Parks Canada

Advertising Concept Pretesting
Qualitative Research

Executive Summary

Prepared for Parks Canada Agency

30 Victoria Street
Gatineau QC, J8X 0B3

information@pc.gc.ca

1-888-773-8888

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Executive Summary

Corporate Research Associates undertook the Advertising Concept Pretesting Study on behalf of Parks Canada. The research aimed to assess citizen reactions to proposed creative concepts being considered for a new national tourism campaign, to ensure the concepts resonate with the target audiences and motivate residents to consider visiting Canadian national parks and historic sites in 2017.  A total of eight online focus groups (real-time, over the phone and online) were conducted across Canada from December 12 to 13, 2016.  Six to eight participants attended each group (53 total participants), with each discussion lasting approximately 90 minutes. Parks Canada plans to use the results of the study to revise the campaign's creative concepts before launching it across multiple media platforms in 2017.

Summary of Key Findings

The results reveal that the campaign concepts, in their current form, hold only moderate appeal, and fall short of meeting campaign objectives.  With some modifications however, findings suggest that the campaign will be well-received and will successfully encourage the public to order an official entry pass (Discovery Card Pass) and visit a National Park and/or National Historic Site.

While the proposed concepts clearly communicate a message of exploring Canada's National Parks and Historic Sites in 2017, the ads are not deemed to be attention-getting.
The visuals were criticized as too generic, and not appropriately reflective of Canada's diverse, awe-inspiring and distinct offerings.  Similarly, the video ads were generally considered only moderately attention getting.
The ads were criticized for their lack of identification in terms of the places being showcased.
Proper identification of the National Parks and/or Historical Sites being shown was considered highly important, allowing individuals to determine the feasibility of visiting such a site (e.g., if it was within traveling distance of their home) and directing them on where to look for additional information online
The word "free" is clearly a key motivator in encouraging visitation to National Parks and Historic Sites.
The cost of entry to National Parks/ Historic Sites was identified as a barrier to frequent visitation by some.  The offer of free admission holds great appeal and clearly entices visitation to both previously visited sites and unvisited sites.
The reason for an entry pass was confusing to some.
While many expressed interest in having a Discovery Pass, participants questioned the purpose of the pass, and whether presentation of the physical card would be a requirement upon admission to a National Park and/or Historic Site. Moreover, some questioned how they would go about getting a pass.
The "Through the Child's Eyes" narrative approach was generally preferred.
It held broader appeal using multiple voices, was more inclusive, and related to multiple generations.  For some, it instilled a sense of nostalgia and evoked a strong emotional response, creating a more personal tone through the reference of family traditions.  By contrast, the "Some Day" approach was perceived negatively by some, imparting a sense of guilt on some parents.
Print and online ad concepts received mixed reviews, each with some areas warranting attention.
The simplicity, engaging imagery and clear wording of "Your Free Pass to Discovery" in the concepts was generally preferred. The "365 Day Discovery Pass Giveaway" was well liked for its singular imagery and place-identification, but the questions posed in the design and numeric headlines proved problematic for some and have the potential for confusion. Of the two concepts presented, results suggest that Parks Canada should consider further development of the "Your Free Pass to Discovery" print / online concept, and "Through the Child's Eyes" video approach.
Overall, the findings confirm that a number of design modifications should be considered to the campaign concept materials. Most notably, these include:

The Advertising Concept Pretesting Study employed qualitative techniques which are used in marketing research as a means of developing insight and direction, rather than collecting quantitatively precise data or absolute measures. Due to the inherent biases in the technique, the data cannot be projected to any universe of individuals. Qualitative discussions are intended as moderator-directed, informal, non-threatening discussions with participants whose characteristics, habits and attitudes are considered relevant to the topic of discussion.

I hereby certify as Senior Officer of Corporate Research Associates that the deliverables fully comply with the Government of Canada political neutrality requirements outlined in the Communications Policy of the Government of Canada and Procedures for Planning and Contracting Public Opinion Research. Specifically, the deliverables do not include information on electoral voting intentions, political party preferences, and standings with the electorate or ratings of the performance of apolitical party or its leaders.

Signed by: Margaret Brigley, President & COO
Corporate Research Associates