Chapter 18

Measuring the
Effectiveness
of the
Promotional
Program

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Arguments for and Against Measuring
Effectiveness
Reasons to measure Reasons effectiveness measures
effectiveness are not taken

• Avoid costly mistakes • Costs involved

• Evaluate alternative strategies • Research problems
• Increased advertising • Disagreement on what to test
efficiency • Objections of creative
• Determine if objectives are department
achieved • Lack of time

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 What, Where, and How to Test

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 Testing Process
 Concept generation and testing
 Rough art, copy, and commercial testing
 Pretesting of finished ads
 Market testing of ads

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 Figure 18.5 - Weaknesses Associated
with Focus Group Research

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 Types of Rough Art, Copy, and
Commercial Tests
 Comprehension and reaction tests: Assess the
reaction an ad generates to ensure that it is not
offensive
 Consumer juries: Use consumers representative of
the target market to evaluate the probable success
of an ad

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 Limitations of the Consumer Juries
Method
 Consumer may become a self-appointed expert
 Number of ads that can be evaluated is limited
 Halo effect: Overall rating is influenced by the
judgment on one or few characteristics of the ad
 Preferences for types of advertising may
overshadow objectivity

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 Figure 18.8 - Gallup & Robinson’s
Impact System

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 Portfolio Tests
 Expose a group of respondents to a portfolio
consisting of control and test ads
 Limitations
 Factors other than advertising creativity and/or
presentation may affect recall
 Ability to recognize the ad when shown may be a
better measure than recall

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 Readability Tests
 Communications efficiency of the copy in a print
ad is tested without reader interviews
 Flesch formula: Assesses readability of a copy by
determining the average number of syllables per
100 words
 Limitations
 Copy may become too mechanical
 Direct input from receiver is not available

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 New Print Pretesting Measures
 PreTesting Groups’ People Reader methodology
 Provides mocked-up magazines to consumers and
measures their responsiveness to each ad
 Uses hidden cameras to record behavior
 Link
 Uses a comprehensive set of diagnostic questions to
evoke viewer reactions to the ads

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 Pretesting Finished Broadcast Ads

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 Physiological Measures
 Indicate receiver’s involuntary response to the ad
 Pupil dilation
 Pupillometrics: Measures dilation and constriction of the pupils in
response to stimuli
 Galvanic skin response (GSR)
 Electrodermal response (EDR): Measures the skin’s resistance or
conductance to a small amount of current
 Brain Waves
 Electroencephalographic (EEG): Determine electrical frequencies in
brain
 Alpha activity: Degree of brain activation
 Hemispheric lateralization: Distinguishes between alpha activity in the
left and right sides of the brain
 Brain scan imaging - Examine physiological reactions to ads and brands

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 Posttests of Print Ads
Advantages of inquiry tests Disadvantages of inquiry tests

• Implementation is • Inquiries may not be a true

inexpensive measure of the attention-
• Provide some feedback getting or information-
about the general providing aspects of an ad
effectiveness of an ad or • Ineffective for comparing
medium used different versions or specific
creative aspects of an ad

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 Posttests of Broadcast Commercials
Advantages of day-after recall tests Disadvantages of day-after recall tests

• Natural setting provides a more realistic • Have limited samples, high costs, and
response profile security issues
• Provide norms that allow advertisers to • Favor unemotional appeals
compare how well their ads are performing • Program content may influence recall
• Persuasive and diagnostics measures are • Respondents are aware of the test and will
also available be more attentive
• Recall is not a measure of acceptance or
predictive of sales

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 Factors That Make or Break Tracking
Studies
Properly defined objectives

Alignment with sales objectives

Properly designed measures

Consistency

Random samples

Continuous interviewing

Evaluate measures related to behavior

Critical evaluative questions asked early to eliminate bias

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 Factors That Make or Break Tracking
Studies
Measurement of competitors’ performance

Skepticism about questions asking where the ad was seen

Building of news value into the study

Moving averages spot long-term trends and avoid seasonality

Data reported in terms of relationships

Integration of key marketplace events with tracking results

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 Problems with Current Research
Methods
 Accomplishing some factors important to good
copy testing require more effort
 Most current methods do little more than provide
recall scores
 Lab measures - Artificial and vulnerable to testing
effects
 Field measures - Result in a loss of control

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 Essentials of Effective Testing
 Establish communications objectives
 Use a consumer response model
 Use both pretests and posttests
 Use multiple measures
 Understand and implement proper research

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 Measuring the Effectiveness of
Nontraditional Media
Shopping cart signage
• Much less effective than claimed

Ski resort-based media

• Measures are combined with sales tracking data to evaluate its
effectiveness

In-store radio and television

• Software has been introduced to measure the effectiveness

Other media
• Resources are available to measure impact of IMC elements

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 Measuring the Effectiveness of
Sponsorships
Exposure methods

• Monitor the quantity and nature of the media

coverage obtained for the sponsored event
• Estimate direct and indirect audiences

Tracking measures

• Evaluate the awareness, familiarity, and preferences

produced by sponsorship based on surveys

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