Communications Imperatives for New Products
Journal of Advertising Research, Kirby Andrews
This article throws some light on the standing issue of what is the best advertising for new products. The author describes a research study done in conjunction with clients of his research / consulting firm.
19 firms had cooperated in the study, and offered a total of 50 new products that had been marketed in some 10 major product categories. For each product there was a commercial that had been deemed sales-successful or not (27 were, 23 were not). Most products were parity products, and only 14 were genuinely different.
Each commercial was analyzed for content: the analysts sought 2,121 criteria, using computer programming, for each segment of each commercial that had separate meaning. This long list was worked down to 84 criteria that seemed to be important. They differentiated the ads. All 50 commercials were then analyzed against these 84 factors, and scored. Lastly, the advertisers then supplied the success label for each commercial, and further analysis yielded the final data.
It was found that there's a direct relationship between the structure and content of an introductory commercial for a new product and its ability to stimulate trial (the prime measure of success for new product advertising). 9 communication imperatives were found, and 85% of the successful commercials incorporated all 9 of them. Only 13% of unsuccessful commercials did so.
Of the 9 imperatives, 5 are basic advertising communications objectives and involve:
1. Capturing attention
2. Building interest
3. Communicating clearly
4. Creating awareness
5. Meeting advertiser strategy
Journal of Advertising Research, Kirby Andrews
This article throws some light on the standing issue of what is the best advertising for new products. The author describes a research study done in conjunction with clients of his research / consulting firm.
19 firms had cooperated in the study, and offered a total of 50 new products that had been marketed in some 10 major product categories. For each product there was a commercial that had been deemed sales-successful or not (27 were, 23 were not). Most products were parity products, and only 14 were genuinely different.
Each commercial was analyzed for content: the analysts sought 2,121 criteria, using computer programming, for each segment of each commercial that had separate meaning. This long list was worked down to 84 criteria that seemed to be important. They differentiated the ads. All 50 commercials were then analyzed against these 84 factors, and scored. Lastly, the advertisers then supplied the success label for each commercial, and further analysis yielded the final data.
It was found that there's a direct relationship between the structure and content of an introductory commercial for a new product and its ability to stimulate trial (the prime measure of success for new product advertising). 9 communication imperatives were found, and 85% of the successful commercials incorporated all 9 of them. Only 13% of unsuccessful commercials did so.
Of the 9 imperatives, 5 are basic advertising communications objectives and involve:
1. Capturing attention
2. Building interest
3. Communicating clearly
4. Creating awareness
5. Meeting advertiser strategy
The other 4, called introductory factors hold more interest. A new product advertisement should:
1. Communicate that something is different about the product
2. Position the brand difference in relation to the product category. What type of product is this?
3. Communicate that the product difference is beneficial to consumers.
4. Support the above two claims: difference and beneficial. The support may be product demonstration, testimonial, guarantee etc.,
The study also points out the surprising number of commercials from the large firms involved that did not meet the 5 basic objectives and did not offer the 4 introductory factors.
The study, though, did not go on to speculate whether these findings would apply to non-television goods and services.
1. Communicate that something is different about the product
2. Position the brand difference in relation to the product category. What type of product is this?
3. Communicate that the product difference is beneficial to consumers.
4. Support the above two claims: difference and beneficial. The support may be product demonstration, testimonial, guarantee etc.,
The study also points out the surprising number of commercials from the large firms involved that did not meet the 5 basic objectives and did not offer the 4 introductory factors.
The study, though, did not go on to speculate whether these findings would apply to non-television goods and services.
Why don't you replicate this study in the Indian context using Indian products and advertising? Would be useful to the marketing and advertising fraternity, to say the least.
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