Here, we’re turning the tables: We first identify the strategy with the most compelling rationale for its impact and then ensure high-quality implementation. The question of impact should be answered not by a pretest, but by the financial results.
In terms of advertising impact, the message is the cause of the effect, and the advertising objective is its effect. If the advertising objective is influenced by the message, we refer to this as advertising impact. Since we do not know the advertising objective of each of the analyzed ad campaigns, we derive it—along with the strategy—from the advertisement itself. To make this approach easier to understand, we will focus the next six installments of this analysis on quality assurance—specifically, on the quality of visualization.
In the three previous issues, we examined how messages are seen (15/2010) and understood (17/2010), and how the perception situation relates to media planning (19/2010). Next up are the special features «Integrating Messages Across Media» (1/2011) and «Measuring in a Timely Manner» (3/2011). In each case, the analysis briefly explains what the focus topic is about and then applies the underlying concepts to a specific advertisement.
Part 4: Different Target Audiences in Advertising Effectiveness Measurement
In communications, it is important to distinguish between three target audiences: one for marketing, one for communications, and one for media planning. Let’s take the example of a hearing aid manufacturer that wants to launch a waterproof device. The marketing target audience is defined by those directly affected who are willing to spend money on such a device.
When it comes to communication, however, it’s a waste to limit yourself to just the marketing target audience. After all, the reach can be multiplied if even the wife—who has good hearing—realizes that her husband could use the new hearing aid in any weather. Close relatives and friends have a very significant influence on decision-making, and often it is precisely these people who actively intervene: partners, parents, children, friends, coworkers, etc. Social networks are important groups that influence decision-making and therefore, together with those directly affected, define the communication target audience.
A particular advertising medium is selected because it is assumed to be the best way to reach a specific marketing target audience. This selection is based on proprietary usage studies conducted by the respective media providers—with the result that each medium has its own target audience profile and thus cannot be compared to others (as an extreme example, billboards do not have a target audience at all). This dilemma prevents fact-based, cross-media campaign planning and evaluation.
This unsatisfactory situation is resolved when advertising material performance—rather than the advertising medium—is used to determine reach and contact frequency. In this sense, the media target group is derived from the measurable advertising material performance, the advertising material’s function, and the communication target group. With these three target groups, it is now possible to evaluate the advertising material in relation to marketing objectives and media planning in relation to media strategy prior to publication, and to optimize them in a timely manner.
> For a detailed analysis of the topics

Information Series on Advertising Effectiveness
The analytical method presented here by Zurich-based BildKom GmbH measures advertising effectiveness in both the narrow and broad senses, evaluates it, and thereby enables its management. This approach differs fundamentally from the conventional method: Today, the standard practice is to first produce a commercial or advertising campaign—and then try to determine whether the commercial and campaign are effective. Here, we turn the tables: We first identify the strategy with the most compelling rationale for effectiveness and then ensure a high-quality execution. The question of effectiveness should be answered not by a pretest, but by the financial results.
In terms of advertising impact, the message is the cause of the effect, and the advertising objective is its effect. If the advertising objective is influenced by the message, we refer to this as advertising impact. Since we do not know the advertising objective of each of the analyzed ad campaigns, we derive it—along with the strategy—from the advertisement itself. To make this approach easier to understand, we will focus the next six installments of this analysis on quality assurance—specifically, on the quality of visualization.
In the two previous issues, we explored how messages are seen (15/2010) and understood (17/2010). Next up are the special features «Different Target Groups in Advertising Effectiveness Measurement» (Issue 21/2010), «Integrating Messages Across Media» (1/2011), and «Timely Measurement» (Issue 3/2011). Each analysis briefly explains what the featured topic is about and then applies the underlying concepts to a specific advertisement.
Part 3: Perception Context and Media Planning
The message is inextricably linked to the medium and its effectiveness: A poster is viewed differently than an advertisement. The distance between the viewer and an advertisement is about 30 centimeters; for a poster, it ranges from one to fifteen meters (viewing distance). Sometimes we read carefully, other times we simply skim through the many pages of required reading (purposefulness). Then again, we drive past a poster at 50 km/h (time constraint).
How many messages are there in a campaign? And do the messages differ from one advertising medium to another? Should a message be tailored to the specific characteristics of the medium, or is the message unrelated to the medium’s design? The answer is simple when we link a message to a specific communication content. For example, if a vacuum cleaner is to be marketed with the benefit «silent,» not all advertising mediums are equally well-suited for this purpose. On a poster, it’s harder to convey the silence and the associated feeling. With a non-audio advertising medium, on the other hand, the necessary reach could be achieved more cost-effectively.
However, this means that for every piece of communication content, there are as many sub-messages as there are advertising mediums and design variations—and just as many ways of interpreting the message. Should each sub-message stand on its own, or should they be distributed in such a way that they only reveal the overall message when taken together? This question can be answered by comparing the effectiveness of the sub-messages with the advertising intensity and the performance goals. Simply put, sufficient funds must be available so that all sub-messages can be noticed by the target audience and integrated into the overall message. If the necessary advertising intensity is lacking, it makes sense to design each sub-message to be «self-contained» so that it does not depend on other sub-messages.
> View the detailed results (PDF)

The analysis method developed by Zurich-based BildKom GmbH, described here, measures advertising effectiveness in both the narrow and broad senses, evaluates it, and thereby enables its management.
This approach differs fundamentally from the conventional method: Today, the standard practice is to first produce a commercial or an advertising campaign—and then try to determine whether the commercial or campaign is effective. Here, we turn the tables: We first identify the strategy with the most compelling rationale for its effectiveness and then ensure a high-quality execution. The question of effectiveness should be answered not by a pre-test, but by the bottom line.
In advertising effectiveness, the message is the cause of the effect, and the advertising objective is the effect itself. If the advertising objective is influenced by the message, we refer to this as advertising effectiveness.
Since we do not know the advertising objective of each of the analyzed ad campaigns, we deduce both the objective and the strategy from the ad itself. To make this approach easier to understand, we will focus the next six installments of this analysis on quality assurance—specifically, on the quality of the visuals.
In this first part, we examine how messages are perceived. This will be followed by the special issues «Understanding Messages» (Issue 17/2010), «Perception Context and Media Planning» (Issue 19/2010), «Different Target Audiences in Advertising Effectiveness Measurement» (Issue 21/2010), «Integrating Messages Across Media» (Issue 1/2011), and «Timely Measurement» (Issue 3/2011).
Each analysis briefly explains what the main topic is about and then applies the underlying concepts to a specific advertisement.
Part 1: Seeing Messages
If a message isn’t seen, it can’t be understood. This simple fact is part of quality assurance and is crucial to the effectiveness of advertising. We’re not talking about technical quality—which, of course, every agency guarantees—but rather semantic quality—or, to put it simply, how well the message is understood. As with any other work process, this quality must be monitored at regular intervals.
It’s important to understand that it’s not the advertising concept itself that has an impact. It merely conveys the message. What has an impact is the strategy—the reason behind the impact—which is communicated in the form of a message. This message provides the consumer with the reason why they do or don’t do something—that is, why they subscribe to a newspaper, choose a car, or order a beer. Under no circumstances should this reason be left to chance—rather, it should be carefully identified. This can be achieved by observing people’s behavior.
For a message to be seen, two conditions must be met: First, the information relevant to the message must be perceived within the available time. Second, the meaning of this information must be correctly interpreted. A person can take in and process about three units of information per second. The relationship between the amount of information and the available viewing time is a matter of perceptual psychology and can therefore be easily calculated and optimized. The question of message comprehension must be tested in a timely manner with unbiased test subjects and continuously adjusted. The goal of quality assurance is to convey the message to the recipient with as little wastage as possible.
> Results at a glance
> Detailed results
Contact
Dr. Patrik Zwahlen
Managing Director BildKom GmbH
Research Institute for Visual Communication
Phone: 044 380 78 88
www.bildkom.com