Testing to Destruction
Been revisiting Alan Hedges’ ‘Testing to Destruction’, the seminal 1974 work that I feel is required reading for planners. He has this to say - ‘We would be well advised to strike the word ‘testing’ from our advertising research vocabulary, because it gives a quite misleading impression of the proper aims and possible achievements of the operation’.
32 years later, the word ‘testing’ still exists and we are still using a ‘one-size-fits-all’ advertising research model. And we are using it to determine whether a piece of communication gets the go-ahead or not.
I am as guilty as the marketing manager is in using a quick and dirty, cover-your-ass, subjugating decision making to research approach. Maybe we need to reawaken the debate on advertising research.
32 years later, the word ‘testing’ still exists and we are still using a ‘one-size-fits-all’ advertising research model. And we are using it to determine whether a piece of communication gets the go-ahead or not.
I am as guilty as the marketing manager is in using a quick and dirty, cover-your-ass, subjugating decision making to research approach. Maybe we need to reawaken the debate on advertising research.
posted by Mani Kadayam at 10:12 AM
1 Comments:
Does Joe Public know what he wants? I dont think Henry Ford did any research to come out with the Model T. Many other examples are possible. It may seem politically incorrect to say so but the ordinary man on the street can be well, very ordinary.
Take the leap, at least once in a while
- Kumar mama
300606
Post a Comment
<< Home