logo
0
  • Services
    • Graphic Design
      • Logo Design
      • T-shirts ‘n Stuff
      • Publication Design
    • Web Publishing
      • Hosting & Maintenance
      • Recent Website Project 1
      • Recent website project 2
      • eMail Marketing
    • Copywriting
      • Promo Copy Sample: Vistancia
      • Product Copy Sample: Attitude Brewing Co.
      • A Teaching Philosophy
      • Blog Posts
    • Photography
      • Promotional
      • Portraits
      • Automotive
      • Fashion
      • Real Estate
      • Landscapes
  • Inquiries
    • FAQs
    • Testimonials
    • Privacy Policy
    • Refunds
      • Returns
    • Resumé
    • Contact Info
  • Shop
    • Art Prints
    • Account

Research

Before we start hammering out a cool headline or dreaming up a stunning visual effect, we need to do our homework. Identifying the Problem (which is often given by the client) is crucial to figuring out the correct message send to potential customers.

If we are going to truly be able to communicate to our audience, then we are going to need to be able to “get inside their head”.

In addition, we must understand that in order to get to selling our product to the market, we have to sell the boss on the idea. Regardless of the situation, whether you’re dealing with a client or an art director, someone will have to sign off on your project before it can be executed.

Understanding the client

Contacts & networking

Understanding the Product & the Market

Market research

Shop the competition

Look at the “big picture”

Market Segmentation

Review of Demographic / Psychographic

Product Research

Talk to users

Tour the factory

One of the greatest ad campaigns in the history of American advertising started with a factory tour in Wolfsburg, Germany.

Talk to sales reps.

Use the product

A spec sheet is almost never as valuable as having actual experience with the product in question.

Research may show that the client has misidentified the issue

Example

A major automotive manufacturer wants a TV spot for an SUV

Sales are in a huge slump

Client is concerned with positioning product against other SUV as more Eco-friendly

Survey of dealerships indicates that potential customers are walking off the lots due to lack of model/option availability

They want Arctic blue

Units in this color produced in the lowest quantity

Is this an advertising or marketing issue? Now what do we do?

Back to Blog

Sort by Category

Blog Posts Lecture Notes Marketing Info Photography Physiological Psychology Poetry Quotes Tech Tips Video Writing Samples

Sort by Tags

4Ps Advertising Ardiente Article Autobiographical Branding Brand Name CA Wine Country Central Coast Communication Consumers Design Distribution Dramatic Dialogue Education Intro to Marketing Labeling Las Vegas Lecture Notes LinkedIn Marketing Market segmentation Packaging Philosophy Phoenix AZ Place Placement poem PR Price Pricing Product Product Development Products Promotions Psychology Redmond WA Retail Retiring Green Rio Vista CA Sales Shea Homes Teaching Trilogy Vistancia

© Scott Norton Design 2025 • All rights reserved.