Advertising Copy Research

Chapter 14

1
 First Advertising Checklist

 Townsend Brothers
 Late 1930s
 Townsend Method
 27 Points

2
 Advertising Checklist
 Attract Attention
 Create Interest
 Provide Information
 Develop Empathy
 Build Credibility
 Assure Memorability
 Stimulate Desire
 Compel Action

3
 Suggestions for Testing
 Was the ad seen?
 Is the ad interesting?
 Was the ad liked?
 Was the ad believed?
 Was the ad recalled?
 Did the ad inform?
 Was the ad understood?
 Did the ad stimulate desire?
 Did the ad compel action?

4
 Selecting Pretests
 How reliable is the test?
 Will we get the same results with repeated measures?
 Does it have high validity?
 Are we really measuring what we think we’re measuring?
 Can we afford it?
 Can it be done within our time schedule?
 Who will do it?

5
 Forms of Pre-testing

 Consumer (Jury) Panels

 Comprehension/Reaction Tests
 Portfolio Tests (Recall)
 Mock/Dummy Magazine Tests
 Live/On-Air Tests
 Theater Tests

6
 Forms of Pre-testing

Consumer (Jury) Panels:

Panel members must meet three requirements:
• Must be typical of the market that uses the
product/service.
• Must be interested in the product/service.
• Must be potential users.

7
 Forms of Pre-testing

Comprehension/Reaction Tests:
Designed to determine whether ad conveys the
meaning intended and response desired.

8
 Forms of Pre-testing

Portfolio Tests (Recall):

 One portfolio contains test ads interspersed
among other ads/editorial matter.
 One portfolio contains no test ads.
 Results from both portfolios are compared.

9
 Forms of Pre-testing

Mock/Dummy Magazine Tests:

 Test ads are placed in “dummy” magazines
that are distributed to a random sample of
homes.
 Readers are later interviewed about the ads.

10
 Forms of Pre-testing

Live/On-Air Tests:
 Test commercials are inserted into actual TV
programs in test markets.
 Respondents are later interviewed by phone.

11
 Forms of Pre-testing

Theater Tests:
 Respondents (representative of the target
market) are assembled in a theater to view a
pilot TV program and commercials.
 Respondents are asked to evaluate the latter.

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 Post-testing
 Done by many companies that spend large
sums on advertising.

 Aided Recall (Recognition-Readership)

 Unaided Recall
 Attitude Tests
 Inquiry Tests
 Sales Tests

13
 Post-testing

Aided Recall (Recognition-Readership):

 Respondents are shown certain ads, and
then asked whether previous exposure was
through reading, viewing, or listening.
 Respondents are not asked if they purchased
products/services.

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 Post-testing

Unaided Recall:
 Without prompting, respondents are asked
whether they saw or heard advertising
messages.

15
 Post-testing

Attitude Tests:
 These tests measure changes in
respondents’ attitudes after a campaign
 Did the ads create a favorable image for the
company, product, etc.?

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 Post-testing

Inquiry Tests:
 Consumers respond to an ad for information
or free samples.
 If consumers call, they may be asked about
where and what information they have seen.

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 Post-testing

Sales Tests:
 Controlled experiments test different media in
different markets.
 Consumer purchase tests measure retail
sales from a given campaign.
 Store inventory audits measure retailers’
stocks before and after a campaign.

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