MEASURING ADVERTISING EFFECTIVENESS

Basic Concepts

Reach: Reach is the ratio of the total target audience to the viewers who have the opportunity to watch the communication medium where the advertisement is shown or one of the tools in the advertising broadcast program (for example, a specific TV show) for at least one minute within a certain period.

Reach is also used in print media. The Turkish Press Readership Survey conducted by the Press Monitoring and Research Committee (BİAK) every three months calculates the reader numbers of newspapers and magazines based on their reach values.

Reach, a unit of measurement used to determine the number of people reached within a period—usually four weeks for radio and television, and the time each issue remains on the market for newspapers and magazines—is often expressed as a percentage. When calculating reach, each viewer/reader is counted once, and the difference between a viewer who sees the advertisement multiple times in different media and a viewer who sees it only once is not considered.

Effective Frequency and Reach: In media planning, it is necessary to know how many times the advertisements to be broadcast should reach the target audience to be effective. At this point, the concepts of effective frequency and effective reach come into play.

Effective frequency refers to the minimum number of repetitions required for an advertisement to be effective.

Effective reach refers to the percentage of the total target audience who have encountered the advertisement enough to create the desired level of awareness or desired behavior.

Coverage: Coverage defines the number or percentage of people reached by a communication tool or the number or percentage of potential buyers reached by an advertisement within a geographic area. Sometimes used interchangeably with reach, coverage is obtained by dividing the number of people reached by a mass communication tool by the entire target audience.

Rating: Rating is the percentage of people who watch a TV or radio channel during a specific time period. Ratings are calculated using devices placed in the homes of a group of viewers determined according to certain criteria aimed at understanding the general population. For example, if a TV show gets a 50% rating, it means that fifty out of every hundred people in the target audience watched that show during its broadcast.

How Does Peoplemeter Work?

In our country, ratings are measured by an organization called TNS. TNS collects detailed information about the demographic characteristics and socioeconomic status of people living in the cities where the measurement will be conducted. Then, a viewer panel consisting of families representing the structure of that region is created. Ratings are measured in cities with urban populations over the age of 5. Ratings are measured in 2201 homes with 2801 rating devices.

Peoplemeters are attached to all televisions in the home, and the Peoplemeter has a special remote control. This remote control can observe the number of people watching TV at that moment and who they are. Each family member has a number. For example, button number 1 is for the father, number 2 for the mother, and 3 and 4 for the children. Family members press their respective buttons on the remote control when they start and stop watching TV. Additionally, a message asking, "Are the same people watching?" every 9 minutes ensures that family members do not forget to press their personal buttons when they start or stop watching TV.

Share: Share refers to the percentage of the total audience watching a channel during a specific time period and demographic group. In other words, share indicates how many out of every 100 people watching TV prefer that channel. Share is calculated only by considering people who are watching TV. To calculate share, the rating received by a program during its broadcast is divided by the total rating of all programs during the same period.

What are A/B and TOTAL?

Ratings are measured across four groups: A/B, C1, C2, and D/E. These groups are formed based on the education and occupation of the head of the household. The A/B group consists of individuals with a higher level of education, while the C and D/E groups represent lower-income groups. TNS has determined these groups. According to these measurements, the A group is 4%, B is 9%, C1 is 22%, C2 is 29%, D is 28%, and E is 9%.
AB Group: The AB group consists of economic/cultural groups A and B. Although it has a low percentage of about 13%, advertisers value this group due to its high purchasing power.
TOTAL Group: The TOTAL group includes all economic-cultural groups.

    A Voice Group (4%)

    • The majority are university graduates, with approximately 30% holding postgraduate degrees.
    • Nearly half are salaried employees, qualified professionals (architects, engineers, doctors, lawyers, etc.).
    • Nearly 10% are white-collar workers with more than 20 employees.
    • 20% are owners of small to large businesses (half of which have no employees).
    • Nearly 40% of main income earners (MIE) have working spouses.
    • 20% are saving money.
    • 30% spend their vacations at resorts/hotels.
    • Nearly half have a home library/bookshelf.


    B Voice Group (9%)

    • Approximately 60% are university/postgraduate graduates.
    • Approximately 35% are vocational school or high school graduates.
    • Approximately 60% are civil servants, technical staff, or specialists (not managers).
    • 15% are owners of small to large businesses (most with 1-5 employees).
    • 30% of MIEs with spouses have working spouses.
    • 13% are saving money.
    • 20% spend their vacations at resorts/hotels.
    • 30% have a home library/bookshelf.


    C1 Voice Group (22%)

    • 60% are high school graduates (20% from vocational high schools).
    • 10% have a higher education degree.
    • 40% are tradespeople, shop owners.
    • 40% are skilled workers (high school educated).
    • Approximately 15% are civil servants or technical staff.
    • Approximately 15% are retired.
    • 13% of MIEs with spouses have working spouses.
    • 5% are saving money.
    • 20% spend their vacations at resorts/hotels, nearly 40% visit relatives.
    • Nearly 20% have a home library/bookshelf.


    C2 Voice Group (29%)

    • Approximately 20% are high school graduates.
    • 80% have an education level of middle school or lower.
    • Approximately 60% are primary school graduates, working regularly as laborers.
    • 10% work solo as mobile vendors.
    • 20% are retired, not working.
    • Less than 10% of MIEs with spouses have working spouses.
    • 70% do not take vacations, others visit their hometowns and relatives.
    • 10% have a home library/bookshelf.


    D Voice Group (28%)

    • Over 70% are primary school graduates or dropouts, others are middle school graduates.
    • 30% are retired, not working.
    • Over 20% are laborers (mostly pieceworkers).
    • 30% are small-scale farmers.
    • Nearly 10% are housewives.
    • 80% do not take vacations, others visit their hometowns.


    E Voice Group (9%)

    • 95% are primary school graduates or dropouts.
    • Nearly 30% are unemployed (mostly living on aid).
    • 40% are retired, not working; 30% are retired and work as laborers.
    • Over 20% of MIEs are housewives (without regular income, living on aid).


Gross Rating Point (GRP): It represents the gross viewing, listening, or reading rate obtained by an advertisement during the campaign period. GRP is expressed as a percentage and is a gross value due to viewer repetition. Therefore, the gross rating point does not represent a net rate.

To explain with an example:

Assume an advertisement is broadcasted on programs A and B, where program A has a rating of 20% and program B has a rating of 15%. Let's assume the ad is shown 3 times on program A and 2 times on program B. In program A, 20x3=60, i.e., 60% GRP is obtained, and in program B, 15x2=30, i.e., 30% GRP is obtained. The total GRP is 90%.

Calculating the gross rating point helps measure which advertising mediums reach the audience and to what extent. Comparisons made help determine which advertising mediums can reach the right target audience and allow for the inclusion of the medium in the media plan.


Cost Per Thousand (CPT)

CPT, a concept often used in print media, refers to the cost required to reach every 1,000 people in the target demographic group in an advertising campaign. According to CPT, the point where the most people are reached with the least expenditure is where the media vehicle or media plan is most effective. Also known as CPM (Cost Per Mille), a lower value indicates that reaching the target audience is less costly.


Cost Per Gross Rating Point

It is calculated as the cost of obtaining a rating point to determine the effectiveness of a communication vehicle. For example, if the cost of an advertising slot is 200 TL and the gross rating point for the slot is 10, the cost per rating point is 200 TL/10=20 TL.

The effectiveness measurements of advertising campaigns are carried out using two main methods:

  • Depending on the timing of advertising effectiveness measurements, pretests (before advertising) and posttests (after advertising)
  • According to the advertising objectives planned to be measured, communication effects tests or sales effects tests


    • Pretest Effectiveness Measurements Before Advertising

    • Before launching an advertising campaign, it involves testing the final concept of a big idea using draft representations with focus groups that represent the target audience.
    • In the pretest method, basic concepts are tested and analyzed, as well as print or outdoor ad headlines, content, draft drawings, or TV ad storyboard and animation works can also be tested beforehand.
    • This method aims to identify any idea or work that the target audience may not like or misunderstand before the advertising campaign is finalized.
    • Thus, making adjustments based on this feedback can increase the effectiveness of the advertising once it is published.


      Posttest Effectiveness Measurements After Advertising

      • The goal is to determine whether the campaign has achieved its objectives and to collect data for use in situational analysis stages of subsequent advertising campaigns.
      • Tests are used to measure communication effects such as brand awareness, recall, and developing a positive attitude towards the brand.
      • Testing sales effects is also crucial for evaluating the advertising campaign's impact on sales and other actionable objectives.

      1. Advertising-Related Laboratory Measurements

      Effectiveness measurements in this approach test the communication purpose of the advertisement and the elements that make up the advertisement message. This approach includes various measurement methods involving pretest methods.

      1.1. Consumer Jury/Focus Group Method: Opinions about the advertisement are taken through face-to-face interviews with small groups. The focus group method can be used for detailed evaluations with groups of 8-12 people.

      1.2. File/Portfolio Method: In this method, the advertisement to be measured is shared in a file along with other written documents and non-tested control group advertisements. Participants are asked to look at this file and read the materials they find interesting. The effectiveness of the advertisement is measured by how participants remember the tested advertisement when they see it and how many details related to the advertisement they can recall. The aim is to measure interest in the product.

      1.3.Readability Tests: This method focuses on elements in the advertisement that capture people's interest, such as sentence length or word similarity. These elements are understood through correlations with the skills developed by consumers with different educational backgrounds, which are effective in understanding written material. Readability tests should be used alongside other pretest methods to check the communication effect of the advertisement and to prevent errors that hinder comprehension.

      1.4. Physiological Measurements: The physical reactions of a test group to the advertisement are measured in a laboratory environment using technological devices. Sub-methods such as eye-tracking cameras, tachistoscopes, GSR/PDR, and EEG are used in these measurements.

      1.4.1. With Eye-Tracking Cameras, the eye movements of the participants while watching the ads are monitored, allowing measurement of which parts of the ad attract their interest, keep them engaged, and whether the created ad elements are perceived. However, these findings should not be viewed as definitive.

      1.4.2. Tachistoscope: In a laboratory environment, participants are shown advertisements for very short periods, starting from a fraction of a second, using a slide machine called a tachistoscope. The speed of the participants' reactions to various elements of the ad (illustrations, brand, product, etc.) is recorded. The aim is to correlate the recognition speed of these elements with the highest reader score to reach a conclusion.

      1.4.3. GSR/PDR: Galvanic Skin Response (GSR) and Pupil Dilation Response (PDR) aim to measure attention to stimuli from different perspectives. In the GSR method, the electrical resistance created by palm sweating on the skin is measured before showing the ad to the participant, and the same measurement is taken after showing the ad to compare.

      In the PDR method, physical changes in the participant's pupil in response to various stimuli are measured to understand their emotional reactions to the ad.

      1.4.4. With EEG, the frequency of the participant's brain waves is monitored while watching the ad to understand their emotional reactions.

      2. Product-Related Laboratory Measurements


      2.1 Theater Method:
      A group representing a target audience of typically 350-1000 people is invited to a new television program through invitations. Advertisements are placed in appropriate spots within the program. Before the program, participants are asked which brands they would like to receive as gifts and to record these. After the program, they are asked if their decision has changed.

      2.2. Caravan Tests:
      In this method, participants are brought to a caravan or similar central area in a shopping mall and shown a few advertisements within a written material and program. Different forms and contents of the advertisement are shown to participants, and discussions are held about them. Participants are then asked to make a choice, and questions are asked throughout the process to understand the advertisement's impact.

      2.3. Laboratory Stores Method:
      In this method, participants are first shown an advertisement and then allowed to shop in a small store. Coupons and shopping vouchers are usually given to participants for shopping. This allows for observing the participant's behavior and attitudes towards the brand at that moment to understand their response to the advertisement.


      3. Real-Life Advertising Measurements


      3.1 Pretest Methods:

      In pseudo-advertising vehicles, participants are asked for their comments to develop the advertisements in the pseudo-advertising vehicles sent to them. After the reading process, interviews are conducted with participants about both the content of the medium and the advertisements they reacted to.

      In the survey/interview method, readers are encouraged with coupons to provide information and feedback. This method operates under normal conditions of print media. This method allows for comparing various creative advertising styles.

      Live broadcast tests are conducted by selecting an average audience of 200 people who were found to be watching TV the previous evening. Participants are asked whether they remember the advertisements from the program they watched the previous evening through direct or indirect recall. Since the viewers are at home, they generally answer the questions comfortably. However, whether the participants understood the message of the advertisement they watched is not evaluated.

      3.2 Posttest Methods:

      Recognition tests are often encountered in measuring the effectiveness of print advertisements. The aim is to compare the recognition of a brand's advertisement in a given print medium with other advertisements. In the readability report method, the impact of advertisements in a particular issue of a magazine is evaluated by cross-referencing more than the existing and other magazine options.

      Recall tests involve asking participants questions after ensuring they read all the advertisements in a magazine to measure whether the advertisement's purpose and message were understood and remembered. Aided or unaided recall tests are conducted. In aided recall tests, questions about the advertisement are asked with some hints.

      In association measurements, the recall of the message is measured by ignoring the time factor. Participants are asked questions such as "which brand of gasoline" and "which advertisements promise more kilometers per liter". This triple association test measures 1. unbranded product, 2. advertising theme, 3. brand message. The percentage of correct answers is calculated to measure the accuracy and proper communication of the advertisement message.

      Combination/aggregate measurements include recall and recognition tests, such as placing the tested advertisements in a magazine and changing their presentation. For the method's application, all advertisements are first shown. Then, for example, three advertisements are shown. In the final stage, the advertisements are shown mixed. Participants are asked if they remember the advertisement in the final stage and their thoughts about the messages.

      4. Real-Life Product Measurements

      These measurements are conducted to measure the direction of the purchase action towards the product and changes in attitudes towards the product. Pretest and posttest measurement methods are used to understand the target audience's status before and after the advertising campaign in the determined market.

      4. 1. Before-After Method and Sales Tests:
      The attitudes and purchase rates of the target audiences in the determined market before and after exposure to the advertising campaign are evaluated. Control markets and test markets are determined, and the sales quantities in the test markets where the advertisements are broadcast are compared with the sales quantities in the control markets where the advertisements are not broadcast. This is applied by comparing past sales with post-advertising sales.

      4.2. Trial Market/Local Market Method:
      A small market segment isolated from other markets is determined, and the advertising campaign is applied only here. In this method, sales in the market segment where the advertisement is applied are compared with sales in the market segment where it is not applied to determine the advertisement's impact. Cable TV measurements and trial equipment in shopping malls are examples of this method.