Abstract:

This paper describes the work undertaken by Family Circle magazine, in conjunction with Citicorp POS Information Services, and Simmons Market Research Bureau, to measure the effects of magazine advertising on the sales volume of advertised products. This study used scanner data from supermarkets to compare actual purchase behavior, between households purchasing a specific issue of Family Circle, and a demographically matched group of households not known to have purchased the issue. The first part of the paper discusses the background of the study and its methodology, including descriptions of the household specific data collection process, and participant selection, as well as information pertinent to the media consumption patterns of the test and control groups. The second part of the study deals with the findings, which support the conclusion that magazine advertising, indeed, has a substantial and measurable effect on product volume. General findings are presented first, followed by a series of case studies showing detailed results for the four most effective advertisements.