5.

A good copy- testing system allows for consideration of whether the advertising stimulus should be exposed more than once. This principle endorses the idea that in some test situations the learning of test material is much highter after two exposures than it is for one, indicating that there are situations where a single exposure test could be inadequate. 6. A good copy- testing system recognizes that the more finished a piece of copy is, the more soundly it can be evaluated and requires, as a minimun, that alternative execution be tested in the same degree of finish.This principle is cocerned with the biases that can creep into a test when alternative executions are tested in different stages of finish. 7. A good copy- testing system provides controls to avoid the biasing effects of the exposure context. This principle pionts out the potential biasing effects of the context in which a program is viewed, such as an off- air test versus an on-air test, a clutter reel of commercials versus a program contex, and one specific program context versus another specific program context. 8. A good copy- testing system is one that takes into account basic consideration of sample definition. This principle emphasizes the importance of prooer sampling procedures, especially ones the importance of proper sampling procedures, especially ones dealing with the size and representativeness of the sample. 9. A good copy- testing system demonstrates reliability and valid- ity empirically. This principle underscores the improtance of test- ing systems that yield the same results each time the advertising is tested (i.e., reliability). For validity, this principle encourages users to provide results or evidence about validity, which are relevant to marketplace performance. The PACT agencies were concerned that there were many systems in use for which no evidence of validity was provided. CONCURRENT TESTING This type of testing refers to research that takes place while the campaign is running in the marketplace. There are two basic types: tracking studies and coincidental studies. Of the two, tracking studies are far more important. Tracking Studies Tracking Studies are often a major part of the management of a market- ing communication campaign. Although the most important tracking a company can do is to monitor, sales, a tracking study usually refers to some type of consumer survey. Tracking studies are a way to monitor the pulse of a campaign. If there is some aspect of the plan or some area within the marketplace that is doing particularly well, an alert, wellinformed com- pany can often increase its marketing advantage. On the other hand, the marketplace can be brutal to companies that fail to respond quickly to their problems. Tracking Studies work best when they are part of an ongoing information- gathering system. The basic idea behind tracking is to keep in close contact with what consumers are thinking, feeling, and doing. Com- panies are interested in information like the following. Awareness. Companies want to know about brand awareness and top- of- mind awareness as well as consumers awareness of new information on the product, such as new features or a change in the positioning of a brand. Attitude. Companies like to know consumers attiude toward the product because of the widespread belief that attitudes strong ly affect the consumers predisposition to buy a

product. The nature of the relation- ship between an attiude and purchase behavior can vary considerably. Communication Playback. Basically. Compaines want to know if they are geting the right message across. As caompaies employ new and different strategies, tracking studies enable them to closely monitor whether they are achieving their objectiver. Traditionally, very simple recall measures were used, but in recent years therehas been diminished interest in recall. Reported Product Usage. Companies regulary monitor sales on a daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly basis. Some of this information comes from within the organization. Large consumer- goods companies also supple- ment their databases wirh information from syndicated research services. Tracking studies are used to understand the ature of the sales taking place. For new products, consumers are whether their purchases are new (or trial) or repeat. For existing products, consumner are asked about their frequency of use. Product Satisfaction. With the increased emphasis on relationship market- ing. Many companies are sensitive about satisfying consumers and want to know if consumers like their products and their advertising. Among the important measures of consumer satisfactions are questions focusing on consumers intentions to repurchase a product. To obtain the above information, companies either conduct in- house testing or use outside suppliers. Agencies do not typically provide this type of research. A company usually sets up a system tho gather information on a regular and periodic basis. The system can function on an ongoing basis (weekly, even daily), or it can gather data in large blocs of interviews at aa time, called waves. Companies either set up their own panels or use ones set up by re- search firms. A problem with panels occurs when consumers become overly sensitized to participating in the study, or have reactive effects, and respond in way that differ from the consumers they are supposed to represent. Some of the more popular tracking methods companies to gather the information include: Telephone Interviews this method is probably the most popular because it is quick, easy, and inexpensive. Consumers can be asked a full range of questions, from those dealing with awareness to ques- tions on product satisfaction. E-mail interviews this method has been rapidly increasing in pop- ularity because like the telephone it is quick, easy, and inexpensive. Moreover, e-mail messages lend themselves to replies more so than phone messages. One major disadvantage is that there are still a large number of people that cannot be reached by e-mail. Diaries consumers are asked to keep a record of various activities such as brands purchased, brand switches, use of coupons, and expo- sure to use, the information obtained is more reliable. Pantry checks this method provides much the same kind of brand usage information as diaries. Although this method is more expensive to use, the information obtained is more reliable. Mall intercepts although this method is used widely for other types of consumer research, it is used only occasionally for tracking studies. Its chief advantage is that it is one of the easies and quickest way to obtain large quantities of information

 Product Audits and Scanner Data Traditionally, companies had supplemented internally generated sales data with marketplace productmovement data from research firms such asa ACNielsen. These firms were able to estimate product movement by monitoring the flow of goods in and out of retail location and area warechouses. Estimates were based on location visits as well as store and warehouse records. Today, the information is based largely on scanner data. The two dominant firms in the business of gathering product and scanner data are ACNielsen and Information Resources, Inc. (IRI). Both