1. The Nature of Advertising Research

2. Objectives  To review the IMC planning process  To understand the role of research in the context of marketing and advertising planning

3. Communications Planning: A Systematic Process  Each step builds the foundation for future decisions  and may provide feedback for decisions made in earlier steps  Research supports risk-avoidance and decision confidence

4. See Fig. 1.1, Ch1 A Review of the IMC Planning Process: Step 1  Situation Analysis Summarizes the brand’s current circumstances Identifies factors that might affect future marketing/advertising success Generally, information gathered through secondary research

5. Recall: Situation Analysis Sections  Company Analysis  Product/Brand Analysis  Competitive Analysis  (Macro-)Environmental Analysis Social Legal Economic Political Technological Product-focus sections External variables

6. See Fig. 1.1, Ch1 A Review of the IMC Planning Process  Situation Analysis Summarizes the brand’s current circumstances Identifies factors that might affect future marketing/advertising success Generally, information gathered through secondary research

7. Research as Part of IMC Planning Process  Situation Analysis Questions: Industry Trends  Market size and growth trends  Sales by category type Competitive Environment  Who are the leading companies?  What is their share? Sales? Distribution?

8. Recall: Situation Analysis Sections (cont.)  Consumer Analysis  Market Analysis Target Audience Analysis - General consumer trends - The target’s relationship w/ product/brand Target Market/ Consumer facts Note: Text

9. Research as Part of IMC Planning Process  The Consumer  (Target Audience Analysis)  What are their usage behaviors in the product category?  What are their purchase behaviors?  What are their attitudes/beliefs/perceptions about the brand?  Changes in last 5 years?

10. Research as Part of IMC Planning Process  Problems and Opportunities  Brand Positioning A statement of the niche the brand can most successfully fulfill How should we distinguish our brand from our competitors?

11. Research as Part of IMC Planning Process  Essential Message Otherwise known as the IMC strategy What is our message?  Creative Evaluation Communication testing designed to identify strengths and weaknesses of advertisements prior to production What is the best means for communicating the message?

12. Research as Part of IMC Planning Process  Media Analysis & Placement Research conducted to ensure that the target audience sees or hears the message Where should advertising be concentrated? In which media? National or regional placement? How should it be scheduled?

13. Research as Part of IMC Planning Process  Campaign Tracking The evaluation component of the plan Assesses our success or failure in achieving planned objectives Did we accomplish IMC objectives? Did the media plan deliver on levels of exposure?

14. Other Uses for Research In Marketing  Product naming  Packaging design  Distribution strategy determination  Analyze sales trends, marketplace performance

15. The Research ‘Players’: Who Conducts Research?  Information Users Brand managers  Internal research departments of companies Research specialists  Advertising agency research departments  Research suppliers Customized research: retained on a project-by- project basis Syndicated research firms (A.C. Nielsen, SMRB, etc.)

16. The Research ‘Players’: Who Conducts Research?  Field services Data collection specialists Sub-contract labor who may specialize in any one or all of the following:  Research design  Project management  Qualitative site selection  Recruiting  Training  Data collection  Etc.

17. The Research ‘Players’: Who Conducts Research?  Support Services Data management (editing, coding, data entry, etc.) Data interpretation Reporting General consulting