Lecture Advertising and promotion: An integrated marketing communications perspective (10/e): Chapter 18 - George E. Belch, Michael A. Belch

Chapter 18
Measuring the 
Effectiveness
of the 
Promotional 
Program

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Arguments for and Against Measuring 
Effectiveness
Reasons to measure

Reasons effectiveness

effectiveness

measures are not taken

• Avoid costly mistakes

• Costs involved

• Evaluate alternative

• Research problems

strategies
• Increased advertising

efficiency
• Determine if objectives are
achieved

• Disagreement on what to
test
• Objections of creative
department
• Lack of time

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What, Where, and How to Test

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Testing Process
 Concept generation and testing
 Rough art, copy, and commercial testing
 Pretesting of finished ads
 Market testing of ads

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Figure 18.5 ­ Weaknesses Associated 
with Focus Group Research

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Types of Rough Art, Copy, and 
Commercial Tests
 Comprehension and reaction tests: Assess the 
reaction an ad generates to ensure that it is not 
offensive
 Consumer juries: Use consumers representative of 
the target market to evaluate the probable success 
of an ad

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Limitations of the Consumer Juries 
Method
 Consumer may become a self­appointed expert
 Number of ads that can be evaluated is limited
 Halo effect: Overall rating is influenced by the 
judgment on one or few characteristics of the ad
 Preferences for types of advertising may 
overshadow objectivity

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Figure 18.8 ­ Gallup & Robinson’s 
Impact System

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Portfolio Tests
 Expose a group of respondents to a portfolio 
consisting of control and test ads
 Limitations
 Factors other than advertising creativity and/or 
presentation may affect recall

 Ability to recognize the ad when shown may be a 
better measure than recall

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Readability Tests
 Communications efficiency of the copy in a print 
ad is tested without reader interviews
 Flesch formula: Assesses readability of a copy by 
determining the average number of syllables per 
100 words
 Limitations
 Copy may become too mechanical
 Direct input from receiver is not available
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New Print Pretesting Measures
 PreTesting Groups’ People Reader methodology
 Provides mocked­up magazines to consumers and 
measures their responsiveness to each ad
 Uses hidden cameras to record behavior 

 Link
 Uses a comprehensive set of diagnostic questions to 
evoke viewer reactions to the ads

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Pretesting Finished Broadcast Ads

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Physiological Measures

 Indicate receiver’s involuntary response to the ad
 Pupil dilation

 Pupillometrics: Measures dilation and constriction of the pupils in 
response to stimuli

 Galvanic skin response (GSR)
 Electrodermal response (EDR): Measures the skin’s resistance or 
conductance to a small amount of current

 Brain Waves
 Electroencephalographic (EEG): Determine electrical frequencies in 
brain
 Alpha activity: Degree of brain activation 
 Hemispheric lateralization: Distinguishes between alpha activity in the 
left and right sides of the brain
 Brain scan imaging ­ Examine physiological reactions to ads and brands
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Posttests of Print Ads
Advantages of inquiry tests
• Implementation is
inexpensive
• Provide some feedback
about the general
effectiveness of an ad or
medium used

Disadvantages of inquiry
tests
• Inquiries may not be a true
measure of the attentiongetting or informationproviding aspects of an ad
• Ineffective for comparing
different versions or
specific creative aspects
of an ad

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Posttests of Broadcast Commercials
Advantages of day-after recall tests
• Natural setting provides a more realistic
response profile
• Provide norms that allow advertisers to

Disadvantages of day-after recall
tests
• Have limited samples, high costs, and
security issues
• Favor unemotional appeals

compare how well their ads are

• Program content may influence recall

performing

• Respondents are aware of the test and

• Persuasive and diagnostics measures
are also available

will be more attentive
• Recall is not a measure of acceptance or
predictive of sales

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Factors That Make or Break Tracking 
Studies
Properly defined objectives
Alignment with sales objectives
Properly designed measures
Consistency
Random samples
Continuous interviewing
Evaluate measures related to behavior
Critical evaluative questions asked early to eliminate bias
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Factors That Make or Break Tracking 
Studies
Measurement of competitors’ performance
Skepticism about questions asking where the ad was seen

Building of news value into the study
Moving averages spot long-term trends and avoid seasonality
Data reported in terms of relationships
Integration of key marketplace events with tracking results
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Problems with Current Research 
Methods
 Accomplishing some factors important to good 
copy testing require more effort
 Most current methods do little more than provide 
recall scores
 Lab measures ­ Artificial and vulnerable to testing 
effects 
 Field measures ­ Result in a loss of control

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Essentials of Effective Testing
 Establish communications objectives
 Use a consumer response model
 Use both pretests and posttests

 Use multiple measures
 Understand and implement proper research

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Measuring the Effectiveness of 
Nontraditional Media
Shopping cart signage
• Much less effective than claimed
Ski resort-based media
• Measures are combined with sales tracking data to evaluate
its effectiveness
In-store radio and television
• Software has been introduced to measure the effectiveness
Other media
• Resources are available to measure impact of IMC elements
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Measuring the Effectiveness of 
Sponsorships
Exposure methods
• Monitor the quantity and nature of the media

coverage obtained for the sponsored event
• Estimate direct and indirect audiences
Tracking measures
• Evaluate the awareness, familiarity, and
preferences produced by sponsorship based on
surveys
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