J494 TEST EXAM QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
LATEST UPDATE
formative research
(Before) provides data and perspective to guide campaign creation.
process research
(During) monitors the implementation of the campaign to assess internal and external
outputs and signal when adjustments are needed.
evaluation research
(After) provides data to assess the success of a campaign based on the achievement of
stated objectives.
secondary research
Goal = Understand issue, organization, publics (situation analysis).
preproduction research
Goal = Getting to know your target publics in more depth (relevant knowledge, attitudes,
beliefs, behaviors).
production research
Goal = Testing target publics' reactions to the campaign materials (from basic
comprehension to persuasion).
internal outputs
Goal = Measure internal executions and to monitor if implementation timeline/goals are
being met (e.g., how many press release were sent, to whom, and when).
external outputs
Goal = Measure external reach/placement to track if meeting
implementation timeline/goals (e.g., how many news outlets/blogs published a story
based on the press release you sent).
outtakes
Goal = Measure target publics' reaction to the campaign materials (e.g., recall,
comprehension, favorability).
outcomes
Goal = Measure quantifiable changes that occur as a result of your campaign.
Measurements should align with campaign objectives (e.g., sales increase, attitude
change, knowledge increase). These are typically target public focused and can be
short- or long-term.
problem statement
•Summarizes key elements of the problem or opportunity and how it relates to the
organization's ability to fulfill its mission
•Illustrates why action is necessary
•Focus on specific issues that the PR/Ad function can help solve
•NOT THE PLACE FOR STRATEGIES AND TACTICS
pieces of a problem statement
1. What is the problem (issue/opportunity)?
2. Where is this a problem?
3. When did it become a problem?
, 4. How did this become a problem?
5. Who is involved/affected? How are they affected?
6. Why should the organization care? Why should
stakeholders care?
internal factors
•Mission: Why does the org exist? What is its stated mission? (Present-focused
purpose)
•Vision: What does the org seek to become? Where is it going? (Future focused)
•Values: What matters to the org? What does it contribute? What qualities does it
promote? (Ethics focused)
•Organizational history
•Organizational functioning
•Position/reputation
external factors
•Trends or issues emerging in the "industry"
•Competing forces
•Any relevant case studies you can study from
relevant publics
-Target public(s)
-Opinion leaders/influences
-Message distributors
-Key informants
-Threats
once you've identified key relevant publics...
-Describe them
•Geographic: city, urban, rural, etc.
•Demographics: age, gender, generation, income, education, ethnicity, religion, etc.
•Psychographics (lifestyle): activities, interests, opinions, attitudes, values, etc.
•Behavioral: relevant prior experience(s), expectations, actions, etc.
-Relevance to your strategic efforts (role and importance)
SWOT analysis
• Strengths: Internal. Pre-existing.
• Weaknesses: Internal. Pre-existing.
• Opportunities: External. Future-orientated.
• Threats (Challenges): External. Future-orientated.
reasons for research
- Better understand public(s)
- Identify potential problems/opportunities
- Make sound decisions
- Avoid mistakes
- Save time and money
- Justify efforts
- Benchmark for evaluation
Shafer's steps of campaign planning
- Secondary research
- Situation analysis
LATEST UPDATE
formative research
(Before) provides data and perspective to guide campaign creation.
process research
(During) monitors the implementation of the campaign to assess internal and external
outputs and signal when adjustments are needed.
evaluation research
(After) provides data to assess the success of a campaign based on the achievement of
stated objectives.
secondary research
Goal = Understand issue, organization, publics (situation analysis).
preproduction research
Goal = Getting to know your target publics in more depth (relevant knowledge, attitudes,
beliefs, behaviors).
production research
Goal = Testing target publics' reactions to the campaign materials (from basic
comprehension to persuasion).
internal outputs
Goal = Measure internal executions and to monitor if implementation timeline/goals are
being met (e.g., how many press release were sent, to whom, and when).
external outputs
Goal = Measure external reach/placement to track if meeting
implementation timeline/goals (e.g., how many news outlets/blogs published a story
based on the press release you sent).
outtakes
Goal = Measure target publics' reaction to the campaign materials (e.g., recall,
comprehension, favorability).
outcomes
Goal = Measure quantifiable changes that occur as a result of your campaign.
Measurements should align with campaign objectives (e.g., sales increase, attitude
change, knowledge increase). These are typically target public focused and can be
short- or long-term.
problem statement
•Summarizes key elements of the problem or opportunity and how it relates to the
organization's ability to fulfill its mission
•Illustrates why action is necessary
•Focus on specific issues that the PR/Ad function can help solve
•NOT THE PLACE FOR STRATEGIES AND TACTICS
pieces of a problem statement
1. What is the problem (issue/opportunity)?
2. Where is this a problem?
3. When did it become a problem?
, 4. How did this become a problem?
5. Who is involved/affected? How are they affected?
6. Why should the organization care? Why should
stakeholders care?
internal factors
•Mission: Why does the org exist? What is its stated mission? (Present-focused
purpose)
•Vision: What does the org seek to become? Where is it going? (Future focused)
•Values: What matters to the org? What does it contribute? What qualities does it
promote? (Ethics focused)
•Organizational history
•Organizational functioning
•Position/reputation
external factors
•Trends or issues emerging in the "industry"
•Competing forces
•Any relevant case studies you can study from
relevant publics
-Target public(s)
-Opinion leaders/influences
-Message distributors
-Key informants
-Threats
once you've identified key relevant publics...
-Describe them
•Geographic: city, urban, rural, etc.
•Demographics: age, gender, generation, income, education, ethnicity, religion, etc.
•Psychographics (lifestyle): activities, interests, opinions, attitudes, values, etc.
•Behavioral: relevant prior experience(s), expectations, actions, etc.
-Relevance to your strategic efforts (role and importance)
SWOT analysis
• Strengths: Internal. Pre-existing.
• Weaknesses: Internal. Pre-existing.
• Opportunities: External. Future-orientated.
• Threats (Challenges): External. Future-orientated.
reasons for research
- Better understand public(s)
- Identify potential problems/opportunities
- Make sound decisions
- Avoid mistakes
- Save time and money
- Justify efforts
- Benchmark for evaluation
Shafer's steps of campaign planning
- Secondary research
- Situation analysis
