Dagmar Approach

This slide can be used to discuss the Defining Advertising Goals for Measured Advertising Results
(DAGMAR) model. Russell Colley developed a model for setting advertising objectives and measuring the
results of an ad campaign that became known by its acronym.

Colley proposed that the communications task be based on a hierarchical model of the communications
process, with four stages:

Awareness—Making consumers aware of the brand or company

Comprehension—Developing an understanding of what the product is and what it will do for the
consumer

Conviction—Developing a mental disposition in the consumer to buy the product

Action—Getting the consumer to purchase the product

Many promotional planners use this model as a basis for setting objectives and assessing the
effectiveness of promotional campaigns.
This slide can be used to introduce the second major contribution of DAGMAR to the advertising
planning process—a definition of what constitutes a good objective. Colley argues that advertising
objectives should be stated in terms of:

Concrete and measurable communications tasks. In other words, a precise statement of what appeal or
message the advertiser wants to communicate to the target audience.

A specific target audience, which may be based on descriptive variables, such as geography,
demographics, psychographics, or behavior.

A benchmark starting point and degree of change sought. Marketers must know the target market’s
present position regarding the various response stages. Otherwise, one cannot judge the success of the
campaign.

A specified time period within which to accomplish the objectives. This may range from a few days to a
year or more.
This slide can be used to explain that, although DAGMAR has contributed to the advertising planning
process, it has not been totally accepted by everyone in the advertising field.

Critics argue that:

The DAGMAR approach relies heavily on the hierarchy of effect model, and consumers do not always
follow this sequence of communications effects before making a purchase.

The only relevant measure of advertising objectives is sales; there is little tolerance for ad campaigns
that achieve communications objectives but fail to stimulate sales.

DAGMAR is practical only for large companies with large advertising budgets, because it takes expensive
research to establish quantitative benchmarks and measure changes in the response hierarchy.

DAGMAR inhibits advertising creativity by imposing too much structure.

 CREATIVE PROCESS

This slide can be used to discuss how the development of creative ideas is a process that involves a
series of steps that offer an organized way to approach advertising problems and develop solutions for
them.

Another model, by English sociologist Graham Wallas, is shown on the next slide.
This slide can be used to illustrate the type of background information that is provided many agencies
with general preplanning input:

Books and periodicals (Advertising Age, Adweek, Brandweek)

Trade publications and scholarly journals

Pictures and clippings

Ads from the competition

Other information sources:

Local, state, and federal governments

Secondary research suppliers

Various industry trade associations

Advertising and media organizations

This slide can be used to explain that creative people receive product/service-specific preplanning input
that generally comes in the form of studies conducted on:

The product or service

The target audience

A combination of the two

This slide also presents an approach called problem detection which was developed to find ideas around
which creative strategies could be based. A problem detection study can provide valuable input for
product improvements, reformulations, or new products.
This slide can be used to explain psychographic studies and branding research. Some agencies conduct
psychographic studies annually and construct detailed psychographic or lifestyle profiles of product or
service users. Branding research is conducted by some agencies to help better identify clients’
customers and how they connect to their brands.
This slide can be used to explain that many agencies use qualitative research, in addition to quantitative
research studies.

Qualitative research techniques:

In-depth interviews

Focus groups

Focus groups bring together 10 to 12 people from the target market, who are then led through a
discussion regarding a particular topic. These groups give insight into why and how consumers use a
product or service.
This slide can be used to explain the topic of ethnographic research. During ethnographic research,
consumers are observed in their natural environment. Some agencies send anthropologists or trained
researchers into the field to study and observe consumers in their homes, at work, or at play.

As a rule, creative people are open to any research or information that will help them better understand
the client’s target market.
Use this slide to show the objectives of the verification and revision stages of the creative process. The
purpose of these steps is to evaluate the ideas that were generated and then refine them.

At this stage of the creative process, members of the target audience may be asked to

Evaluate rough creative layouts

Indicate the meaning they get from the ad

Indicate what they think of its execution

Verbalize their reaction to a slogan or theme

This slide can be used to present the research techniques used in the verification and revision stage.
Techniques used at this stage include directed focus groups to evaluate creative concepts, ideas, or
themes; message communication studies; portfolio tests; and evaluation measures such as viewer
reaction profiles.

A storyboard is a series of drawings used to present the visual plan or layout of a proposed commercial.
 • Postproduction

– Work after spot is filmed or recorded

Postproduction—activities that occur after the commercial is recorded such as editing, audio/video
mixing and duplicating

Postproduction Tasks

Editing

Processing

Sound effects

Audio/video mixing

Opticals

Approvals

Duplicating

Release/shipping
 PARTICIPANTS OF IMC

This slide can be used to introduce some of the participants in the IMC process and provide a brief
overview of their roles.

Advertiser (client)—The company or organization that has the product, service, or cause to be
marketed and pays for the IMC program

Advertising agency—Specializes in the creation, production, and placement of communications

messages. They may provide other services to facilitate the IMC process.
This slide can be used to introduce some of the participants in the IMC process and provide a brief
overview of their roles.

Media organizations provide information and entertainment to subscribers, viewers, listeners,

and/or readers. Marketers can purchase time or space to deliver their advertising and promotion
messages

Marketing communication specialist organizations provide specialized marketing communication

services, including:

Direct response agencies

Sales promotion agencies

Public relations firms

Interactive agencies

Collateral services are companies that provide a wide array of support functions used by advertisers,
agencies, media organizations, and specialist organizations such as marketing research, package
design, photography, video production and so on.
This slide can be used to introduce some of the participants in the IMC process and provide a brief
overview of their roles.

Media organizations provide information and entertainment to subscribers, viewers, listeners,

and/or readers. Marketers can purchase time or space to deliver their advertising and promotion
messages

Marketing communication specialist organizations provide specialized marketing communication

services, including:

Direct response agencies

Sales promotion agencies

Public relations firms

Interactive agencies

Collateral services are companies that provide a wide array of support functions used by advertisers,
agencies, media organizations, and specialist organizations such as marketing research, package
design, photography, video production and so on.
 SMALL TERMS
• Halo effect: Overall rating is influenced by the judgment on one or few
characteristics of the ad

• Participants may rate a whole ad good because they overlooked specific weaknesses
(halo effect).

CREATIVITY
This slide can be used to introduce ad divergence. Divergence is the extent to which an ad is novel,
different, or unusual.

Divergence factors:

Originality—Ad elements are rare, surprising, or move away from the obvious and commonplace.

Flexibility—Ad contains different ideas or switches from one perspective to another.

Elaboration —Ad has unexpected details or finish and extends basic ideas so they become more
intricate, complicated, or sophisticated.

Synthesis—Ads combine, connect, or blend normally unrelated objects or ideas.

Artistic value—Ad has artistic verbal impressions or attractive shapes/colors.

This slide can be used to introduce ad relevance. Relevance is the degree to which the ad is meaningful,
useful, or valuable to the consumer.

Relevance factors:

Ad-to-consumer relevance—he ad contains execution elements that are meaningful to consumers.

Advertisers may use celebrities with whom consumers identify with, music that they like, or visual
images and execution techniques that capture their interest and attention.

Brand-to-consumer relevance—The advertised brand of a product or service is of personal interest to

consumers. Relevance or appropriateness can also be viewed in terms of the degree to which an ad
provides information or an image that is pertinent to the brand.
COMMUNICATION PROCESS