Testing To Destruction

The document summarizes three key conclusions about advertising research from Testing to Destruction: 1. It is not possible to realistically test the effectiveness of an advertisement in a laboratory setting before real-life exposure. Laboratory testing provides limited predictability. 2. The most important contribution of research is at the planning stage, to heighten understanding of the market and consumers in order to better define the objectives and context for advertising. This guides the creative process and provides a basis for evaluating a campaign. 3. Research cannot prove that a particular advertisement will work, but it can disprove ideas that are irrelevant or inconsistent with what is known about consumers. Research helps eliminate weak ideas and strengthens the creative process.