In this paper we go into the relations between Quality of Advertising, Brand Awareness, Perceived Quality and finally Brand Loyalty, on the basis of the large number of studies we did in this field. Our empirical evidence shows that advertising can produce brand awareness which is a necessary but of course not sufficient condition to have (a lot of) loyal buyers. A simple model is sufficient to describe these causal relations. We based on the strong empirical relationship between Brand Awareness and Brand Loyalty we further more derive the Brand Value Index. This shows both the value of the brand and functions as an overall measurement of advertising and other marketing effects.
The votes of slightly over 9,1 million Dutchmen for 2 out of 27 parties turned out different from what the samples of all pre-election surveys had told the researchers. All interest had been focussed on whether the governing coalition would keep or loose its small majority. The nearest any Dutch institute approached the actual vote was 75 out of 150 parliamentary seats. The voters gave the coalition partners 81 seats. Although there had been indications of "hidden strength" of the Christian Democrat coalition partner, only an "electronic" NIPO-survey late on the eve of election day detected clear indications of a last minute-swing toward that party. (It caused joy and rising share prices on the Amsterdam Stock Exchange immediately after its publication very early on May 21st. Several of the "hidden strength"-data will be presented. Finally we discuss some of the problems caused by the increasing effects of television electioneering.
The telephone division of the Netherlands P.T.T. has until recently used a revolving panel operation to register outgoing and incoming telephone calls. Write in-questionnaires were being used. They provided useful but far from perfect information. The data produced covered only about 70% of all calls made and the estimates of their duration were poor. These problems are now being solved by supplying panel members with NIPO's question/answer machines attached to the telephone, rather than with the questionnaire block notes previously used. These machines record essential occurrences inside the telephone and the monitor screens project short batteries of questions immediately after each telephone conversation. Panel members reply by pushing the relevant answer-buttons. The data so registered, both the technical records and the answers to questions, are transmitted to NIPO's computer over the telephone wires during the night.
Selling more units at lower cost is one of the tasks advertising should perform. There is ample proof that advertising, if perceived, if read or listened to and especially if recalled does cause purchasing. Getting consumers to so react to advertising largely depends on the quality of ads and commercials. Spending money in the creative area therefore is even more important than buying space and colour. Producing attractive advertising does help to increase perception levels. The single most deciding criterion is shown to be the interestingness of advertisements. Interest causes both perception and sales effects. In auditing the effects of advertising measures of interest aroused should take its place alongside recognition, proved recall and registration of buying intentions (or if at all possible: buying behaviour). Measures of interest are particularly useful in connecting pretest to post-test-data. Findings from various ad hoc surveys and continuous post testing are reported. A plea is made to audit advertising effects in much the same way as a companyâs profits (or losses) are being checked. Advertising and every single ad or piece of copy should be viewed as just another product that should perform the functions it is designed for. Poor advertising should be discontinued just as quickly as unsuccessful product lines.
9 out of 10 voters can position themselves on a left / right semantic differential scale. Some 30% choose for the center position. The scale-positions largely explain party-choice in elections as well as perceptions of political entities such as parties and political leaders. The frequency distributions between left and right are highly stable over time. The tendency to shift in either direction (if forced to do so) changes slightly more in successive surveys. On the whole polarisation-simulation favours the right, both over all and in the political center. The middle-of-the readers are being further analysed. They show both scepticism and low political interest but also a relatively open mind. Since many of them go and vote they do decide about parliamentary stalemate or workable majorities. They tend to attribute authority to politically less involved leaders and there appear to be political program items that appeal to the political center more than to other voters.
One of the realities of advertising research is continuous, usually syndicated, research on recognition and recall, and - roughly these last five years - of intent-to-buy. That seems to go on whatever the latest fashion in schools of thought (or schools of action) about producing advertising.
There is little sense in testing advertising efforts without having a theory about what advertising is supposed to do. It is equally without much sense to pre-test advertisements (or elements that would go into advertisements like themes, artwork, slogans etc.) without assumptions about what post-testing of the same advertisements is supposed to show. And finally: theories that cannot be tested for proof or disproof are not very useful. It should also be realised that in most fields of scientific endeavour the theories have followed rather than preceded every day life and observations of what went on in actual practice.
There is little sense in testing advertising efforts without having a theory about what advertising is supposed to do. It is equally without much sense to pretest advertisements (or elements that would go into advertisements like themes, artwork, slogans etc.) without assumptions about what post- testing of the same advertisements is supposed to show. And finally: theories that cannot be tested for proof or disproof are not very useful. It should also be realised that in most fields of scientific endeavour the theories have followed rather than preceded every day-life and observations of what went on in actual practice.
Pioneer consuming is often related to income and age of the consumer. Not completely however, nor is it always true. Pioneer consuming to a certain extent covers many product groups, durables as well as small ticket items. However--specific product groups have their own specific consumption pioneers, who only partly are overall early adopters of new products, new consumption patterns. Attitude scales can isolate consumption pioneers in specific product groups. The non-verbal "Stapel scale" has proved to he very successful in this field. A scale-based both on specific attitudes and past and present buying behaviour isolates consumption pioneers quite successfully. Such consumption pioneers should be a rewarding group to study in respect to success or failure of new brands or products, in analysing penetration-patterns, in product testing, etc.
Group discussion on the paper "The consumption pioneer" by Mr. Stapel.
Pioneer consuming is often related to income and age of the consumer. Not completely however, nor is it always true. Pioneer consuming to a certain extent covers many product groups, durables as well as small ticket items. However--specific product groups have their own specific consumption pioneers, who only partly are overall early adopters of new products, new consumption patterns. Attitude scales can isolate consumption pioneers in specific product groups. The non-verbal "Stapel scale" has proved to he very successful in this field. A scale-based both on specific attitudes and past and present buying behaviour isolates consumption pioneers quite successfully. Such consumption pioneers should be a rewarding group to study in respect to success or failure of new brands or products, in analysing penetration-patterns, in product testing, etc.
Advertising is one of the means to move products (or services) to the consumer, to make consumers (in all their varieties, including industrial buyers e.g.) buy the goods or services that are being advertised. There are those who say advertising cannot actually sell, They are simply wrong. Mail order advertising (for a large variety of commodities) proves them wrong every day. At the very least advertising helps sell. In trying to sell or to help sell advertising is a means of communication, it is out to link consumers to a product (or a service,. or a particular brand or a particular selling outlet etc). Advertising is closely tied up with the consumer, it tries to influence (the subject) and with the thing it is supposed to sell (the object).