researching and measuring entertainment audiences chapter 7
TRANSCRIPT
Researching and Measuring
Entertainment Audiences
Chapter 7
Why We Conduct Research
Finding out and describing - tracks a changing audience landscape
Explaining - answer “why” questions for predicting future trends
Evaluating - judging success or failure
Branches of Empirical Research
Theoretical data research - draws general conclusions about a phenomenon through deductive hypothesis testing
Applied data research - inductive, interpretive model that explores and discovers audience-related issues
Descriptive Studies
Observation and field-basedUnstructured data collectionEthnographic approachCulture-orientationEmic perspective
Consumer Ethnography
Critical Incident and Trailer Call Techniques
Critical incident (CIT) identifies “best practices” and audience requirements on a periodic basis. Focus is on an incident, what led up to it, and how it helped compete an interaction.
Trailer calls obtain immediate feedback on performance of a transaction on a continuous basis using a short list of questions.
Projective Techniques
Information emerges from researchtypes:1. Constitutive2. Constructive3. Interpretive4. Cathartic5. Refractive
Rorschach Test
Haire Study
Good wife1 1/2 lb. hamburger2 loaves Wonder breadBunch carrotsMaxwell House coffee
(drip ground)2 cans Del Monte
peaches6 lbs. potatoes
Lazy Wife
1 1/2 lb. hamburger
2 loaves Wonder bread
Bunch carrots
Nescafe instant coffee
2 cans Del Monte peaches
6 lbs. potatoes
Projective Techniques for Audience
Motivation Research
Word associationsSymbolic associationsThematic apperception test (TAT)Object sorting
Rich Description Techniques
1. Free association
2. Choice ordering
3. Completion
4. Construction
5. Expressive
Free Association
Brand-specific use personification techniques
Photo sorting matches pictures with a brand
Photo and tale collages
Associations for Mall of America
AttributesProduct-related Attributes User Imagery Brand
Personality Multiple shopping options Fashionable, trendy, Fun,
adventuresome, Ample parking stylish, unisex athletic, artsy
MALL OF AMERICA
BenefitsFunctional benefits Experiential benefits Symbolic
benefits Big names, wide range of Greenery, escalators, Feeling
of self-prices, product variety kid activities, cafe smells expression and self-
assurance
Completion Devices
Sentence completion in first or third person
Use in group interactions and individual interviews
Easily developed and administered
Construction Techniques
Story development from specific stimuli
Zaltman Metaphor Elicitation Technique collage development and respondent stories
Cartoon bubble completion
Consumer Collage
Cartoon Bubble
Other Techniques
Role playing - generates consumer narratives from their acting out a situation
Brand obituaries - tales help companies understand the brand and its perceived value
Evaluative Research
Audience analysis by syndicated research companies
Exposure ratings use both gross and cumulative measures such as GRP, CPP, and CPM
Advertising Research
Measures who sees the adDetermines audience response to adsEvaluates effect of ad through sales dataNielsen Media Research tracks product
placement ratingsPodcast audience tallies
Q Factor Celebrities and stars are rated using the Q
rating system where audiences grade using a 6-point scale
In your opinion the performer is….1. One of my favorites2. Very good3. Good4. Fair5. Poor
6. Someone I’ve never heard or seen.
Analyzing Qualitative Research
Sorting and categorization of interview text is used to identify emerging themes
Top-of-mind preferences are used to answer the question “why”
Projective techniques yield patternsTriangulation uses multiple methods to
authenticate the data collection and analysis
Internet Audience Research
Chat groupsListservsGroupwareThreaded discussionsGuestbooksSurveymonkey.com
Protocols
Templates for research guidelinesFocus group questionnaireSurvey components: introduction,
completion instructions, questions using scaling techniques, demographic information.
Questions
What is the best method for researching declining attendance at a local performance venue? How would you design data collection and analysis?
What ethical issues are involved in gathering personal information from attendees or participants of events? How can they be overcome?