Local press works Demonstrating the advertising effectiveness of regional and local press to

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Local press worksDemonstrating the advertising
effectiveness of regional and local press to
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Contents
Introduction Topline study findings Background to
Imperial Leather Test objective Research
approach Test campaign details Test
findings Conclusion
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Introduction

• In 2001, the Newspaper Society commissioned
  Millward Brown to conduct the largest advertising
  effectiveness study ever undertaken by the UK
  regional press, in response to growing advertiser
  and agency demand. A representative sample of
  over 9,000 face-to-face respondents in Coventry,
  Bristol, Norwich and Leeds were questioned
  between September 2001 and February 2002.
• Advertising for 26 national and local brands from
  a range of sectors was included on the study. For
  each brand on the study, respondents were
  questioned as to their
• Awareness and recognition of advertising
• Familiarity with the brand
• Consideration of purchase/consumption of the
  brand
• Media covered included local press, national
  press, TV, commercial radio, cinema, magazines
  and posters.

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Topline study findings

• 89 of brands achieved a significant rise in
  local press awareness during the course of the
  study.
• In a multi-media schedule local press adds an
  average of 9-points additional coverage for a
  brand.
• On average the brands studied increased their
  local press awareness by 10-points.
• 44 of brands achieving a significant rise in
  local press awareness experienced a significant
  rise in familiarity.
• 25 of brands achieving a significant rise in
  local press awareness experienced a significant
  rise in consideration.
• Additionally the study showed local press to be
  more responsive than any medium other than TV,
  and 3 times as effective as national press.

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Background (1)

• Imperial Leather is one of the UKs leading soap
  brands, and just one of a range of personal wash
  products in the PZ Cussons portfolio. Founded in
  Salford in 1909, PZ Cussons now span Europe,
  Asia, Africa and Australasia. The Imperial
  Leather range has seen a major re-launch in
  recent years, with a programme of repackaging and
  product innovation, emphasising lather delivery,
  as well as new product launches.
• The re-launch, which has been heavily supported
  by an extensive media campaign, relied heavily
  upon TV and outdoor advertising. However, in
  September 2002, Imperial Leather launched their
  Wake-Up Shower Bar with an outdoor campaign
  based on six-sheet posters.

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Background (2)

• Being a national fmcg brand we have always
  relied heavily upon broadcast media in our brand
  communications. However in a rapidly changing
  media landscape, communications effectiveness is
  essential, particularly when launching a new
  product in a crowded market, where it is vital to
  be seen. We are increasingly considering the
  opportunities presented by a local approach, and
  this test allowed us to evaluate the efficacy of
  such a strategy.
• Chris Thompson, marketing manager, PZ Cussons

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Objective Imperial Leather
Imperial Leathers objective in this study was to
test the efficacy of local press advertising for
an fmcg brand and its contribution to a launch
campaign using six-sheet posters.
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Research design
Sample 18-64 years-old men
and women Read relevant regional title
recently Sample size
100/centre/week Method
Face to face Questionnaire length 15
mins No of brands 4 local
brands per centre
up to 6 national brands Duration
5 months Dates 17 September
2001 to 11 February 2002

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The test campaign

• There were 2 waves to the test campaign
• Wave 1 w/c 24 Sept to w/c 8 Oct 2001
  (inclusive)
• Wave 2 w/c 5 to w/c 19 Nov (inc.)
• Media
• Coventry, where posters were used on their own,
  was used as a control centre, allowing us to
  isolate the effect of local press advertising.
  Poster advertising appeared in wave 1 only. In
  control areas, there was no advertising in wave
  2. During the poster campaign,audience delivery
  was, on average, 39 GRPs per week ( see notes).
• Local press advertising was used alongside
  posters in 3 test areas Bristol, Norwich and
  Leeds. There were two waves of local press, with
  the first being much heavier than the second (48
  GRPs per week vs 26 GRPs respectively).
• Creative
• Two creative treatments were used in a
  single-burst, nationwide poster campaign during
  wave 1. The same creative executions were used in
  both waves of local press activity.

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The test campaign
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Results
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Imperial Leather key findings

• Over the period of the test
• Local press added significantly to Imperial
  Leathers advertising awareness
• Growth in awareness was far higher when local
  press was used alongside posters
• Local press and posters were far more effective
  at maintaining awareness levels than posters
  alone
• Local press impacted significantly on brand
  health
• Advertising recall levels were high

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Local press added significantly to advertising
awareness

• In the control (posters only) area, initial
  awareness levels of the brands advertising was
  11 in the test areas where local press was
  included, start awareness levels were higher at
  18.

Local press contribution
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Local press added significantly to advertising
awareness

• Peak awareness of the brands advertising in the
  test areas, where local press was used alongside
  posters, was 29, compared with 21 in the
  control area.
• Average awareness was 23, against 16,
  respectively (wave 1)

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Growth in awareness was far higher when local
press was used alongside posters

• When local press was on the schedule in wave 1,
  total communications awareness of increased by
  59, compared with a 40 increase where posters
  were the sole medium. In the test areas,
  awareness growth was sustained for a longer period

4 wks
59
40
2 wks
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Local press and posters were far more effective
at maintaining awareness levels than posters
alone

• In the control area, total communications
  awareness began declining rapidly after the
  poster activity concluded. In the test area
  awareness declined by far less between bursts of
  local press activity.

-36
-57
No activity
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Local press impacted significantly on brand health

• Average familiarity1 levels of 24 in the test
  areas compare favourably with levels of 17 where
  local press was not used (41 higher)
• Consideration levels were higher in test areas,
  with shortlisters2 representing 34 of adults
  compared to 27 in poster-only areas (26 higher).

1 Heard a lot or a few things about the brand,
but hadnt consumed it 2 Shortlisters would
seriously consider purchasing the good brand, or
would make it their first choice
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Advertising recall levels were high

• Recall of the Wake Up shower bar ads was 34,
  demonstrating that non-traditional brand
  advertisers can achieve high levels of
  recognition in the local press.

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Conclusion (1)

• The Imperial Leather test clearly demonstrates
  the impact that local press can have on the
  success of an fmcgs brand advertising.
• Where local press was included alongside the
  poster activity, advertising awareness benefited
  significantly achieving higher levels that were
  sustained for longer, and when poster activity
  ended, these levels were maintained with just a
  short burst of local press advertising.
• Despite a highly competitive market and impulse
  nature of the purchase, familiarity with the
  brand benefited from local press advertising,
  which in turn had a highly positive effect on
  brand consideration and shortlist levels.
• However, once advertising activity had ended, all
  effectiveness measures declined, indicating that
  on-going consistent advertising activity is
  necessary if the brand is to enjoy more sustained
  benefits.

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Conclusion (2)

• Imperial Leather were able to extend the reach of
  their brand communications further through the
  use of local press (in a medium that is
  under-utilised as an opportunity for branded
  goods) enabling them to achieve stand-out and
  high recall in front of a highly receptive
  audience. For such fmcg goods, brand recall among
  consumers is essential if they are to effectively
  differentiate themselves.
• Imperial Leather place a high emphasis on brand
  innovation and effective communications in a fast
  moving market. It is vital that we maintain a
  competitive advantage through the understanding
  and utilisation of effective media outlets. This
  study has provided valuable information to guide
  our thinking and clearly demonstrated why local
  press has become a serious consideration for
  future activity.
• Chris Thompson, marketing manager, PZ Cussons