Looking Back on Test the Nation

Posted in Intelligence on June 25, 2003

On June 9th, FOX aired its Test the Nation special, a nationwide, televised IQ test (intended for entertainment purposes only, of course). American Mensa was mentioned several times during the show, and the FOX website also linked to the American Mensa website. So what effect did the special have on American Mensa? Click ‘Read More’ for details from National Marketing Director Jim Blackmore.

Test the Nation is now history. It aired on more than 200 FOX
network-affiliated stations across the United States on Monday, June 9,
2003. It was carried live in the Eastern, Central and part of the Mountain
time zones and was tape delayed Pacific, Alaska and Hawaii. The program
aired opposite national hockey play-offs and the opening installment of
“Fame. Test the Nation scored third with a 4.6/6 average for the night
beating the hockey game. There was a live link from the Fox web site to our
web site throughout the show and for several days since.
We do know that a great many Mensans watched the program at home or in
groups in public places. And, a number of these “watch parties” were
covered by local FOX affiliates as news events. In Greater Boston,
Dallas-Fort Worth and in Minneapolis-St. Paul Mensans were interviewed
concerning their thoughts on the show.


What impact did the telecast have on American Mensa? The best answer
is… Good, but, we don’t know how good. However, we can tell you
something about its immediate effects. In the first seven days following
the airing of Test the Nation, we sold 652 Mensa Home Tests, and the
national office received 2,134 direct requests for testing information. In
a typical month the national office receives requests for fewer than 400
Mensa Home Tests and about 1,800 direct requests. In addition, 154 former
Mensans who have been out for at least a year have rejoined contrasted to an
average of 200 monthly. Because the Fox website and ours gave many options
for getting information about testing and IQ, many individuals have been
contacting local chapters of Mensa directly.