“Cost of Christmas” index nets global coverage for bank.

Pittsburgh’ PNC Financial Services Group has figured out how valuable surveys can be when it comes to getting media coverage. (MRR‘s recent story on creating media-worthy surveys is available in the October 2004 online archives. Article title: “Surveying like the big boys.” ) Every holiday season since 1982, the bank has issued its “Cost of the 12 Day of Christmas” survey, with great national media coverage just about guaranteed.

Each holiday season, PNC totals exactly what it costs to have drummers drumming, pipers piping, golden rings, and so on, in the spirit of the holiday classic, The Twelve Days of Christmas. PNC pegs the cost of 2004’s 12 Days of Christmas at $66,334, up from $65,264 last year. The survey has been covered in dozens of newspapers and magazines across the country.