online advertising surveys and research

Means-End Analysis and the associated Hierarchical Values Map can be developed through online survey research methods. Three types of advertising research that can be conducted with means-end analysis and the Hierarchical Values Map are brand design schematic, advertising value identification analysis, and advertising message effectiveness.

Brand Design Schematic

Brands connect products or services to people through the meaning that the brand brings into the lives of the people who use it. Brands tap into six modes of communication to convey meaning: naming, wording, describing, picturing, symbolizing, and animating.

To flesh out a brand design schematic, researchers often integrate means-end research with other forms of marketing/consumer research. Hierarchical Value Maps based on the means-end analysis identify the connection between the brand attributes and the market needs (expressed as personal benefits of brand use and values that are reinforced) and give creative directors a rich set of concepts for producing advertisements.

Advertising Value Identification Analysis

Advertising value analysis focuses on the hierarchical attributes, benefits, and values that are associated with and portrayed as an advertisement. Means-ends analysis is often part of this type of study. General measures that are part of advertising value identification are:

• Ad Recognition - Recognition and recall of similar ads; overall description/characterization of ad personality; identification of main message of ad; most/least liked about ad
• Ad Attributes, Benefits and Value Association Assessment - Identification and desirability of attributes of the product; understandable, believable, relevance of benefits associated with the product and ad; likelihood of value associations or achievement through benefits; likelihood of purchase questions; frequency of usage
• The Ad Buzz - Value Centrality, hearing about the product from friends and neighbors; how often you invite others to use it; core features and benefits that you share with others; likelihood of sharing information with peers; the number of people you told about the ad
• Respondent Profiling - demographic questions; psychographic questions; product purchase/use history
• Ad Placement and Congruence with Media - familiarity and frequency of viewership of specific types of media; in which media would you expect to see an ad for this product

Advertising Message Effectiveness

Advertising testing for message effectiveness is directed at identifying the impressions, feelings, and effectiveness of the ad in moving the respondent to a desired goal (increased awareness, more product information, trial, repeat purchase). General measures that are part of advertising message testing include:

• Overall Ad Appeal - recognition and recall of similar ads; likelihood of purchasing the product after seeing this ad; ad preference
• General Impressions - remember what the ad was about; which people, characters, or things stood out in the ad; general thoughts or feelings during the ad; what and where does the ad give information about the product
• Ad Consistency - where ad parts or messages do not fit together; positive and negative impressions taken away by the ad
• Ad Emotional Effect - identification of feelings that you get from the ad; what situation have you used or felt like people in the ad; evaluation of benefits and values (feelings that are associated with the ad that are received from using or owning the product)
• Usage Effect - in what situation would you use the product; likelihood of trial or purchase
• External Effect - where have you talked with people about this ad