The Starch Application of the Recognition Technique

HE BASIC PURPOSE of the Starch Advertisement Rating Service is to procure and to present valid and usable information as to the effectiveness of general consumer magazine advertising. At the outset, I prefer to define the problem in these broad terms, since there'can be no question that this is the ultimate objective toward which we are working. We all realize that as yet we have no complete solution of the problem. We have, however, made substantial progress in the development of so-called "readership" studies. May I state my conception of how the readership study fits into this general pattern, and consequently represents a means of measuring effectiveness. To make this clear, I shall have to ask you to recall to your minds the steps by which an advertisement functions. First, it must be seen; next, it must be read; then in successive and invariable order it must be believed; it must convince; it must lead to the decision to act; and, finally, it must result in the action specifically sought. The net effectiveness of an advertisement, however, cannot be gauged only by the success it achieves at the "action" step. Some advertisements of an institutional nature seek no definite action beyond mental impression, and it is obvious that any advertisement that makes a recallable impression upon a potential buyer has been of some value to the advertiser, because it has undoubtedly facilitated the "action" accomplishments of succeeding advertisements in the series.