Using a Marketing Evaluation Tool to Optimize a Social Marketing Campaign: Insights From a Copy Test of a You're the Mom Campaign Ad

Abstract

A copy test is a business tool for assessing advertisements. This report provides an example of how copy test may be used within nutrition education practice and research. A public health nutrition advertisement for You're the Mom was copy tested with a market research firm. Mothers (n = 300) were aged 22-49years, had a household income <$50,000 and ≥1 child aged 4-8years and bought fast food ≥2-3times/mo. Compared with advertisements for for-profit goods, the advertisement scored high on impact (77th percentile) and moderate on persuasiveness (46th percentile) and communicated 2 key messages at higher rates than norms (51% and 46%) and a third at a lower rate (37%). Copy test results can best inform campaign development when the distinct purpose of the ad (versus the overall campaign) is clear; and when evaluation tools are designed to align directly with that purpose.

Keywords: child nutrition; copy test; quick-serve restaurant food; social marketing.