Advertising & IMC: Principles and Practice, 9e (Moriarty)
Chapter 6 Strategic Research
1) ________ compiles information about the product, the product category, and other details of
the marketing situation that will impact the development of advertising strategy.
A) Advertising research
B) Market research
C) Consumer research
D) Strategic research
E) Segmentation research
Answer: B
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 163
Skill: Concept
Objective: 6-1
2) Which of the following is NOT a type of research used in planning advertising and marketing
communication?
A) market research
B) consumer research
C) advertising research
D) strategic research
E) segmentation research
Answer: E
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 163
Skill: Concept
Objective: 6-1
3) ________ identifies people who are in the market for a product in terms of their
characteristics, attitudes, interests, and motivations.
A) Advertising research
B) Market research
C) Consumer research
D) Strategic research
E) Copy research
Answer: C
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 163
Skill: Concept
Objective: 6-1
4) ________ focuses on message development research, media planning research, and
evaluation, as well as information about competitors' advertising.
A) Advertising research
B) Market research
C) Consumer research
D) Strategic research
E) Copy research
Answer: A
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 163
Skill: Concept
Objective: 6-1
5) ________ uncovers critical information that becomes the basis for strategic planning decisions
for both marketing and marketing communication.
A) Segmentation research
B) Market research
C) Consumer research
D) Strategic research
E) Copy research
Answer: D
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 163
Skill: Concept
Objective: 6-1
6) Background research that relies upon available published information about a topic is called
________.
A) strategic research
B) quantitative research
C) primary research
D) secondary research
E) qualitative research
Answer: D
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 164
Skill: Concept
Objective: 6-1
7) Government organizations and trade associations are both sources of ________ data.
A) primary
B) secondary
C) ethnographic
D) subscription
E) unregulated
Answer: B
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 164
Skill: Concept
Objective: 6-1
8) Radio Facts, published by the Radio Advertising Bureau, is an example of ________.
A) qualitative research
B) primary information
C) a trade association report that helps advertisers make better decisions
D) a report developed by a secondary research supplier
E) a government report that helps advertisers make better decisions
Answer: C
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 164
Skill: Concept
Objective: 6-1
9) The Survey of Current Business from the U.S. Department of Commerce is an example of
________.
A) qualitative research
B) primary information
C) a trade association report that helps advertisers make better decisions
D) a report developed by a secondary research supplier
E) a government report that helps advertisers make better decisions
Answer: E
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 164
Skill: Concept
Objective: 6-1
10) Lexis-Nexis and Dow Jones' Factiva are both examples of ________.
A) qualitative research suppliers
B) primary research suppliers
C) trade associations
D) secondary research suppliers
E) reports supplied by government agencies
Answer: D
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 164
Skill: Concept
Objective: 6-1
11) Which of the following statements is FALSE regarding secondary research?
A) It is called secondary because it is information that has been collected and published by
someone else.
B) Many statistics used by advertisers come from government census records on the population's
size, geographic distribution, age, income, occupation, education, and ethnicity.
C) Secondary research found on the Internet is not valid.
D) Trade associations are a reliable source for secondary research.
E) Secondary research suppliers gather and organize information around specific topic areas for
other interested parties.
Answer: C
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 165
Skill: Concept
AACSB: Use of information technology
Objective: 6-1
12) Information that is collected for the first time from original sources is called ________.
A) market research
B) quantitative research
C) primary research
D) secondary research
E) government research
Answer: C
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 165
Skill: Concept
Objective: 6-1
13) When companies do their own tracking and monitoring of their customers' behavior, which
type of research are they conducting?
A) primary
B) secondary
C) supplier
D) experimental
E) sample
Answer: A
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 165
Skill: Concept
Objective: 6-1
14) A. C. Nielsen is a large company that conducts research for clients. As the major supplier of
program ratings in the television industry, it also monitors television viewing habits. These
ratings are used by television networks and stations to determine the price of advertising time
during a specific program. What type of research does A. C. Nielsen perform?
A) primary
B) secondary
C) qualitative
D) experimental
E) A, B, and C
Answer: A
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 165
Skill: Concept
Objective: 6-1
15) Firms that specialize in interviewing, observing, recording, and analyzing the behavior of
those who purchase or influence the purchase of a particular good or service are called
________.
A) secondary research suppliers
B) primary research suppliers
C) trade research suppliers
D) advertising research suppliers
E) certified research suppliers
Answer: B
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 165
Skill: Concept
Objective: 6-1
16) Which of the following organizations surveys large samples of American consumers, asking
questions about consumption, possession, and use of a wide range of products, services, and
media?
A) Lexis-Nexis
B) Off-the-Shelf Publications
C) Dialog Information Services
D) Dow Jones Factiva
E) Simmons Market Research Bureau
Answer: E
Diff: 3 Page Ref: 165
Skill: Concept
Objective: 6-1
17) ________ research provides insight into the underlying reasons for how consumers behave
and why, using tools such as observation, ethnographic studies, in-depth interviews, and case
studies.
A) Secondary
B) Quantitative
C) Qualitative
D) Neural
E) Experimental
Answer: C
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 167
Skill: Concept
Objective: 6-1
18) Which of the following statements is true?
A) Primary research can be quantitative or qualitative, but not experimental.
B) Primary research can be quantitative, qualitative, or experimental.
C) Primary research is experimental, not qualitative or quantitative.
D) Primary research is qualitative, not quantitative or experimental.
E) Primary research is quantitative, not qualitative or experimental.
Answer: B
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 167-168
Skill: Concept
Objective: 6-1
19) ________ research delivers numerical data such as number of users and purchases, their
attitudes and knowledge, their exposure to ads, and other market-related information.
A) Secondary
B) Quantitative
C) Qualitative
D) Neural
E) Experimental
Answer: B
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 167
Skill: Concept
Objective: 6-1
20) What are the two primary characteristics of quantitative research?
A) large sample sizes and quota sampling
B) small sample sizes and rich data
C) primary and secondary data
D) small sample sizes and consumer insights
E) large sample sizes and random sampling
Answer: E
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 167
Skill: Concept
Objective: 6-1
21) Experimental research is used to ________.
A) test hypotheses about cause-and-effect relationships
B) gather preliminary information that will help define problems
C) uncover information in an unstructured way
D) describe marketing problems or situations
E) quantify observations that produce insights unobtainable through other forms of research
Answer: A
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 168
Skill: Concept
Objective: 5-4
22) ________ is formal research, such as surveys, in-depth interviews, observational methods,
focus groups, and all types of primary and secondary data used to develop a marketing plan and,
ultimately, provide information for an advertising plan.
A) Marketing research
B) Media research
C) Consumer insight research
D) Semiotic analysis
E) Concept testing
Answer: A
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 169
Skill: Concept
Objective: 6-1
23) Which of the following is LEAST likely to be a benefit of conducting marketing research?
A) assessing market potential and market share
B) understanding customer satisfaction and purchase behavior
C) measuring the effectiveness of accounting practices
D) measuring the effectiveness of promotion activities
E) understanding customer motivation
Answer: C
Diff: 3 Page Ref: 169
Skill: Concept
Objective: 6-1
24) ________ includes an assessment of a brand's role and performance in the marketplace, as
well as an investigation of how people perceive brand personalities and images.
A) Competitive analysis
B) Brand experience research
C) Consumer insight research
D) Media research
E) Concept testing
Answer: B
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 169
Skill: Concept
Objective: 6-1
25) When an agency gets a new client, the first thing the agency team should do is learn about
the ________.
A) competition
B) social media
C) network of associations
D) brand
E) validity of previous research
Answer: D
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 169
Skill: Concept
Objective: 6-1
26) When conducting a ________, the advertising planner will either formally or informally
begin an assignment by collecting every possible piece of advertising and other form of
marketing communication by the brand, as well as its competitors', and other relevant categories
that may have lessons for the brand.
A) media audit
B) semiotic analysis
C) brand experience audit
D) marketing communication audit
E) competitive analysis
Answer: D
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 171
Skill: Concept
Objective: 6-1
27) When conducting a(n) ________, account team members will buy and test other products in
a brand's category.
A) media audit
B) semiotic analysis
C) association test
D) marketing communication audit
E) competitive analysis
Answer: E
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 171
Skill: Concept
Objective: 6-1
28) A formal and systematic tabulation of competitors' approaches and strategies is known as
a(n) ________.
A) content analysis
B) semiotic analysis
C) brand experience
D) association test
E) concept test
Answer: A
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 171
Skill: Concept
Objective: 6-1
29) Which of the following best explains the goal of neuromarketers?
A) using subliminal messages to influence consumer decisions
B) collecting data about responses to advertising and products by scanning consumers' brains
C) observing and tracking consumer behavior on the Internet
D) designing marketing research experiments using the Internet
E) analyzing data from various sources to answer complex "what if" questions
Answer: B
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 172
Skill: Concept
AACSB: Use of information technology
Objective: 6-1
30) ________ research gathers information about all the possible media and marketing
communication tools that might be used in a campaign to deliver a message.
A) Media
B) Message development
C) Consumer insight
D) Competitive analysis
E) Evaluation
Answer: A
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 173
Skill: Concept
Objective: 6-1
31) Which of the following types of research is accurately described as a "work-in-progress"
type of evaluation?
A) media research
B) association testing
C) semiotic analysis
D) competitive analysis
E) concept testing
Answer: E
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 173
Skill: Concept
Objective: 6-1
32) ________ evaluates the relative power of various creative ideas, while ________ informs
media selection.
A) Competitive analysis; content analysis
B) Semiotic analysis; content analysis
C) Concept testing; media research
D) Competitive testing; copy testing
E) Copy testing; semiotic analysis
Answer: C
Diff: 3 Page Ref: 173
Skill: Concept
Objective: 6-1
33) The objective of ________ is to examine symbolism and signs in a message, uncovering
layers and types of meanings that might be particular to different groups of customers.
A) content analysis
B) semiotic analysis
C) brand research
D) association tests
E) competitive analysis
Answer: B
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 173
Skill: Concept
Objective: 6-1
34) ________ is research on a message execution in its finished stages but before it appears in
media.
A) Insight research
B) Copytesting
C) Pretesting
D) Message development research
E) Semiotic analysis
Answer: C
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 174
Skill: Concept
Objective: 6-1
35) Copytesting is also referred to as _______.
A) pretesting
B) concept testing
C) evaluative research
D) media research
E) semiotic analysis
Answer: C
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 174
Skill: Concept
Objective: 6-1
36) Using ________, a researcher might page through a magazine with a respondent and ask
whether the respondent remembers seeing a particular ad.
A) pretesting
B) aided recognition
C) unaided recognition
D) media research
E) semiotic analysis
Answer: B
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 174
Skill: Concept
Objective: 6-1
37) Using ________, a researcher might ask a respondent what he or she remembers without
using a magazine or other medium to refresh the respondent's memory.
A) pretesting
B) aided recognition
C) unaided recognition
D) media research
E) semiotic analysis
Answer: C
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 174
Skill: Concept
Objective: 6-1
38) Which of the following is a way to contact consumers when conducting survey research?
A) in person
B) by telephone
C) by mail
D) through the Internet
E) all of the above
Answer: E
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 174
Skill: Concept
AACSB: Communication abilities
Objective: 6-2
39) ________ is a quantitative method that uses structured interviews to ask large numbers of
people the same set of questions.
A) In-depth interviewing
B) Survey research
C) Focus group interviewing
D) Observation research
E) Ethnographic research
Answer: B
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 174
Skill: Concept
Objective: 6-2
40) A subset of a population that is representative of the entire population is called a ________.
A) sample
B) cohort
C) subculture
D) census
E) subcensus
Answer: A
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 174
Skill: Concept
Objective: 6-2
41) In a(n) ________ sample, each person in a population has an equal chance of being selected
to be in the sample.
A) aided
B) unaided
C) random
D) selected
E) observed
Answer: C
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 175
Skill: Concept
Objective: 6-2
42) Door-to-door interviews were the most common in which of the following decades?
A) 1960s
B) 1970s
C) 1980s
D) 1990s
E) 2000s
Answer: A
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 175
Skill: Concept
Objective: 6-2
43) What is the primary difference between an interview and a survey?
A) An interview uses a representative sample, and a survey uses an entire population.
B) Surveys use a discussion guide that outlines the areas to be covered and tends to be very
broad.
C) Interviews use close-ended questions.
D) Personal interviews are open-ended discussions among 8 to 10 people.
E) Interviews use more flexible questionnaires.
Answer: E
Diff: 3 Page Ref: 176
Skill: Concept
Objective: 6-2
44) A group of 8 to 10 users of a product who are brought together once to have a discussion
about some topic
known as a(n) ________.
A) focus group
B) focus panel
C) survey group
D) random sample
E) ethnographic research sample
Answer: A
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 177
Skill: Concept
Objective: 6-2
45) In which type of consumer research is the objective to get participants talking in a
conversational format so researchers can observe the dialogue and interactions among the
participants?
A) survey research
B) focus groups
C) in-depth interview
D) observation research
E) ethnographic research
Answer: B
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 177
Skill: Concept
Objective: 6-2
46) Focus group interviewing is a(n) ________ research tool for gaining insights into consumer
thoughts and feelings.
A) experimental
B) secondary
C) qualitatitve
D) quantitative
E) ethnographic
Answer: C
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 177
Skill: Concept
Objective: 6-2
47) ________ focus groups are held in a comfortable setting, usually people's homes.
Participants in these groups have typically been recruited by the host.
A) Snowball
B) Ethnographic
C) Friendship
D) Sample
E) Unstructured
Answer: C
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 178
Skill: Concept
Objective: 6-2
48) Which of the following practices involves aggregating the wisdom of Internet users in a type
of digital brainstorming?
A) focus group interviewing
B) ethnographic observing
C) crowdsourcing
D) expert panel interviewing
E) consumer research panel interviewing
Answer: C
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 178
Skill: Concept
AACSB: Use of information technology
Objective: 6-2
49) ________ is a type of data collection in which the researcher simply records the consumer's
behaviors.
A) Crowdsourcing
B) Observation
C) Surveying
D) Focus group interviewing
E) Neuromarketing
Answer: B
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 180
Skill: Concept
Objective: 6-2
50) Using ________, researchers go into authentic consumer environments to record the
behavior of consumers without actually participating in the lives of the consumers.
A) focus groups
B) ethnographic research
C) friendship groups
D) observation research
E) survey research
Answer: D
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 180
Skill: Concept
Objective: 6-2
51) ________ involves the researcher living the lives of the people being studied.
A) Focus group research
B) Ethnographic research
C) Friendship group research
D) Quantitative research
E) Survey research
Answer: B
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 181
Skill: Concept
Objective: 6-2
52) Ethnographic research ________.
A) comes from traditional focus groups
B) is gathered where people live and work
C) provides secondary data
D) comes from diaries
E) provides data to marketers when observation is impossible
Answer: B
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 181
Skill: Concept
Objective: 6-2
53) Which of the following is true of ethnographic research?
A) It is a type of experimental research.
B) It combines anthropology and marketing.
C) It is a traditional quantitative research approach.
D) It can be conducted online but not in person.
E) It is typically used to answer well-defined product or strategy questions.
Answer: B
Diff: 3 Page Ref: 181
Skill: Concept
Objective: 6-2
54) Which method would a marketing communication researcher most likely use to obtain
information that people are unwilling or unable to provide?
A) observational
B) survey
C) questionnaire
D) focus group
E) personal interview
Answer: A
Diff: 3 Page Ref: 181
Skill: Concept
AACSB: Communication abilities
Objective: 6-2
55) Marketers sometimes ask consumers to record their activities and thoughts through the use of
________.
A) surveys
B) focus groups
C) diaries
D) monitors
E) purpose-driven games
Answer: C
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 181
Skill: Concept
Objective: 6-2
56) Which of the following is most likely to tell media planners exactly what programs and ads
consumers watched?
A) panels
B) diaries
C) story elicitations
D) focus groups
E) purpose-driven games
Answer: B
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 181
Skill: Concept
Objective: 6-2
57) Which of the following is NOT a projective technique researchers used to get insight about
people's relationships with the brands they buy?
A) fill-in-the-blanks
B) meaning creation
C) purpose-driven games
D) story elicitation
E) photo sorts
Answer: B
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 182-183
Skill: Concept
Objective: 6-2
58) Which projective technique is a form of attitude research in which people fill in the blanks in
a story or balloons in a cartoon?
A) fill-in-the-blanks
B) meaning creation
C) purpose-driven games
D) story elicitation
E) photo sorts
Answer: A
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 182
Skill: Concept
Objective: 6-2
59) Which projective technique do researchers use to see how people solve problems and search
for information?
A) fill-in-the-blanks
B) meaning creation
C) purpose-driven games
D) story elicitation
E) photo sorts
Answer: C
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 182
Skill: Concept
Objective: 6-2
60) Which projective technique asks consumers to explain the artifacts in their lives, such as
photos in their homes and treasured objects?
A) fill-in-the-blanks
B) artifact creation
C) purpose-driven games
D) story elicitation
E) photo sorts
Answer: D
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 182
Skill: Concept
Objective: 6-2
61) Which projective technique uses such ideas as life collages, day mapping, and the
construction of instruction books as ways to elicit stories that discuss brands and their roles in
daily life?
A) theater techniques
B) photo sorts
C) metaphors
D) artifact creation
E) story elicitation
Answer: D
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 182
Skill: Concept
Objective: 6-2
62) Which projective technique involves asking consumers to visually record something with a
camera, such as a shopping trip, and then later reviewing those visuals and asking consumers to
explain what they were thinking or doing?
A) fill-in-the-blanks
B) photo elicitation
C) purpose-driven games
D) story elicitation
E) photo sorts
Answer: B
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 182
Skill: Concept
Objective: 6-2
63) Which projective technique involves asking consumers to sort through a deck of photos and
pick out visuals that represent something, such as typical users of the product or situations in
which the product might be used?
A) fill-in-the-blanks
B) photo elicitation
C) purpose-driven games
D) story elicitation
E) photo sorts
Answer: E
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 183
Skill: Concept
Objective: 6-2
64) Which projective technique attempts to gain insight into how people perceive brands by
examining the link between concepts?
A) meaning creating
B) metaphors
C) purpose-driven games
D) panel groups
E) focus interviewing
Answer: B
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 183
Skill: Concept
AACSB: Communication abilities
Objective: 6-2
65) ________ means that the research actually measures what it says it measures.
A) Metaphor
B) Reliability
C) Validity
D) Criteria
E) Quality
Answer: C
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 183
Skill: Concept
Objective: 6-2
66) ________ means that you can run the same test again and get the same answer.
A) Metaphor
B) Reliability
C) Validity
D) Criteria
E) Quality
Answer: B
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 183
Skill: Concept
Objective: 6-2
67) Which of the following is a way to increase the reliability of the research?
A) Select a sample that truly represents its population.
B) Use sample sizes larger than 200.
C) Test hypotheses.
D) Only conduct qualitative research.
E) Rely on focus groups and in-depth interviews.
Answer: A
Diff: 3 Page Ref: 183
Skill: Concept
Objective: 6-2
68) ________ methods are more useful for gathering data (e.g., how many do this or believe
that?), and ________ methods are better at uncovering reasons and motives (e.g., why do they do
or believe?).
A) Qualitative; quantitative
B) Primary; secondary
C) Secondary; primary
D) Reliable; valid
E) Quantitative; qualitative
Answer: E
Diff: 3 Page Ref: 183
Skill: Concept
Objective: 6-2
69) Which of the following is false regarding key challenges facing advertising researchers?
A) A problem with respect to globalization is cross-cultural communication and how to arrive at
an intended message without cultural distortions or insensitivities.
B) Call centers can be used as research centers.
C) Strategic consistency in IMC planning suggests that different audiences should receive the
same message.
D) Marketing communication messages should be tested for cultural sensitivity.
E) Whenever a call is made, for whatever purpose, that contact provides an opportunity to ask a
brand-related question.
Answer: C
Diff: 3 Page Ref: 184
Skill: Concept
Objective: 6-3
70) In which type of research are research methods built into real purchase and use situations?
A) embedded research
B) virtual research
C) secondary research
D) content analysis
E) semiotic research
Answer: A
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 184
Skill: Concept
Objective: 6-3
71) IMC research uncovers critical information that becomes the basis for strategic planning
decisions.
Answer: FALSE
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 163
Skill: Concept
Objective: 6-1
72) Secondary research is information that has been collected and published by someone else.
Answer: TRUE
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 164
Skill: Concept
Objective: 6-1
73) Secondary research is less important than primary research.
Answer: FALSE
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 164
Skill: Concept
Objective: 6-1
74) Firms that specialize in interviewing, observing, recording, and analyzing the behavior of
those who purchase or influence the purchase of a particular good or service are called primary
research suppliers.
Answer: TRUE
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 165
Skill: Concept
Objective: 6-1
75) Both SMRB and MRI conduct and report original research that is intended primarily for use
in media planning.
Answer: TRUE
Diff: 3 Page Ref: 165
Skill: Concept
Objective: 6-1
76) Marketers who want insight into the underlying reasons for how consumers behave and why
should conduct qualitative research.
Answer: TRUE
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 167
Skill: Concept
Objective: 6-1
77) Qualitative research should be used to draw conclusions about the larger population.
Answer: FALSE
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 167
Skill: Concept
Objective: 6-1
78) Experimental research uses formal hypothesis-testing techniques.
Answer: TRUE
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 168
Skill: Concept
Objective: 6-1
79) Marketing research is informal research.
Answer: FALSE
Diff: 3 Page Ref: 169
Skill: Concept
Objective: 6-1
80) Insight research may uncover why a consumer wants to buy a product or why a consumer
does not want to buy a product.
Answer: TRUE
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 172
Skill: Concept
Objective: 6-1
81) Media planning begins with media research that gathers information about all possible media
and marketing communication tools that might be used in a campaign to deliver a message.
Answer: FALSE
Diff: 3 Page Ref: 173
Skill: Concept
Objective: 6-1
82) Research used to evaluate the relative power of various creative ideas before the launch of a
product is called copy testing.
Answer: FALSE
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 173
Skill: Concept
Objective: 6-1
83) Copy testing is a way to take apart the signs and symbols in a message to uncover layers and
types of meanings.
Answer: FALSE
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 173
Skill: Concept
AACSB: Communication abilities
Objective: 6-1
84) Survey research is a quantitative method that can be conducted in person, by phone, by mail,
or online.
Answer: TRUE
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 174
Skill: Concept
AACSB: Communication abilities
Objective: 6-2
85) Ideally, a sample should be representative so that the researcher can make accurate estimates
of the thoughts and behaviors of the larger population.
Answer: TRUE
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 174
Skill: Concept
Objective: 6-2
86) Focus groups use no interviewer to bias the answers, may produce more honest answers, and
can be used to collect large amounts of data at a low cost per respondent.
Answer: FALSE
Diff: 3 Page Ref: 177
Skill: Concept
Objective: 6-2
87) The most important issue facing online researchers is the growing digital divide.
Answer: FALSE
Diff: 3 Page Ref: 177
Skill: Concept
AACSB: Use of information technology
Objective: 6-2
88) Focus groups should be used only in the background research step of the message
development process.
Answer: FALSE
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 178
Skill: Concept
Objective: 6-2
89) Formal focus groups take place in a comfortable setting, usually people's homes, where the
participants have been recruited by the host.
Answer: FALSE
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 178
Skill: Concept
Objective: 6-2
90) Psychographic research involves the researcher participating in the lives of the people being
studied.
Answer: FALSE
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 181
Skill: Concept
Objective: 6-2
91) Focus groups have the advantage of revealing what people actually do, as distinguished from
what they say they do.
Answer: FALSE
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 181
Skill: Concept
Objective: 6-2
92) Researchers use beeper diaries as a way to randomize the recording of consumer activities.
Answer: TRUE
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 181
Skill: Concept
AACSB: Use of information technology
Objective: 6-2
93) A form of attitude research in which people fill in the blanks in a story or balloons in a
cartoon is known as metaphor investigation.
Answer: FALSE
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 182
Skill: Concept
Objective: 6-2
94) Sculpting techniques involve physically putting product users in static positions that reflect
how they think about or use a brand.
Answer: TRUE
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 182
Skill: Concept
Objective: 6-2
95) In the qualitative research method called photo elicitation, consumers are asked to sort
through a deck of photos and pick out visuals that represent something, such as typical users of
the product or situations in which it might be used.
Answer: FALSE
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 182
Skill: Concept
Objective: 6-2
96) A metaphor says one thing
Answer: FALSE
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 183
Skill: Concept
AACSB: Communication abilities
Objective: 6-2
97) The two basic research criteria of validity and reliability are drawn from the scientific
method.
Answer: TRUE
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 183
Skill: Concept
Objective: 6-2
98) Reliability means that the research actually measures what it says it measures.
Answer: FALSE
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 183
Skill: Concept
Objective: 6-2
99) In research terms, reliability means that any differences that are uncovered by the research,
such as different attitudes or purchasing patterns, really reflect differences among individuals,
groups, or situations.
Answer: FALSE
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 183
Skill: Concept
Objective: 6-2
100) A problem facing global advertisers is cross-cultural communication and how to arrive at an
intended message without cultural distortions or insensitivities.
Answer: TRUE
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 184
Skill: Concept
AACSB: Multicultural and diversity understanding
Objective: 6-3
101) A researcher investigating the amount of food waste in the typical four-person family plans
to sift through the garbage of a small sample of representative families. This method is an
example of a survey.
Answer: FALSE
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 174
Skill: Application
AACSB: Analytic skills
Objective: 6-2
102) Custom online communities such as the Adidas Insider community organized by Adidas
allow marketers to address the problem of controlling who is in an online sample.
Answer: TRUE
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 178
Skill: Application
AACSB: Use of information technology
Objective: 6-2
103) As a part of a research team, Fatima observed five groups of teenagers shop, socialize, and
eat dinner at a local mall. Fatima was participating in traditional quantitative research.
Answer: FALSE
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 180
Skill: Application
AACSB: Analytic skills
Objective: 6-2
104) Quantitative research is more useful than qualitative research.
Answer: FALSE
Diff: 3 Page Ref: 183
Skill: Critical Thinking
AACSB: Reflective thinking skills
Objective: 6-2
105) Sora is a teenager who loves to shop for clothes. She has a points card from Trend Town,
her favorite shop. Sora's card is scanned each time she makes a purchase at Trend Town, and the
more she uses the card, the more special offers she receives from the shop. Data from Sora's card
can be used in embedded feedback research.
Answer: TRUE
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 184
Skill: Application
AACSB: Analytic skills
Objective: 6-3
106) Compare and contrast primary and secondary research and provide examples of sources for
each.
Answer: Information that is collected for the first time from original sources is called primary
research. Companies do their own tracking and monitoring of their customers' behavior and they
also hire research firms to do this research. Firms that specialize in interviewing, observing,
recording, and analyzing the behavior of those who purchase or influence the purchase of a
particular good or service are called primary research suppliers, such as A. C. Nielsen.
Background research that uses available published information about a topic is called secondary
research. It's called secondary because it is information that has been collected and published by
someone else. Many secondary information sources are available to advertisers, including
government organizations, trade associations, secondary research suppliers, and the Internet.
Diff: 3 Page Ref: 164-165
Skill: Synthesis
AACSB: Reflective thinking skills
Objective: 6-1
107) Explain the differences among market research, consumer research, advertising research,
IMC research, and strategic research.
Answer: Market research compiles information about the product category and other details of
the marketing situation that will impact the development of advertising strategy. Consumer
research is used to identify people who are in the market for the product in terms of their
characteristics, attitudes, interests, and motivations. Ultimately this information is used to decide
who should be the targeted audience for the advertising. In an integrated marketing
communication (IMC) plan, the consumer research expands to acquire information about all the
relevant stakeholders. Advertising research focuses on all the elements of advertising, including
message development research, media planning research, and evaluation, as well as information
about competitors' advertising. IMC research is similar except it is used to assemble information
needed in planning the use of a variety of marketing communication tools. Strategic research
uncovers critical information that becomes the basis for strategic planning decisions. In
advertising, it covers all the factors and steps that lead to the creation of message strategies and
media plans.
Diff: 3 Page Ref: 163
Skill: Synthesis
AACSB: Reflective thinking skills
Objective: 6-1
108) Compare and contrast quantitative and qualitative research, and discuss uses of each.
Answer: Qualitative research provides insight into the underlying reasons for how consumers
behave and why. Common methods include observation, ethnographic studies, in-depth
interviews, and case studies. Qualitative methods are used early in the process of developing an
advertising plan or message strategy for generating insights, as well as questions and hypotheses
for additional research. They are also good at confirming hunches, ruling out bad approaches and
questionable or confusing ideas, and giving direction to the message strategy. Because
qualitative research is typically done with small groups, advertisers are not able to draw
conclusions about or project their findings to the larger population.
Quantitative research delivers numerical data such as number of users and purchasers, their
attitudes and knowledge, their exposure to ads, and other market-related information. It also
provides information on reactions to advertising and motivation to purchase. Two primary
characteristics of quantitative research are large sample sizes and random sampling. The most
common quantitative research methods include surveys and studies that track such things as sales
and opinions. In contrast to qualitative research, quantitative research is usually designed to
either accurately count something, such as sales levels, or to predict something, such as attitudes.
In sum, qualitative research should not be used to draw conclusions, which is the province of
quantitative research, but instead to better understand a market and generate hypotheses that we
can test with quantitative methods.
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 167
Skill: Synthesis
AACSB: Reflective thinking skills
Objective: 6-1
109) Describe five ways research is used in marketing communication planning.
Answer: Research has several uses in marketing communication planning, including but not
limited to the following:
-depth
interviews, observational methods, focus groups, and all types of primary and secondary data
used to develop a marketing plan and an advertising plan. A subset of marketing research known
as market research is used to gather information about a particular market. Market information,
then, includes everything a planner can uncover about consumer perceptions of the brand,
product category, and competitors' brands. Brand information includes an assessment of the
brand's role and performance in the marketplace. This research also investigates how people
perceive brand personalities and images.
Consumer Insight Resear
much as they can, in as much depth and detail as possible, about the people they are trying to
reach. The objective of most consumer research is to puzzle out the key consumer insight that
will help move the target audience to respond to the message.
communication tools that might be used in a campaign to deliver a message. Media researchers
then match that information to what is known about the target audience.
the development of an advertisement, they involve themselves in various types of informal and
formal research. They read all the relevant secondary information provided by the client and the
planners to become better informed about the brand, the company, the competition, and the
product category. Furthermore, as writers and art directors begin working on a specific creative
project, they almost always conduct at least some informal research of their own. Concept testing
is used in the development of message strategy to evaluate the relative power of various creative
ideas.
Evaluation Research
campaign to determine the relative effectiveness of various approaches to the sales message.
Diff: 3 Page Ref: 169-174
Skill: Synthesis
AACSB: Reflective thinking skills
Objective: 6-1
110) You work in an advertising agency and have been tasked with recommending some
imaginative ways to investigate consumers' relationships with the brands they buy. Briefly
describe four of the more imaginative qualitative methods discussed in the chapter.
Answer: There are several projective techniques researchers can use to develop insights about
people's relationships with the brands they buy, including the following:
(1) Fill-in-the-Blanks–A form of attitude research in which people fill in the blanks in a story or
balloons in a cartoon. Their perceptions will sometimes come to the surface in the words they
use to describe the action or situations depicted in the visuals.
(2) Purpose-Driven Games–Used to see how people solve problems and search for information.
Games can make the research experience more fun and involving for the participants. It uncovers
problem-solving strategies that may mirror consumers' approach to information searching or the
kinds of problems they deal with in certain product situations.
(3) Story Elicitation–Consumers are asked to explain the artifacts of their lives. These stories can
provide insights into how and why people use or do things.
(4) Artifact Creation–Uses such ideas as life collages, day mapping, and the construction of
instruction books as ways to elicit stories that discuss brands and their role in daily life.
(5) Photo Elicitation–Similar to artifacts, visuals can be used to elicit consumer thoughts and
opinions. Sometimes consumers are asked to look at a set of visuals or they are instructed to
visually record something with a camera, such as a shopping trip. Later, in reviewing the visuals,
they are asked what the photo brings to mind or to explain what they were thinking or doing at
the time.
(6) Photo Sorts–Consumers are asked to sort through a deck of photos and pick out visuals that
represent something, such as typical users of the product or situations where it might be used.
(7) Metaphors–Can enrich the language consumers use to talk about brands. A metaphor says
one thing–a brand, for example–is something else. The insight into how people perceive brands
through such connections comes from exploring the link between the two concepts.
Diff: 3 Page Ref: 182-183
Skill: Synthesis
AACSB: Reflective thinking skills
Objective: 6-2
111) Every few years, the Association of National Advertisers conducts a study on how national
advertisers compensate advertising agencies that plan, develop, and execute their advertising
campaigns. A national advertiser uses this data to determine how it should compensate its
advertising agency. From the perspective of the national advertiser, what type of research is this?
A) primary
B) qualitative
C) secondary
D) organizational
E) marketing communication
Answer: C
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 164
Skill: Application
AACSB: Reflective thinking skills
Objective: 6-1
112) Kraft wanted to understand how consumers decide which brand of cheese to purchase while
they are shopping at a grocery store, so the company hired a research firm that observed
consumers as they made their selection in the store. Which type of research does this represent?
A) quantitative
B) qualitative
C) secondary
D) ethnographic
E) survey
Answer: B
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 167
Skill: Application
AACSB: Analytic skills
Objective: 6-1
113) Sam wants to understand consumers' perceptions of his company's products, so he conducts
a survey to assess their attitudes toward his brands as well as their intention to purchase them.
What type of research does this represent?
A) quantitative
B) qualitative
C) secondary
D) ethnographic
E) in-depth research
Answer: A
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 167
Skill: Application
AACSB: Analytic skills
Objective: 6-1
114) A report from Mediamark Research, Inc. (MRI) uses all of the following characteristics to
report the TV-viewing habits of consumers EXCEPT which one?
A) age
B) size of household
C) age of children
D) type of TV program
E) religion
Answer: E
Diff: 3 Page Ref: 166
Skill: Application
AACSB: Analytic skills
Objective: 6-1
115) You are about to test the hypothesis that sales of your product will increase at a very similar
rate at either a $5 drop in unit price or a $7 drop in unit price. You are involved in what type of
research?
A) exploratory
B) qualitative
C) experimental
D) focus group
E) ethnographic
Answer: C
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 168
Skill: Application
AACSB: Analytic skills
Objective: 6-1
116) The advertising that launched General Motors' OnStar GPS system used a Batman theme.
Looking at the commercial in terms of signs and symbols, it is possible to discover the obvious
and hidden meanings of the message. For instance, the "bat beacon" becomes the OnStar for the
average person who wants to have the wonderful technology toys Batman had. This is an
example of ________.
A) consumer insight research
B) semiotic analysis
C) aided recognition
D) quantitative research
E) unaided recognition
Answer: B
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 173
Skill: Application
AACSB: Analytic skills
Objective: 6-1
117) V-8, a brand of vegetable juice, wanted to determine if viewers understood the health
benefit message the company was trying to convey in television commercials. V-8 conducted
research in which consumers were brought to a research center to view a pilot television show in
which the V-8 ad appeared. Several other ads appeared during the 30-minute television program,
and after viewing the show, participants were given a survey regarding their attitudes toward all
of the ads they had seen. Five different groups saw the same program and ads, except the V-8 ad
was different for each group. What type of research is this?
A) secondary
B) concept testing
C) semiotic research
D) association testing
E) panel
Answer: B
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 173
Skill: Application
AACSB: Analytic skills
Objective: 6-1
118) You want to find out whether Americans between 21 and 40 years of age tend to vote
Democratic and whether Americans between 41 and 70 tend to vote Republican. You will most
likely use ________ to collect your data.
A) ethnographic research
B) observational research
C) survey research
D) experimental research
E) projective techniques
Answer: C
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 174
Skill: Application
AACSB: Reflective thinking skills
Objective: 6-2
119) You have decided to use only open-end questions on your survey. Which of the following
questions would NOT be found on your survey?
A) Why is voting important to you?
B) How many cars does your family own?
C) What is your best childhood memory?
D) Where did you spend your last vacation?
E) What are the most important qualities in a friend?
Answer: B
Diff: 3 Page Ref: 176
Skill: Application
AACSB: Analytic skills
Objective: 6-2
120) Wal-Mart sends a trained observer to watch and interact with customers as they shop in a
Wal-Mart store. This is an example of ________.
A) secondary research
B) survey research
C) ethnographic research
D) experimental research
E) projective research
Answer: C
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 181
Skill: Application
AACSB: Analytic skills
Objective: 6-2
121) Maria was participating in a research study in which she was asked to take pictures with her
camera phone while she was shopping. After recording her trip with pictures, she was asked to
explain what she was thinking or doing at the time a given photo was taken. Which qualitative
research method is this?
A) metaphors
B) story elicitation
C) photo elicitation
D) photo sorts
E) meaning creation
Answer: C
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 182
Skill: Application
AACSB: Reflective thinking skills
Objective: 6-2
122) Malaya Ramirez is organizing marketing research in Central American countries for a large
American corporation that is interested in expanding its market. The survey Malaya is using was
written in English and then translated into Spanish for use by Spanish-speaking respondents.
Which of the following is it most important for Malaya to do before administering this
questionnaire to a sample of the market?
A) make sure that the survey includes both open-end and closed-end questions
B) decide whether to focus on primary or secondary data
C) determine which type of research instrument to use
D) examine the questionnaire for cultural distortions and insensitivities
E) determine whether to focus on qualitative or experimental objectives
Answer: D
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 184
Skill: Application
AACSB: Analytic skills
Objective: 6-3
123) A research study about Coca-Cola used ________, asking respondents to make a collage of
images that capture their feelings about the brand.
A) theater techniques
B) metaphors
C) secondary demographic research
D) purpose-driven games
E) artifact creation
Answer: E
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 182
Skill: Application
AACSB: Analytic skills
Objective: 6-2
124) Which form of data below can usually be obtained more quickly and at a lower cost than
the others?
A) primary
B) survey research
C) experimental research
D) secondary
E) ethnographic research
Answer: D
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 165-166
Skill: Critical Thinking
AACSB: Reflective thinking skills
Objective: 6-1
125) Which of the following survey contact methods is generally the LEAST flexible?
A) mail
B) telephone
C) Internet surveys
D) online panels
E) personal
Answer: A
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 176
Skill: Synthesis
AACSB: Reflective thinking skills
Objective: 6-2
126) Scott works in the marketing department of a national insurance company. He conducted a
focus group interview in which 10 consumers discussed their attitudes toward purchasing longterm disability insurance. Based on this research, Scott concluded that most people think this
insurance is not necessary because they feel that they will always be able to work and would be
wasting their money on such expensive insurance. Which of the following statements is true
regarding this situation?
A) Scott can feel confident that what he learned in this research is representative of the
perceptions held by the rest of the consumer population that makes up the target market for this
product.
B) Scott should really conduct one more focus group interview with a different group of
consumers before making any generalizations about the general public.
C) Scott should have conducted survey research before he conducted the focus group interview.
D) Scott should conduct quantitative research that further investigates insights uncovered during
the focus group interview.
E) Focus groups are the only type of qualitative research from which reliable conclusions can be
drawn.
Answer: D
Diff: 3 Page Ref: 183
Skill: Critical Thinking
AACSB: Reflective thinking skills
Objective: 6-3
Use the scenario below to answer the following questions.
Mike works in the marketing department of a consumer packaged goods manufacturer. His
primary responsibility is the marketing of a new brand of cereal that is targeted to women. The
cereal includes extra calcium and soy to help women avoid osteoporosis, a disease that weakens
bones later in life and primarily affects women. Much research was conducted before this
product was developed, but more is necessary to develop a marketing communication campaign.
Mike is working with an advertising agency to develop the marketing communication campaign.
127) Before the advertising agency created any advertising for this new brand of cereal, people
working on the account started reading everything they could find on the product, company,
industry, and competition. This is known as ________ research.
A) primary
B) secondary
C) qualitative
D) experimental
E) quantitative
Answer: B
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 164
Skill: Application
AACSB: Analytic skills
Objective: 6-1
128) The initial research Mike conducted was used to identify women who are in the market for
cereals with these benefits in terms of their characteristics, attitudes, interests, and motivation.
What type of research did Mike conduct?
A) brand experience research
B) consumer insight research
C) marketing communication research
D) message development research
E) evaluation research
Answer: B
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 172
Skill: Application
AACSB: Analytic skills
Objective: 6-1
129) The advertising agency team members used research to help develop the message strategy.
They conducted in-depth interviews with several women who were representative of the client's
target market and asked them to evaluate the relative power of various creative ideas. This type
of research is known as ________.
A) consumer insight research
B) aided recognition
C) semiotic analysis
D) concept testing
E) copy testing
Answer: D
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 173
Skill: Application
AACSB: Analytic skills
Objective: 6-1
130) The advertising agency also analyzed all media that is relevant to the client's target market.
Not surprisingly, they found that women they wanted to reach with the advertising were heavy
readers of health-related magazines, such as Prevention and Health. However, they also found
that these women were also heavy readers of shelter magazines, such as Better Homes and
Gardens and House Beautiful. What kind of research did the agency conduct?
A) concept testing
B) consumer insight
C) media
D) message development
E) evaluation research
Answer: C
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 173
Skill: Application
AACSB: Analytic skills
Objective: 6-1
131) Mark owns his own advertising agency and just won a new client's account. Discuss two
sources of secondary research that might be of use to him as he conducts strategic research.
Answer: There are several sources of secondary research that students can discuss:
Government Organizations–Many of the statistics provided come from census records on the
population's size, geographic distribution, age, income, occupation, education, and ethnicity.
Trade Associations–Many industries support trade associations that gather and distribute
information of interest to association members.
Secondary Research Suppliers–These independent researchers gather and organize existing
information around specific topic areas or other interested parties.
Secondary Information on the Internet–For any given company, you're bound to find a web site
where you can learn about the company's history and philosophy of doing business, check out its
complete product line, and discover who runs the company.
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 164-165
Skill: Synthesis
AACSB: Reflective thinking skills
Objective: 6-1
132) Jones and Smith Advertising Agency is in the early process of developing an advertising
plan for one of its new clients, a regional soft-drink manufacturer. What type of research would
you recommend Jones and Smith conduct at this stage of the process?
Answer: Students can go a number of different directions in answering this question, but should
focus on the importance of secondary research and qualitative research at the beginning of the
research process.
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 164-165
Skill: Critical Thinking
AACSB: Reflective thinking skills
Objective: 6-1
133) You want to determine whether no-smoking policies have impacted employee morale in the
United States in the past two decades. Are any secondary data likely available? Why?
Answer: Yes, there are likely to be several studies conducted from which the researcher could
extract information because many companies have implemented no-smoking policies in the past
twenty years.
Diff: 3 Page Ref: 164
Skill: Critical Thinking
AACSB: Reflective thinking skills
Objective: 6-1
134) You want to determine whether no-smoking policies have impacted employee morale in the
United States among workers in companies that employ fewer than 50 workers in Fort Wayne,
Indiana. Are any secondary data likely available? Why?
Answer: Because the data sought are so specific, there will likely not be much, if any, data that
specifically answer the question.
Diff: 3 Page Ref: 165
Skill: Critical Thinking
AACSB: Reflective thinking skills
Objective: 6-1
135) Identify and describe two web sites advertisers can use for research.
Answer: Answers may include the following:
BrandEra (www.brandera.com) offers information by product category.
Market Perceptions (http://marketperceptions.com) represents a research company that
specializes in health care research. The site has information about its focus group capabilities.
Forrester Research (www.forrester.com) provides industry research into technology markets.
Greenbook.org (www.greenbook.org) is a worldwide directory of marketing research focus
group suppliers.
Cluetrain (www.cluetrain.com) publishes new ways to find and share innovative marketing
information and ideas.
Diff: 3 Page Ref: 165
Skill: Application
AACSB: Use of information technology
Objective: 6-1
136) Describe the kind of information an advertiser can gain from Mediamark Research, Inc.
(MRI).
Answer: Mediamark Research, Inc. conducts its own original research and publishes its
findings, which are available to clients, such as advertisers. An MRI subscriber can select a
consumer target and ask for information on all other products and services and all the media that
members of the target segment use. The resulting profile provides a vivid and detailed
description of the target as a person, which is what information agency creative teams need to
help them envision their audiences. Another example of the kind of information advertisers can
gain from MRI are the types of TV programs adults aged 18 to 34 watch, broken down into four
market segments based on size of household and age of children.
Diff: 3 Page Ref: 165-166
Skill: Synthesis
AACSB: Reflective thinking skills
Objective: 6-1
137) Explain why qualitative or experimental research would be the best method for determining
whether shoppers in the Midwest are more sensitive to a price increase for laundry soap than
shoppers on the East Coast are.
Answer: Experimental research would be most important because it investigates cause-andeffect relationships; it would allow the researcher to test a hypothesis about price sensitivity and
compare the differences in the two geographic regions.
Diff: 3 Page Ref: 168
Skill: Critical Thinking
AACSB: Reflective thinking skills
Objective: 6-1
138) Jill is part of the creative team in the advertising agency developing the message for a
client's account. Her job is to conduct tests to evaluate the relative power of various creative
ideas. What is this type of test called?
Answer: The test is known as concept testing.
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 173
Skill: Application
AACSB: Analytic skills
Objective: 6-1
139) Josh was told to conduct in-depth interviews with consumers to gain a better understanding
of their perceptions and feelings toward his company's brand of facial tissue. He has only had
experience conducting survey research and is not sure what an in-depth interview actually is.
Explain what it is, how it's different from survey research, and how it's done.
Answer: An in-depth interview is a qualitative method conducted one-on-one using open-ended
questions that require respondents to generate their own answers. The primary difference
between an interview and a survey is the interview's use of an unstructured questionnaire.
Interviews use a discussion guide that outlines the areas to be covered during the session.
Interviews are considered qualitative because they typically use smaller sample sizes than
surveys and their results are not generalizable and subject to statistical tests.
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 176
Skill: Synthesis
AACSB: Reflective thinking skills
Objective: 6-2
140) Madeleine needs to conduct a focus group interview to get consumers' reactions to various
advertising ideas. However, she does not have much time and she needs more in-depth responses
than she normally gets from a typical focus group interview. What would you recommend
Madeleine do to meet her needs?
Answer: One alternative to a typical focus group is to use a friendship focus group, which uses a
comfortable setting, usually people's homes, where the participants have been recruited by the
host. This approach is designed to break down barriers and save time in getting to more in-depth
responses.
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 178
Skill: Critical Thinking
AACSB: Reflective thinking skills
Objective: 6-2
141) Cover Girl is a brand of cosmetics that can be purchased in major discount stores, drug
stores, and grocery stores. One of Cover Girl's largest target markets is college-aged women, and
the company wants to get a first-hand understanding of how this market purchases and uses
cosmetics on a daily basis. What type of research would be best at getting at this level of
understanding?
Answer: Several qualitative research methods, such as focus group interviews, in-depth
interviews, and observation research could provide this insight. However, ethnographic research,
which involves the researcher in living the lives of the people being studied, might provide even
better insight. Perhaps Cover Girl can have a researcher become a college student living in a
dormitory, sorority, or apartment with other college women to study the meanings, language,
interaction, and behavior of the target market. This method is particularly good at deriving a
picture of a day in the life of a typical consumer.
Diff: 3 Page Ref: 176-178
Skill: Critical Thinking
AACSB: Reflective thinking skills
Objective: 6-2
142) A marketer of frozen dinners has decided to collect consumer feedback via a focus group
interview. How might the marketer use the focus group interview to determine whether peas or
green beans should be included with the turkey entrée?
Answer: The group might be given a prepared meal with both vegetable options. Afterward, the
marketer can obtain fresh feedback from the respondents or through observation. The marketer
could assess respondents' reactions and facial expressions while they eat provided meals.
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 177-178
Skill: Synthesis
AACSB: Reflective thinking skills
Objective: 6-2
143) You are trying to determine whether retired people drink more coffee at McDonald's during
lunch than they do during dinner. Why is observation research NOT effective in this scenario?
Answer: It is difficult to determine, just by looking, whether people are retired.
Diff: 3 Page Ref: 180
Skill: Critical Thinking
AACSB: Reflective thinking skills
Objective: 6-2
144) You are conducting research and want to make sure that it adheres to the scientific method.
Discuss the two basic research criteria you need to be concerned about.
Answer: The two basic research criteria are validity and reliability. Validity means that the
research actually measures what it says it measures. Reliability means that you can run the same
test again and get the same answer.
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 183
Skill: Synthesis
AACSB: Reflective thinking skills
Objective: 6-2
145) Discuss a major issue that global researchers face.
Answer: In-depth understanding of the economic and cultural conditions, government
regulations, and communications media of each country is more important than ever before. The
biggest problem is cross-cultural communication and how to arrive at an intended message
without cultural distortions or insensitivities.
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 184
Skill: Synthesis
AACSB: Reflective thinking skills
Objective: 6-3
146) Explain how researchers are using embedded research.
Answer: Research methods can be embedded directly into real purchase and use situations, so
that the consumer is a recipient and direct beneficiary of the information. Call centers can be
used as research centers to gain real-time feedback about the brand and its marketing and
advertising strategies. For example, whenever a call is made for whatever purpose (either
inbound or outbound), that contact provides an opportunity to ask a brand-related question.
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 184
Skill: Synthesis
AACSB: Reflective thinking skills
Objective: 6-3
Refer to the following scenario to answer the questions below.
Kraft markets several consumer packaged goods products as well as appliances, such as
coffeemakers, and wants to get a better understanding of its target market and how competing
products are advertised. Kraft's agency of record has conducted extensive research for them as
well as purchased information from research suppliers. They are also conducting background
research as well as using some imaginative qualitative methods to better understand Kraft's target
market.
147) Name and describe some of the primary and secondary research suppliers that Kraft and its
agencies might have purchased information from.
Answer: A. C. Nielsen, Simmons Market Research Bureau (SMRB), and Mediamark Research,
Inc. (MRI) were discussed in this chapter. A. C. Nielsen will conduct primary research, but it is
also a secondary research supplier (e.g., television ratings). SMRB and MRI survey large
samples of American consumers (approximately 30,000 for each survey) and ask questions about
the consumption, possession, or use of a wide range of products, services, and media.
Diff: 3 Page Ref: 165
Skill: Application
AACSB: Analytic skills
Objective: 6-1
148) One of Kraft's research projects had the objective of understanding competitors'
advertisements. Name and describe the purpose of this type of background research.
Answer: A marketing communication audit might include only informal summaries of the
slogans, appeals, and images used most often, or it might include a more formal and systematic
tabulation of competitors' approaches and strategies called a content analysis. By disclosing
competitors' strategies and tactics, analysis of the content of competitive advertisements provides
clues to how competitors are thinking and suggests ways to develop new and more effective
campaigns.
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 171
Skill: Synthesis
AACSB: Reflective thinking skills
Objective: 6-2
149) If Kraft wants to understand the deeper meanings consumers derive from competitors'
advertising, what type of research do you suggest and why?
Answer: Semiotic analysis is a way to take apart the signs and symbols in a message to uncover
layers and types of meanings. The objective is to find deeper meanings in the symbolism and
meanings, particularly as they relate to different groups of consumers.
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 173
Skill: Synthesis
AACSB: Reflective thinking skills
Objective: 6-1
150) One research study used the Zaltman Metaphor Elicitation Technique (ZMET) for the Kraft
boxed macaroni and cheese product. Kraft learned that its brand of boxed macaroni and cheese
generated feelings of fun and love, not just feelings of nutrition and fulfillment. Explain how
Kraft, using this technique, uncovered this information.
Answer: The ZMET uses metaphors and visual images to uncover patterns in people's thinking.
Respondents could have been asked to collect pictures that captured their feelings about Kraft's
product from magazines, catalogs, or other printed materials. Then they might have discussed the
images in personal interviews. Finally, participants could have been asked to create a summary
image and record a statement that explained its meaning.
Diff: 3 Page Ref: 183
Skill: Synthesis
AACSB: Reflective thinking skills
Objective: 6-2