An interview-based measure of short-term advertising effects

Abstract

Often, advertisers do not have real (electronic) single-source data available for the evaluation of their advertising campaigns. In this article a system is described which may prove useful for such advertisers. It is useful because real purchases are substituted by self- reported past purchase behaviour and real exposure is substituted by self-reported recalls of past exposures. In doing so, the concept of attitudinal short-term advertising strengths (ASTAS) is introduced. ASTAS is an attitudinal measure of short-term advertising strengths (STAS)-like effects of different campaigns, brands and media. It was developed in the Nordic countries in the absence of ‘real single-source data’ and within a media environment dominated by print advertising. As it turns out, the measure contains promising qualities that may be used outside the Nordic region too.In essence, the measure looks at the way in which people report advertising recall and past purchases, both when advertising is being broadcast and when it is not. In this way, it provides useful feedback for advertisers in small markets as well as others who do not have access to single-source data.