Research Matters The Case for Advertising Research

Marketing vs Advertising Research Marketing – Identify needs – Market segments – New products – Strategies Advertising – Perception – Competition – Image – Appeal – Message

Advertising Strategy Research Creative Concept Research PretestingPosttesting Timing Before creative work beginsBefore agency production begins Before finished artwork and photography After Campaign has run Research Problem Product Concept Definition Target Audience Selection Media Selection Message-element Selection Concept testing Name testing Slogan testing Print testing TV storyboard pretesting Radio commercial pretesting Advertising effectiveness Consumer attitude change Sales increases Techniques Attitude and usage studies Media studies Qualitative interviews Free-association tests Qualitative interviews Statement-comparison tests Consumer juries Matched samples Portfolio tests Storyboard test Mechanical devices Psychological rating scales Aided recall Unaided recall Attitude tests Inquiry test Sales tests

Why test Ads? Increases effectiveness Catches gaps or flaws Clarity of message Intent

Role of Research Decision Support System What’s hot? What’s not? Keep marketers in touch with customers Key role in helping understand audience Used to make go/no go decisions and when to pull a campaign

Research Steps 1.Identify the problem (or opportunity) – Most difficult and important – Be clear on what the research is to accomplish – Develop research questions: What do you want to know? – Develop objectives: what do you want the data to tell you?

Step 2: Research Methods 2.Plan Research Design and collect data – Evaluate Secondary Data Quick and cost effective May be out of date Not in line with your objectives If info still needed move on to Primary Data – Need to do own research What now?

Step 2: Research Methods 2a. Plan Research Design (select research method) – Flows naturally from RQs – Qualitative vs quantitative Focus groups, in depth interviews, observation Surveys, experiments – In person, mail or via Internet Response rate Biases

Step 2: Research Methods 2b. Qualitative: Interviews, Focus Groups – May involve projective techniques Thoughts and feelings – Association tests Thoughts and feelings after a stimuli – One on one vs 6-12 customers 2c. Experiments – Causation – Two or more groups differing on one variable/item

Step 3: Clean & Analyze Data Clean – Descriptives, Frequencies, missing cases Analyze – Regression – Hypothesis testing (t-tests, mean comparison) – SEM – Cross tabs – Association – Coding

SPSS, SAS, Lisrel, AMOS, InVivo

Data MUST be: Reliable: consistent over time Valid: relevant to RQs Trustworthy: does it make sense? Meaningful: know the limitations

Steps 5 & 6 5.Prepare/Present Report – Tailor to audience – Connect results to objectives – Where do we go from here? 6.Follow up – Decisions – Improvements – When to test again

Revitalize brand and increase sales Used research to find a new direction and reposition the brand Shifted from kids to “rejuvenile” adults as TM – Comfort food Research insights led to edgy humor, mischevious fun Sales doubled the target rate Best regarded snack brand from 41 st to 34 th Won Grand Ogilvy winner – Best in show

Developmental Advertising Research Idea Generation Concept Testing Audience Definition Audience Profiling

Techniques Focus Groups Projective Techniques Association Tests Dialogue Balloons Story Construction Sentence and picture completion Zaltman Metaphor Elicitation Technique Field Work (observational)

Copy Research Research actual ads Ad does what it is supposed to do How ad scores Agency conflict – Creatives are “artists” and view this as a “grade” Should always be done

Copy Research What to look for: Getting it Knowledge: Recall and Recognition Attitude Feelings and emotions Physiological changes: eye movement, etc. Behavioral intent Actual behavior Techniques: Communication tests Resonance tests Recall tests Recognition Attitude change Frame by frame Thought listings Eye, voice, psychogalvanometer Pilot Testing Direct Response Single Source Data

Things to remember No method is perfect – But do find the best method for you Results are guidelines not absolutes They still need to be interpreted “Choose wisely”

New Trends: Neuromarketing Study brain response to different ads via fMRIfMRI Example: Cigarette ad reactions by smokers and non smokers – “non-users hadn't built up resistance to these kinds of ads, and as a result their craving for unhealthy snacks and drinking actually increased” – Non smokers were more susceptible to cigarette ads than smokers