Running head: DOWNY Q `1

Business Research – 5910

Individual Work One – Week Ten

Downy – Q

Loraine J Jackson

Everest University

DOWNY – Q 2

Downy – Q

What course of action would you recommend to Downy – Q’s management based on the

available descriptive statistics to the advertising campaign? Explain the rationale for your

recommendation.

According to the text, descriptive analysis is the elementary transformation of data in a

way that describes the basic characteristics such as central tendency, distribution, and variability

(Zikmund, Babin, Carr, & Griffin, 2013, p. 484). Descriptive analysis also entails a level of

scale measurement which will influence the choice of descriptive statistics. Additionally,

statistics appropriate for lower- order scales, nominal and ordinal, are appropriate for higher-

order scales, interval and ratio (Zikmund, Babin, Carr, & Griffin, 2013, p. 484). Research must

also be tabulated, which is an organized arrangement of data typically seen in a table, and this

can also be done by hand.

This particular research for Downy-Q was conducted when an advertising campaign for

this brand had come to an end in regard to its popularity. The modified campaign which was

dunned “Fighting the Cold,” emphasized that Downy-Q was an “extra-warm quilt” (Zikmund,

Babin, Carr, & Griffin, 2013, p. 503). In addition, previous research established that extra

warmth was an important and deliverable product quality. The commercial assessment was asked

in order to measure the ability of the campaign to produce additional interest for consumers

interested in purchasing this product. This revised advertising campaign was recommended by

the marketing division, and are interested in these results and just how effective this

advertisement would perform among the target market of consumers. I have come to the

conclusion that the “Fighting the Cold” advertisement was a very credible and believable

commercial, and that the revised campaign would be very attractive to specific market sectors.

DOWNY – Q 3

After interpreting the research data and statistics, “Fighting the Cold” seems to be an

extremely convincing advertisement, predominantly with married, employed, female respondents

in their mid-30s. Because of these statistics, I would strongly recommend that this advertisement

be added to the rotation of commercials in addition to those that are aired during the fall and

winter months as a potential method of increasing the overall amount of consumers that use the

brand, as well as to boost the number of consumers who will purchase the same product again

and again when the need arises for a replacement product. I would also recommend this

commercial advertisement be aired during prime-time hours as well as on certain television

networks that have women specifically in mind such as Lifetime.

Respondents were asked to measure overall brand choice based on the responses before

the advertisement was presented as well as those obtained after the advertisement was shown.

The commercial seemed to display an increase in choice for Downy-Q. Additionally, the results

indicated that “Fighting the Cold” scored a +15 pre/post increment, which is above average for

this type of advertisement for quilts, with a result of +10. The test commercial had a higher

pre/post among married women, scoring a +17, than among unmarried women, where the score

was +12. The pre/post measurement was particularly high, +18 among respondents who are

employed. Among respondents who are not employed the pre/post score was +13. These results

indicated that employed women responded highly to these commercial advertisements.

In addition, respondents were asked to choose adjectives that were used to depict the

advertisement. Particular adjectives where “Fighting the Cold” scored lower than average were

associated to the entertainment aspects of the commercial, whereas on adjectives relating to the

content of the commercial, “Fighting the Cold” scores equal to the norm. The norm: all quilt

DOWNY – Q 4

commercials scored a high percentage in relation to overall appeal and effectiveness, being

known as very clever, convincing, and original (Zikmund, Babin, Carr, & Griffin, 2013, p. 504).

In addition, respondents listed the attributes of being “extra warm,” “light weight,” or having a

“pretty design”, in the survey results.

What additional data might be useful in determining an appropriate course of action? Why

would it be useful?

Additional data that may be useful in determining the best course of action would be

what part of the country respondents reside. Reasons being, different climates and areas of the

world may or may not have an impact on purchasing habits. I would recommend that Downy – Q

run this advertisement in the months where the weather is cooler and in the cold and flu season.

In addition, I would recommend that they air these advertisements during the time that women

watch television the most, on the specific networks and television channels that advertise and

cater to women and mothers.

What warnings would you give to Downy-Q related to the interpretation of the data?

The warning would be that data transformations are many times required in order to

assist in the analysis of the data. Further, make sure that the statistics are significant in the

research performed in order to allow for accurate interpretation of the data. Processes in

statistical interpretation come with their own set of expectations, and it must be assured that the

assumptions that are being made parallel to the appropriate statistical test.

DOWNY – Q 5

Reference

Zikmund, W. G., Babin, B. J., Carr, J. C., & Griffin, M. (2013). Business research methods (9th

ed.). Mason, OH: Cengage Learning. Retrieved September 19, 2015, from

https://everest.vitalsource.com/#/books/9991133473633/pages/192658792