Boston Creative Testing

Diagnostics Boston Score Financial Services Norms
Recall of ad 20 21
Playback of key message 10 15
Likeability of ad 35 22
Positive image 31 28
Unique to advertiser 15 18


The top-of-mind awareness numbers for Boston Life continued to go down. They had peaked in Wave 2 of the study but now they were actually back to where they had started in Wave 1. What was even more disturbing was that Mutual Life Insurance was beginning to gain momentum. They were closing in on Boston Life. The top brand, Peoples, continued to plug away as number one.

When Jim turned the page of the study to the demographic breakdown of the awareness numbers, his heart dropped further. He started to see where the Boston Life advertising campaign was having an impact and where it was sorely lacking.

It was obvious from this chart that Boston Life was being effective with older, more upscale men. However, they were woefully underdeveloped with the younger end of the family set and with women.

“No wonder Carl Morgan is concerned with our advertising campaign,” thought Jim.

CREATIVE TESTING RESEARCH

Jim Walters wasted no time in calling his team together after the tracking study research was in. He said, “We must determine if our media plan or our message or both are on track.” Jim felt that this was a critical time for the agency to do something on the account. So, he commissioned creative testing research that the agency paid for at its own expense.

The creative testing research was done with Boston Life ads put into the advertising medium with other ads. This was done for Boston Life with both television and print advertising. For the television ads, they were placed within the context of a 30-minute television program and in commercial pods with other ads. Consumers were then asked to recall ads in the program and then replayed the Boston Life ad for specific feedback. A similar test was done with newspapers where a consumer was asked to read the newspaper and then asked about the ads within it.

The scores of the consumer responses were then compared against other financial services companies that had also done this type of creative testing. These were called normative values. Jim Walters was anxious to understand if the Boston Life ads were better than the normative values.



Exhibit 21.4

Competitive Media Spending (millions of dollars)

Company Year 1 Year 2 Year 3
Boston 15.0 18.0 21.0
Mutual 6.0 8.0 9.0
Metro 8.0 8.0 8.0
Peoples 20.0 22.0 24.0


What Jim found was a mixed bag. The overall recall of the Boston Life ad was right on norm but consumers didn’t play back the key message of the commercial. Consumers really liked the ads yet they didn’t feel that they were unique to Boston Life.

Jim wasn’t sure what to do with the results. The campaign was a series of warm family moments so he wasn’t surprised if consumers liked them. “Who doesn’t like cuddly kids and their pets,” he thought. What bothered Jim was the diagnostics on uniqueness. That was what Carl Morgan of Boston Life had been harping about. Yet the CEO of Boston Life loved the ads. “I feel so good when I see them,” said the CEO.

The bigger news in analyzing the advertising strategy for Boston Life was in the competitive media analysis. Boston Life had steadily been increasing its advertising expenditures for the past three years. It was closing in on the category leader, Peoples Insurance.

As Jim reviewed the media expenditure information, he also saw that Mutual Life had increased their spending, yet they were still spending less than half of Boston Life’s total.

“We have been spending more, yet we seem to be getting nowhere in terms of top-of-mind awareness,” thought Jim. Jim knew that this chart alone was a condemnation of an ineffective advertising program. He mused, “I don’t think too many clients are willing to spend more and get the same thing.”

As Jim dove deeper into the information, he began to see where differences emerged in the way the media dollars were allocated by each of the brands. His media group had provided a breakdown of the four insurance companies and the major media in which they invested their advertising dollars.

Boston Life had had the same media mix for years. They had been very print-focused. This was due to the Boston Life’s CEO, who felt that a product like life insurance should have a medium that is tangible.

“Print conveys that we are a real company. Plus it is great to send those ads to our sales force,” commented the Boston Life CEO. The past few years, Boston Life had developed a series of television ads that were placed in golf and tennis programming. Boston Life also sponsored a series of yacht races that began in Boston Harbor. The Boston Life CEO was an avid sportsman and he enjoyed being associated with yachting, golf, and tennis.



Exhibit 21.5

Media Mix Analysis (in %)

Medium Boston Mutual Metro Peoples
Network TV/Cable 30 10 70
National/Spot Radio 60
Magazine 30 40
Newspaper 30
Out-of-Home 30
Sponsorships 10 40 20
Online 10 10 10
Total 100 100 100 100


Jim found it interesting that Peoples Insurance spent the majority of their dollars on network television and cable television. You expected that type of media plan from the category leader. Mutual Insurance took a different tack. They have developed a funny character that had a recognizable voice. As a result, they put their money into radio and did selective markets with outdoor. ADVERTISING DECISIONS

Jim felt that he had all the information he needed to help craft a point of view on Boston Life. He wondered how he should put it together and what he should actually reveal to the client. This was going to be a difficult meeting, since much of the advertising strategy had been directed by the Boston Life CEO. Yet, Jim knew that the agency was ultimately responsible for the advertising program.

Jim also knew that Carl Morgan wanted results and would not be satisfied unless something was changed to make the program more effective. Jim saw issues with both the creative and the media—but which one was really driving the lower awareness numbers? Jim wondered if wholesale changes were needed or if he should just redirect some dollars into different media. He was particularly troubled by the program in light of the lack of response of younger families.

Jim had a week to prepare for a meeting where he would address both Carl Morgan and the Boston Life CEO with some answers. He started to work that afternoon on the agency point of view.

Do you think the creative strategy should be changed? Why?

Do you think the media plan should be changed? Why?