IThis week we offer two mini case studies that exemplify how cross-functional measurement tactics can be leveraged to yield long-term results.
Case One: Chemical Manufacturer Forges Good Neighbor Policy
Chemical giant Rohm and Hass conducts a "fence line" study every three years surveying residents by phone who live within a three-mile radius of each of its 100 manufacturing
facilities. When awareness and favorability ratings dropped for one particular plant back in 1994, the company hired Ackermann PR & Marketing to investigate root causes and
devise a community relations plan to tackle the problem. Subsequent focus group research revealed that residents' negative impressions were largely based on newspaper coverage so
media outreach became an important campaign component.
Direct mail was another major message vehicle to consider. "We used the focus groups to ask people questions such as, 'If you were to receive mail about the industry, what
would you want to know?'" says Cindy McConkey, EVP at Ackermann. "We found that we needed to talk about end-products (not polymers which would make their eyes glaze over)[and]
how the chemicals generated at this site were used in everyday items such as paint and caulk."
The resulting direct mail campaign delivered free tubes of caulk to residents' doorsteps and, just before Thanksgiving, free oven mitts. With the caulk came a small flyer
touting the product as a "green" substance, safely made from a water-based emulsion. The potholder freebie bore an explanation about how the mitt's chemically treated fiberfill
helped prevent burns.
The Ackermann team used mid-course public opinion surveys to gauge which campaign vehicles were making the greatest impact. Media relations and direct marketing plugs proved
to be outperforming ad buys so the agency scrapped a set of planned radio spots and instead bolstered efforts to arrange more speaking engagements for Rohm and Hass execs within
the community.
Follow-up studies at the end of the campaign revealed a 15% positive increase in the plant's favorability rating and a 14% increase in consumer satisfaction with information
supplied by the plant. The number of local residents deeming Rohm & Hass a "good corporate citizen" increased by 11%. The company has since replicated this strategy in
countless other markets and continues to use it today.
Case Two: Bartered Survey Research Pays Off
In 1994, PADS Software, a small developer specializing in printed circuit board design software, wanted to benchmark its market position with an eye toward tweaking its
branding strategy. Leslie Drohan, then PADS' director of corporate communications, hoped to survey electrical and design engineers to discern their attitudes, preferences, usage
patterns and buying power in relation not only to PADS software, but also to competitors' products. The catch was that she had a limited research budget.
PADS was already advertising in several engineering trade publications and therefore was entitled to premium placements and other goodies that most magazines offer advertisers
in the context of merchandising programs. In lieu of these perks, Drohan negotiated a deal with the space reps at three industry trades, in which each publication agreed to issue
a blind survey to a random sampling of its readers on behalf of PADS (either for free, or at a discounted rate).
Drohan consulted past readership surveys from each magazine in formulating her own survey questions. PADS' proprietary surveys were then issued and tallied by each magazine,
respectively. Overall PADS and its PR firm, Sterling Hager, aggregated results.
Survey results yielded unexpected insights. For example, the data negated a common assumption (among all software developers in the space) that engineers cared most about new
product features, when in fact, they ranked reliability much higher than bells and whistles. These and other nuggets gleaned from the first survey helped PADS refine its
messaging strategy and increase its brand preference among engineers from 5% to 20% the first year. The same survey, issued repeatedly over the next six years at a cost of
$10,000-$15,000 annually, garnered results used to bolster the company's position in preparation for a possible IPO or buy-out.
"Once is not enough," Drohan emphasizes. "You do this every year in the same way you assess your stock portfolio every year to see how it's doing." She adds that it's generally
a good idea to earmark at least 3% of your marcom budget for measurement.
The software-maker continued to survey until last year when it was purchased by a larger player in the printed circuit board design space.
Rohm and Haas Company, headquartered in Philadelphia, has 100 manufacturing and research facilities in 25 countries. 215/592-3000. Cindy McConkey is executive VP with
Ackermann PR & Marketing, Knoxville, Tenn., also has offices in Dallas, Nashville and Washington, DC. Contact Cindy McConkey: 865/584-0550; [email protected].
PADS Software (Personal Automated Design Systems) is currently owned by Innoveda Software in Marlboro, Mass. Leslie Drohan, VP, Account Services, Sterling Hager, Inc.,
Watertown, Mass., can be reached at 617/926-6665, x238; [email protected].