Research in Communications

Definition of Research

Research plays a critical role in decision making. It provides information that helps individuals at the agency and client better understand their product and target audience, the marketing environment, and the effectiveness of the product's advertising and media placement. Research helps inform advertisers' judgement so that they can identify their range of option and evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of each option.

Primary research

-It is first-hand research. It may include interviews which you conduct. It also includes surveys or questionnaires which you organise and analyse. Be careful how you use information collected in a survey, however, as it is only a small sample and should not be used alone to validate arguments.

-It collects original, typically proprietary, information to meet an advertiser's or marketer's informational needs. Primary research is used when secondary research is either nonexistent, unreliable, or too costly. The selection of primary versus secondary research is determined by the specific problem addressed by the research and the types of information required for decision making.

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English: Nielsen Media Research Global Headquarter...

The Journal of Advertising Research, one of the Ad...

Secondary research

-Secondary research examines data gathered for a research need other than the current one that already exists in printed or electronic form. Sources of secondary research information include internal agency or client record, government agencies, trade association's information brokers, marketing and advertising research companies, specialized and general interest books, magazines, and academic journals.

-It forms the majority of your research. It involves looking at information and tests already gathered, produced or published.

Television Ratings

The ratings are used to buy and sell television viewers. Commercial television stations are in the business of selling audiences. Ratings express the popularity of programs and tell television executives how many people are watching certain programmes at a particular time. This information can then be used to set a price for the...