Consumer Preference Analysis |
SUMMARY
The objective of this study was to evaluate brand preference among three brands of body wash and to measure the effectiveness of the advertisements for each of the respective brands. This study also investigated which brand and advertisement characteristics were important in explaining how respondents evaluated the different brands and how they responded to the brands' advertisements.
Data were collected from seventy-nine respondents who voluntarily filled out an online survey. The collected data were analyzed using a variety of statistical tests, including paired t-test, between-groups t-test, chi-square significance test, frequency counting, simple correlation coefficient, regression analysis, discriminant analysis, ANOVA/MANOVA analysis, and factor analysis. Statistical significance throughout (indicating that in 85 or more samples drawn from the same population as this sample, the expected values would be the same as those reported here) was set at p < 0.15.
The results from this study indicated that all three brands were close in consumer perception. However, Dove has is the highest brand index score, meaning it is the most preferred body wash brand among the three brands. Olay is the second most preferred followed by Softsoap. This result can be projected to general public.
Besides, Olay had the most effective print advertisement since more respondents were more favorable towards Olay post exposure. The Dove ad in the survey, however, seemed to have a negative effect on respondents rather than positive, since more than one third of all respondents moved down on impression toward Dove brand after seeing the ad.
In Dove’s case, that there is a positive yet weak correlation between how respondents rated the brand based on the 10 brand attribute questions and the change in score from the pre-to-post print advertisement exposure. In Olay and Softsoap cases, the R-Squared values are lower, only 11.7% for Olay and 11.0% for Softsoap, indicating a low percentage of variation in respondents’ attitude toward these brands’ ads can be explained by the pre-to-post print advertisement exposure. This further reinforces the earlier findings of R that there are even weaker correlations between how respondents feel about these two brands and their impression of brands’ specific ad put in the survey.
Interpretation of the data collected for this project reflects a number of limitations. The sample size of seventy-nine respondents is relatively small, but should be adequate for the statistical procedures employed. A convenience sample was used instead of a preferred random sample, and a control group was not available due to constraints of both time and resources. Finally, this consumer preference survey did not use randomization to correct or lessen order and interaction effects. This means that the three body wash advertisements were not randomly presented each time ads were displayed or responses taken through repeat measures of a randomized order. Instead, both the advertisements and questions regarding them always appeared in the same order, with Olay first, Softsoap second, and Dove third.