DAGMAR model

DAGMAR model is a methods used for testing the impact of advertising on the change in the customer's attitude towards advertised product or service. It was created by R.H. Colley. Name of the method is derived from title of R.H. Colley book from 1961 titled: Defining Advertising Goals for Measured Advertising Results published by Association of National Advertisers. Inc., New York.

Model is based on the categorization of potential buyers depending on their attitude to particular product:

• Unaware (never heard of the product),
• Aware (heard about the product, but do not see its value),
• Understanding (heard about the product and know its characteristics),
• Convinced (know the value of the product in comparison with competing products and intend to buy it in the future),
• Active buyers (they purchased this product, or do something to do it).

In this model, we determine what percentage of clients assigned to each group; the greater the number of people are "convinced" and "active", the advertisement is more effective.

Examples of DAGMAR model

1. A company launches a new product and wants to test the impact of their advertising campaign on their target audience’s attitude towards the product. They use the DAGMAR model to measure the effectiveness of the campaign by measuring the change in attitude before and after the campaign.
2. A company wants to test the effectiveness of their new radio advertisement. They use the DAGMAR model to measure the change in attitude of their target audience before and after the advertisement is aired.
3. A company wants to measure the effectiveness of their new television advertisement. They use the DAGMAR model to measure the change in attitude of their target audience before and after the advertisement was aired.

Advantages of DAGMAR model

The DAGMAR model has several advantages that make it a popular choice for assessing advertising effectiveness. These advantages include:

• It provides an effective way to measure the effectiveness of an advertising campaign. It can be used to measure the impact of an advertisement on both short-term and long-term sales.
• It is a comprehensive model that takes into account all aspects of an advertising campaign, including the message, media, and target audience.
• It is easy to understand and implement, making it accessible to a wide range of companies and organizations.
• The model is also flexible, allowing for modifications to be made to accommodate specific objectives and needs.
• It is cost-effective, as it requires minimal resources to implement and analyze results.
• It provides a clear and concise way to measure the effectiveness of an advertising campaign, allowing for accurate comparison between different campaigns.

Limitations of DAGMAR model

The DAGMAR model is a popular method used for testing the effectiveness of advertising campaigns, but it is not without its limitations. Some of the main limitations of the DAGMAR model include:

• Lack of precise metrics: The DAGMAR model does not provide clear metrics that can be used to measure the effectiveness of an advertising campaign. This can make it difficult to determine whether or not the campaign was successful.
• Subjective interpretation: The DAGMAR model relies heavily on subjective interpretation of the results. Therefore, the results may not always be reliable or accurate.
• Limited scope: The DAGMAR model is limited in its scope and does not take into account other factors that may influence the success of an advertising campaign, such as the target audience or the brand’s overall marketing strategy.
• High costs: The DAGMAR model requires a lot of time and resources, which can make it expensive to implement.

Other approaches related to DAGMAR model

As an alternative to the DAGMAR model, there are several other approaches for testing the impact of advertising on customer attitudes. These include:

• The AIDA model: This model was created by E. St. Elmo Lewis and stands for Attention, Interest, Desire, Action. It is based on the idea that customers go through four stages when they are exposed to an advertisement: they first pay attention, then become interested in the message, then feel a desire for the product, and finally take action to purchase it.
• The Hierarchy of Effects model: This model was developed by J.A. Howard and R. Sheth and is based on the idea that customers go through five stages when they are exposed to an advertisement: they first become aware of the product, then gain knowledge about it, then form attitudes towards it, then develop a preference for it, and finally make a purchase decision.
• The Stimulus-Response model: This model was created by E.J. McCarthy and is based on the idea that consumers are influenced by certain cues in the environment, such as an advertisement, which then causes them to take action, such as making a purchase.

In summary, the DAGMAR model is just one of several approaches for testing the impact of advertising on customer attitudes. Other approaches include the AIDA model, the Hierarchy of Effects model, and the Stimulus-Response model.

DAGMAR model — recommended articles

Target population — Importance of market segmentation — Market metrics — In store marketing — Differentiated marketing strategy — Analysis of customer — Hierarchy of effects model — Marketing mix — Measuring of advertising effectiveness

References

• Barry, T. E. (1987). The development of the hierarchy of effects: An historical perspective. Current issues and Research in Advertising, 10(1-2), 251-295.
• Boyd Jr, H. W., Ray, M. L., & Strong, E. C. (1972). An attitudinal framework for advertising strategy. The Journal of Marketing, 27-33.
• Colley, R. H. (1961). Defining Advertising Goals for Measured Advertising Results, Association of National Advertisers. Inc., New York, NY.
• Katole, H. J. (2012). Evaluation of Retailers' vs Customers' Views on the Usage of Advertising as Communication Tool. International Journal of Marketing Studies, 4(6), 174.
• Krugman, H. E. (1965). The impact of television advertising: Learning without involvement. Public opinion quarterly, 29(3), 349-356.
• Lavidge, R. J., & Steiner, G. A. (2000). A model for predictive measurements of advertising effectiveness. Advertising & Society Review, 1(1).

Author: Krzysztof Wozniak