Finding a simple, understandable and reliable way to improve the return on marketing investment (ROMI) continues to top the priority list for most marketers. Phoenix has finally cracked the code with a new approach and is working with many of the world’s top advertisers to link the impact of marketing communications to brand and business growth.
Two approaches to communications and brand evaluation are available—the AdPi® System, based on Phoenix’s syndicated advertising and brand Audits, and Custom AdPi® and BrandPi® Services.
The AdPi® System: AdPi® Audits, AdPi® Express, AdPi® Concepts and Copy Testing, AdPi® Exploratory
The Communications and Brand Analytics team has developed a four-stage advertising performance evaluation process, the AdPi® System, which is founded on large-scale syndicated industry tracking studies known as AdPi® and BrandPi® Audits (Ad Performance and Brand Performance Index).
Clients use this system to test communications at every stage. They typically start with the Audit which provides the real-time, market-based ad and brand performance statistics and models needed to support the ad testing in other stages.
Track In-Market Performance: AdPi® and BrandPi® Audits
The Audit’s unique category-driven approach collects data on all brands and top advertisers replicating the real market environment in which ad performance should be evaluated—ads which represent the top share-of-voice spending, norms which reflect current ads and campaigns and the broadest competitive set.
Monthly AdPi® reports help clients make quick decisions about which ads will deliver the best return on their media spending. Coverage includes TV, print, radio, digital and out-of-home ads. PR and events can be added on a custom basis. Monthly BrandPi® reports track trends on brand metrics for all category competitors. Quarterly AdPi® and BrandPi®
Category coverage today includes investment services, retirement services, active traders, financial advisors, banking, credit cards, insurance, automotive, healthcare, travel and converged technologies. Phoenix’s Audit work is continually expanding into new markets.
For several years the Phoenix team has been using the Audit data to build sizeable time-series, historical databases which include media spending, creative executions, ad and brand performance data and response behaviors at the category level. These data sets have been used to develop predictive models which provide the basis for the AdPi® and BrandPi® scores.
Test New Advertising: AdPi® Express
Clients also insert finished pre-launch advertising into the ongoing Audit to get fast “real world” feedback on how the advertising will perform once in the marketplace. AdPi® Express “Flash Reports” are delivered in as little as a week's time.
Develop and Evaluate Advertising Concepts: AdPi® Concept Test, AdPi® Copy Test
For ads at earlier stages of development, a custom copy test using the core AdPi® metrics and scores is available. Phoenix is the only company which accurately predicts the in-market performance of pre-launch ads based on the AdPi® Audit’s category-specific models and monthly norms.
AdPi® Concept Test
Early-stage white-paper or storyboard concepts (such as positioning, messaging, claims, features and benefits) as well as design elements are evaluated via online surveys or live audience quantitative concept screening coupled with in-depth qualitative sessions, using a variety of formats from white paper concepts to “ad-cepts.”
AdPi® Copy Test
Later-stage levels of finish (such as animatics, photo boards and comps) are evaluated via online surveys. Tests can be conducted for individual ads, campaigns or competing campaign concepts. Results are compared to AdPi® Audit norms for the category.
- TV Annotator—Phoenix’s proprietary TV testing tool tracks the high and low points of engagement throughout the TV spot. Viewers then watch the ad a second time and pause the full-motion video as needed to “annotate” key likes and dislikes.
- Print Annotator—Phoenix’s proprietary print testing tool allows respondents to “annotate” key likes and dislikes for both copy and layout for all types of printed marketing materials—print ads, web pages, brochures and direct mail.
Assess Marketplace and Plan New Communications: AdPi® Exploratory—Custom Market Landscape Analysis, Best Practice Workshops, Ideation Sessions
When brand positioning or communications campaign work begins, Audit clients also take advantage of our Custom Market Landscape Analysis which provides an in-depth review of the Audit data—perceptual maps, brand migration assessment, category best practices and more. Best practice workshops, internal ideation sessions as well as consumer concept exploratory sessions are also offered.
Custom AdPi® and BrandPi® Services: Tracking, Concept Testing and Copy Testing
In some cases a Syndicated AdPi® and BrandPi® Audit is not the right solution for your category or for your target audience. In this case, the Phoenix team will design a Custom AdPi® and BrandPi® Audit using the same survey design, but with custom sampling and ad selections. Custom concept tests and copy tests are also designed to combine the principles of the AdPi® approach with specific sampling requirements.
Track In-Market Performance: Custom AdPi® and BrandPi® Audit, BrandPi® AA&U
Custom AdPi® and BrandPi® Audit
The syndicated Audit survey structure provides the foundation for the custom Audit tracking study but provides clients with ultimate flexibility to add additional brand and advertising questions.
Custom BrandPi® AA&U
Clients with smaller advertising budgets may prefer to track only brand results over time using the traditional pre-and post-launch tracking methodology. Phoenix’s unique advantage on these studies is cost-effectiveness and rapid turnaround time, attributable to the company’s significant syndicated research platforms.
Develop and Evaluate Advertising Concepts: Custom Concept Testing, Custom Copy Testing
Custom AdPi® Concept Testing
Early-stage white-paper or storyboard concepts, such as positioning, messaging, claims, features and benefits, and design elements are evaluated via a variety of methods:
- Qualitative discussion groups—Allows clients and agency partners to observe and hear consumers’ reactions first-hand and to probe on specific issues interactively.
- Online testing— Concepts are presented and evaluated online, providing quantitative ratings on best messages, claims, appeals, accompanied by open-end verbatim on key likes/dislikes which provide direction for further development.
- Theatre testing—Through live audience or online audience research, concepts are rated and ranked quantitatively using keypad ratings. In-depth qualitative sessions follow which provide rich detail on why respondents voted as they did.
Custom AdPi® Copy Testing
Later-stage creative work, such as animatics, photo boards and comps, are evaluated via a variety of sampling and testing methods. Tests can be conducted for individual ads, campaigns or competing campaign concepts.
Custom methodologies
- Theatre testing—Live audience reactions to a series of ad concepts or finished ads are rated using hand-held key pads.
- Mobile intercepts—Using wireless hand-held devices, mobile intercepts provide the ability to sample hard-to-reach sample populations, such as C-Level executives, business decision-makers in international markets and unacculturated ethnic populations.
- Central location tests—Best used when the population is narrowly defined; respondents are pre-recruited to participate in a local test that is standardized across markets.
- Online bulletin boards/focus groups—Provides an opportunity for many respondents from many locations to participate simultaneously and leverage moderator interaction.
Custom testing methods
Breakthrough measurement
- TV clutter reel test—The clutter exposure and ad recall measurement is combined with the standard AdPi® ad evaluation metrics.
- Print portfolio test—The print portfolio exposure and ad recall measurement is combined with the standard AdPi® ad evaluation metrics.
Engagement evaluation
- TV Annotator—Phoenix’s proprietary TV testing tool tracks the high and low points of engagement throughout the TV spot; viewers then watch the ad a second time and pause the full-motion video as needed to “annotate” key likes and dislikes.
- Print Annotator—Phoenix’s proprietary print testing tool allows respondents to “annotate” key likes and dislikes for both copy and layout for all types of printed marketing materials—print ads, web pages, brochures and direct mail.
Simultaneous qualitative/quantitative ad testing
- Quantitative online ad testing is conducted on a schedule which is synchronized with the qualitative research sessions. Online survey results are delivered the first night of the qualitative research to provide a statistical perspective to what’s being learned in the qualitative research session.
- Qualitative sessions provide the ad agencies the detailed feedback they need to make changes to the advertising creative and content.
We would welcome the opportunity to discuss our Communications and Brand Analytics services with you in more detail. Please contact Anne-Marie Doherty or Lane Mann.
AdPi® and BrandPi® are registered service marks of Phoenix Marketing International all rights reserved.
