56 CHAPTER 3 IViARKETINGRESEARCH:ANAIDTODECISIONMAKI~;G
- Researchonproducts-newproduc~research,productfeatures,brandimage,con-
cepttests,producttests,andmarkettests.(SeethefollowingNewsline.)
- Researchonadvertisingandpromotion-promotionconcepts,copyresearch, media
research,merchandising. packaging,adve;tising effectivenessmeasurement.
- Researchoncorporategrowthanddevelopment--econorrUcandtechnologicalfore-
casting,corporateplanninginputs,corporateimage,profitabilitymeasurement,
mergerandacquisition~tudies,andfacilitieslocation.
NEWSLINE:HOWEXECSUSERESEARCH
Creatingandintroducingnewproductsisthemostimportant
researchp riorityamongmarketingexecutives.TheMarketingScience
InstituteofCambridge,Massachusetts,surveyed 160 executivesfrom
itssponsoringorganizations.Theexecutives,representing 60 major
consumerandindustrialgoodsandservicescorporations ,wereasked
todivide 100 pointsamongseveralresearchareas.
Aftersuccessfulnewproductintroductions,theexecutivessaid
thatmarketorientationandcustomerrelationshipsarethenextmost
importantareas.Thoseissuesdisplacedimprovingtheuseofmarket-
inginformationandmeasuringbrandeqUityasthesecond-and
third-highestconcerns,respectively,intheprevioussurvey.
"Thenewr esearchprioritiesindicatethatashiftistakingplacein
marketingpractice,"notesDonaldLehmann,executivedirectorofthe
institute."Marketorientationhas takenholdandtheincreasing
poweroftheconsumerisapparentinthemovementawayfromprod-
uct-drivenstrategies.Marketersalsorealizethattheyneedtomake
choicesaboutwhotheircustomersshouldbeandwhoseneedsthey
arebesteqUippedtomeet...andmostsignificantly,theyarelooking
forbetterwaystoanticipateadoptionanddiffusionofreallynew
products."SaidMarniClippenger,communicationsdirectoratMSI,
"Companiesseemtobeshiftingawayfromusingthebrandtoreally
figuringoutwhatcustomerswant."
Source:RachelRosenthal."NewProductsReignasResearchPriority,"Adver-
tisingAge,August8.1994,p. 26 ;RobertMcMath,'ToTestorNotToTest,"
AmericanDemographics,June1998,p.64;JohnMcManus,"MissionInvisi-
ble,"AmericanDemographics,Marcb1999,p.6.
MARKETING CAPSULE •
1.Markctingresearchisthescientificandcont(Qlledgath-
eringofnonroutinemarketing informationundertakento
helpmanagementsolve marketingproblems.
2.Anybusinessthatisconsumer-orientedwillbenefitfrom
marketingresearch.
3.Researchcanbeapplied toeveryfacet ofmarketing.
