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Dr.

Jyotinder Kaur Chaddah Lecture -4&5

How

people buy products and use them can be assessed by watching them. How people negotiate rates can also give interesting insights on their buying behaviour.

This

includes the method of collecting data, sample design, and construction of the data collection instrument. Data can be collected by observing behaviour, experimenting at a shopping place, or through surveys by questioning a cross section of people.

If

a marketer wishes to test the packaging of a shampoo in three kinds of containers(flat, round or Square) to map consumer preference, she/he then place one of each kind in three similar department stores, the price of each container being equal. The shape that is picked up faster, can provide insights about consumer preference for shape.

Ariel campaign (a woman refusing to buy double the quantity of a detergent at half the price against her chosen brand , Ariel ) is said to be based on a real recording of a buyers behavior, which was later adapted into a television commercial. Toyota, in an observational research, found that customers saw cars as object of art, so it worked this theme into the early advertisements of its Lexus model.

Advertising

research generally focuses on gathering information that helps to reduce the uncertainty and risk associated with advertising, which invariably includes consumer attitudes towards products, consumer reactions to various advertising startegies and messages, information about competitiors ad spends and information about media audiences.

Promotional

research looks into the usefulness of promotional materials. Promotional research helps marketers understand consumer psychology vis-a vis various promotional offers. It also gives insights about when to introduce a promotion and when to withdraw.

Goodyear

Tyres on the occasion of the fifth centenary celebrations of the founder of sikhism, brought out Gurbani Cassettes which were given to truck drivers in north India, where thousand of truck drivers follow the sikh religion. of a super woman

Concept

Target

Market Research Competitive Activity Research Positioning research Pre-test message research Post test message research Audience Research

product needs to be promoted to prospective customers. Who are they, where are they located? What are their attitude, behaviour and media habits? Such questions need to be answered before an advertising campaign is launched. Infact there is no phenomenon called the average consumer any more.

Markets today are fragmented and complex, comprising small, niche buyers who possess distinctive habits, characteristics and attitudes. Advertisers use consumer segmentation research to identify and understand the groups of consumers that comprise the market place for a particular product or service.

Different

consumer segments have different media habits and receptivity to different types of promotional efforts. Hence identification of specific segments media preferences helps a media planner better match media selection with target audiences media habits.

The

target market research seeks to gain the following insights about people:their level of product usage,their important identifying characteristics and their media usage patterns. These can be pinpointed by rather simple question such as , How many grams of coffee does your family consumer weekly?

Some

advertisers ask consumers to keep diaries or record of their product purchases for a specified time. Data gathered this way is used to categorize consumers on a scale, from heavy users, to light to non users.

Competitive activity research is also referred to as situation analysis research. The findings provide situations in which advertising decisions will be made. The aim of competitive activity research is to learn how much money competitors are spending and on which media. This also covers competitors creative strategies and their execution. This helps company make the advertising budget, do media selection, and render creative strategies to gain a competitive edge.

Positioning research is brand specific. Hence it is customized in nature. Perceptual Mapping helps the advertiser to find out about the following : -The number of dimensions consumers use to distinguish between brands or products. -The nature and characteristics of these dimensions, that is , the specific attributes or dimensions that consumers use to make distinctions among products.

-The location of actual brands as well as ideal brands, on these dimensions This reveals consumers evaluation of advertisers product Vs other product Vs the ideal product on dimensions of importance and the brands most direct competition from consumers point of view. This exercise providers advertisers a basis for deciding whether future advertising should reinforce or seek to change the brands current positioning.

Ad campaigns are cost intensive. The objective of pre testing the campaign is to ensure that the message is understood by potential consumers the way it is desired to be. The usual method followed by the agency is to show several advertisements to a group of consumers and seek their responses to the advertisements.

The researcher aims at knowing what the copy meant to the potential consumer, what they learned, what the recall was, and their immediate reactions to the illustration or copy. Some advertisers go with the final advertisement for the test, while others do it at rough layout stage. Eg Cadillac that ZIGs

Pre

testing can be done on a focus group of potential users. Researchers sometimes measure consumers physical responses to proposed advertisements by using mechanical devices. Eye Movement cameras identify the first spot that the reader focus on when they look at a print advertisement and further movement.

Pupil meters measure pupil dilation as respondents view a print or televised program and show their involuntary reactions. Brainwave scanners show brainwave activity as research subjects are shown the advertisements. Galvanic devices record perspiration Simulated atmosphere is created with recorded programs interspersed with commercials to enable potential consumers to view them without a bias in a normal setting.

Post

test message research is conducted durring or after the advertisements have appeared in the media. The methods are generally the same as pre test. Aim is to determine whether the advertisements that proved effective (according to a specific definition) in a pretest with a small group are also as effective when released in the mass media for a wider audience and under normal settings.

The

aim is to gauge effectiveness of advertisements, often determined by recal, measuring memory or awareness of advertising slogans. Post test research is done with large number of readers and viewers.

Another

kind of Post test is referred to as Recognition testing In this test, print media readers and television viewers are asked whether they remember having seen the advertisemenet and whether they remember the name of the company sponsoring it . They are asked to reply in Yes or No Interviews are held mostly in the homes of the respondents.

Change

in brand awareness of a respondent before and after a campaign. This is a bit difficult as it is difficult to know about various other influences on awareness that include friends, family, competitive advertising, observation or media reportage.

Audience

research aims at gathering information about the size and composition of audiences of media vehicles. Media Planners use this information to select appropriate vehicles for advertisement messages. Audience research is also important to understand the heterogeneity of the social groups.

SP

measurement is part of marketing research. It aims at measuring consumer perception of the value of promotions that include discounts, coupons, giveaways, frequency programs, or contests. The biggest decision challenge for the consumer generally is whether to avail of, for Eg. Rs 5 off on a newly launched shampoo or pay Rs 5 more for the shampoo he or she uses.

When

the product offer extra quantity or buy one get one free , the average consumer prefers to go for the product he or she uses. Sometimes the assured prize may or may not be perceived worthy of the product it accompanies. LG electronics, a Korean electronic giant, announced its pataka phodo contest The assured prize was a T shirt(approx cost Rs 50).This was not attractive enough offer for consumers who were spending thousands of Rupees on electronic items.

Researchers

generally use focus groups or ballots to gauge consumer perceptions on promotions. The ballot method lists out various options on papers that are then mailed to prospective consumers asking them to rank their preferences and mail the ballot paper back to them.

Marketers

first try to survey the trade channel to gauge traders enthusiasm for various promotional options. Being part of the market they have a good understanding of consumer psychology and competitive activity. The promotions aimed at the trade community must be pre tested. A survey of key retailers and what they would perceive as a good promotion must be undertaken.

If

a sales target is set and if a promotional activity meets it, it is considered successful. The quantitative measure for coupons is the number of coupons redeemed. For sweepstakes or lottery, it would be number of Consumers who entered the contest. Eg Pepsi

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