1. How to Set Objectives
Prepared by J. Scott Armstrong (details on him at jscottarmstrong.com).
Please inform Scott about errors and also make suggestions (armstrong@wharton.upenn.edu)
Scott has taken these slides from adprin.com, a site that he founded. That site contains interactive versions of these
slides, along with linked references, videos, and webcasts, all in PPT and PPTX format that you can download.

2. How to set objectives
What is an objective? Describe it in 5 specific
criteria rather than synonyms such as
“mission” or “vision.”
When done, see the next slide for a list based on
research findings. How does your list
compare?
Adapted from AdPrin.com

3. Setting objectives: Evidence-based approach
Objectives should be
-- relevant
-- comprehensive
– explicit
– measurable (how much and by when)
– challenging yet achievable
Such objectives increase motivation and improve performance, as
shown by studies involving over 100 different tasks with over 40,000
participants in eight countries using laboratory and field experiments
(Locke & Latham 2002).
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4. Do companies articulate their objectives?
68 entries in the print-ad Gold Key Awards were asked to
include a statement of objectives. None specified the
amount of change or the time period(Hartley & Patti 1988).
Of the 29 winners of EFFIES (for “effectiveness”) only
17% of the 167 objectives were measurable (Moriarty
1996).
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5. Are you satisfied with the objectives stated by Levi
Strauss for its 501 jeans ad campaign?
1. Maintain and increase brand share,
2. maintain the 501’s price premium,
3. introduce and establish the Pan-American advertising support
in Spain, and
4. achieve the above using TV advertising.
See the next page for our answers
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6. 1. Maintain and increase brand share,
2. maintain the 501’s price premium,
3. introduce and establish the Pan-American advertising
support in Spain, and
4. achieve the above using TV advertising.
#1 is not relevant.
#2, #3 and #4 are strategies, not objectives.
Adapted from AdPrin.com

7. Relevant objectives
Focus on the ultimate objectives
Do not confuse strategies with objectives
• To come up with an objective, ask “why?”
until the answer is obvious, such as “why
increase profits?” (Persuasive Advertising p 15)
• To come up with a strategy, ask “how?”
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8. What should be the objectives of firms?
(n=170 marketing students)
Primary Purpose is to be: %
• better than its competitors 29
• the best that it can 71
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9. “What do you believe would be the effects on
long-term profitability if a firm has as its primary
goal to achieve higher market share?”
Survey of 99 marketing faculty:
HIGHER 57%
UNDECIDED 16%
LOWER 27%
To learn more, see AdPrin.com
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10. Based on this exercise, write a small application step for yourself,
and set a deadline, preferably within one week. If you are
working with someone else, share your application plan and the
results of your application.
• For example, make a relevant, comprehensive, explicit,
challenging, achievable, and measurable objective (with a
time deadline) for the work you are doing.
Adapted from AdPrin.com