CHAPTER 7:

Research: Gathering
Information for IMC
Planning

Copyright © 2013 Pearson Education

 Learning Objectives
7-1 Elaborate on the purposes of IMC research.
7-2 Explain the basic steps in the research process.
7-3 Distinguish qualitative and quantitative research.
7-4 Describe the differences between pretesting and post-
testing of campaign messages.
7-5 List the important considerations in effective IMC
research.

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 The Need for Research in Marketing
and IMC 1

What Is Marketing Research?

• Helps identify consumer needs and market segments.
• Provides information for developing new products and
marketing strategies.
• Enables managers to assess effectiveness of promotional
activities.
• Supports the three Rs of marketing: recruiting, retaining,
regaining.

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 The Need for Research in Marketing
and IMC 2

What Is IMC Research?

• Reveals how consumers view products.
• Reveals how consumers view the competition.
• Shows what brand or company image would be most
credible.
• Shows what messages offer the greatest appeal.

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 The Need for Research in Marketing
and IMC 3

Applying Research to IMC Decision Making

Four categories:
• IMC strategy research.

• Creative concept research.

• Message pretesting.

• Message posttesting.

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 Exhibit 7-2 Categories of Research
Advertising Strategy
Research
Timing Before creative work begins
Research Problem Product concept definition
Target audience selection
Media selection
Message element selection
Techniques Consumer attitude and
usage studies
Media studies
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Creative Concept
Research Pretesting Posttesting
Before agency production Before finished artwork and After campaign has run
begins photography
Concept testing Print testing Advertising effectiveness
Consumer attitude change
Name testing TV storyboard pretesting
Sales increases
Slogan testing Radio commercial
pretesting
Free-association tests Consumer juries Aided recall
Qualitative interviews
Matched samples Unaided recall
Statement comparison
tests Portfolio tests Attitude tests
Storyboard tests Inquiry tests
Mechanical devices Sales tests
Psychological rating scales
6
 The Need for Research in Marketing
and IMC 4

IMC Strategy Research

• Product concept: marketers need to know how consumers
perceive their brands to create a unique concept.
• Target audience selection: Marketers use the dominance
concept.
• Media selection: Use syndicated research services such
as ACNielsen.
• Message element selection: Companies study consumers’
likes and dislikes to create the most promising message.

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 Inclusive Research

If a sample is unlike the

population it is meant to
represent, the data a
company receives will not
be accurate. The advocacy
group Disability believes
that one reason people
with disabilities are
underrepresented in ads is
because they are
overlooked in research.

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 The Need for Research in Marketing
and IMC 5

Developing Creative Concepts

• Research helps determine which concepts to use.

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 The Need for Research in Marketing
and IMC 6

Pretesting and Posttesting

Pretesting is a controversial process, but large clients
usually insist on it.
Posttesting evaluates effectiveness of campaign after it
runs.
• Helps guide future advertising.

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 The Need for Research in Marketing
and IMC 7

Pretesting and Posttesting continued

Testing helps marketers make important decisions.

• Merchandise.

• Markets.

• Motives.

• Messages.

• Media.

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 The Need for Research in Marketing
and IMC 8

Pretesting and Posttesting continued

Media costs are rising rapidly.

• Media classes.

• Media subclasses.

• Media vehicles.

• Media units.

Easy to test media campaigns.

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 Exhibit 7-3 Media Categories

Media Print Electronic Digital Direct Out-of-Home

Classes Interactive Mail
Media Newspaper Radio Internet Catalog Outdoor
subclasses Magazines Television Social media Brochure transit
Smartphone
Media The N.Y. KNX-AM Mobile App, Lands’ End Billboards
vehicles Times Wheel of Website, Bus stations
Elle Fortune e-mail, Subway
Facebook/Snap/ stations
TikTok
Podcast
Media units Half page 30-second Banner 16 pages Poster panel
Full page spot Paid search Letter size Inside card
Infomercial News feed spot

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Exhibit 7-4 Marketing Research Process

The marketing research process begins with evaluation of

the company’s situation and definition of the problem.

Access the text alternative for slide images.

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 Steps in the Research Process 1

Step 1: Analyzing the Situation and Defining the

Problem
• Marketing department may maintain a marketing
information system (MIS).

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 Steps in the Research Process 2

Step 2: Conducting Informal (Exploratory) Research

Researchers discuss issue with retailers outside the firm,
informed sources within the firm, customers, and
competitors.
Types of research data:
• Primary data.

• Secondary data.

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 Steps in the Research Process 3

Step 3: Establishing Research Objectives

• Concise written statement of the research problem and
objectives should be formulated at beginning of research
project.

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 Steps in the Research Process 4

Step 4: Conducting Primary Research

• Qualitative: provides general impression of the market,
consumer, or product.
• Quantitative: provides hard numbers about specific
marketing situations.

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 Steps in the Research Process 5

Step 5: Interpreting and Reporting the Findings

• Tables and graphs should be explained in words.
• Avoid technical jargon.
• State the problem and objectives, summarize the
findings, and draw attention to important conclusions.

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 Understanding Qualitative and
Quantitative Research Approaches 1

Methods of Qualitative Research

Projective techniques use indirect questioning.
Intensive techniques use carefully planned questions.
• In-depth interview.

• Focus group.

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 Focus Group Research

A focus group is an intensive research technique used to

evaluate the effectiveness of the various elements of a
sponsor’s campaign. Focus groups are especially effective
when used in conjunction with market surveys.
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 Understanding Qualitative and
Quantitative Research Approaches 2

Basic Methods of Quantitative Research

Observation: researchers monitor activities in their native
environment.
• UPC label has improved observation method.

Experiment: measures cause and effect relationships.

Survey: researcher gains information on attitudes,
opinions, motivations.

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 UPC Labels Improve Observation Research

The Universal Product

Code on packaging is
scanned at checkout
counters. It improves
checkout time and
inventory control, and
it provides a wealth of
accessible data for
use in measuring
advertising response.

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 Exhibit 7-7 Comparison of Data
Collection Methods
Blank Personal Telephone Internet
Data collection costs High Medium Low
Data collection time required Medium Low Medium
Sample size for a given budget Small Medium Large
Data quantity per respondent High Medium Low
Reaches widely dispersed sample No Maybe Yes
Reaches special locations Yes Maybe Yes
Interaction with respondents Yes Yes No
Degree of interviewer bias High Medium None
Severity of nonresponse bias Low Low Medium
Presentation of visual stimuli Yes No Yes
Field worker training required Yes Yes No

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 Message Testing before and after a
Campaign 1

Pretesting Methods
• Direct questioning.
• Central location tests.
• Clutter tests.

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 Message Testing before and after a
Campaign 2

The Challenge of Pretesting

• Respondents may give answer they think they should like.
• The halo effect.
• Behavior intent is not always behavior fact.

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 Message Testing before and after a
Campaign 3

Posttesting Methods
Five broad categories:
• Aided recall.

• Unaided recall.

• Attitude tests.

• Inquiry tests.

• Sales tests.

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 Message Testing before and after a
Campaign 4

The Challenge of Posttesting

• Recall tests: reveal effectiveness of message components.
• Inquiry tests: consumers respond to offer for information.
• Sales tests: useful for measuring advertising effectiveness.

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 Important Issues in IMC Research 1

Considerations in Conducting Primary Quantitative

Research
• Validity: results must be free of bias and reflect the true
status of the market.
• Reliability: test must produce approximately the same
result each time it is administered.

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 Exhibit 7-8 The Reliability-Validity Diagram

Access the text alternative for slide images.

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 Important Issues in IMC Research 2

Considerations in Conducting Primary Quantitative

Research continued

Sampling methods:
• Universe is entire target population.

• Sample units.

• Random probability samples.

• Nonprobability samples.

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 Important Issues in IMC Research 3

Considerations in Conducting Primary Quantitative

Research continued

How questionnaires are designed:

• Important attributes: focus, brevity, clarity.

• Four types of questions: open-ended, dichotomous, multiple-choice,

scale.

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 Important Issues in IMC Research 4

Considerations in Conducting Primary Quantitative

Research continued

Data tabulation and analysis:

• Data must be validated, edited, coded, and tabulated.

• Many researchers also want cross-tabulations.

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 Important Issues in IMC Research 5

Collecting Primary Data in International Markets

Research often more expensive than domestic research.
Control and direction of research a challenge.
Conducting original research:
• Must use local language, translations can be tricky.

• Some cultures view strangers suspiciously.

Goals are flexibility and standardization.

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 AI in IMC Research 1

Using Existing Data to Uncover New Markets

• AI uses hidden patterns in huge data sets.
• Can uncover overlooked market segments.
Buying Media Time and Space
• Programmatic advertising.

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 AI in IMC Research 2

Matching Audiences with the Right Messages

• Uses data about audiences to match ad content.
Creating Copy
• Data used to perform copywriting.
AI and IMC
• AI is already in your life—and growing fast.

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