Penn, Schoen & Berland

Penn, Schoen & Berland Associates describes itself as "an innovative strategic market research firm with offices in New York, Washington, D.C., and Denver." [http://www.psbsurveys.com/home/frameo.htm] PSB has recently expanded their offices to include Seattle, Los Angeles and London. The firm was founded in 1975 and purchased by the British-based WPP Group in 2001. [http://www.wppdirectory.com/company.jsp?company_id=269] [http://www.bizforward.com/wdc/issues/2002-04/dealsoftheyear/salesmall.shtml]

Introduction

PSB offers services to businesses, non-profits and political campaigns: [http://www.psbsurveys.com/home/frameo.htm] :For our corporate clients, we assist in brand positioning developing successful advertising campaigns, generating favorable publicity and crisis management. We provide rigorous analyses of consumer needs and purchasing decisions to offer key strategies and tactics designed to bolster profits and develop new markets.

:For trade associations, non-profits and other organizations, we offer a full range of top-tier advocacy and statistical research services. We have vast experience in message development and have access hard-to-reach professionals and leading opinion makers.

:In the political arena, PSB provides tightly focused strategic recommendations that help propel candidates to win difficult races. During the final weeks of a campaign, our complete in-house facilities enable us to provide instant feedback on key issues, voter perceptions and "head-to-head" standings.

According to "Washington Business Forward", PSB's "reputation is largely as a Democratic political polling firm, closely associated with both U.S. President Bill Clinton's administration as well as the Senatorial and Presidential campaign of his wife Hillary. But the firm also worked for Republican Michael Bloomberg in his mayoral bid in New York City, generating huge fees from the multi-millionaire self-financed candidate that caught some press attention during the campaign. ... Major corporate clients over the years have included AT&T, Coca-Cola, American Express, BP, Novartis and Microsoft." [http://www.bizforward.com/wdc/issues/2002-04/dealsoftheyear/salesmall.shtml] [http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/week_2001_11_04.php#001553]

PSB's Mark Penn and Peter Brodnitz have registered as working for the Central American Bank for Economic Integration through contract with Holland & Knight, LLP. [http://www.usdoj.gov/criminal/fara/fara2nd00/REGS/05307.HTM]

2004 Venezuelan recall election

PSB received negative attention for polling it did during the Venezuelan recall referendum of 2004 of President Hugo Chávez. The referendum results were controversial [http://www.narconews.com/Issue34/article1046.html] . A Penn, Schoen & Berland Associates (PSB) exit poll predicted that Chávez would lose by 20%, but the election results showed him to have won by 20%. Schoen commented, "I think it was a massive fraud". [http://www.usnews.com/usnews/opinion/baroneweb/mb_040820.htm] "US News and World Report" offered an analysis of the polls, indicating "very good reason to believe that the (Penn Schoen) exit poll had the result right, and that Chávez's election officials — and Carter and the American media — got it wrong". [http://www.usnews.com/usnews/opinion/baroneweb/mb_040820.htm] "Associated Press" reported that PSB used Súmate volunteers for fieldwork, and its results contradicted five other opposition exit polls. Publication or broadcast of exit polls was banned by electoral authorities, but "Associated Press" says that results of the PSB poll went out to media outlets and opposition offices several hours before polls closed. [http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2004/08/296520.html] The Schoen exit poll is one of the basis of the claims of electoral fraud.

In the firm’s own press release, Penn, Schoen & Berland admitted that they knew they were releasing the supposed “exit poll” information while voting was still underway. [http://caracaschronicles.blogspot.com/2004/08/exit-poll-results-show-major-defeat.html]

Jimmy Carter, founder and chairman of the Carter Center at Emory University, made comments about the result of the polls: "During the voting day, opposition leaders claimed to have exit-poll data showing the government losing by 20 percentage points, and this erroneous information was distributed widely. Results from each of the 20,000 machines were certified by poll workers and party observers and transmitted to central election headquarters in Caracas. As in all previous elections, paper ballots were retained under military guard. As predicted by most opinion polls and confirmed by our quick count, Mr. Chávez prevailed by a 59% to 41% margin". [http://www.opinionjournal.com/extra/?id=110005518]

erbian elections in 2000

PSB was a key adviser to the democratic opposition to Serbian president Milosevic in the run-up to Serbian presidential elections in 2000. [http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn?pagename=article&contentId=A13155-2000Sep15&notFound=true]

Expected British general election in 2005

In late January 2005, "The Daily Telegraph" revealed that British Prime Minister Tony Blair had recruited the services of PSB's Mark Penn in the run-up to the general election in the UK, widely expected to take place in May of that year [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2005/01/23/nblair23.xml&sSheet=/news/2005/01/23/ixnewstop.html] .

Italian general election, 2006

On January 2006, a survey was commissioned to PSB by House of Freedoms' leader Silvio Berlusconi, who claimed the Italian surveys to be fixed in favour of the centre-left opposition. The survey, then announced on late February, showed Berlusconi ahead of opposition leader Romano Prodi, whereas other Italian surveys showed at least a 4% lead in favour of the centre-left. Prodi narrowly defeated Berlusconi in the Italian general election, held on April 9 and April 10.

Partners

*Mark Penn
*Douglas Schoen
*Michael Berland

ee also

*Public polling industry
*Bill Clinton
*International Crisis Group
*United Kingdom general election, 2005
*Allyn & Company

External links

* [http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Penn%2C_Schoen_%26_Berland Sourcewatch article]
* [http://narconews.com/usconsultants2.html An Open Letter to Rob Allyn, Doug Schoen and Marcela Berland from the Publisher of Narco News] , Narco News Website, Summer, 2000
* [http://www.wpp.com/wpp/news/press/press-release.html?content=wpp/news/press/215.html Press Release] WPP Group PLC WPP acquires leading US strategic research and polling consultancy, Penn, Schoen and Berland, November 16 2001
*Andrew Selsky, " [http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,1280,-4433912,00.html U.S. Poll Firm in Hot Water in Venezuela] ," "Associated Press", August 19 2004.
* [http://www.public-i.org/527/search.aspx?act=com&orgid=8413&comid=420r Expenditures to individuals and organizations affiliated with Penn, Schoen and Berland Associates Inc. from New Democrat Network - Non-Federal] , The Center for Public Integrity
*Mark J. Penn, " [http://www.ndol.org/ndol_ci.cfm?kaid=127&subid=269&contentid=251929 The Democratic Party and the 2004 Election] ," Poll for the Democratic Leadership Council, July 28 2003.
*Mark J. Penn & Peter Brodnitz, " [http://www.ndol.org/ndol_ci.cfm?kaid=127&subid=269&contentid=252103 Winning the Gun Vote] ," Poll for Americans for Gun Safety, October 16 2003.
*Jonathan P. Hicks, " [http://www.ex-iwp.org/docs/2003/Mayor%20Stakes%202%20Million%20of%20His%20Own%20to%20Fight%20Party%20Primaries.htm Mayor Stakes $2 Million of His Own to Fight Party Primaries] ," "New York Times", October 25 2003.
* [http://www.landor.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=cNews.news&g=1200&storyid=329 Presidential ImagePower Study Compares Bush and Kerry to Well-Known Brands. August 30 2004] , PSB and Landor news release
*Eamon Javers and Rachel L. Dodes, " [http://www.bizforward.com/wdc/issues/2002-04/dealsoftheyear/salesmall.shtml DEAL OF THE YEAR: Penn, Schoen & Berland Associates to WPP, undisclosed value] ," "Washington Business Forward", 2001.
*John Lancaster, " [http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn?pagename=article&contentId=A13155-2000Sep15&notFound=true U.S. Funds Help Milosevic's Foes in Election Fight] ," "Washington Post", September 19 2000.
*Jose de Cordoba and David Luhnow, " [http://online.wsj.com/article/0,,SB109251250320491610-search,00.html?collection=autowire%2F30day&vql_string=penn%2C+schoen+%26+berland%3Cin%3E%28article%2Dbody%29 Venezuelans Rush To Vote on Chavez] ," "Wall Street Journal", 16 August 2004, page A11.
* Patrick Hennessy and Philip Sherwell, " [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2005/01/23/nblair23.xml&sSheet=/news/2005/01/23/ixnewstop.html Blair recruits Clinton poll mastermind in drive to capture more Tory voters] ", "The Daily Telegraph", January 23 2005.
*Jonathan Mowat, " [http://www.onlinejournal.com/Special_Reports/031905Mowat-1/031905Mowat-3/031905mowat-3.html The Coup Plotters] : The Arlington Institute", Online Journal, March 17 2005.