Consumers Research

Research conducted through the use of various techniques and strategies, such as focus groups (see focus group interview), in-depth interviews, inquiry tests, aided recall interviews, consumer surveys, and attitude testing, to obtain information about consumers. One of the major areas in advertising research (along with product research and market analysis), its purpose is to determine what influences consumer buying habits. Consumer research yields information concerning the motivations of consumers, their perceptions about advertising, the reason they buy a particular product, and the things that influence their brand choices. This type of research aids the advertiser in planning an advertising strategy and in defining the target market. For example: Suppose that a company is planning to introduce a unique new food processor. Consumer research would be conducted to learn people's feelings about cooking and the use of food processors, along with their desires for and their knowledge of the product, including any negative attitudes. Using this information, an advertising campaign can be tailored to the needs of the prospective purchasers of the product. The research will also identify the best prospects and the media they use, giving the company an idea of where to place advertising to best reach their target audience.

Research conducted through the use of various techniques and strategies, such as focus groups, in-depth interviews, inquiry tests, aided recall interviews, consumer surveys, and attitude testing, to obtain information about consumers. One of the major areas in advertising research (along with product research and market analysis), its purpose is to determine what influences consumer buying habits. Consumer research yields information concerning the motivations of consumers, their perceptions about advertising, the reason they buy a particular product, and the things that influence their brand choices.

Consumers' Research is a defunct non-profit organization established in 1929 by Stuart Chase (1888-1985) and F.J. Schlink (1891-1995), after the success of their book Your Money's Worth: a study in the waste of the Consumer's Dollar galvanized interest in testing products on behalf of consumers. It published a monthly magazine of the same name.

Consumers' Research published comparative test results on brand-name products and publicized deceptive advertising claims.^[1] F. J. Schlink published a book with Arthur Kallet entitled 100,000,000 Guinea Pigs,^[2] which helped popularize the use of the word "guinea pig" as a subject of experimentation, and which became a national bestseller as concerns over the potentially adverse effects of commercial products increased.^[3]

In 1936, Arthur Kallet and others seeking a more passive stance broke with Consumers' Research to found Consumers Union and its magazine Consumer Reports.

Consumers Union grew strongly while Consumers' Research languished. In its later years, Consumers' Research stopped testing products, and instead focused on providing consumer advice and covering policy issues, from health and safety issues to cable TV competition.

External links

• Text of Your Money's Worth,at Library of Congress website
• Detailed history of Consumers' Research and an extensive archive of materials housed at Rutgers University.
• "Consumers' Research". sourcewatch.org. http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Consumers'_Research. Retrieved on 2007-12-05. 

References

1. ^ McGovern, Charles (2004), "Consumption", in Whitfield, Stephen J., A Companion to 20th-Century America, Blackwell, pp. 346, ISBN 0-631-21100-4 
2. ^ Kallet, Arthur; Schlink, F. J. (1933). 100,000,000 Guinea Pigs:Dangers in Everyday Foods, Drugs, and Cosmetics. Vanguard Press. ISBN 978-0405080258. 
3. ^ McGovern, Charles (2004), "Consumption", in Whitfield, Stephen J., A Companion to 20th-Century America, Blackwell, pp. 346, ISBN 0-631-21100-4 

This article about a business, industry, or trade-related organization is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)