In search of a motivating message

Editor’s note: Mike Hess is former senior research advisor for BuzzBack Online Market Research, New York. Reema Vyas is former account planning director at TBWA\Chiat\Day.

Internet technology has come of age as a tool for conducting market research. Compared to traditional research methodologies like phone and mall intercept interviews, it provides an enormous advantage as a result of the following:

  • With the right technology and research methodology, it can combine qualitative and quantitative questions in a single study to provide a significant sample of in-depth data.
  • It provides quick turnaround time, allowing data to have real-time impact on product strategy and development.
  • It is cost-effective. The comprehensiveness, quality, and efficiency of online research allows companies to integrate research at more critical points in the product strategy and development cycle, resulting in more informed decision-making.

In this article, we describe the outcome of an online research study that was conducted by TBWA Health, a health care marketing consultancy specializing in clinical trial recruitment and retention, in partnership with New York-based BuzzBack Online Market Research.

A leading pharmaceutical company wanted to initiate a clinical trial to evaluate an investigational hormone replacement therapy (HRT) for the treatment of menopause symptoms. TBWA Health was chosen to develop advertising strategy for accelerated recruitment of qualified women to participate in this clinical trial in the highly competitive health care industry. At the outset, research was required in the communication strategy and development process to formulate a compelling message to motivate the target population to call a toll-free number to inquire about participating in an HRT clinical trial in general.

The HRT clinical trial example used in this study is ideal because it provides the following key features for evaluating the online research methodology versus traditional research methods:

  • Widespread use - 76 percent of females online reported searching for health information1.
  • Anonymous - Online research yields a less biased answer, especially about sensitive topics such as personal health2.
  • Depth and breadth – The online methodology marries both quantitative data and qualitative data in the same study, resulting in a significant sample of in-depth data.
  • Integrated product and positioning development - Quick turnaround of data including up-front consumer learning can be integrated into product development and marketplace positioning. This ensures that the primary benefits that consumers seek have a chance to be incorporated into new products before they get too far along the development continuum.
  • Speed-to-market - In the highly competitive HRT market, time is of the essence; rapid patient recruiting results in faster product-to-market, which in turn can result in a significant increase in revenue.
  • Cost effective - Technology is leveraged to get a geographically diverse sample and synthesis of data in real-time.

The following three-phased online research program helped to determine the most compelling message to motivate women to call an toll-free number to participate in an HRT clinical trial:

Phase I: Quantitative and qualitative online segmentation study

Phase II: Qualitative message research

Phase III: Quantitative and qualitative online advertising testing

Phase I – Quantitative and qualitative online segmentation study (three weeks)
Step 1: Conduct secondary research

Step 2: Develop questionnaire

Step 3: Collect data (1,000 women)

Step 4: Segmentation analysis

A segmentation analysis was conducted in order to determine our key targets based on women’s lifestyle/attitudinal/psychographic groups. After reviewing current HRT literature, an in-depth segmentation questionnaire was developed. Using the Internet as a fielding venue, 1,000 geographically (U.S.) dispersed women who had not had their period for at least 12 months were recruited via opt-in email lists to answer a 15-minute online study. This questionnaire isolated the key influencing variables for menopausal women - women’s lifestyle, their interests, their attitudes towards themselves, their health, their relationship with their physician, the manner in which they manage their menopause symptoms, and their knowledge about menopause and HRT. The types of questions that were asked included the following:

  • Quantitative, closed-ended, evaluative questions (on topics such as family medical histories and willingness to participate in a clinical trial for HRT):

“I keep up with current events.” “I keep abreast of scientific advancements.” “I look forward to achieving more in my career.” “When I look at myself in the mirror, I am usually happy with what I see.” “When I am sick, I’m likely to seek medical treatment early.” “I have a good relationship with my doctor.” “I exercise regularly.” “I want to do what I can to control my menopause symptoms.” “I am happy with the information my doctor has given me about menopause.” “I am more concerned with how I look these days.” “I am familiar with hormone replacement therapy.” “I am worried about the risks of HRT.”

  • Qualitative, open-ended probes:

“How, if at all, has menopause affected your self-image?” “Do you see yourself or feel any differently now than before you experienced menopause?” “How, if at all, has menopause affected your daily life?”

The segmentation analysis was done using a readily available software package and consisted of the following steps: factor analysis, discriminant analysis, and a cluster analysis. Segmentation fielding and analysis took about two weeks to complete. This is faster and cheaper than most traditional segmentation studies, which require weeks, even months, for fielding and analysis.

Results of the segmentation analysis indicated there were four distinct populations of menopausal women, each representing about one-quarter of the sample (see Figure 1), and each with significant differences in clinical trial interest (see below):

Figure 1

1. “Traditional, Doctor-Relationship Seekers.” They were more likely to be happy with their doctors, and less likely to self-select medical treatment early (32 percent indicated interest in an HRT clinical trial).

2. “Healthy, Happy, Do-It-Yourselfers.” They were more likely to care about having a healthy lifestyle, less likely to keep up on current issues, and less concerned about their appearance (33 percent interested in an HRT clinical trial).

3. “The Modern Ambitious.” They were more likely to care about their appearance and to be active in their career (48 percent interested in an HRT clinical trial).

4. “Doctor-philic.” They were more likely to seek medical treatment early and like to keep current on issues (38 percent interested in an HRT clinical trial).

The quick turnaround of data made it possible for the implications from the segmentation study to be considered while simultaneously developing recruiting messages and critical direction for further product development and marketing. This is an example of how the speed of results can allow the results to be utilized at critical points in the product development cycle — influencing product strategy and development based on real-time consumer desires and marketplace demands vs. hypotheses and theories often used in early planning stages.

Phase II – Qualitative message research (two weeks)
Step 1: Qualitative recruiting screener (50+ questions down to 12)

Step 2: Determine segment membership

Step 3: Qualitative research

Based on the substantial quantitative and qualitative learning gained from the online segmentation study, a range of advertising messages were developed and researched qualitatively via traditional focus groups. Each message positioned the HRT trial differently in order to appeal to the different segments.

The segment information was used to recruit the key target(s) based on their likelihood to participate in an HRT clinical trial. Twelve critical questions from the original battery of over 50 questions (in the segmentation study) were mathematically determined to give a 90 percent confidence level that a given woman belonged to a specific segment. Just these 12 critical questions were used to assign her to a segment. They included questions such as: “I read the newspaper daily and keep up with current events”; “I am concerned more with how I look now than before menopause”; “I tend to seek treatment quickly when I am sick”; “I look forward to career achievement”; “I have a good relationship with my doctor.”

From this phase of the research, the most compelling message and media target(s) were determined and the communication strategy and advertising were developed.

Phase III – Quantitative and qualitative online creative testing (one week)
Step 1: Expose ad online

Step 2: Segment response (compelling message; strengths/weaknesses)

To determine which ad best motivated our target(s) to participate in an HRT clinical trial, the ads were quantitatively tested online against the identified key segments. The battery of questions included a few open-ended questions in order to get an idea of the strengths and weaknesses of each ad and what message the consumer was taking away. The total costs for this round of research were significantly reduced. Given that the sample for the study had already been pre-defined and identified in the earlier round of online segmentation work (Phase I) the original segments were used as a mini-online panel for the specific targets for evaluating the ads.

Evidence of online research effectiveness

Based on past experience with recruiting, this HRT trial had a higher referral rate than other trials in the same category among the same population of menopausal women. Past trials for which we have recruited in this category among the same population have had an average of a 22 percent referral rate, while this clinical trial had a 64 percent referral rate. This shows that women who were calling the toll-free number for this HRT clinical trial were not only more open to the idea of an HRT study, they were also more open to the idea of participation in this clinical trial - a major hurdle in patient recruiting. The advertising and media targeted women who were open to an HRT trial and worked to motivate them to call the toll-free number. The effectiveness of this communication was a direct result of the insights and media tactics gained through the online research program described above. Not only was the research program effective, it was extremely cost-efficient. The online research program cut the development time by approximately four months and cost approximately 50 percent less than traditional research methods (e.g., phone and mall intercept interviews).

Re-examine development cycles

It is becoming evident that the Internet will allow companies to carry out research more efficiently. This efficiency allows companies to integrate research at different points along the product/strategy development continuum and ensure that a product is not losing consumer relevance by becoming too manufacturer-focused. This will result in more informed (and assumed “better”) decision-making. With the Internet in place as a viable research tool, companies may have to re-examine traditional development cycles to understand the steps needed to achieve “better” decision-making processes - an undertaking that will require a strong understanding by key decision-makers of all the research methods available. Moreover, in certain categories such as those related to personal health, it is especially important for these decision-makers to understand that the Internet as a research medium may yield more in-depth, less biased results versus traditional approaches such as telephone and mall intercept techniques.

Notes

1Defining the Online Health consumer: Attitudes, Activities, and Intentions. August 1, 2001. Jupiter Media Metrix.

2“Mode Effects Study: Comparing Methodologies and the Effects of Differing Questions and Answer List Types” by Mike Dennis, Steve Cohen, Christina Hildebrand, and Mike Hess. ARF Workshop Week, October 2000.