Marketing is all about testing the effectiveness of different means, methods, and styles of advertising. Pretests are measures taken before an advertising campaign is implemented (Belch 609). There are two categories of pretesting: laboratory methods and field methods.
In laboratory test, people are brought to a particular location where they are shown ads and/or commercials (Belch 610). Laboratory methods of pretesting consist of consumer juries, portfolio tests, physiological measures, theater tests, rough tests, concept tests, readability tests, and comprehension and reaction tests (Belch 609).
Consumer Juries (Belch 613) - uses consumers representative of the target market to evaluate the probable success of an ad. Consumer juries may be asked to rate a selection of layouts or copy versions presented in pasteups on separate sheets.
Portfolio Tests (Belch 615) - a laboratory methodology designed to expose a group of respondents to a portfolio consisting o both control and test ads. Respondents are then asked what information they recall from the ads. The assumption is that the ads that yield the highest recall are the most effective.
Physiological Measures (Belch 618) - involves finished commercials in which physiological responses, such as pupillometrics, electrodermal response, eye tracking, alpha activity, and hemispheric lateralization, are measured.
Theater Tests (Belch 616) - participants are invited to view pilots of proposed TV programs. A standard program is used so audience responses can be compared with normative responses established by previous viewers. Sample sizes range from 250 to 600 participants, with 300 being most typical.
Concept Tests (Belch 611) - conducted very early in the campaign development process in order to explore the targeted consumer's response to a potential ad or campaign or have the consumer evaluate advertising alternatives.
Readability Tests (Belch 615) - this test uses a copy of the finished ad and the Flesch formula to assess readability of the copy by determining the average number of syllables per 100 words. The test suggests that copy is best comprehended when sentences are short, words are concrete and familiar, and personal references are drawn.
Comprehension and Reaction Tests (Belch 613) - designed to assess whether the ad or commercial conveys the meaning intended and evaluate the reaction the ad generates.
In field tests, the commercial or ad is tested under natural viewing situations, complete with realism of noise, distractions, and comforts of home (Belch 610). Field methods of pretesting consist of dummy advertising vehicles and on-air tests (Belch 609).
Dummy Advertising Vehicles (Belch 616) - ads are placed in "dummy" magazines developed by an agency or research firm. The magazines contain regular editorial features of interest to the readers, as well as the test ads, and are distributed to a random sample of homes in predetermined geographic areas. Then, the readers are interviewed on their reactions to both editorial content and ads. Recall, readership, and interest-generating capabilities of the ad are assessed.
On-Air Tests (Belch 617) - commercials inserted into actual TV programs in certain test markets. Typically, these commercials are in finished form. This test includes single-source ad research. The most important factor of this test is recall.
Marketers pretest ads in order to identify "winners", enhance good ads, and to eliminate bad ones. Also, it is important in figuring out the probable effect the ad will have before committing to its use (Belch 609).
Marketers may not pretest because mock-ups, storyboards, or animatics may not communicate nearly as effectively as the final product. The mood enhancing and/or emotional aspects of the message are very difficult to communicate in this format. Another reason is time delays because many marketers believe being first in the market offers a distinct advantage over competitors. This is why they forgo research to save time and ensure this position.
In laboratory test, people are brought to a particular location where they are shown ads and/or commercials (Belch 610). Laboratory methods of pretesting consist of consumer juries, portfolio tests, physiological measures, theater tests, rough tests, concept tests, readability tests, and comprehension and reaction tests (Belch 609).
Consumer Juries (Belch 613) - uses consumers representative of the target market to evaluate the probable success of an ad. Consumer juries may be asked to rate a selection of layouts or copy versions presented in pasteups on separate sheets.
Portfolio Tests (Belch 615) - a laboratory methodology designed to expose a group of respondents to a portfolio consisting o both control and test ads. Respondents are then asked what information they recall from the ads. The assumption is that the ads that yield the highest recall are the most effective.
Physiological Measures (Belch 618) - involves finished commercials in which physiological responses, such as pupillometrics, electrodermal response, eye tracking, alpha activity, and hemispheric lateralization, are measured.
Theater Tests (Belch 616) - participants are invited to view pilots of proposed TV programs. A standard program is used so audience responses can be compared with normative responses established by previous viewers. Sample sizes range from 250 to 600 participants, with 300 being most typical.
Concept Tests (Belch 611) - conducted very early in the campaign development process in order to explore the targeted consumer's response to a potential ad or campaign or have the consumer evaluate advertising alternatives.
Readability Tests (Belch 615) - this test uses a copy of the finished ad and the Flesch formula to assess readability of the copy by determining the average number of syllables per 100 words. The test suggests that copy is best comprehended when sentences are short, words are concrete and familiar, and personal references are drawn.
Comprehension and Reaction Tests (Belch 613) - designed to assess whether the ad or commercial conveys the meaning intended and evaluate the reaction the ad generates.
In field tests, the commercial or ad is tested under natural viewing situations, complete with realism of noise, distractions, and comforts of home (Belch 610). Field methods of pretesting consist of dummy advertising vehicles and on-air tests (Belch 609).
Dummy Advertising Vehicles (Belch 616) - ads are placed in "dummy" magazines developed by an agency or research firm. The magazines contain regular editorial features of interest to the readers, as well as the test ads, and are distributed to a random sample of homes in predetermined geographic areas. Then, the readers are interviewed on their reactions to both editorial content and ads. Recall, readership, and interest-generating capabilities of the ad are assessed.
On-Air Tests (Belch 617) - commercials inserted into actual TV programs in certain test markets. Typically, these commercials are in finished form. This test includes single-source ad research. The most important factor of this test is recall.
Marketers pretest ads in order to identify "winners", enhance good ads, and to eliminate bad ones. Also, it is important in figuring out the probable effect the ad will have before committing to its use (Belch 609).
Marketers may not pretest because mock-ups, storyboards, or animatics may not communicate nearly as effectively as the final product. The mood enhancing and/or emotional aspects of the message are very difficult to communicate in this format. Another reason is time delays because many marketers believe being first in the market offers a distinct advantage over competitors. This is why they forgo research to save time and ensure this position.
References
Belch, GE. and Belch, MA. Advertising and Promotion: An Integrated Marketing Communications Perspective, 9th Edition. McGraw-Hill Companies. 2012.
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