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.

Don't forget to Follow and Subscribe at OlasMedia.com

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
00:14:06 - The Real Deal: Over 45 Baseball
00:15:01 - The Intersection of Baseball and Politics
00:16:58 - Public Sentiment on San Diego's Direction
00:19:18 - John's Journey to Becoming a Pollster
00:26:34 - Explaining Ballot Measures vs. Candidates
00:27:30 - The Importance of Research in Decision-Making
00:32:05 - Unique Branding in Baseball Uniforms
00:34:17 - The Power Metrics Approach
00:37:14 - The Role of Newsletters in Lead Generation
00:39:37 - Expectations and Leadership
00:42:23 - Movie Preferences
00:43:03 - Breakfast and Coffee
00:44:45 - Physical Activity and Fitness
00:50:12 - John's Personality and Passion
00:52:05 - Unique Last Name
00:53:01 - Podcast Credits

The Padres sensed they had a problem. So they called <a href="https://cerc.net/our-team/">John Nienstedt,</a> 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, <a href="https://cerc.net/">Competitive Edge Research &amp; Communication or CERC.</a> 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.
Don't forget to Follow and Subscribe at <a href="https://olasmedia.com/shows/dear-san-diego">OlasMedia.com</a>
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 00:14:06 - The Real Deal: Over 45 Baseball 00:15:01 - The Intersection of Baseball and Politics 00:16:58 - Public Sentiment on San Diego's Direction 00:19:18 - John's Journey to Becoming a Pollster 00:26:34 - Explaining Ballot Measures vs. Candidates 00:27:30 - The Importance of Research in Decision-Making 00:32:05 - Unique Branding in Baseball Uniforms 00:34:17 - The Power Metrics Approach 00:37:14 - The Role of Newsletters in Lead Generation 00:39:37 - Expectations and Leadership 00:42:23 - Movie Preferences 00:43:03 - Breakfast and Coffee 00:44:45 - Physical Activity and Fitness 00:50:12 - John's Personality and Passion 00:52:05 - Unique Last Name 00:53:01 - Podcast Credits

Dear San Diego is a public affairs podcast with personality.

Hosted by veteran communication specialists Tony Manolatos and Juan Hernandez, Dear San Diego gives newsmakers and others a platform to discuss the big issues of the day, but that’s just the beginning. 

Tony and Juan’s guests share what’s not in their bios, who they are away from work, secrets to success, and more. Tony and Juan also discuss work, home, fatherhood, health and wellness, and youth sports – where the politics can be way more fierce than they are at city hall. 

Tony and Juan met a decade ago while working for dueling mayoral candidates in San Diego. Since then, the two friends have worked together on numerous public affairs, land-use, and issue campaigns. 

Dear San Diego is a public affairs podcast with personality.
Hosted by veteran communication specialists Tony Manolatos and Juan Hernandez, Dear San Diego gives newsmakers and others a platform to discuss the big issues of the day, but that’s just the beginning. 
Tony and Juan’s guests share what’s not in their bios, who they are away from work, secrets to success, and more. Tony and Juan also discuss work, home, fatherhood, health and wellness, and youth sports – where the politics can be way more fierce than they are at city hall. 
Tony and Juan met a decade ago while working for dueling mayoral candidates in San Diego. Since then, the two friends have worked together on numerous public affairs, land-use, and issue campaigns.

Dear San Diego

Hosted by veteran public relations specialists, Tony Manolatos and Juan Hernandez discuss the not so obvious talents, attributes, and behaviors of fellow colleagues. Learn what's not in the bios and CV's and what's be the secret to the sauce of their success.

Hosted by veteran public relations specialists, <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/tonymanolatos">Tony Manolatos</a> and <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/juan-m-hernandez-pisano-3166a275/">Juan Hernandez</a> discuss the not so obvious talents, attributes, and behaviors of fellow colleagues. Learn what's not in the bios and CV's and what's be the secret to the sauce of their success.

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