Professional Documents
Culture Documents
ADV3500
Introduction:
The purpose of this proposal is to outline our research team’s plan for collecting data.
This proposal will cover our techniques for sampling, recruiting, data collection, analysis and
reporting.
Background:
Prior to our present stages of research, extensive secondary research has been conducted
to determine the current situation for the Samsung P2 in the Mp3 market. Through secondary
research we have determined that although the P2 has many distinct product features, it has very
weak brand awareness due to a lack of brand equity in the Mp3 market and low amounts of
advertising.
The target market that we will be analyzing in our focus groups will be young college
students who own Mp3 players. Through secondary research we have determined that this
particular segment of the market have a high amount of disposable time and income; therefore,
they are the ideal target consumer of Mp3 players. We will be pulling our samples from two
different groups of people using the snowball technique. One group will contain “tech savvy”
consumers and one will contain “casual consumers.” We hope to gain a better perspective of
effective routes to take when positioning the P2 from these two very different groups who make
up our target market. We will be using a structured guide for the discussion that will present
opportunities for participants to voice their opinions. Members of our team will analyze these
Page | 2
Samsung P2 A
Research problem:
like Bluetooth, an FM transmitter, 9-band EQ, and a customizable touch screen interface.
However, Samsung has not effectively marketed this product and consumers are uneducated on
its many product features. These features, plus the competitive price point, should make the Y2-
In order to increase sales and ensure the success of Y2, Samsung needs to promote
features that are important to consumers. Research must be conducted to find out what product
features are most valuable to the consumer and what features they would pay for.
Qualitative research will determine which of two target markets, tech-savvy users or
casual users, will better receive marketing efforts, or if efforts can be consolidated to cater to
both demographics. Informational needs for these two groups will include: understanding the
current awareness of the brand; understanding the features that are important in the Mp3 player
how current features in the Y2 are perceived within the context of the category; understanding
Page | 3
Samsung P2 A
Research objectives:
The purpose of this research is to reveal what features our target consumers
consider important in an MP3 player and how they feel Samsung has performed in
regarding the fore mentioned material. This will provide insight on which of these
two consumer groups, if not both, is the ideal fit for Samsung.
Research Methods:
In order to accomplish our objectives, we will be conducting qualitative research in the form
of two focus groups. Each focus group will be comprised of at least five to eight people and will
• He or she falls into our target age group (18-24 years old)
audio-enthusiast. We ask that participants sort themselves into each category. In order to
determine which category of consumers they belong in, we defined the categories as
follows:
o Casual consumers purchase Mp3 players for simple reasons- for example to listen
to music while at the gym. They want a basic Mp3-no fancy features- and they
want it for a decent price. They gather their information from secondary sources
o Tech-savvy consumers want the newest gadget with all the cool features as soon
Page | 4
Samsung P2 A
Net, blogs, and other news pages. They have a lot of product knowledge and are
Sample characteristics of our participants also include but are not limited to the following:
• Students at UF
Due to time constraints, we will be using convenience samples from two sources- Westside
Baptist Church and our network of friends. Procedures used to recruit participants will be
snowballing through face-to-face contact and event invitations via the social networking site
Facebook.
The focus groups are scheduled as follows: Sunday July 20th in the afternoon (Group 1) and
Tuesday July 22nd at 7pm in room #229 of Library West (Group 2). Moderators are Sean
Research instruments:
Specific research instruments used to recruit participants are included in the appendix.
These include the Facebook webpage and recruitment screener. Instruments used during the
focus group are also included as follows: a consent form, product brief and audio tape recorder
Project Timetable:
Page | 5
Samsung P2 A
Facebook
e-invites
Wednesday Thursday Friday July Saturday Sunday July Monday
July 23rd July 24th 25th July 26th 27th July 28th
Cost:
Since there is no compensation for participation in this study, our only cost is time.
Appendix:
• recruitment screener
• discussion guide
• product brief
Page | 6
Samsung P2 A
RECRUITMENT EVENT INVITE
Page | 7
Samsung P2 A
RECRUITMENT SCREENER
6. When considering buying an Mp3 player, where do you get most of your information?
a. Consumer electronic or other magazines
b. Through friends/family
c. Online
d. Other
If C, please be more specific (blogs, reviews, company webpages, etc). ___________
____________________________________________________________________
_
Page | 8
Samsung P2 A
I. Introduction
Moderator name. Conducted for an advertising research course, for internal use only.
Names will be changed for the transcript.
All responses from you will be fully appreciated, there are no wrong answers.
My role as a moderator is to ask you all a few questions, and keep the discussions
running smoothly.
• What are some words that come to mind when you think of the Samsung brand?
Page | 9
Samsung P2 A
• Tell me about the features of your Mp3 player. Which one is your favorite?
Idealization Questions:
• Are there any features you feel are missing from the Mp3 player category as a
whole?
• How do you feel about Samsung as a brand? About its presence in the consumer
electronics market?
Moderator introduces the Samsung P2 Mp3 player. (Describe the product’s features and
availability, price, picture of product, etc)
Record any initial comments made about the product by participants. (inquire about name
specifically: “Y2 P2”)
Category/Product-Specific Questions:
• Would you consider purchasing this product in the future? If so, why?
• What are some specific features of this product you favor? (look, feel, design,
interface: would these influence your decision?)
• What are some features you feel are missing? (What about internet is so important
in a multi-media player?)
Contrast Questions:
• How would you differentiate the Samsung P2 Mp3 player from other
brands/products in the category? (iPod, Zune, etc)
Hypothetical-Interaction Questions:
• Suppose you are sitting across from the maker of this Mp3 player. Would you ask
them to include anything else? If so, what?
Page | 10
Samsung P2 A
• Suppose a marketing researcher asked you to predict the trends for the Mp3
player product category; what would you suggest for the future of these products?
Page | 11
Samsung P2 A
Time
1 hour
Risks
There are no physical requirements for this focus group. The material being discussed will not be sensitive or
controversial. Stress or other physical risks will most likely be nonexistent.
Benefits
Participants will gain knowledge about the various features in Samsung YP-P2 Mp3 player as well as other brand
name Mp3 players. Each participant will also gain understanding of current trends in the Mp3 player industry.
Compensation
Participants will receive no compensation.
Confidentiality
The Participant’s identity, along with his/her opinions, will be kept confidential to the extent provided by the law.
At no time, will names be associated with the opinions expressed during the focus group. Participants can
withdrawal consent at anytime during or after the focus group. In the event of a withdrawal, all opinions
expressed by the participant will be void and removed from the research records.
Page | 12
Samsung P2 A
PRODUCT BRIEF
Samsung Y2 P2 Mp3
Samsung has chosen to position their product
based on several platforms of performance. They
stress the capabilities of the P2 that set it apart from
other touch screen Mp3 players. The P2 comes
standard with Bluetooth capability. This capability
allows the user to use a wireless headset up to a
distance of 38.2 ft and also enables the user to answer
their cell phone wirelessly using just the P2. The P2 is
also lighter and faster, weighing 2.88 ounces and
boasting a playback rate of 30 frames per second on
the 3-inch screen. Also mentioned in the P2’s
advertisement is that it is multi-format friendly,
capable of playing Mp3, WMA, WMA-DRM,
MPEG4, and WMV9 files.
The brand personality can be summed up in
three words: “Compact, Fresh and Innovative.” These
three qualities describe the three components that consumers are looking for in an Mp3 player.
The new P2 is very compact with a measurement of 3.94x2.05x0.39 inches and a weight of 2.88
ounces, making it smaller than the iPod touch, which is the market leader. The P2 is innovative
with faster loading speeds, Bluetooth capability, and multiple format capability. The P2 is fresh
with a new sleek design and a choice of three snazzy colors (black, white, and burgundy). The
current P2 strategy centers on the new technological capabilities, size, clarity, and sleekness of
the product.
The P2 is sold directly through Samsung and also through several retailers- Bestbuy,
Circuit City, and major website retailers such as Amazon.com. The average price for the new P2
is as follows: 4GB, $179.99; 8GB $229.99. The P2 package includes an USB connector cable, a
rechargeable battery with a life of up to 30 hours, and music management software. (See Image 1
in Appendix) The promotions used so far are limited to one TV slot that mimics the iPod touch
ad, by demonstrating all the cool features of the P2.
Page | 13