Formative Research

This week in my health communication class, we talked about formative research and its applications. It was amazing to see how much research was conducted to come up with a motorcycle ad. The producers of the ad took into consideration the attitudes, values, identity, stereotype, image and anything associated with a motorcycle rider through focus groups to target their consumers. In the video, the producers talked about how commercials deal with fantasies and it is these images of fantasies that are appealing to the consumers. I guess I can relate to this when I see an ad. Depending on the ad and whether it appeals to my interest or not, I start daydreaming which then leads me to buy the product that caused me to feel that way. Ultimately this is exactly how the producers of these ads get to consumers to buy their products. For instance, how much do you think goes on behind a simple ad like the one I have posted about Coca Cola?? Well, after watching the video in class, I say TONS. In this particular ad, their target audience is the younger crowd so they have probably analyzed many young people's behaviors and have interviewed them individually to find out what appeals to them the most. Anyways, the whole point is that an extensive amount of research is done for just a simple advertisement. I hope to be able to appeal to my target audience the same way as a health educator someday.