Eye camera / advertising tests - retail trade
(Sport-Thieme)

Does the target group perceive advertising material as the advertiser would like them to? The sporting goods vendor Sport-Thieme asked itself precisely this question. The Deutsche Post sales authorities in Hanover suggested that the client have its advertising material examined with the eye camera test.

Sport-Thieme is the market leader among vendors of sporting goods. The company engages in very professional marketing. Two main catalogs as well as several interim and special theme catalogues are published every year. Sport-Thieme wanted to know how its advertising material is perceived by the target group.

The main catalog 2002-2003 was examined at the Siegfried Vögele Institute (SVI), a Deutsche Post subsidiary, using the eye camera. Two groups of test persons first viewed the catalog as a whole and then individual sample pages from it. One group of test persons consisted of five customers, the other of non-customers.

• The catalog is well structured in keeping with the design rules for direct marketing.
• In viewing the individual elements, customers displayed a strong interest in the catalog inserts devoted to specific themes.
• Only brief attention was paid to the order card and member-get-member advertising section.
• Non-customers barely perceived the inserts, reaching directly for the main catalog instead.
• Customers took an average of 9.20 minutes to examine the catalog, while non-customers took only 3.10 minutes.
• Thanks to the test, Sport-Thieme acquired in-depth knowledge as to how its advertising material is perceived and was able to alter and further develop the material in keeping with these findings.