Learning From Winners

The Premise

Why is it that, as managers, we often know better but don’t do better?

Why is more than 90% of research confirmatory when the research of greatest value is exploratory?

Why haven’t marketers developed a standard methodology for answering a basic question: did my advertising work or not?

The Book

The dataset comprised of the 100+ cases from the first decade of the ARF’s David Ogilvy Awards presents a unique laboratory. Here, we thought, buried in data, hidden by time, lie some precious answers to some big questions. If we shine the light of inquiry into this treasure trove, what insights will the data reveal? What can we learn from a decade of Winners?

As it turns out, we can learn a great deal. By producing this book, we have initiated the learning – not concluded the process. We know that the real learning will come in the sharing, the discussion, the experimentation, and the refinement of these initial learnings.

The Winners

The winners are bold – not afraid to take risks – while remaining disciplined, sticking to the plan they set out. The winners tend to be analytic; they apply multiple techniques and methods of research to answer key business questions. Finally, the winners try to understand the ‘total’ customer, and are consistently curious; trying to learn more about their business, their customers, and their markets to reach success.

Highlights

• Seizing a new business opportunity – how IBM used multiple forms of research to triangulate on a powerful advertising concept in a business they literally created in the Internet Age
• Creating a new business model where none existed before – Team One and Lexus developed the concept of ‘Certified Pre-Owned’ through an extensive program of qualitative and quantitative research that created a new car buying paradigm
• Smashing category traditions – how Bissell launched a new advertising campaign, after comprehensive research about the cleaning process, that broke stale ‘direct sell’ category traditions, and increased the bottom line by 200%
• Scaling the ladder of insight – how Wirthlin Worldwide (now part of Harris Interactive) applied powerful rational/emotional research techniques to renovate a major manufacturing industry association’s image and influence
• Implementing the ‘big idea’ for everyday consumer products – See how P&G and Kraft used research techniques from anthropological study to quantitative market mix modeling to drive subtle ideas into powerful brands
• Reaching multiple customer segments with a powerful idea – See how Microsoft used a planned, in depth research program for a major corporate image campaign that changed the way they do advertising.

Basic principles of effective advertising

• Understanding the customer is key. Use multiple methods of research to triangulate on the ‘truth’ about who is your customer
• A research plan should be fitted to the strategic objectives of the campaign. Haphazard, one-off research can do more harm than good
• Challenge traditional advertising models. Example, Dick Wirthlin’s “persuade by reason - motivate by emotion” principles have garnered research support from the ARF Zaltman studies, and David Penn and Robert Heath in the UK
• Let the managerial or business problem dictate the approach. Sometimes it is necessary to start with a clean slate; other times only minor tweaking or renovation is needed
• Consider research as an ‘investment’ that can save you money, or help you make more of it! Evaluation of success and failure should be a rigorous part of the marketing process. On-going plans We trust that members will be interested in deep dive or executive workshops based on the book content and ARF resources. A number of activities are already in motion:
• The book has already been used in a course module on advertising effectiveness at the University of Illinois’ Executive MBA Program (Champaign-Urbana).
• Additional universities interested in the book curriculum include: UCLA Anderson School of Business, Penn State University, and the University of Michigan Ross School of Business.
• MSN, the sponsor of the Ogilvy Awards, is creating a multi-city book tour, where Dr. Pettit will speak at major Microsoft offices to a select, invited group of business executives.
• The ARF will continue to sponsor workshops and sessions for the industry based on the book, as well as infuse the book’s learning and the on-going learnings of the Ogilvy Awards program into their major research projects.