The study group "readership analysis of medical journals" - called LA-MED - usually once a year presents actual data for media planners obtained by a standard interview, which is comparable to that of the German readership analysis for general magazines. This year parallel to the standard LA-MED 81, an experiment was again carried out which mainly aimed at two objectives: 1) to check whether a completely different method will deliver coverage values comparable to those of the interview; 2) to bridge the gap between coverage values and advertising contact. For this purpose a group of methods was designed to observe the fate of a certain copy of a magazine from the receipt by post to the reading of specific articles within it.
In the course of the readership analysis of medical journals in 1977 (LA-MED 77), a number of methodical experiments were carried out in addition to the standard interview with the aim of supporting the existing methods and acquiring additional information concerning reading habits. One of these experiments involved the attempt to acquire readership data with the aid of a diary. This diary experiment was run with approximately N=100 physicians who were recruited as a sub-sample out of the large main study involving N=2.000. As a result we had at our disposal for purposes of comparison the statements from the main interview and those from the diary from identical persons.
In the course of the readership analysis of medical journals in 1977 (LA-MED 77), a number of methodical experiments were carried out in addition to the standard interview with the aim of supporting the existing methods and acquiring additional information concerning reading habits. One of these experiments involved the attempt to acquire readership data with the aid of a diary. This diary experiment was run with approximately N=100 physicians who were recruited as a sub-sample out of the large main study involving N=2.000. As a result we had at our disposal for purposes of comparison the statements from the main interview and those from the diary from identical persons.
Cluster analysis has become a very popular multivariate method in market research during the last five to seven years. Its wide propagation does this method probably owe to the simplicity of its basic ideas. But contrary to this simplicity stand some special dangers which are connected with the application of cluster analysis. These crucial points are discussed in this paper, rules are developed for a meaningful use and some methodical questions which are still open will be pointed out.
It is such a difficult problem to pre-test the effects of price increases in the magazine market that attempts in this direction are made only seldom, although the problem plays a central role in marketing. The common price policy in German prohibits test markets and the only other possibilities left open are either letting the customer estimate his own reaction to price changes or predicting the customers' behaviour indirectly by means of other variables. Market research has made attempts in both of these approaches. Especially GUTJAHR's model has become well known, which takes the approach of indirect findings. IVE in cooperation with the publisher Gruner & Jahr has worked on the development of a price elasticity test for some time and undertaken the attempt to check out the basic draft and to improve it step by step.
It is such a difficult problem to pre-test the effects of price increases in the magazine market that attempts in this direction are made only seldom, although the problem plays a central role in marketing. The common price policy in German prohibits test markets and the only other possibilities left open are either letting the customer estimate his own reaction to price changes or predicting the customers' behaviour indirectly by means of other variables. Market research has made attempts in both of these approaches. Especially GUTJAHR's model has become well known, which takes the approach of indirect findings. IVE in cooperation with the publisher Gruner & Jahr has worked on the development of a price elasticity test for some time and undertaken the attempt to check out the basic draft and to improve it step by step.
The aim of the analytical evaluations presented here is to make better use of the information contained in the copy-test data than it has been happening thusfar. Better use must be made of such information in order to obtain more exact indications for an optimal combination of the editorial offer. The principle of this new method of approach consists of coordinating in a proper manner the evaluation per article with the evaluation per person. A three stage evaluation system was formulated on the basis of these considerations. It consists of a table, simulation and optimization program that can be adapted to the demands of actual situations in a flexible manner.