Marketing Communications

STRATEGIC ADVERTISING RESEARCH 291

Strategic advertising research

Marketing communications, as one of the instruments of the marketing mix, have to be

embedded in the overall marketing strategy of the company. Th erefore, it has to be consistent

with the overall marketing objectives, it has to be aimed at the desired market segments and

it should refl ect the positioning strategy defi ned. Strategic communications research, and more

particularly strategic advertising research , will therefore partially overlap with strategic market-

ing research. Although it is a frequently neglected research task, it is of extreme importance,

since it enables the communications manager to establish a solid base on which the communica-

tions strategy can be built. Given the integrated nature of marketing communications, strategic

research cannot be confi ned to advertising, but should cover the whole range of communica-

tions tools. Elements that have to be studied and prepared in this stage are:

z Product. What are its unique strengths and weaknesses, what is the unique selling proposi-

tion to be advanced, what is the advertising platform, i.e. the arguments with which to

convince the target group, etc.?

z Market. What are the market size evolution, market shares, market segments, competitors’

strategies, consumer characteristics and behaviour, etc.?

z Environment. What are the legal restrictions, cultural and political trends, the economic

situation, etc.?

Most of these issues can be studied on the basis of desk research and/or qualitative interviews.

Apart from that, more specifi c analyses can be carried out to prepare the communications

strategy, such as the communications audit, competitor communications strategy research,

communications content research and management judgement tests.

In a communications audit all forms of internal and external communications are studied

to assess their consistency with overall strategy, as well as their internal consistency. Th e audit

Figure 9.1 Stages in the development of an advertising campaign and the role of advertising and

advertising research

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