Marketing Communications

FURTHER READING 311

Summary

Advertising campaigns can only be eff ective if they are accompanied by a well-structured

research plan. Research can support the advertising activity in four stages of the advertising

process. In strategic advertising research, the advertising campaign is prepared by studying

the marketing strategy, the competitive situation and the competitive environment it has to

be embedded in. Techniques such as the communications audit, competitor communications

strategy research and communications content research are being used in this stage. During

development of the advertising campaign, and before it appears in the media, the ads can be

pre-tested. Th e major advantage of pre-testing is that it is a guide to better advertising.

However, due to all kinds of limitations and the shortcomings of most of the techniques used,

it can never lead to the best possible ad. Techniques used in pre-testing can be internal, such

as readability analysis, or external (with consumers), such as physiological tests, recall tests

and direct or indirect opinion measurement. Aft er a specifi c ad has been placed in the media,

post-tests can be carried out, such as exposure, recall and recognition tests, and behavioural

measures. Well-known test procedures such as the Starch test, the Gallup–Robinson Impact

test and the Day Aft er Recall tests are used in post-testing. Not just a single ad can be tested,

but a whole campaign. Campaign evaluation tests focus on the brand-related eff ects of

the campaign, such as brand recall and recognition, attitude towards the brand, purchase

intention and, most importantly, behavioural or commercial measures, such as trial, repeat

purchase, loyalty, sales and market share.

Review questions

1. What are the major techniques used in strategic communications research?


2. Discuss ad pre-testing techniques. What are the objectives and limitations of these meas-
   urement procedures?


3. Discuss ad post-testing techniques. What are the objectives and limitations of post-testing?


4. What measures of brand-related campaign evaluation techniques can be used?


5. How can advertising efficiency be measured? Why is it so difficult to judge the effective-
   ness and efficiency of an advertising campaign?

Further reading

Aaker, D., Kumar, V. and Day, G.S. (2001), Marketing Research. New York: Wiley.

Malhotra, N. (1999), Marketing Research: An Applied Orientation. Upper Saddle River, NJ:

Prentice Hall.

McDonald, C. and Vangelder, P. (1998), ESOMAR Handbook of Market and Opinion Research.

Amsterdam: ESOMAR.

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