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Deena Hollander
July 4, 2017
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Music research for radio seems to be a "feast or famine" issue: Radio programmers and management have the choice between the "high-priced spread" of top-of-the-line research and analysis, or reasonably priced research whose methodology may render the results irrelevant. After over a decade at Edison Research, Deena Hollander eventually started her own company, Advantage Music Research, with the explicit goal of generating quality research at a reasonable price. Here's how she does it:
What prompted you to leave Edison and eventually start your own research company?
Edison was facing challenges that led to a reduction in workforce, and after nearly 16 years with the company, I was impacted by the downsizing. I started working for another market research company, but I realized that I missed the radio industry. I decided to start my own business where I could use my experience in an area that I thought would benefit the radio industry -- giving radio stations high-quality data at a reasonable cost.
Where was a "hole in the market" for the research you wanted to offer?
I saw the hole in the market for this research because on one end there are a few high-quality research providers that provide a lot of analysis and assistance with implementing music tests, but can be too expensive for some radio station's budgets. On the other end, there are some low-cost research companies that don't provide analysis but collect low-quality data, which can ultimately do more harm than good to a station. We saw an opportunity to provide high-quality data at reasonable prices.
Exactly what are radio programmers frustrated with when it comes to music research?
The main frustrations are that radio programmers don't always have the budget for those high-end music tests so they either don't have the chance to do any research, or they end up going with a lower cost test where the quality isn't very good.
What distinguishes Advantage's music research vs. others?
While our Scorecard respondents complete our music tests online, we recruit respondents through landline phone, mobile phones and online sampling panels. This multi-methodological approach to recruitment allows us to get a broad sample that better reflects our clients' audiences than tests that are recruited totally online or from a field service's database. Also, we maintain strict quality-control measures to ensure we have the right people in place to take the tests -- and that we are not just finding any respondents to take the test just to get it done as cheaply as possible.
Our approach also works really well for respondents because they can complete our tests online from any location, on any platform and at a pace that works best for their schedule.
What's the proper number of respondents for a good sample nowadays?
Most people do about 100 respondents, although those with tighter budgets we will sometimes have a sample of 80 or 90. Although we prefer a sample of 100, testing 80 or 90 is still enough to produce quality data in most situations.
Has consolidation impacted music research and specifically the way you do yours?
I didn't start Advantage until after the consolidation happened, but I can see how consolidation has led to some of the frustrations. Tight budgets are causing programmers to not be able to afford research, or to go with lower quality research that they don't necessarily trust.
When your research company is essentially the "new kid in town," how do you win over clients?
Having spent nearly two decades in the radio industry, I have worked with a lot of programmers who know me and know that I understand and value quality data. The strict quality controls and tight recruitment methodology we use with Scorecard really exemplifies this. Advantage's ability to deliver this high quality data at fair prices meets a need that I believe will resonate with a lot of programmers.
Are all forms of landline music research extinct by now?
Definitely not. There's still a segment of the population that can only be reached by landlines. They can't be recruited online or by mobile phones so by neglecting to recruit these landline only people is harmful to the research because it wouldn't properly reflect a station's target audience.
What is the correct ratio on online/landline participation?
That is really determined by the market and the target audience of our clients.
Besides tweaking their panels to fit their desired listeners, is there a difference in the way research is conducted depending on the format of the station?
No, we don't see a difference or need to change the type of research depending on the music format. All Scorecard tests are conducted online and we have found that the respondents really like the ability to take the survey at a time that is most convenient to them.
In general, do you continually tweak your testing methodology ... and do you have any examples of a typical tweak?
The most frequent tweak is in the recruitment mix - and how much of the sample is recruited via landline, mobile and online, which we customize based on the target audience of the client's station.
What's the biggest challenge in music research - getting a large enough sample, getting certain demos or a high enough quality of a response?
We find it relatively easy to get 100 respondents to take a music test. It's a much bigger challenge to get the right respondents and that is what we focus on - finding the highest quality respondents for the station's target.
Do you use "quality" respondents over again ... and if so, is there a danger of overusing them?
We don't allow the "right respondents" to be continuous test takers, although they may be used again. We usually wait months or more before allowing them to be a part of another music test. We certainly want to keep respondents who are receptive to taking tests in the panel; the key is not overusing them. We don't take just anybody who's willing to take the test.
Does Advantage monitor both P1s and P2s and offer separate research on each?
We customize the sample specifications based on each client's target audience and strategy. In some cases, it's heavily focused on P1s, while others are less so. This all depends on the client and the station's music strategy.
How do you build your clientele - is it through marketing or mainly word-of-mouth?
Obviously, word of mouth is a big part of it, but we just recently launched our marketing campaign for Scorecard. Clients who use Advantage's Scorecard, see the quality and affordability and recommend it to others.
How long has Scorecard been around, and is it an alternative to Advantage's previous methodology?
We've actually been working with Scorecard for over a year but just recently launched it. We are always continuing to evaluate and look at fielding techniques to make sure we are staying ahead of the game with our quality of data.
Finally, what of the future? Will you continue to focus on radio or could you see doing something like website research?
Right now, our main focus is rolling out our Scorecard music test and building a track record with as many successful clients as possible.
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