Impact of Communication - PMA (Perception Mapping Analyzer)

Description

PMA (Perception Mapping Analyzer) is a technique that enables us to evaluate the impact and attractiveness of commercials, TV programs or other audio and visual stimuli individually, without the interference of the researcher. To do this, it uses a device equipped with analogical dials connected remotely to a computer with a program that captures the participants’ reactions on a scale of intensity ranging from 0 to 100. This analytical software plots the audience’s responses by means of curves on a graph, showing the attractiveness of the material in real time.

Points that merit a more in-depth qualitative analysis are determined based on this immediate analysis, and at the end of the PMA evaluation some participants are selected for a focus group.

As it works with a structured questionnaire in the first phase, this technique permits a quantitative analysis, a replication of the instrument and comparison of results over different waves. Other advantages of the technique are:

• Total isolation of each participant’s initial reactions from the possible influence of the group
• Identification of the moments in the commercials/programs that generate greater or lesser attraction, permitting the reasons why to be explored later.

Objective of the Research

• To measure individual non-verbal reactions to audio and video stimuli (commercials and TV programs)
• To capture and measure the differences in terms of attractiveness between commercials, TV programs, different versions of the same program, characters or presenters
• To collect profile data for a determined public and their opinion about different subjects of interest to the client, by means of a structured questionnaire answered using the dials. This is processed immediately and presented on a computer screen

Measures Tested

• Impact of a stimulus in real time
• Degree of moment-to-moment attractiveness on a scale of 0-100
• Involvement with material tested at different moments, identifying the impact of characters, actors, music, language, scenes and other stimuli in the audiovisual material
• Comparative measures between the communication stimuli or a client’s programming versus that of the competition
• Greater detailing of the findings obtained in the PMA phase and understanding of the reasons for each type of reaction or response

Data Collection Technique

The data collection takes place in two phases: in the first phase the whole sample is interviewed using the dials as an instrument for collecting the responses; in the second phase, only a part of the whole sample remains to take part in a Mini-Group.

Illustration of process:

• 1. Each participant is given a dial through which they express their degree of satisfaction / attraction / interest in what they are watching by turning the dial (0-100)
• 2. The dials are connected to a computer terminal that records and analyzes the results, plotting them on a graph that is constantly updated throughout the program; this process is accompanied by the client (who is in the observation room) in real time

Stimuli

Commercials/films/television programs that are ready or still in the test phase, as long as they are already in an audio-visual format such as a story-teller

Minimum Recommended Sample

60 to 120 Personal Interviews in the PMA, followed by 4 to 6 Mini-Groups

Duration

6 to 7 weeks