For those of you who are unfamiliar with this phrase, here's some information from Wikipedia:
The saying, 'Will it play in Peoria?' is traditionally used to ask whether a given product, person, promotional theme or event will appeal to mainstream (also called "Mainstreet") America, or across a broad range of demographic/psychographic groups.
It's become a shorthand phrase in American business, with historical ties to Peoria, a diverse metropolitan mid-sized city located in central Illinois. In the United States, Peoria, Illinois, has legendary status as a test market. The city of Peoria has long been seen as a representation of the average American city, because of its demographics and its perceived mainstream Midwestern culture.
The phrase initially came into fashion during the Vaudeville era, believed to have been first asked by Groucho Marx when putting together a new act. The belief was that if a new show was successful in Peoria, it would work anywhere in America.
Years later in the 60s and 70s, Peoria was deemed an ideal test market by various consumer-focused companies, entertainment enterprises (films and concert tours), even politicans, to gauge opinion, interest and receptivity to new products, services and campaigns.
President Nixon’s administration perpetuated the phrase; John Ehrlichman was heard using it when talking about campaigning in the Midwest.
In the 80s, comedians like Sam Kinnison and musicians such as Bob Dylan, Robert Plant and Phil Collins each perfected and launched concert tours in Peoria. During Presidential campaigns, major TV networks would visit Peoria to 'take the pulse' (gauge the response) of everyday Americans on national issues and candidates.
Peoria's historical test market status can be attributed to a number of factors. At one time Peoria was at the country's population center (a point which has since moved South and West, as more Americans move away from the Northeast to the Southwest). It's believed the term 'Heartland of America' initially referred to this region, though over the years the moniker has been embraced by other markets.
The city is also located approximately half-way between two major midwestern cities (Chicago, Illinois and St. Louis, Missouri).
Perhaps most important, at one time Peoria closely reflected the diversity of the United States population in terms of race, income, age, rural and business interests, educational background and other key criteria.
While Peoria is still considered the 'test market capital of the world,' other cities such as Albany, New York; Greensboro, North Carolina; and Santa Barbara, California, are more commonly selected as test markets today for greater testing precision.
