In 1967, 18% of housewives use MOUSPA, a household product launched in 1962. The commercial strategy of the Firm manufacturing MOUSPA is based on an expansion of the market for this product, while at the same time consolidating the positions it has already acquired, and we were asked by the Marketing Department to supply them with the information necessary for an optimum elaboration of this policy which includes both defensive action and attack. In other words, the problem was to evaluate, determine and describe the strata of the population constituting the immediate potential client or clients for the product, with a view to increasing the profitability of publicity and promotional investments at a time when the general policy of the firm rather tended to restrict them.
In 1967, 18% of housewives use MOUSPA, a household product launched in 1962. The commercial strategy of the Firm manufacturing MOUSPA is based on an expansion of the market for this product, while at the same time consolidating the positions it has already acquired, and we were asked by the Marketing Department to supply them with the information necessary for an optimum elaboration of this policy which includes both defensive action and attack. In other words, the problem was to evaluate, determine and describe the strata of the population constituting the immediate potential client or clients for the product, with a view to increasing the profitability of publicity and promotional investments at a time when the general policy of the firm rather tended to restrict them.
I shall not attempt to forecast the future of market research in the seventies, but I just want to bring up two particularly important aspects that both theoretical and practical research ought to tackle and get into perspective, if not solve completely, within the next ten years or so. I must state clearly that my viewpoint, while not diverging from that of research and surveys, is and means to remain that of an industrialist who always keeps the practical application in mind. As we all know, this invariably involves individuals, the decision-makers; this fact must not be overlooked, for its implications are often important.
I shall not attempt to forecast the future of market research in the seventies, but I just want to bring up two particularly important aspects that both theoretical and practical research ought to tackle and get into perspective, if not solve completely, within the next ten years or so. I must state clearly that my viewpoint, while not diverging from that of research and surveys, is and means to remain that of an industrialist who always keeps the practical application in mind. As we all know, this invariably involves individuals, the decision-makers; this fact must not be overlooked, for its implications are often important.
Segmented marketing is likely to replace traditional mass marketing techniques in many product fields in the future. This development will involve market researchers more frequently in what are usually described as market segmentation studies. Yet the literature available is of only limited value to the researcher embarking upon such a study because it deals largely with the development of multivariant analysis techniques of increasing power and elegance. The authors feel that insufficient attention has been paid to the problems of deciding what data should be collected to make this type of research valid and relevant to the marketing problem, or choosing which analysis technique is most appropriate, and equally important in practice, how to communicate the unusually sophisticated findings to those who have to integrate them with other information and take marketing action. They illustrate some of the difficulties and solutions which have been found in practice by reference to studies which they have carried out in various product fields. They describe the steps they carry out in the course of a "consumer attitude factor" study, and some of the analytic and graphic techniques that have been helpful in making the results comprehensible. These studies are used to show how market segmentation research helped in the improvement of the marketing and advertising strategy of some existing products, and how "holes in the market" were located so that guidance could be given in the formulation, testing and promotion of new products and brands.
A pre-test study set out to predict which of three versions of a new Lever Brothers product was most likely to be successful. All three products were test-marketed. The paper reports this case history and discusses the following: The role of pre-testing in this context, and the principle of the limited research objective. The kind of new product stimulus that informants can meaningfully respond to in the pre-test situation. The use of experimental research designs, and the kinds of variable that can be researched through them. A comparison of pre-test predictions and test market results, illustrating the detailed accuracy in this particular case of a certain type of comparative measure. The high difference in sales attributable to the variables under study.
The use of high speed computers enabled us to improve survey analysis along three basic lines: - flexibility of use, and wide range of facilities; - fast turnover; - low costs This has been possible due to the utilisation of a "Hardware" plus "Software" set, but principally due to the sophisticated Software which is oriented towards surveys analysis, i.e. the DAPHNE language. The system can be organised in the way which best suits the users' needs.
The use of high speed computers enabled us to improve survey analysis along three basic lines: - flexibility of use, and wide range of facilities; - fast turnover; - low costs This has been possible due to the utilisation of a "Hardware" plus "Software" set, but principally due to the sophisticated Software which is oriented towards surveys analysis, i.e. the DAPHNE language. The system can be organised in the way which best suits the users' needs.
Lack of information and an absence of objectively critical opinions from sociologists and marketing men have led to the present situation whereby personal contact is canonised and used as a criterion of the validity of postal contact. Referring to numerous studies with the personal or the postal form of contact, as well as to special experiments with both forms, I can with, great objective assurance declare that the postal contact as administered eliminates about 50% of all the errors of the personal form of contact and reduces the costs by 50%.
Conventional data analysis concentrates on individual surveys of not more than 2000 respondents. Hypotheses regarding small sub-groups of the population cannot be tested with these surveys. Special surveys with disproportionate samples or with a sample size of over 2.000 respondents are expensive. The cumulation of surveys for the use of secondary analyses can be regarded as a first step towards the solution of this problem. The following problems of the cumulation of surveys are discussed in this paper: 1. Technical problems concerning conditions which single surveys have to fulfil for cumulation, and questions of computer equipment to handle a large amount of data; 2. cost problems; 3. sampling problems, e.a. estimates of single surveys in comparison with estimates of a cumulated survey; 4. problems of equivalence of indicators. Finally other possibilities of analyses with cumulated surveys are discussed.
Conventional data analysis concentrates on individual surveys of not more than 2000 respondents. Hypotheses regarding small sub-groups of the population cannot be tested with these surveys. Special surveys with disproportionate samples or with a sample size of over 2.000 respondents are expensive. The cumulation of surveys for the use of secondary analyses can be regarded as a first step towards the solution of this problem. The following problems of the cumulation of surveys are discussed in this paper: 1. Technical problems concerning conditions which single surveys have to fulfil for cumulation, and questions of computer equipment to handle a large amount of data; 2. cost problems; 3. sampling problems, e.a. estimates of single surveys in comparison with estimates of a cumulated survey; 4. problems of equivalence of indicators. Finally other possibilities of analyses with cumulated surveys are discussed.
Sales promotion is an integral instrument and not just a minor advertising accessory. The paper presents a case history: The 1967 Sales Promotion Campaign conducted in France for Philip Morris by Bernard Krief Promotion The following phases will be analysed: - Preliminary research work; - Target selection; - Promotion policy; - Guidelines followed and budget apportionment; - Sales promotion actions.