Exercise for a group

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EXERCISES
Values in advertisement and its consequences
Individual exercise
A
Go tohttp://webspace.ship.edu/cgboer/valuestest.html, make the test and save the report
that it produces.
B
Explain how a semiotic analysis should be made according to GoosGeursen.
Make a semiotic analysis of your advertisement – according to GoosGeursen.
Conclude from this semiotic analysis what is expressed in the advertisement: what does this
advertisement mean?
Link these meanings to your own values (you have found your values in Individual Part A).
Explain why like/ not like this advertisement, based on the link between your values and the
meaning of the advertisement.
Exercise for pair
A
Swap your advertisements.
Make a semiotic analysis of your partner‟s advertisement, conclude what is expressed and
explain why you like/ not like this advertisement based on your values.
Write a conclusion in which you at least discuss:
o Differences in interpretations of both advertisements.
o Explanation of these differences, based on differences in personal values.
o Similarities in interpretations of both advertisements, and explanation.
B
Go to: http://www.geert-hofstede.com/
Explain in your own words how the five dimensions of Hofstede can be defined.
Write a conclusion in which you at least discuss:
o Which of Hofstede‟s dimensions are expressed in one of your advertisements, and
why you think so (use semiotic analysis).
o Which of Hofstede‟s dimensions are expressed in the other advertisement, and why
you think so (use semiotic analysis).

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Exercise for group of four
As a group of four, find at least eight people with different cultural backgrounds (in research
we call these people „respondents‟).
Choose an advertisement for a well-known brand.
Cover the logo of the brand, for example with a post-it.
Show the advertisement to all respondents. Show it to them individually so that they will not
influence each-other.
In the following questionnaire this brand will be called X; fill-in the brand of your
advertisement.
[Instructions concerning a question are added between square brackets.]
Questions about characteristics of the respondent are asked at the end of the interview, not
at the beginning because this might hinder spontaneous answers. YOU DECIDE which
characteristics are relevant, so you formulate these questions (about age, gender, culture,
lifestyle, etc.).
Perceptions are difficult to explain in words, therefore you will use cards for some questions.
Examples of these cards are provided as an appendix to the following questionnaire; in
these examples X is Shell.
o PRODUCE YOUR OWN VERSION of Card 2 by selecting the logo of X and some
competitors, plus some logo‟s that look similar, but which are not necessarily of
competitors.
Note
The questionnaire is inspired on Vos&Schoemaker‟s model for measuring image:
Vos, Marita&HennySchoemaker (2005) Integrated Communication. Third Edition. Lemma
Publishers  P 43 – 46 Measurement model
Card 1
Please indicate the emotion that you feel for X.

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PRODUCE YOUR OWN VERSION of Card 2 by selecting the logo of X and some competitors,
plus some logo‟s that look similar, but which are not necessarily of competitors.
Card 2

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Questions to ask the individual respondent
Always register where an individual interview was held, what date, day of the week, time of
the day, plus any other factors that might influence the answers.
Show the advertisement with the covered logo.
Tell the respondent that this interview will take only five minutes.
Questions about: Perception of advertisement
1. Tell me: what do you think and feel when you see this advertisement? [Find this
respondents‟ first associations, attributes.]
2. Do you like this advertisement? Why? Why do you like that? Why is that relevant for you?
[Ask “why” over and over again. By doing this you will dig deeper into the brain of the
respondent. Try to find values of this respondent.]
3. From which brand is this advertisement, you think?
Questions about: Brand Image
4. This advertisement is from X. Are you surprised? Why?
5. How would you describe X in a few key words? [Write down these words.]
6. [Show the words to the respondent.]
Please indicate which key word is most relevant, which key word is second, third etc.
[Minimal three key words, seven key words is enough.]
7. Please indicate on Card 1 the emotion that you feel for X. [Not for the advertisement.]
8. How do you know X? [Respondent can indicate more than one answer.]
a. I don‟t know X.
b. From advertisements etc.
c. I regularly use products of X.
d. I regularly buy products of X.
e. One or more of my friends and/ or relatives regularly use and/ or buy products of X.
9. Please look at Card 2 and point out the logo of X.
10. If you consider to use, buy or recommend a product of X, which alternative brands come into
consideration?
11. What are the most relevant differences between X and two of its competitors?
Questions about: Influences
Ask characteristics, such as age, gender, cultural background etc. Decide which
characteristics you think are relevant.
Ask every respondent what media he/ she uses: find possible touch points for the advertiser.
Also ask every respondent who influences him/ her when deciding to a buy a product as
advertised: find out which roles in the decision making process are relevant.

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Exercise for group of four: Report and appendix
For you, the exercise started with making rough material. Based on this rough material you
will write conclusions. Add this rough material as an appendix to the report. The appendix
should contain:
o Cards that you used.
o Transcripts of the interviews, including influences (and a portrait photo if the
respondent agrees).
Draw general conclusions based on the interviews. Present these general conclusions as a
readable report. This report should contain the subjects described below.
Perception of advertisement
Attributes and values that respondents in general associate with this advertisement.
What are differences and similarities between respondents‟ perceptions of this
advertisement on the one hand, and the perceptions that the membersof your group had
after making a semiotic analysis of it on the other hand?
Brand image
Primary impression: how do respondents in general describe the brand in one sentence?
Familiarity: what is the general relationship of the respondents with the brand?
Perception: main words used to characterize the brand.
Preference: which word is most relevant according to respondents, which word is second
important, etc.?
Position: what position does the brand take in relation to competitors?
Influences
Describe how the decision making process in general takes place in this sample of
respondents: who influences whom and which media influence whom?
Every individual respondent has a perception that is different from the other individuals;
explain how these differences in perceptions can be influenced by segmentation variables of
the individual respondents. (Such as culture, gender, age, life-style, etc.)