Abstract:

I am concerned here with an attitude to pre-testing as much as a particular technique. Overall measures of advertisements are needed but it is in this area that the arguments arise. Incidentally, I shall be talking purely in terms of television advertising. Such overall measures are useful in the creation of advertising. When a particular advertisement is demonstrated as bad the account and creative groups no longer need spend their energies in arguing why it is a good advertisement. With or without the benefit of diagnostic material, ideas start flowing on how to improve or replace the advertisement. A system of pre-testing should be sensitive. That goes without saying - except that we don't always get it. Theatre gift choice change has proved rather insensitive for instant coffee advertisements in Britain. Sensitivity is essential. In setting up a new system I wanted sensitivity. On the other hand I was willing to "disconsider" validity. I don't want to actually go on record as saying that validity is not important - but too much concern with validity inhibits the development of techniques and their understanding.