trial run, ↑test, ↑tryout 2. a balloon sent up to test air currents • Hypernyms: ↑balloon * * * noun, pl …   Useful english dictionary

  • trial balloon — UK / US noun [countable] Word forms trial balloon : singular trial balloon plural trial balloons mainly American an idea or plan that is suggested to people to see what their reaction is …   English dictionary

  • trial balloon — n. to float, send up a trial balloon * * * send up a trial balloon to float …   Combinatory dictionary

  • trial\ balloon — noun A hint about a plan of action that is given out to find out what people will say. John mentioned the class presidency to Bill as a trial balloon to see if Bill might be interested in running. The editorial was a trial balloon to test the… …   Словарь американских идиом

  • trial balloon —    If you test something such as an idea, a project or a product, to see how people respond to it, you send up a trial balloon.     The idea seemed excellent but when they sent up a trial balloon the reaction was very negative …   English Idioms & idiomatic expressions

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