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Northwest Research Group, Inc.

Boise225 North 9th Street

Suite 200Boise, ID 83702(208) 364-0171

Seattle400 108th Ave. NE

Suite 200Bellevue, WA 98004

(425) 635-7481

www.nwrg.com

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Concept Development:The Researcher’s Perspective

Presented by Jeff Etherton - Vice President Qualitative Research, Northwest

Research Group

From ‘98 QRCA Conference - Kathryn Alexander

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Seminar Objectives Examine Process of Concept

Development Review Different Research

Techniques to Test Concepts Experience Concept Development

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Agenda

Purpose and Definition of Concepts

Creating and Building ConceptsConcept Testing

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Why Do Concept Development?

To Develop the Communication of an Idea to the Consumer

To Understand Its Importance to Consumers -- Is It Something They Want and Need?

To Determine if the Need Is Sufficiently Widespread to an Acceptable Level of Business

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Definition of a Concept Marketing Application

A Promise Made by a Product to Resolve an Unmet Consumer Need

The Reason It Will Satisfy the Need A Description of Portrayal of Any Key

Element that Will Affect the Perception of the Product

A Concept Answers the Consumers’ Question….What’s in it for me and why should I

believe it?

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Concept Versus Copy Development

Concept Development - Done to Identify a Potential Winning Strategy

Copy Development - Done to Execute a Winning Strategy

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Concept Versus Copy Development

The Concept Development Phase is NOT to Develop Advertising Copy, but to Develop and Optimize the Core Product Idea.

What is the consumer need and how will the product satisfy that need?

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Create / Build Concept

A Concept is... A promise a product makes to resolve

an unmet consumer need / end benefit The reason why it will satisfy the need /

Reason to believe A description of any key element that

will affect the product perception

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Strong Concepts Have: Headline - Expresses the Most Important

Idea in the Concept Accepted Consumer Belief (ACB) -

Expresses the Target Consumer’s Frustration or Unmet Need

Benefit - The Promise - “What’s in it for me?”

Reasons to Believe (RTB) - Part of Concept which Gives Credibility to the Product Promise

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HeadlinesIts Role: The Headline Expresses the Most Important Idea

in the Concept

Examples: Competitive - New Jif Tastes More Like Real

Peanuts than Any Other Brand New and Improved - Maximum Strength Pepto

Bismol --Now you Can Have Twice the Pepto Unique - New Pert Plus, the Only Shampoo and

Conditioner in One Bottle

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Headline GuideGuidelines: Benefit-based Headlines Are Most Effective - Most

Important Idea Is Usually the One That Answers “What’s in It for Me?”

Treat Headline Like It’s the Only Statement Consumer Will Remember

Make Headline Clear and Single-minded Since It Summarizes the Concept’s Main Idea,

Write It Last

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Accepted Consumer Belief (ACB)

Defined: What Is an ACB? - A Statement That

Expresses the Targets Consumer’s Frustration or Unmet Need

What Is Its Role in a Concept? - To Create a Context or Perspective for the Rest of the Concept; That Is, the Primary Benefit and Support Statements

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ACB - Cont’d

Guidelines: Use consumer language Focus on One problem or belief at a time Stay realistic (don’t set up a problem you

can’t solve) Try not to say anything nice about the

competition

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ACB Cont’d

Examples: Statements of Existing Beliefs or

Perceptions: Dyed Hair Doesn’t Look Natural Soap Dries My Skin Detergents Strip Away Dyes, Leaving

Colored Clothes Dull and Faded

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Benefit StatementDefined: A Benefit Statement Is a Promise That

Answers the Target Consumer’s Question -- “What’s in it for me?”

Its Role: Addresses the Frustration or Unmet Need

Described in the ACB and Describes the Primary Advantage of a Specific Product to the Target Consumer

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Benefit Statement Cont’d

Guidelines: Use Consumer Words Focus on a Primary Benefit (Also Known As

a Single-minded Proposition) Benefit Must Be Distinctive (for Category)

and Important to Target Consumer

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Benefit Statement -- Cont’dExamples of Two Basic Types of

Benefits: Product Benefits - Describe the Product

Advantage in Objective Terms: Crest Reduces the Formation of Tartar Downey Softens Clothes Bounce Controls Static

People Benefits - Describe the Product in Subjective Terms (Above Examples Converted to People Benefits) Crest Makes Dental Check-ups Easier Your Family Will Notice Downey Softness No More Embarrassing Static Cling With Bounce

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Reason To Believe (RTB)

Defined: Gives credibility to the Product

Promise

“What’s in it for me and why should I believe it?”

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RTB -- Cont’dIts Role: Explains to the Consumer Why a

Product Will Deliver the Promised Benefit

Completes the Logic in the Concept and Can Become a Distinctive Element of Advertising

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RTB Cont’d

Guidelines: Create Ideas Out of Consumer’s

Experience -- Their Problems, Their Beliefs O How Thing Work

Supports the Main Benefit Statement Don’t Be Too Technical

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RTB Cont’dTypes: Logical Explanation:

Uses a logical argument to describe why the product will solve the consumer’s problemToilet tissue is softer because it’s quiltedJif tastes better because it has a

freshness seal

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RTB Cont’dMore Types: Ingredients:

Crest With Baking Soda Puffs With Aloe Cover Girl With Clean Noxema Ingredients

Lack of Ingredients: Fat-free Corn Flakes CheerFree - Free of Dyes and Perfumes Charmin - No Dyes, Inks, or Perfumes

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RTB Cont’dMore Types: Special Ingredients:

Cheer with ColorGuard Chlorinal in Comet

Quality of Ingredients: Folgers Mountain Grown Coffee Beans Brownie Mix with Real Hershey’s Chocolate

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RTB Cont’dMore Types: Product Aesthetics / Special Feature:

Jif Smells More Like Fresh Peanuts / Freshness Seal

Instant Folgers Is Darker in Color Technical Performance:

Pepto Coating Action Cascade Sheeting Action Dawn Cleans Glass After Cleaning Greasy Pans

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A Strong Concept

Offers an Entirely New Benefit Not Offered by Existing Products

Has Strong Comparative Claims Versus Competition

Eliminates an Important Negative in Existing Products in Category