After conducting an in-person focus group of 8 participants, an online focus group through Facebook postings, and In-Depth-Interviews, we were able to determine which magazine Ad's were most effective for the brands.

1. Project 3- Appendix
Category: Cars
Lauren Wallace & Narvis Kennel
Qualitative Ad Research Fall 2014

2. Introduction/Project Proposal
The goal of our research is to discover consumers’ views of three different car ads. We
conducted a traditional focus group, asking questions in hopes of finding the consumers
perception on how the ads persuade, promote, and capture attention. This was followed by an
online focus group that helped us find additional information ranging from ad relevancy,
uniqueness, and complexity. With this information, we were able to determine if there was a
direct correlation between the participants’ ideas of an ad, and how it affects the perception of a
brand and their purchases. Ultimately, we were able to make insights from the research found,
which determined our recommendations for our clients’ advertising.
Focus Group
On Thursday (11/20), we conducted our in-person focus group using six participants from class.
Within a 30 minute session, participants were shown three different car ads and asked to
explain their thoughts on it. Lauren was the moderator and Narvis recorded the entire session,
taking notes when needed.
Moderator Guide
Introduction
Thanks you for your time today, my name is ______, this is my partner __________. Today we
will be asking about your ideas, thoughts, and preferences on 3 different car ads. During the
focus group, my partner and I will rotate positions during the second half from moderator to
recorder, so do not be alarmed. This discussion will be recorded, but nothing said here will be
made public, is that okay with everyone?
Lifestyle
Let’s go around the room. Everyone introduce yourself and tell us where you are from.
● Show of hands. Who owns a driver’s license?
● Now, show of hands, who owns a car?
● Who plans to own or lease a car within the next 5 years?
Advertising
Now, we are going to discuss three advertisements for popular car brands. Let’s take a look at
the first one.
Ad 1
● What is your initial reaction to this advertisement?
● How believable is this ad?
● Does it grab your attention?
● What sticks out to you in particular?
● How were you able to understand the message?
● What was unique about this ad?
● After seeing this ad, does it change your perception of the brand?
Ad 2
● What is your initial reaction to this advertisement?
● How believable is this ad?

3. ● Does it grab your attention?
● What sticks out to you in particular?
● How were you able to understand the message?
● What was unique about this ad?
● After seeing this ad, does it change your perception of the brand?
Ad 3
● What is your initial reaction to this advertisement?
● How believable is this ad?
● Does it grab your attention?
● What sticks out to you in particular?
● How were you able to understand the message?
● What was unique about this ad?
● After seeing this ad, does it change your perception of the brand?
Purchase Intent
● Which ad is your favorite?
● How could the other ads improve?
● Which was the most believable?
● Which was the most unique or creative ad?
● If these brands had personalities, what would they be?
● Which of the three brands would you be most likely consider purchasing?
Conclusion
Thank you again for taking the time to be apart of today’s focus group on the attitudes of college
students towards car brands. Before we end, what was the most interesting topic we covered. Is
there anything else someone wants to add to the discussion?
Enjoy the rest of your day!
Online/Mobile
Seven participants were involved in the online-mobile component of our study. From November
25- December 1, the participants joined a group discussion board through Facebook. We sent
them text reminders to respond, post pictures, and comment on the site during specific times
during the study.
Schedule/Postings
Introduction
Welcome to the group discussion board! Thank you for participating in our three day look into
the attitudes of college students towards car brands. We appreciate your honest opinions.
There are no wrong answers. Be sure to leave feedback/comments for your fellow group
members and upload pictures in addition to posting your responses if possible.
Day 1- Tuesday (11/25)
❏ 10:00am Welcome to the group. Tell us a little about yourself. Also answer the prompt:
Explain your first driving experience. How old were you? Who taught you? What car did
you drive?
❏ 12:00pm Post a picture of your car or current mode of transportation. What are your likes
and dislikes?

4. ❏ 3:00pm In the next 5 years, do you see yourself having a car? What would it be? If you
will not have a car, what is your preferred mode of transportation?
❏ 5:00pm Post: What is your dream car if cost was not a factor? What makes this model
special?
Day 2- Wednesday (11/26)
❏ 10:00am Ad 1 is now available. What is your initial reaction?
❏ 10:15am What are your feelings toward Ad 2?
❏ 10:30am How about Ad 3?
❏ 12:00pm Post: Choose the best advertisement for each of the following categories:
Relevancy, Uniqueness, Believability
❏ 12:30pm Post: Which of the three car brands would you most likely consider
purchasing? Explain your decision.
❏ 5:00pm: Post: Please explain which ad is your favorite? How could the other ads
improve?
Day 3- Thursday (11/27)
❏ 10:00am Post: How did travel this holiday?
❏ 12:00pm Happy Thanksgiving! Be sure to upload a picture of your holiday meal.
❏ 3:00pm Post: How are you getting back to campus? What would you change about your
travel arrangements next year?
❏ 5:00pm: Thank you for your participation on the study! Be sure to share your favorite
part of the discussion and post last comments.
Day 4-7- Friday (11/28)-Monday (12-1)
❏ Final Comments
Debrief:
We all know the basic operations of a car so to make an ad with no extra benefits or details is a
waste. One participant said, “My car runs, so why would I need that one”. The uniqueness is
very valuable and is what turns the eyes on consumers. Having a strong message is also
important. There are a lot of different cars, so to have a strong message that separates you
from others in an AD is key. It helps future buyers because they have a strong idea about your
brand rather than different messages that target a range of different personas. As far as
Messaging, being too complicated is a turn off and makes consumers less interested in trying to
figure it out and more interested in what’s on the next page.
1. Cool, pretty cars
2. “James Bond drove it so I want it”
3. Good on gas
4. Hybrid
5. Good commercials
6. Big cars get good use with room
7. 2 seaters are too small and annoying; for younger people
8. 4 doors are better more organized
9. Luxury is important
10. Complex is good, but not too complex

5. Annotation:
Advertising (A) Brand (B) Design (D) Influence (I)
Luxury (L) Special Features (S)
Focus Group
- 5/6 had a driver’s license
- 3/6 received at 16 years old (18 and 20 outliers)
- Favorite car brands/types
o Porsche Cayenne, Volkswagen, Range Rover, BMW--Crossovers/SUVs (B)
o Foreign cars (B)
o Luxury cars
Trust, you know they are safe already (L)
- Preferred 4 doors w/ at least 5 seats
- Parents influenced car opinions and purchasing decisions
o “…my mother’s car is Volkswagen” (I)
o “…my parents are going to be the one that cosign” (I)
o “I remember when my parents were getting a car…you have to get a luxury car.”
(I/L)
o “My parents say you don’t want a car that you have to buy parts all the time” (I)
- Ad 1: Audi
o Celebrities drive them (Taylor Lautner) (I)
o Confused by Audi positioning (no brand positioning) (B)
o Didn’t understand “as unique as you” (A)
o Good picture of car (highlights design) (A/D)
o “cinematic”
- Ad 2: Mercedes
o “That is so weird”
o Connected with the problem within the ad (A)
o Captures attention (A)
o Not too much copy, “simple” (A)
o “Fascinating image…can’t stop looking at it.”
o Needs more information about what the blind spot assist feature is
For example “the word camera”
o Best brand in conveying message to audience
- Ad 3: Ford
o Initial reaction “stupid”
o “Don’t care how strong my car is. I’m not tugging anything.”
o Not believable nor relatable (A)
o Not advertising the service like planed (A)
There’s a focus on the tires
o Ford equals “affordability” (B)
- What do you want in a car?

6. o “You want all the features” (S)
o “sexiness…visual appeal” (D)
o Safe, eco-friendly, good mileage, reliability, design/style, brand reputation (B/D)
Online Focus Group
- 3/7 drove for the first time at 17 years old (14 and 16 outliers)
- In the next 5 years, do you see yourself having a car? What would it be?
o Toyota (2), Nissan Altima, BMW (B)
- What is your dream car if cost was not a factor? What makes this model special?
o Audi- classy (B)
o Sleek black cars (D)
o Ford Mustang- “classic American Muscle” (B)
o “Mercedes G-SUV. It’s the hottest car out there.” (B)
- Ad 1: Audi
o “I like the color and how they incorporated DNA” (A)
o “The color scheme makes the car seem cool and almost luxurious. The science
reference makes it seem more intelligent.” (D/L)
o “Like the overall design of the ad. My focus is immediately drawn to the car. Love the
silver and dark cool colors. This is what I feel a good car ad should look like.” (A/D)
o “It reaches out to me because I am more in tune with the mechanical side of things
and science so this ad makes me feel safer or more luxurious because of the dark cool
colors and metals make things seem more advanced also.” (D/L)
o Most preferred ad, most likely to purchase, most appealing, best design (A/D)
- Ad 2: Mercedes
o “The illusion is trippy and takes away from me actually wanting to do more research
on the brand.” (A/B)
o “This ad did not make me want to look more into the car brand. I just liked the illusion
for the entertainment.”
o “Not your typical car ad. Simple yet intriguing. But because of that it makes me want
to read & know more about what they are trying to advertise.” (A)
o “This more conceptual had more of a risk to it. It can be interpreted in many different
ways. It may speak to their more creative side or their individuality.”
- Ad 3: Ford
o “The brand is trying to make that car more spectacular and that brand can do
something no other brand can do.” (A/B)
o ” This ad makes me think that the brand is trying too hard to advertise something it
can't do. I dislike misleading advertisements.” (A)
o “From this ad I gather that this is a powerful car...I do like the imagery however it's not
realistic, but I suppose that's what makes this ad even more interesting.” (A)
o “This would speak to a more practical side of myself. This is more about reliability
while maintaining aesthetics. Which is usually what people want in a car safety,
dependable, durable.”
- Ads could improve by adding some humor (A)

7. Potential Insights:
Parents are a big deciding factor when it comes to the actual purchase of cars
● “I’m not educated when it comes to cars, I have no idea ... my parents cause their
going be the ones to signing the lease (7 min)
Humor is always a great tool as long as its relatable and not over the top
● The Audi advertisement is the best. Add some humor.
Complexity is good, but too much is a turn off
● the illusion is trippy and takes away from me actually wanting to do more research on
the brand
● “Not your typical car ad. Simple yet intriguing. But because of that it makes me want to
read & know more about what they are trying to advertise.
Customization plays an important factor in grabbing the attention of the audience
● Everyone in the focus group had specific colors (12:51) that they wanted their cars to
be, and wanted to be able to change their car without it being so expensive
Too much font is a turn off and will not get viewers to pay attention but only bore them
● Everyone agreed that the Audi Ad’s text was way too long (13:13)
Features that stick out, or something that separates the car from any other cars is important.
● Many people in the focus group mentioned that the Ad’s didn’t tell them anything they
already didn’t know. Their car runs just as fine as the next, so why would they go to your
brand
● “My car runs, so why would I need that one””
The colorways of the Ad really is important when grabbing the attention of the buyer
● Our online participants had a lot to say when it came to the color pallet for the Audi
● “The color scheme makes the car seem cool and almost luxurious. The science
reference makes it seem more intelligent.
● “Like the overall design of the ad. My focus is immediately drawn to the car. Love the
silver and dark cool colors. This is what I feel a good car ad should look like”
Luxury and class are very important because even if you can’t afford it, it’s something we all
yearn for as far as looks and the popularity of the car
● Over 80% of participants mentioned luxury or class as part of their dream cars.
● “A bugatti cus its awesome lol they have cool doors”
● “I'm not sure about brand, but a sleek black car that can accelerate extremely fast”
● “an audi, the brand is classy”
Findings
1. The Parental Influence
Parents are a huge deciding factor when it comes to the purchasing of their children’s cars.
Participants felt that they did not know enough about cars to purchase one on their own. One
student said, “I’m not educated when it comes to cars, I have no idea.” Many college students
do not know much about cars because they cannot afford them, therefore, they bring their
parents along as a safety net for any questions they may not know to ask, or pricing issues. We
also found that majority of students plan on having their parents co-sign for their car, which
means that both the parent and the student will have to agree on something they are both
satisfied with.

8. With this key finding, we recommend that your main focus be to advertise to the student, but
include information that will entice the parents as well. This information can include: safety
ratings, pricing, and special features. Parents want to know less about the coolness of the car,
and more about its value. As a result, the parents can be satisfied with the safety of their child,
leaving the rest of the ad to draw in the attention of the primary target, new car owners.
2. Luxury and Aesthetics
When asking participants what their dream car would be and why, over eighty percent of
participants, both online and in the focus group, mentioned luxury and style as their number one
reason. Some cars included: Porsche, Range Rover, and BMW. An online participant said, “A
Bugatti cus its awesome lol they have cool doors.” Although it wasn’t listed as a reason, “A
Bugatti is a luxury car and the design is unique and fresh.” The doors are an original feature that
makes the car design that much better. Another online participant mentioned Audi saying, “An
Audi, the brand is classy.” The participant has never driven an Audi, but because the brand has
strong positioning, as far as luxury, it makes it desirable. The design of a car is just as important
as luxury because as mentioned before, many students don’t know much about cars, but they
do know what looks attractive. Another participant said, “I'm not sure about brand, but a sleek
black car that can accelerate extremely fast.”
Special features and unique design is what is important to your client, so focus on that as a part
of your new advertising tactics. To conclude, we recommend that when focusing on the
student, you have a strong brand message that highlights both the luxury of the car, as well as
its “sexiness and visual appeal.”
3. All the Bells & Whistles
Special features, such as an upgraded sound system and nice seating, are important when
considering to make a vehicle purchase. “You want all the features.” Unfortunately, the add ons
mean higher costs. The respondents appreciated when the brands included the same aspects
to all of their cars. For example, Mercedes-Benz has Blind Spot Assist and Ford offers Ford
Service.
4. Simple Advertising
“The illusion is trippy and takes away from me actually wanting to do more research on the
brand.” Consumers do not appreciate a car print advertisement that is too complex. “This ad did
not make me want to look more into the car brand. I just liked the illusion for the entertainment.”
A clear message with a simple design produces the best results. The text size and font choice
should be appropriate. The advertisement design should not hinder the viewer’s ability to easily
read and quickly understand the message. The picture of the car should be taken at the right
angle, which highlights the design and features of the vehicle. “Like the overall design of the ad.
My focus is immediately drawn to the car. Love the silver and dark cool colors. This is what I
feel a good car ad should look like.”

9. Celebrity endorsements would also appeal to college students. “I saw Taylor Lautner driving an
Audi over the summer.” The personality of the brand could be characterized by a famous
person. This would additionally influence consumers and assist with having clearer messaging.