Situation:
The Blanton Museum of Art is the largest art institution at the University of Texas, having recently expanded to a new location. Host to an extensive permanent collection, the museum also features a variety of art-centered activities and events. While non-student participation and support has remained strong for years, student attendance has gradually decreased.
Objective: Increase student attendance at the Blanton Museum of Art and its unique events.
Strategy:
Identify target’s level of awareness.
Uncover differences between student users and non-users.
Reveal offerings with the greatest appeal and opportunity for engagement.
Communicate the role this museum can have in the students’ lives.
Approach:
Online student survey
On-site brief interview
My Role: I lead our group in the research effort from the development of questionnaires to interpretation of response in order to reach a joint decision on the strongest direction.
Insights:
Awareness of the museum and its newly expanded location was high. However, knowledge of its offerings beyond the art collection was limited.
Other university sponsored activities such as sporting events, experienced greater popularity, some even preferred to unaffiliated options around Austin.
Students who regularly participate in museum events enjoy that it is more than simply static artwork on the wall.
The Bid Idea: “Art is Interactive.”
Results:
The main insights revealed lead to campaign recommendations centered on the uniquely “interactive” nature of the museum’s offerings. Executional elements, designed to play into this interactivity while attracting attention included:
- Living statues posed along the highly trafficked campus mall.
- Campus fair event with the painting of a large school mascot statue for outdoor display.
- Promotion of monthly Third Thursday evening events featuring in gallery yoga, book club and more free to students.
Surprised to hear that student awareness was as high as revealed, the client selected our team was thanks to research and final campaign.
Situation:
To recognize a student’s 21st birthday, the University of Texas Health Services sends cards, following in the B.R.A.D. (Be Responsible About Drinking, Inc.) card tradition. This effort, rife with logistical difficulties, among others, has shown little impact on drinking behavior. While UHS acknowledges that drinking is likely to take place, excessive and potentially dangerous practices are of particular concern to the university.
Objective: Reduce excessive drinking of alcoholic beverages in student 21st birthday celebration.
Strategy:
Asses current perception of the UHS birthday card campaign.
Identify most appropriate form of communication for given message.
Effectively balance birthday wishes and reminder of danger in excessive drinking.
Approach:
Target segmentation through observation of risk taking behavior.
Bar tender survey.
One-on-one student interviews.
Comparative review of university birthday campaigns and drinking initiatives.
Final recommendation pre-testing.
Insights:
- The existing UHS birthday campaign was found ineffective due to incomplete coverage, a negative tone and students unwilling to receive the message from this source.
- A majority of students reported planning to include alcohol in their 21st celebration.
- Many students overestimated the actual level of alcohol typically consumed by others.
- Pressure was felt to celebrate with free offerings from bars on Austin’s famous 6th St.
Results:
The resulting campaign recommendations for drinkers and non-drinkers alike were designed to highlight the positive realities of celebratory behavior, promoting appealing alternatives to what had come to be seen as the “traditional” 21st birthday celebration in Austin. Campaign elements touted much of what makes the city of Austin one of a kind as well as opportunities exclusive to the birthday honoree on their special day.
Creative Brief
What Are We Advertising?
The alternatives to drinking excessive amounts of alcohol in celebration of one’s 21st birthday (a campaign to be sponsored by UT University Health Services).
Why Are We Advertising?
To combat the excessive level of alcohol some University of Texas students attempt to drink on their 21st birthday because “it’s the tradition”.
Who Are We Talking To?
UT college students who are regular, but not hopeless drinkers and not yet 21 years old. They follow the crowd, easily influenced by the perceived norm for social behaviors and the acts of more reckless individuals. They would normally celebrate their 21st birthday downtown and drink more than a typical night out, effected by the occasion, free drinks and the pressure of friends.
What Do They Currently Think?
One’s 21st birthday is meant to be celebrated by drinking as much as one can, possibly attempting to reach a number of shots and/or other alcoholic beverages in one night that is unhealthy and potentially dangerous. Partying in any other way on this one occasion is “lame” and unbefitting to the event. Excessive drinking on one night is not seen as a threat to one’s health and well being – i.e. “Nothing can happen to me. I’m only 21 once.”
What Do We Want Them To Think?
There are many ways to celebrate this milestone birthday without focusing on the fact that buying alcohol is now legal. One does not have to respond to the pressures of friends and the social scene of Downtown telling them to drink to excess.
What Is The Single Most Important Thing?
The tradition of drinking excessively on your 21st birthday is not the only way to celebrate.
Why Should They Believe It?
Austin and UT have a lot to offer students. There are birthday freebies at local favorites only redeemable on this occasion. There are tons of Austin landmarks to see, some historic and others more in keeping with the “weirdness” the city prides itself upon. In a sense, it is even more “lame” for a UT student to spend four years in Austin without experiencing these people, places and things. Why not use the 21st birthday as an opportunity to take advantage of these?
What Is The Tone Of The Ad?
Fun, Encouraging, Friendly, Approachable, Supportive.
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Situation:
Pull-Ups training pants had a strong following in the U.S. as well as Central and South America. However, the brand hadn’t directed much marketing effort to the Hispanic market, a particularly appealing, younger and rapidly growing target. Moreover, faced with a maturing category, sales of Huggies Pull-Ups were declining. In order to initiate the search for inspired direction, LatinWorks enlisted our class, giving us the opportunity to experience first hand working with an agency and an actual client.
Objective: Demonstrate to Hispanic mothers that Huggies Pull-Ups are a valuable part of potty training.
Strategy:
Uncover and compare common approaches to potty training.
Identify mothers’ perception of the training pants category overall.
Determine unique appeals of Huggies Pull-Ups for Hispanic women.
Engage a multicultural target with relevant, meaningful messaging.
Approach:
Daycare consultations.
Diaper aisle observation.
In-store, infant section interviews.
Focus group of Hispanic mothers.
“Mommy” website and blog review.
My Role: I participated in the overall research effort, from examining online resources to conducting observation and in-store interviews. I also offered my Spanish-speaking skills in order to moderate an informal focus group. Finally, I contributed to the summation of research findings and the conclusions drawn.
Insights:
Mothers in general shared common perceptions and approaches to potty training, however, young Hispanic women had their own perspective:
- As the first in the segment, Huggies Pull-Ups had generic status, used in referring to all training pants. This demonstrated a need, but also opportunity to focus on authenticity.
- Word-of-mouth and experience were most influential in choosing brand and approach.
- Working and on-the-go mothers had a particular need for rapid success.
- Potty training was seen as a distancing stage in maturity such that many mothers prolonged what they feared would weaken the bond with their child.
The Big Idea: Huggies Pull-Ups are a companion throughout a child’s whole potty training “journey”.
Results:
The campaign recommended was tied together by the concept of a literal and figurative trail. Elements were designed to emphasize how ease and convenience opened the way for the bonding potential of the “journey” along the potty training process, catering to needs of active mothers who’d like to bring their child along with them. They included:
- Potty training friendly bathroom stops for mom and child while out.
- Mobile phone application for location of potty spots.
- Activities on website for rewarding success.
Creative Brief
What Are We Advertising?
Huggies Pull-Ups
Why Are We Advertising?
To concurrently emphasize to Hispanic mothers that Huggies Pull-Ups creates bonding experiences when potty training and increase product sales.
Who Are We Talking To?
Second generation first time Hispanic moms, ages 18-34, who are working or on the go, bilingual and bicultural.
What Do They Currently Think?
Hispanic market is familiar with Huggies Pull-Ups and associates it with quality. Additionally, the Huggies Pull-Ups name is used interchangeably with general training pants, considered to be an expensive form of a diaper.
What Do We Want Them To Think?
Huggies Pull-Ups understands that the motivations of mothers to use the product differ from authenticity, freedom and bonding; however, using Huggies Pull-Ups will speed the end process of having a potty-trained child. Additionally, it is important for mothers to believe that the brand is the obvious choice in reaching the next stage of their child’s development.
What Is The Single Most Important Thing?
Mothers will have the freedom and convenience to have time to strengthen the bond with their child.
Why Should They Believe Huggies Pull-Ups?
Market leader in the training pants category
Has a strong brand following from the homeland of Central and South America
Huggies Pull-Ups provides for a less messy alternative to potty training
What Is The Tone Of The Ad?
Engaging, Fun and Trustworthy
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Consumer Research Study
ONLINE SHOPPING:
WEBSITE DESIGN AND CONSUMER BEHAVIOR
Situation:
For its convenience, ease and accessibility, online shopping has become more and more popular, especially among a younger demographic. From browsing to direct buys, a variety of behaviors come into play before an eventual purchase. Moreover, site use can range from information gathering to comparison shopping. With the number of website types and page features available, it would be beneficial to know what consumers find most useful in their online shopping search.
Objective: Identify common behaviors in online shopping regarding consumer use and perception of website design, type, and page features.
Approach:
In-depth interviews
My Role: As member of group, participated in interview guide development and execution as well as analysis of participant response. Although truly a joint effort, contributed most to final sections, summarizing findings and conclusions drawn from the data.
Findings:
The interviews were conducted with young adults, a demographic commonly cited for cynicism toward marketing and a strong desire for control. Although a limited number of respondents participated, a variety of behaviors were found common among the group:
- Product search generally began with a familiar and established brand name.
- Bargain websites and Company pages were among the types of sites most consulted.
- Evidence of site credibility and security took part in the decision to use.
- The most important page features included:
- Imaging Viewing.
- Comparison Options.
- Search Customization.
- Consumer Reviews.
Insights:
The above findings revealed that though online shopping has many appeals, young adult consumers still commonly seek to compensate for the limited tangible qualities of the process. The ability to search and compare side-by-side as one might in a physical store were often favored features. Respondents also emphasized the importance of viewing options due the inability to pick up and examine the product first hand. Additionally, a personal component was added to the online process with the consultation of customer reviews. Willingness to purchase from a distant, impersonal entity was influenced by perceptions of site credibility and security. Thus, marketers should note that as consumers shift more and more of their purchases online, they are frequently seeking website features that successfully account for the important qualities of the shopping experience with which they are most familiar.
If you have any questions or would like a copy of any of these projects, please leave me a comment. I would love to hear what you have to say.
