Abstract:

Corporate advertising requires a research-based approach just as much as product advertising. A good example is Imperial Chemical Industries Ltd., who have been using this approach in Britain since the 1940's. Following research in 1968, the campaign has been aimed not only at conventional "opinion-formers" through the press, but also at the general public through television. A continuous programme of opinion research has been used to identify the need for the campaign, to set targets, and to monitor its effects. Qualitative research is used to pre-test and modify the advertising. This paper proposes the thesis that corporate advertising is not a new type of advertising, but a relatively new application of normal advertising practice. It can successfully be planned and assessed with the techniques that have been developed for advertising intended to sell goods and services.