Market Research Analysis

Chapter 7, Case 7.2

Q1. Evaluate this experimental Design.

Understanding customers and industry, it is clear that Madonna’s successes have been underpinned by the reaction of the dancers was filmed and used to determine the tracks for Confessions on dance floor. Test market costs is reduced as the control method of test marketing involves only the people on the dance floor; a ‘minimarket test’, as compared to full test marketing which is a laborious and costly process. Competitive interference and a lack of secrecy, which are present in standard method, are also reduced in the controlled method. In Madonna’s case, firm has successfully reduced cost and competitive interference by using controlled club tests, which was clearly able to simulate the actual conditions when the products were introduced to the national marketplace.

Q2. What type of experimental design is this?

The Control Method of Test Marketing, one of standard method of test marketing, whereby the firm chooses test markets to work on. The major advantage is that there is external validity and everything would just as it would be in national introduction. As a standard method of test marketing, problems such as cost, lack of secrecy is present.

Q3. What improvements would you suggest for the experiment?

In the case study, it mention that it only takes 10 seconds to see if the song works, the time used to judge is not long enough and the period of test remains being unknown. Personally, I think that the test marketing can be improved by having a daily and timely test for a week and a different club as well. This will be able to cover the others, wider variance of the clubbers, to overcome the problem whereby clubs attracts a specific type of crowd at specific time of the day or on specific days