SUMMARY
This study attempts to determine the variables that explain different advertising effects i.e. increase, decrease, and same in intention to purchase after exposure to print advertisements for three brands of whiskey (Knob Creek, Maker's Mark and Jack Daniel's). 76 respondents completed an online questionnaire in order to collect and analyze this data in SPSS, using a range of statistical tests, including: correlated t-test, between groups t-test, chi-square significance test, frequency counting, simple correlation coefficient, regression analysis, discriminant analysis, ANOVA/MANOVA, and factor analysis. The results from the sample were then statistically examined in order to determine whether or not they could be projected to the entire population with statistical confidence.
Jack Daniel's was most favored by the respondents of the survey, as it had the highest mean attitude score while the mean attitude scores for Knob Creek and Maker's Mark were slightly lower. So, while Jack Daniel's did carry a higher mean attitude score from respondents, it is important to notice that the difference in mean attitude scores between the three brands is still slight, and so the perception that Jack Daniel’s is the better brand is only of a semi-important magnitude.
Jack Daniel’s had the most individuals think positively of its advertising following exposure (45 individuals or 59.2% of the population) while Maker’s Mark had the fewest respondents moving down in their opinions (17 or 22.4%). Knob Creek had the fewest positive increase in opinions (22 or 28.9%), and the most individuals whose opinion of the brand decreased after ad exposure (39 or 51.3%). Maker’s Mark had the greatest number of people with unchanging opinions (34, 44.7%). We can infer from this that for the majority of the sample, Jack Daniel’s had the strongest advertising, as brand perception increased. However, Maker’s Mark already had a strong brand awareness, as many people also maintained opinions that they had about the brand prior to ad exposure. Knob Creek clearly has the weakest advertising, as brand perception decreased significantly following ad exposure.
The brand attributes for Knob Creek, Maker's Mark and Jack Daniel's, account for a low percentage of the variance in the pre-post ad exposure change scores. All three brands reveal low coefficient of multiple determinants, which indicates that there is little relationship between how respondents rated the brands on the ten Likert items regarding brand attributes and their favorability of the brands (indicated by the pre-post ad exposure change score). Only a few of the respective Likert items for each brand were found to be related to the respondents' brand favorability. The mean differences were not very large but they can be projected to the target audience.
This study did have limitations. The sample size of 76 was small and the researcher chose a convenience sample rather than the preferred "random" sample. It is also important to note the fact that there was no control group, due to the limited time and resources. As stated previously, random exposure was not used in this questionnaire to correct or lessen order biases; meaning, the categories were not presented randomly each time all three brands were displayed, rather they always appeared with Knob Creek first, Maker's Mark second and Jack Daniel's last.
Even though this study did not indicate large differences between each brand of whiskey, it does provide interesting information, such as the weaker advertising for Knob Creek and the strong brand image of both Maker's Mark and Jack Daniel's, and this information can be used as a basis for future analysis and discussion.