The Process of

Advertising Research
Objectives
 To review the planning process

 To understand the role of research in the

context of advertising planning
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
The Business Problem
 Most product-related research initiatives
begin with a problem in mind.

 These business “problems” or “challenges”

relate to marketer’s concerns about some
element of product marketing
 Product
 Price
 Place
 Promotions
Research Process for Addressing
Communications Problems
 The fact that a business problem exists
opens an opportunity for research
solutions

 3 Stages of the Process

 Preliminary Discussions & Agreement
 Planning & Data Collection
 Application
Preliminary Discussions & Agreements
 Happens between the marketer and that
organization responsible for implementing
research

 Marketer gives direction, input about the issues

affecting the product/brand

 Conversation can also be initiated by the

advertising agency

 No research is actually conducted until

agreement about direction is reached
Preliminary Discussion & Agreements
Stage
 Stage concludes with an understanding
between the marketer and the research
agent

 Agreement about what the research

challenge is

 And where efforts, budgets will be

allocated
3 Categories of Research-Related
Problems
 Selection of Alternatives

 Problems & Opportunities

 Knowledge & Understanding

Selection of Alternatives/Evaluation of
Alternative Actions Problems
 A ‘this or that’ category of problem

 The problem defines a need for research to

help select the best alternative

Ex: Which product package will be most effective

– Package A or Package B?

Ex. Which ad spokesperson will have most

credibility among the target market?
Problems & Opportunities Problems
 Category of problem that is focused on
gaining a better understanding about past
business performance outcomes…
 sales, profits, volume, share, distribution, etc.

 …or about future business actions

 sales, profits, volume, share, distribution, etc.
Problems & Opportunities Problem
Issues
 This category defines a need for research
to help bring clarity to what already
happened or to what may happen…

Ex: Do opportunities exist to extend

Nintendo’s base of users targeted based on
gender?

Ex: Sales of male cosmetics experienced

seasonal declines in the last year. What was
the reason for this?
Knowledge & Understanding Problems
 Category of problem dedicated to building
information for the sake of becoming more
competitive or more sophisticated about
product marketing

 Issues related to this categories can be

specific to the product, the consumer, or
the general societal trends
Knowledge & Understanding Problem
Issues
Ex.: How would our target react to
our brand of potato chips if we
repositioned it as a “healthy snacking
alternative?”

Ex. How are online social networks

changing the way teens become
aware of our brand?
Research Problem Statement
A research problem statement comes
as a result of careful discussions
about
 what the issue is affecting the
product/brand (problem definition)
 why research is needed (justification)
 what research should find (informational
needs)
Planning & Data Collection
 Identify the type of research
 Access current knowledge through
secondary research

 If necessary, conduct primary research

 Exploratory research (Qualitative)
 Descriptive research (Quantitative)

 Experimental research (“Cause and Effect”)

Planning & Data Collection
 Research Method

 Design the research instrumentation

 Sampling
 Probability vs. Non-probability sample
Planning & Data Collection
 Budget and Timing

 Get research proposal approved prior

to research implementation

 Collect Data
Application
 Analyze data

 Interpret
data and make
recommendation(s)

 Post-presentation decision making by

management
Advertising Planning With An
Account Planner’s Mindset
 Advertising
planners represent a
hybrid between the account manager
and the research analyst
Account Management
 Account management supervises the
work flow & budget allocations on the
advertising account

 They are the brand business experts

who are grounded in brand performance
and brand outputs (sales, profits, etc.)

 Their counterparts on the company side

is the brand manager
Research Analysts
 Agency researchers are experts in
planning, implementing, and reporting
research efforts

 They are masters at asking the right

questions so they generate insights that
will answer brand questions

 They are more data-centered than

brand-centered.
The Account Planner
 Account Planners represent the voice
of the consumer

 Theyare less business-driven than

people-curious

 Theysee their jobs as being social

anthropologists and “insight-miners”