Developing Copy Tests that Estimate Brand Usage

AbstractWhen the objective of an advertising campaign is to increase the consumption or usage frequency of a package good, copy testing measures must be sensitive to this objective. Since measuring actual usage can be prohibitive in terms of time and money, we present two measures which can be examined in a laboratory -- cognitive responses and usage intentions. Two different laboratory studies underscore the factors that influence the sensitivity and validity of these two different types of measures. With measures of usage intention, one's usage frequency of the target brand determines the appropriate measure question. With cognitive responses, the sensitivity is determined by the specificity of the elicitation procedure. Methodological and measurement implications are suggested along with a general method for further testing of stylized measures such as usage.About the AuthorBrian Wansink (Ph.D. Stanford University) is a Professor of Business of Nutritional Science, of Advertising, and of Agricultural & Consumer Economics at the University of Illinois-Urbana-Champaign. After working with an ad agency and the Small Business Administration, he earned his Ph.D. in marketing at Stanford (1990) and was a marketing professor at the Amos Tuck School at Dartmouth College (1990-1994), the Vrije Universiteit in Amsterdam (1994-1995), and the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania (1995-1997) before moving to Illinois to establish a research program that uniquely focuses on mature packaged goods. Dr. Wansink's expertise is directed toward revitalizing mature brands. Specifically, he focuses on determining the types of ads, promotions, and packages that will increase the usage frequency and usage volume of mature packaged goods. The Food and Brand Lab was founded in 1992 by Professor Wansink. It consists of 15 interdisciplinary researchers at the University of Illinois along with 3 test kitchens, 5 cooperating supermarkets, and a panel of 3,000 consumers. Research is independently funded by grants, consumer groups, and companies. It all focuses on better understanding consumers and how they relate to foods and packaged foods.

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