The Process of Advertising Research

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The Process of Advertising Research
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Objectives

• To review the planning process
• To understand the role of research in the context
  of advertising planning

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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

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The Business Problem

• Most product-related research initiatives begin
  with a problem in mind.
• These business problems or challenges relate
  to marketers concerns about some element of
  product marketing
• Product
• Price
• Place
• Promotions

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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

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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

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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

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3 Categories of Research-Related Problems

• Selection of Alternatives
• Problems Opportunities
• Knowledge Understanding

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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?

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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.

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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 Nintendos
  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?

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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

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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?

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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)

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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)

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Planning Data Collection

• Research Method
• Design the research instrumentation
• Sampling
• Probability vs. Non-probability sample

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Planning Data Collection

• Budget and Timing
• Get research proposal approved prior to research
  implementation
• Collect Data

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Application

• Analyze data
• Interpret data and make recommendation(s)
• Post-presentation decision making by management

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Advertising Planning With An Account Planners
Mindset

• Advertising planners represent a hybrid between
  the account manager and the research analyst

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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

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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.

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The Account Planner

• Account Planners represent the voice of the
  consumer
• They are less business-driven than people-curious
• They see their jobs as being social
  anthropologists and insight-miners