SOCIAL MARKETING
RESEARCH
OUTLINE
• When to do research
• Types of research
– Formative
– Process
– Post-tests
• How to choose
FUNDAMENTAL ISSUE
• Marketing has a CUSTOMER focus
• and is EXCHANGE-based
• So you need to UNDERSTAND the audience
– Not just behaviour, but knowledge & beliefs!
• before trying to change behaviour, ask
– What do I need to know?
Why do RESEARCH?
Reasons not to do it…
• Cost of measurement
• Problems with research
• Disagreement about what to test
• Creative objections
Reasons to do it…
• Avoid costly mistakes
• Develop strategies
• Increase efficiency
• Required by funding agency
Basic Types of S.M. Research
• FORMATIVE
– Focus groups
– Consumer surveys (primary or secondary)
– Concept testing
• PROCESS
– Ongoing assessment
• POST-TESTS
– Outcome evaluation
FORMATIVE RESEARCH
Formative Research
Basic understanding of consumers
Existing knowledge, attitudes, and behaviours
• Approaches:
– Focus groups (generate ideas)
• May not represent the target market
– Small surveys (prevalence in target market)
• Small samples may not be trustable
– Secondary research (prevalence)
• Limited to what has been asked before
Examples
1. NCI Fruit & Vegetable Campaign
–
How many fruits and vegetables do people eat?
2. “Why do Americans eat what they do?”
–
Taste, Cost, Nutrition, Convenience
3. CDC Exercise
–
People want to, but they can’t find time
4. Zuni Suicide
–
Awareness, Concern, Beliefs about suicide
5. Conference
–
Timing? Location? Intention to submit?
Concept Testing
Ideas shown to people in target audience
• Reactions and evaluations sought
• Qualitative and/or quantitative data
• Limitations:
– Sample sizes are small (not quantifiable)
– Consumers become instant “experts”
– Members may not represent the target market
– Results may seem definitive than they are
Concept Testing
Ideas shown to people in target audience
• Reactions and evaluations sought
• Qualitative and/or quantitative data
• Limitations:
– Sample sizes are small (not quantifiable)
– Consumers become instant “experts”
– Members may not represent the target market
– Results may seem definitive than they are
Consumer Juries and Other Tests
Potential viewers evaluate ads
•
50 to 100 participants
•
Overall reaction to each ad
•
and rank ordering of ads
•
Examples of questions:
1. Which message would you most likely read?
2. Which headline interests you the most?
3. Which message is most convincing to not binge?
4. Which message did you like best?
5. Which message did you find most interesting?
Research Flowchart
Understanding
of problem
Poor
EXPLORATORY or
SECONDARY
RESEARCH
No
OBSERVATIONAL
RESEARCH
No
FOCUS GROUPS
Good
Objective
answers by
asking?
Yes
Need estimates
of prevalence?
Yes
SURVEY
PROCESS
Some Basic Questions
• Enrolment levels
– How many people want to come?
• Attendance
– What % of those enrolled attend?
– What is the trend?
• Attendees
– “What do you remember?”
– “What is working for you? What isn’t?”
• General community
– Survey questions to show impact
Advertising Research
• Broadcast tests
– TV programs in specific markets
– Day-after recall
• Split Cable studies
– Ad run in one area, but not another
– One ad in one area, different ad in the other
– Day-after recall
– Behaviour
1. Please look over these pictures and words from a TV commercial.
(Announcer) Remember Jared from Name? Turns out he has inspired a lot of people. (Singer) …You’re
still looking good. He’ll show you the way. His name is Jared, and he’ll lead you to Name.
2. Do you remember seeing that commercial on TV?
Yes No Not sure
3. How interested are you in what that TV commercial is trying to tell you or show you about what's being
advertised?
Very interested Somewhat interested Not interested
4. How does it make you feel about what's being advertised?
Good OK Bad Not sure
5. Please check any of the following if you feel they describe that commercial.
Amusing
Appealing Familiar Fast moving
Pointless Seen a lot
Tracking Questions
Usually involves a SURVEY
• Approaches:
– “Recontact”
– a new sample
• Questions
– Knowledge
– Attitude
– Behaviour
Example
• “5 A Day” Campaign
– Knowledge
• How many servings SHOULD…?”
– Awareness of campaign
• Do you remember seeing…?”
– Attitudes
• Are you interested…”
– Behaviour
• “Are you TRYING…?”
• “How many fruits did you eat…?”
• “How many vegetables…?”
POST-TESTS
Evaluation
Usually done for funding agencies
Typical measures:
– Exposure
– Awareness
– Knowledge
– Attitude
– Behaviour
Example
SUICIDE
• Exposure
– How many student completed the curriculum?
• Knowledge
– What do they know later?
– Beliefs (have they changed?)
• Attitude
– Feelings toward suicide
• Behaviour
– Actual suicide rates in the community
SUMMARY
How do you proceed?
Main question:
–What do you MOST need to know?
–CRAFT, not science
–Best answered?
• Group?
• Brainstorming?
–Practice in Breakout
How do you proceed?
3 Basic Types of S.M. Research:
–Formative research
–Pre-tests
–Post-tests
Each has it’s own use
–Use what is most appropriate to find
out what you want to know
Research Flowchart
Understanding
of problem
Poor
EXPLORATORY or
SECONDARY
RESEARCH
No
OBSERVATIONAL
RESEARCH
No
FOCUS GROUPS
Good
Objective
answers by
asking?
Yes
Need estimates
of prevalence?
Yes
SURVEY
Quote of the day
People who ignore research are as
dangerous as generals who
ignore… enemy signals.
• David Ogilvy
–(Ogilvy & Mather)