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FIRST PAGE PROOFS Wiem04007 wiem04007 copy test methods to pretest advertisements and/or use control groups. We add this because it is in accordance with sound and generally Cornelia Pechmann and J. Craig Andrews accepted research standards (Cook and Camp- bell, 1979). A copy test may use a prepost design In this paper, we define advertising copy testing, that compares participants’ responses before and • Q1 describe the major copy test methods using after they see the advertisement. Or, a copy test case examples, discuss each method’s strengths may randomly assign participants to a test group and limitations, and identify areas of debate. that sees the advertisement, or to a control group The case examples were selected based on the that does not, and compare their responses. Some authors’ direct experiences and the methodolog- designs make use of both approaches (Malholtra, ical rigor of the methods. We define advertising 2009). We now describe three major copy test copy testing as a quantitative and qualitative methods that apply these principles that are used marketing research method that is used to pretest by the US National Youth Anti-Drug Media advertisements where numerical data on effects Campaign, the US Federal Trade Commission, is collected and statistically analyzed. The key 1983, and the ARSgroup, a major copy test firm. industry document about it called PACT (1982) states: ‘‘Copy testing is undertaken when a deci- COPY TESTING FOR THE NATIONAL YOUTH sion is to be made about whether the advertising ANTI-DRUG MEDIA CAMPAIGN• should be run in the marketplace. Whether this Q2 stage utilizes a single test or a combination of tests, its purpose is to aid in the judgment of METHOD specific advertising executions’’ (page 8). Generally, there are four stages in advertising The US Office of National Drug Control Policy, research: (i) copy development, (ii) a rough with the assistance of The Partnership for a stage, (iii) copy testing (i.e., pretesting), and Drug-Free America, has run the National Youth (iv) tracking (i.e., posttesting) (Belch and Belch, Anti-Drug Media Campaign for about a decade. 2007; Shimp, 2010). In copy development, initial Total expenditures are over a billion dollars ideas are developed from the creative brief and (Foley and Pechmann, 2004). The antidrug screened in focus groups. In the rough stage, advertisements target either the youth or their the advertisement is tested in draft or storyboard parents. Each advertisement is copy tested prior form, again in focus groups. Next, the final to airing using a method that was developed or nearly final advertisements are copy tested. by academic experts who conduct similar copy Finally, after appearing in the media, the adver- tests for their own research (e.g., Pechmann and tisements are tracked using surveys and/or sales Reibling, 2006). data. The surveys typically assess advertising Foreachadtestedinayouthcopytest, recall and recognition, although some measure the sample consists of 200 Caucasians, 200 advertising attitudes, product beliefs, and/or Hispanics, and 200 African-Americans, split purchase intent. 50/50 on grade (grades 7–8 vs. grades 9–10) Nine principles of copy testing were devel- and 50/50 on gender. From each ethnic group oped by US advertising agencies and are set and age, 25 youths are randomly assigned to forth in PACT (1982, p. 10–27). PACT states the test group (they see the antidrug adver- that for a copy test method to be sound, it tisement) and 25 are randomly assigned to the must (i) be relevant to the objectives, (ii) have nonexposure control group (they do not see the agreement about the use of results, (iii) use advertisement). For each ad tested in a parent multiple measurements, (iv) be based on a model copy test, the sample consists of 100 Caucasians, of human response, (v) consider multiple expo- 100 Hispanics, and 100 African-Americans, with sures, (vi) test comparably finished executions, at least one child in grades 7–10, and split about (vii) control the exposure context, (viii) define 50/50 on gender. From each ethnic group, 50 the relevant sample, and (ix) demonstrate reli- parents are randomly assigned to the test group ability and validity. To this list, we add (x) and 50 are randomly assigned to the control take baseline (i.e., pre-exposure) measurements group. The sample sizes were chosen to detect FIRST PAGE PROOFS wiem04007 2 copy test methods to pretest advertisements differences of 10% or more between test and A youth advertisement is recommended for control groups with a power of 0.80, a 95% airing if it significantly (p < 0.05) strengthens confidence level (p < 0.05), and an observed an antidrug belief or weakens intent to use within-group variance of 0.6. drugs among the overall sample or among a The data collection is subcontracted to an subsample based on grade, gender, or ethnicity. experienced marketing research firm and is typi- It is not recommended for airing if it weakens cally completed in one weekend using about an antidrug belief or strengthens intent to use 40 shopping malls across the United States drugs. A parent advertisement is recommended where the firm has access to research facilities. for airing if it significantly (p < 0.05) strengthens Youth are prescreened based on grade, ethnicity, an antidrug parenting belief or intent among the and gender and their sensation seeking is also overall sample or a subsample based on gender assessed. Parents are prescreened based on their or ethnicity. It is not recommended for airing children’s grades and their own ethnicity. Those if it weakens an antidrug parenting belief or who pass the screen and give informed consent intent. The diagnostic measures help reveal an are paid $1 for completing the 10-minute study advertisement’s specific strengths or weaknesses. and the response rate is about 78%. Parental consent for youths’ participation is obtained whenever feasible. The study is conducted in STRENGTHS small rooms with trained English-speaking inter- The National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campa- viewers who read the questions to individual ign’s copy test method seems to comply with participants and record their answers. Typically all 10 principles of good copy testing that were multi-item scales with 5 to 10 point response outlined above. options are used. Test participants see the antidrug advertise- ment two times in succession, while control 1. Be relevant to the objectives: The campaign participants do not see it. Next, test participants objectives are to strengthen antidrug beliefs answer open-ended questions about what the and intent and avoid adverse effects, and the advertisement is about and their responses are copy testing explicitly tests this. later coded. Test participants also rate the adver- 2. Have agreement about the use of results: tisement on diagnostic measures of effective- There are clear criteria for recommen- ness, believability, attention-getting power, and ding or not recommending advertisements argument strength. The advertisement’s ratings for airing. are compared with norms from prior testing. 3. Uses multiple measurements:Thereare Then, all participants complete a questionnaire multiple measures of the ad, beliefs, and that includes measures of their drug-related intent. beliefs and intent. The measures are pretested 4. Be based on a model of human response: to ensure clarity and sensitivity (no ceiling/floor Well-established models are used, such as effects) and are reused across multiple copy hierarchy of effects, the elaboration likeli- tests to ensure comparability. The data are hood model, attitude toward the ad, and analyzed using analysis of covariance; there steps in information processing (Vakratsas is one independent variable (test vs. control and Ambler, 1999). For example, beliefs are condition), moderators or contingent factors (for predicted to affect intent. youth: grade, gender, and ethnicity; for parents: 5. Consider multiple exposures: Participants see ethnicity) and several covariates (for youth: exact the antidrug advertisement twice. age and sensation seeking score; for parents: 6. Test comparably finished executions: Virtually the youth’s grade). The effects of test versus all advertisements are tested in final form. control condition alone and in combination with 7. Control the exposure context: The antidrug grade, gender, and/or ethnicity are examined by advertisement is shown alone, without looking at main effects and two- and three-way clutter. interactions. This analysis is done for each belief 8. Define the relevant sample:Thetargetgra- and intent measure. des, genders, and ethnicities are stated. FIRST PAGE PROOFS wiem04007 copy test methods to pretest advertisements 3 9. Demonstrate reliability and validity:Multi- to chance alone, although this could be avoided item measures are used to assess reliability. by using a simple Bonferroni test (Winer et Also, copy test results are compared with al., 1991). Also, control participants do not see tracking results to assess validity. Both reli- a control advertisement; they see nothing. It ability and validity have been found to be is generally recommended that control partici- high. pants be given a pseudotreatment or placebo to 10. Take baseline (i.e., pre-exposure) measure- avoid the Hawthorne effect in which being a full ments and/or use control groups: A randomly research participant itself improves responses. selected control group does not see the Specifically, a control advertisement such as a antidrug advertisement, but just completes nondrug public service announcement could
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