What is research:

What is NOT research …

… just information

… presumed opinion

… statistics on their own

What is research:

Research IS …

… the systematic investigation into and study of materials and sources in order to establish facts and reach new conclusions.

What is research:

THE TWO TYPES…

Primary Research: original findings

Collecting data that does not already exist.

Secondary Research: looking at existing data

An interpretation or adaption of information all ready ‘out there’.

What is research:

THE TWO METHODS…

Quantitative: “the numbers, proportions and statistics”

Or “Where the numbers live”

Qualitative: “descriptive, emotive, subjective”

Or “Where the opinions live”

What is research: Primary Secondary

Interviews (face-to-face, phone, email)Focus groupsInternet forumsAudience panelsOwn audio/video event recording

ReviewsFanzine websitesSearch engine forumsResponse to news coverageAdvertising campaign response

SurveysSelect answer questionnaires

Ratings (BARB, RAJAR)Website hitsCirculation figuresBox office returnsSales (CD/DVD, games etc.)

What is research:

THE PURPOSE OF RESEARCH IN MEDIA…

Audience research:

•Audience profiling and classification

•Consumer trends and patterns

•Product preferences

Demographics Recap

• Gender• Age• Region – Where they live• Working status• Occupation and industry• Marital status• Presence of children• Household tenure• Income• Education• Social Grade

What could you use to define a target audience?

Demographic Recap

NRS social grade definitions

Other Audience Definition Techniques

AS WELL AS DEMOGRAPHICS AND CLASS/SOCIO ECONOMICS YOU CAN ALSO USE…

VaLS: Values and Lifestyles

This catagorises consumers/audience into groups according to values and lifestyles. For instance; Innovators, Thinkers, Makers, Survivors & Strivers.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VALS

Other Audience Definition Techniques

AS WELL AS DEMOGRAPHICS AND CLASS/SOCIO ECONOMICS YOU CAN ALSO USE…

Young & Rubicam: The four consumers.

Devised by the ad agency Young & Rubicam. Similar to VaLS and catagorizes consumers into 4 groups.

Mainstreamers: 40% of population. Like security.Aspirers: Want status and esteem. Like designer brands and live off credit.Succeeders: Already have status and control.Reformers: Defined by self-esteem and self-fulfilment.

What is research:

THE PURPOSE OF RESEARCH IN MEDIA…

Market research:

•Who’s already out there and what are they doing?

•What’s going well, what’s missing?

•Advertising placement and effectiveness

What is research:

THE PURPOSE OF RESEARCH IN MEDIA…

Product research:

Does it work? (Colour, look, feel, opinion)

Does it appeal to the target audience?

Is it viable as a business? (Will people buy it!)

What is research:

Sampling(diagnostics)

Validity(interpretation)

“It’s not about getting the biggest sample, it’s getting the right ratio and demography”

“Look for trends and context”

What is research:

Purpose of research for a drinks advert

“To create a product that a target audience will buy”

Better Googling – Searching tips

• Don’t ask Google questions• “ ” – Searches for the exact phrase not the words

separately, for example “media industries”• site: - Only searches the pages on that site• .. – Shows all results within the timeframe, e.g.

2009..2012• filetype: - Only searches for results that are that file

type, for example filetype:pdf• Define: - Word definition, for example

define:research• Control + F, Cmd + F – Find a word on a website

quickly

Better Googling – Searching tips

Guardian articles about TV ratings for Strictly Come Dancing written between 2009 and 2010.

site:guardian.co.uk "TV ratings" "strictly come dancing" 2009..2010

What is research: