Creative Testing POV

B A L D W I N &

A D V E R T I S I N G R E S E A R C H T R A I N I N G

F E B R U A R Y 5 , 2 0 1 5

TODAY’S OBJECTIVE Understand the Baldwin& POV on advertising research.

Learn how to approach pre-testing with new and current clients

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L E T ’ S S TA RT W I T H A N E X E RC I S E

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L E T ’ S S TA RT W I T H A N E X E RC I S E

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W E B E L I E V E …

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Our three principles for maximizing creative effectiveness:

Research early. (Prior to and leading up to the brief) Research late. (Post-launch and in-market) Leave the middle alone. (Pre-testing)

Creativity is not a science. It can’t be quantified. But to be effective, it can and should be grounded in compelling consumer insights based off of solid research. Amazing creative comes from amazing insights gained through smart research.

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O U R C R E AT I V E P RO C E S S

WHERE ARE WE NOW?

WHERE COULD WE BE?

HOW DO WE GET THERE?

WHERE SHOULD WE BE?

DELIVERABLES

STEPS

I. DISCOVERY II. EXPLORATION III. REFINEMENT IV. DEVELOPMENT

Understand the current competitive context, health of the brand, challenges in the marketplace, the consumer opportunity group and the category-wide customer

behaviors and preferences.

Identify and uncover how the brand can grow and connect with the desired

audience(s).

Articulate the best strategy to go to market

and how that can be applied in all aspects of

the consumer experience.

Creative development, concepting, idea

generation, revisions, etc. Media / audience

planning, costing, negotiating. Production.

MARKET OPPORTUNITY DRIVERS OF BRAND PREFERENCE

THE BRAND STAND

CREATIVE CAMPAIGN

ARE WE GETTING THERE?

V. MEASUREMENT

Gauge performance of the campaign, including

overall consumer engagement and shifts in brand perceptions

and preference.

TRACKING

LATEMIDDLEEARLY

WE BELIEVE IN RESEARCHING EARLY

(PRE-BRIEF)

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U P F RO N T R E S E A RC H I S C RU C I A L

WHERE ARE WE NOW?

WHERE COULD WE BE?

HOW DO WE GET THERE?

WHERE SHOULD WE BE?

DELIVERABLES

STEPS

I. DISCOVERY II. EXPLORATION III. REFINEMENT IV. DEVELOPMENT

Understand the current competitive context, health of the brand, challenges in the marketplace, the consumer opportunity group and the category-wide customer

behaviors and preferences.

Identify and uncover how the brand can grow and connect with the desired

audience(s).

Articulate the best strategy to go to market

and how that can be applied in all aspects of

the consumer experience.

Creative development, concepting, idea

generation, revisions, etc. Media / audience

planning, costing, negotiating. Production.

MARKET OPPORTUNITY DRIVERS OF BRAND PREFERENCE

THE BRAND STAND

CREATIVE CAMPAIGN

ARE WE GETTING THERE?

V. MEASUREMENT

Gauge performance of the campaign, including

overall consumer engagement and shifts in brand perceptions

and preference.

TRACKING

- PLANNING - Understand the Market /

Consumer

Extensive Tool Kit

Simmons based segmentation Media behaviors

Survey based segmentation Segmentation based on customer data

A&U (deep dive on attitudes, usage purchase behavior) In-depth consumer interviews or ethos - in-home, shop

alongs drive alongs, etc. Expert interviews

Consumer/client work sessions Social listening

Mobile ethnographies - diaries, pictures, video Online moderated group discussions

Traditional focus groups - in creative settings and with creative techniques beyond a basic discussion guide

AND MANY OTHERS…

W E H AV E LOT S O F C R E AT I V E O P T I O N S F O R R E S E A RC H

WE FIND RESEARCH IN THE MIDDLE TO BE

PROBLEMATIC. (PRE-TESTING)

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FIVE REASONS WHY PRE-TESTING IS FLAWED.

“It is not possible to make a realistic test of the effectiveness of a commercial in a laboratory situation in advance of real-life exposure.”

– Alan Hedges, “Testing to Destruction”

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I S S U E 1 : T H E A S S U M P T I O N T H AT T H E E N V I RO N M E N T C A N B E R E P L I C AT E D

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I S S U E 2 : T H E A S S U M P T I O N T H AT P R E - T E S T I N G P R E D I C T S S U C C E S S

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

Quantative Qualitative

64%71%

43%44%

Pre-testing Post-launch

R e l i a b i l i t y o f a d v e r t i s i n g re s e a rc h m e a s u re s a s p re d i c t o r s o f s u c c e s s

S o u rc e : I PA d a t a M i n e . “ M a r k e t i n g i n t h e E a r o f A c c o u n t a b i l i t y. ” O c t o b e r 2 0 1 0 .

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I S S U E 3 : W E ’ R E S T I L L T E S T I N G L I K E W E ’ R E I N T H E M A D M E N E R A

The way we test advertising hasn’t changed in 50 years, despite the fact that advertising has changed over 50 years.

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I S S U E 4 : G I V I N G P E O P L E W H AT T H E Y S AY T H E Y WA N T R A R E LY L E A D S TO A N Y T H I N G G O O D.

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“If I had asked people what they wanted, they would have said faster horses.”

. ” .”

— Henry Ford

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I S S U E 5 : U N F I N I S H E D WO R K E L I C I T S U N F I N I S H E D R E S P O N S E S.

“Imagine ‘The Man Your Man Could Smell Like” in a storyboard…it never could have passed. It really was about the executional magic…”

– James Moorhead, P&G Brand Manager

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U N T I L A N A D I S M A D E , YO U A R E R E S E A RC H I N G …

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Stimulus material, not creative work. Creative hypotheses, not creative work.

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We believe pre-testing is flawed.

However, there are instances where a client requests pre-testing and in those cases, we need to find a way to make it useful.

1) Use it to answer a specific question2) Act as a gut check3) Predict a red flag before moving forward

And in those cases, research must be customized to meet the unique situation.

WE BELIEVE IN RESEARCHING LATE

(POST-LAUNCH)

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T H E OT H E R K E Y P L AC E F O R R E S E A RC H I S P O S T L AU N C H

WHERE ARE WE NOW?

WHERE COULD WE BE?

HOW DO WE GET THERE?

WHERE SHOULD WE BE?

DELIVERABLES

STEPS

I. DISCOVERY II. EXPLORATION III. REFINEMENT IV. DEVELOPMENT

Understand the current competitive context, health of the brand, challenges in the marketplace, the consumer opportunity group and the category-wide customer

behaviors and preferences.

Identify and uncover how the brand can grow and connect with the desired

audience(s).

Articulate the best strategy to go to market

and how that can be applied in all aspects of

the consumer experience.

Creative development, concepting, idea

generation, revisions, etc. Media / audience

planning, costing, negotiating. Production.

MARKET OPPORTUNITY DRIVERS OF BRAND PREFERENCE

THE BRAND STAND

CREATIVE CAMPAIGN

ARE WE GETTING THERE?

V. MEASUREMENT

Gauge performance of the campaign, including

overall consumer engagement and shifts in brand perceptions

and preference.

TRACKING

POST LAUNCH - Measure Success

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W E H AV E A N U M B E R O F TO O L S TO A S S I S T W I T H M E A S U R E M E N T A N D O P T I M I Z AT I O N

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Extensive Tool Kit

Brand tracking studies Brand health studies

Social listening Creative optimization

Placement optimization Site analytics

A/B in-market testing Traffic and optimization of media

AND MANY OTHERS…

IN CONCLUSION…

“Research cannot and should not be asked to control either the creative or decision-making process.”

. ” .”

— Alan Hedges, Testing to Destruction, 1972

IN SUMMARY…

-We believe research is most effective when it occurs in the early stages of a project to inform insights and post-project launch when it informs future optimization.

-We do not feel pre-testing research is the answer for assessing the effectiveness of creative work.

- If a client requires us to pre-test, use it to answer a specific question, act as a gut check, or predict a red flag before moving forward. And in those cases, research must be customized to meet the unique situation.

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THANK YOU!