Dr Kala Krishnan

Why Research?

Collection of information, analysing and reacting to that information plays a vital role to arrive at a superior advertising decision. Any improvement in information would definitely improve the quality of decisions. David Ogilvy in his book Ogilvy on Advertising stresses the need of research: Advertising people who ignore research are as dangerous as generals who ignore decodes of enemy signals. Research can measure the awareness and reputation of the client among consumers, press and investment analysts.

Statistical models in research can, not only project the sales of new products, but also the advertising budget needed to reach maximum sales. Further, research can reveal consumer reactions to a new product or service when it is in the preliminary stage. Also, the rating of the product by consumers against other competitive brands will be captured by research. Based on the research findings, the advertising agency can ask the client, ofcourse with authenticity, to make modifications in his product/service.

Through research, appealing colours and package designs can be identified, which will guide the advertising agency to choose successful colours and create attractive packaging designs.

By conducting research, the target audience can be identified: rich or poor, men or women, teenagers or old, life styles, education, etc. Thus, research helps to arrive at an optimum positioning strategy. Also, if the target audience is known, the media selection can be done efficiently, so that optimum reach is attained.

Research can help in identifying important explanatory variables, which influence the purchase behaviour. Depending upon that, the advertisement can be created giving stress in the copy to the major independent variables. further, the most important contribution in an advertisement is headline; and to decide the promise in the advertisement, research helps.

From research, expectations of the consumers can be found and the advertisement can be crafted in such a way that it will be distinguished from other competitive advertisements, so more visibility is achieved.

In short, research can be of valuable guide in making more effective advertising.

Research Brief

Many times, the research brief does not tell the exact need of the clients/executives. It is advisable to spend more time in problem definition, so that a better brief can be given to the research team with all what is needed, to avoid problems later.

Time

Executives always ask for information today, when they want it yesterday, and they complain that researchers take two weeks when they have only two days. This problem of fighting for time can be solved to a great extent if infrastractural facilities such as skilled manpower, computer and communication facilities, etc. available to the research department is improved. Without modernised facilities, it is not only difficult to maintain information, but, it will consume more response time.

Statistics

Once, even the usage of graphs are considered incomprehensible to laymen. Things have changed and today graphs have almost become out of fashion, and statistical analysis involving modelling and latest quantitative techniques have come to use, thanks to the inventions of statistical packages. Advertising executives find it difficult to cope with the swift changes taking place in the research style and methodology.

Information Flow

Is it true that the relationship between information and decision-value has a positive correlation?

Obviously, it is a well known fact that increase in information leads to better decisions. However, after a while, more and more information will have less and less effect. Further, it becomes difficult to identify and utilise important information from the rest, when information overload takes place, especially in the current internet-based information economy. Thus, capturing the right information in the event of information overload becomes a vital research task.

Research Spectrum

It is to be remembered that the research that work in one market will need not work in another, calling for different research work. In summary, research has a big role to play in shaping effective advertising strategies.