Final Report
Prepared for Veterans Affairs Canada
Supplier Name: Phoenix SPI
Contract Number: 51019-220187/001/CY
Contract Value: $47,187.88 (including HST)
Award Date: 2021-06-22
Delivery Date: 2021-11-01
Registration Number: POR 018-21
For more information on this report, please contact Veterans Affairs Canada at: Commsresearch-commsrecherche@veterans.gc.ca
This public opinion research report presents the results of a set of virtual focus groups conducted by Phoenix SPI on behalf of Veterans Affairs Canada.
This publication may be reproduced for non-commercial purposes only. Prior written permission must be obtained from Veterans Affairs Canada. For more information on this report, please contact Veterans Affairs Canada at:
Commsresearch-commsrecherche@veterans.gc.ca
Catalogue number: V44-12/2021E-PDF
International Standard Book Number (ISBN): 978-0-660-40414-1
Related publications (POR registration number: POR 018-21):
Catalogue number (Final report, French): V44-12/2021F-PDF
ISBN: 978-0-660-40415-8
© Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada, as represented by the Minister of Veterans Affairs, 2021
Aussi offert en français sous le titre Campagne du Souvenir 2021: Évaluation de concepts
Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC) commissioned Phoenix Strategic Perspectives Inc. (Phoenix SPI) to conduct public opinion research to gauge the effectiveness of creative concepts for the 2021 Remembrance campaign.
The purpose of the qualitative research was to gauge the effectiveness of the creative concepts for the 2021 Remembrance campaign. The objectives were to assess the extent to which the specific creative concepts capture one's attention, convey a message that is clear and easy to understand, are appropriate in tone, and motivate in terms of the call to action.
To meet the objectives, a set of 10 virtual focus groups was conducted, with two groups in each of the following regions: Atlantic Canada (English), Ontario (English), Prairies (English), British Columbia (English), and Quebec (French). One group in each location was held with Canadians aged 18 to 34 and the other with Canadians aged 35 to 54. Groups were mixed by age (within each segment), education, household income, gender, and ethnic background. The fieldwork took place between July 19 and 26, 2021.
The results from the virtual focus groups are not statistically projectable, but they offer detailed opinions about the issues explored through this research. The results of this research will be used by the Government of Canada to guide the messaging and creative development of the 2021 Remembrance campaign.
I hereby certify as a Senior Officer of Phoenix Strategic Perspectives that the deliverables fully comply with the Government of Canada political neutrality requirements outlined in the Policy on Communications and Federal Identity of the Government of Canada and Procedures for Planning and Contracting Public Opinion Research. Specifically, the deliverables do not contain any reference to electoral voting intentions, political party preferences, standings with the electorate, or ratings of the performance of a political party or its leader.
(original signed by)
Alethea Woods
President
Phoenix SPI
The contract value was $47,187.88 (including HST).
Phoenix Strategic Perspectives Inc. (Phoenix SPI) was commissioned by Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC) to conduct research designed to gauge the effectiveness of creative concepts for the 2021 Remembrance campaign.
Within Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC), the core responsibility of commemoration is unique in that it serves Veterans and their families, recognizes the contributions of those who made the ultimate sacrifice, and engages the broader Canadian public in remembrance. The purpose of the Remembrance campaign is to honour the Canadians who served our country during times of war, military conflict and peace, and to engage Canadians in remembering past and present sacrifices.
More than 2.3 million Canadians have served in uniform to defend freedom and democracy since the start of the First World War and more than 118,000 have given their lives (Source: VAC Learning Unit). It is important for Canadians to understand the price of freedom. Veterans are passing the torch to the people of Canada, so the memory of their sacrifices and achievements will continue, and the values they fought for will live on.
The strategic focus of commemoration is currently being renewed. Work is underway toward a new approach to understanding the experiences, sacrifices and contributions of all Veterans, and how they have and continue to contribute to Canada. VAC is developing a 10-year strategic plan for commemoration in consultation with the Commemoration Advisory Group and other key stakeholders. This plan will serve as a reference point for commemoration activities going forward.
A national advertising campaign is one way VAC seeks to engage Canadians in remembrance. The Remembrance campaign is focused on engaging and honouring all who have served our country in times of war, military conflict and peace, and have made life better for Canadians and the world. The target audience for this advertising campaign is Canadians aged 18 to 54 years old, with an emphasis on younger Canadians (18 to 34 years old).
In 2021, a new digital creative is planned which will be a main element in the campaign. It is essential that VAC ensure the campaign will resonate with the intended audiences. The Department, therefore, commissioned qualitative and quantitative public opinion research to support the 2021 Remembrance Campaign: 1) online focus groups and 2) a pre- and post-campaign evaluation online survey. The focus of this report is the qualitative research.
The purpose of the qualitative research was to gauge the effectiveness of the creative concepts for the 2021 Remembrance campaign. The objectives were to assess the extent to which the specific creative concepts capture one's attention, convey a message that is clear and easy to understand, are appropriate in tone, and motivate in terms of the call to action. Feedback from the focus groups will be used to adjust the creative elements to ensure they resonate with the target audiences.
A set of 10 virtual focus groups was conducted with Canadians aged 18 to 54. Two groups were held in each of the following regions: Atlantic Canada (English), Ontario (English), Prairies (English), British Columbia (English), and Quebec (French). One group in each location was held with Canadians aged 18 to 34 and the other with Canadians aged 35 to 54.
The following specifications applied:
|
Location |
Language |
Time |
|---|---|---|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
In advance of the review of materials being considered for the Remembrance campaign, participants were asked a set of background and contextual questions about remembrance and commemoration. Issues explored included the main purpose of remembrance or commemoration, the importance of remembrance, views on what should be the focus of remembrance activities, recall of, and experience with, remembrance activities, including the types of activities or initiatives that resonate with them or are particularly meaningful to them.
Participants routinely focussed on one or more of three basic themes when asked about the main purpose of remembrance or commemoration. To the extent that there were differences among participants, they constituted variations on these themes as opposed to different views about the purpose of remembrance or commemoration. These themes were as follows:
Most participants considered remembrance or commemoration to be at least somewhat important to them personally. Reasons given to explain why included the following:
Some younger participants emphasized that, while they recognize the importance of remembrance, it has less personal meaning to them due to the absence of a personal connection to Veterans and/or a general lack of knowledge/familiarity with history and the role of Canada's military.
Asked what should be the focus of remembrance or commemoration activities, participants tended to draw attention to two things: who should be the focus of such activities and what should be focussed on.
While the focus tended to be on those who should be remembered/commemorated, some participants emphasized that an effort should be made to target younger people/youth who lack a direct or personal connection to Veterans. In this regard, it was also suggested that the focus of such activities in terms of vehicle or channel should be social media.
It was also suggested that the focus should be on issues/problems faced by Veterans and the importance of supporting Canada's Veterans. Some younger Canadians also emphasized the importance of providing younger people/generations with historical context and background in order to foster awareness and understanding of Canada's military history. It was suggested that this would provide them with the capacity to connect to remembrance/commemoration in a more meaningful way. For example, it was suggested that being exposed to personal testimonials of Veterans would be a good way to reach those with no meaningful personal connection to Veterans or the CAF.
Perhaps not surprisingly, the two types of remembrance activities most often recalled by participants were the poppy/wearing of the poppy and Remembrance Day ceremonies (e.g., laying of wreaths, moment of silence). Related to the latter, a number of younger Canadians recall remembrance/commemorative assemblies or moments of silence in school, including school visits/talks by Veterans. A number of other types of activities/events were recalled by smaller numbers, including the following:
Wearing a poppy and taking part in a Remembrance Day ceremony were also the two types of remembrance/commemorative activities participants were most likely to have taken part in themselves. Some younger participants specified that they had taken part in Remembrance Day ceremonies at school or as members of the cadets, boy scouts, or girl guides. Other types of activities participants have themselves taken part in were identified by individuals or no more than a few participants. These included visiting a war museum, reading 'In Flanders Fields', volunteering at a local Legion Hall, and taking part in essay writing or poster making contest at school.
Participants collectively identified various kinds of commemorative or remembrance activities that resonate with them or are particularly meaningful to them. That said, activities involving Veterans were most likely to resonate with participants. This included meeting Veterans, hearing/reading their stories or testimonials, writing to Veterans, and watching Veterans' parades. Activities such as these were described as meaningful because the presence or involvement of Veterans personalizes the act of remembrance and makes it concrete by establishing a momentary bond or sense of connectedness to those individuals who are the focus of these activities.
A number of other activities resonate with participants mainly because they provide moments of solitary or individual reflection. These include the moment/two minutes of silence, the laying of wreaths, standing at the tomb of the unknown soldier, the playing of the last post, hearing/reading 'In Flanders Fields', hearing bag pipes, and watching/witnessing the return of caskets of Canadian soldiers who have died on missions. In addition to activities that allow for solitary or individual reflection, some participants said that public gatherings/ceremonies resonate with them because they constitute moments of collective bonding and reflection. Finally, a few participants said activities and initiatives designed to provide or advocate for support of Veterans/assistance to Veterans tend to resonate with them.
Only a few participants could recall specific ads or ad campaigns dealing with commemoration or remembrance. This included what were identified as 'Lest we Forget' ads (though no specific ad was identified), ads dealing with specific battles or acts of heroism, heritage minutes/vignettes (unspecified), the 'We Will Remember' campaign, and commemorative coins.
Participants were shown three concepts or approaches for ads Veterans Affairs Canada is planning to run as part of its Remembrance advertising campaign: 38 million (concept A), Unforgettable (concept B), and Photos (concept C). The concepts or approaches were presented to participants using a storyboard with static images accompanied by a voiceover. Participants were informed that the ads would be 30 seconds long and could eventually appear on TV or as videos on social media using real footage, professional announcers, and music. In advance of presenting the concepts or approaches, participants were reminded that these are not finished products, and that they should focus on the messages conveyed in these ads, any feelings or emotions they elicit, and the effectiveness of the overall approach.
The order of presentation of concepts or approaches was rotated across groups. Following the presentation of each one, and prior to the group discussion, participants answered the following three questions using a 4-point scale (1 = Not at all, 2 = To a small extent, 3 = To a moderate extent, 4 = To a great extent): to what extent does the ad do the following: grab your attention; provide a message that is clear and easy to understand; and elicit an emotion.
All three ad concepts were judged to be more effective than not in terms of grabbing participants' attention, providing a clear message, and eliciting an emotional reaction.Footnote 1 Specifically, most participants said of each ad that it grabbed their attention, provided a clear message, and elicited an emotion at least to a moderate extent. That being said, participants were more likely to rate concepts A (38 million) and B (Unforgettable) as very effective in each of these areas. When participants were asked explicitly to compare the three ads, the Unforgettable approach was much more likely than the other two to be chosen as most effective in terms of sustaining attention, resonating on a personal level, and motivating participants to want to learn more about the role Canada's military has played in times of war and peace.
On certain points, participant feedback tended to be common or consistent for all three creative concepts. This common or consistent feedback is identified here, in order to avoid repetition. Any nuances on these points related to specific concepts will be identified in the section dealing with the concept(s) in question.
What follows is feedback on each of the three concepts/approaches.
Overall impressions of this concept tended to be moderately positive, with some reacting very positively to it. Participants who were not positive tended to be neutral rather than critical. Positive feedback on this concept, including things participants liked or identified as strengths, tended to focus on two of its aspects/features: the photos/pictures, and the messaging/voiceover. Some also commented positively on the combined effect of the two.
The combination of messaging and images was described by some as both attention-grabbing and thought-provoking, with most describing the ad as at least somewhat meaningful or relevant to them personally.
Reasons for its perceived relevance included the impression that the ad targets all Canadians (e.g., not just those related to Veterans), delivers an authentic/sincere message that resonates (i.e., a message of thanks/gratitude), fosters reflection on our collective debt to others for what we have, and reminds/encourages Canadians to honour Veterans on Remembrance Day. Some also said that the ad resonates with them because they know Veterans and/or have seen the kind of family reunion scene at airports depicted in one of the photos, something that makes the ad personally relevant or real to them.
There was widespread agreement that the target audience for this ad is the Canadian general public, primarily because of its specific reference to '38 million thank-yous'. That being said, it was also suggested that the message of gratitude in this ad might be targeted more at younger Canadians than older ones because older Canadians are perhaps more likely to need no reminder about their debt to Veterans.
Critical feedback on this approach tended to focus on the pictures and the absence of a call to action. Regarding the pictures, some participants felt that, with one exception, they did not really convey anything meaningful, specifically no human warmth, no real action, and no sense of mission or purpose to those who served. The exception was the photo of the reunion of soldiers with family members. A few suggested that the pictures look a little too 'manicured' or 'clean', and it was also suggested that the pictures focus too much on combat-like engagements. Some younger participants also observed that there is no particular context or framework provided to make these images meaningful or relevant.
In addition, there was a widespread impression that there is no real call to action in this ad, or only a very weak one. It was suggested that, because the focus of the ad is on thanks/gratitude, there is no motivation or reason to follow-up in any way. In other words, the expression of gratitude at the end tends to provide closure. As a result, participants routinely observed that, while the ad is attention-grabbing, it does not motivate them to want to learn more about the role Canada's military has played in times of war and peace.
The following critical feedback was provided by individual participants or no more than a few:
Suggestions to make this concept more effective included the following:
Overall impressions of this concept tended to range from moderately to very positive. As was the case with the previous approach, those who were not positive tended to be neutral rather than critical. Participants tended to react positively to the following aspects/features of this approach:
In addition, participants routinely described the approach in this ad as personally meaningful. Reasons given to explain why included the following:
As was the case with the previous concept, there was widespread agreement that the target audience for this ad is the Canadian general public. Some detected this in the fact that the message culminates in a reference to Remembrance Day and the general call to remember Canada's Veterans. Others detected this in the range of images used, from combat footage to humanitarian aid, to family reunions. In other words, there was a sense that the range of images was designed to appeal to as wide an audience as possible. A few participants felt that the ad tended to target what was described as 'middle-aged white Canadians' because there is no depiction of diversity. On the other hand, it was also suggested that the ad targets new Canadians because it depicts diversity within the CAF in the final photo.
Critical feedback tended to focus on three aspects of this approach: a certain amount of cognitive dissonance, the ad's frenetic pace, and the absence of a call to action.
Beyond this, participants commented critically on the following aspects of this approach:
Suggestions to make this concept more effective included the following:
Overall impressions of this concept tended to range from neutral to moderately positive. Positive feedback, including things participants liked or identified as strengths, tended to focus on the following aspects/features.
Neutral as well as critical reactions to this approach tended to focus on what was described as its 'standard' or 'stereotypical' approach. This approach was described as one that uses family pictures or photos of relatives and plays on the theme of 'nostalgia' to communicate its message. The message could be anything, with some, for example, associating this approach with ads about cancer. Although there is nothing wrong per se with such an approach, it was routinely observed that it tends to be overused, and as a result, the ads that use it are not very attention-grabbing or memorable. Other characterizations of this approach, with a focus on its inability to engage or attract attention, included describing it as 'inoffensive', 'soft', and 'non-controversial'.
Indeed, it was the ad's overall approach that tended to divide participants regarding its relevance or meaningfulness to themselves personally. Those who described the approach as at least somewhat meaningful usually pointed to the effectiveness of using photos/pictures/the nostalgic element and the references to Veterans as relatives as something they can relate to or as something that strikes a chord. It was noted, for example, that despite no direct or personal connection to a veteran, one can relate to the theme of connectedness and the fact that Veterans are related to people all around us. This somehow makes them familiar to us even if we do not know them.
On the other hand, those who said that the ad did not resonate with them often focused on the same elements, observing that the approach does not grab them, is slow-moving, that the photos are meaningless, and that their mind began to wander because of the stereotypical approach used. Some also said that the ad was not personally meaningful to them precisely because it tends to focus on those who are related to or have a family connection to Veterans. As a result, the ad does not resonate with them because it does not apply to them.
Related to the latter point, while most participants felt that the target audience for this ad is the Canadian general public (mainly because of the depiction of traditional photos and smart phones), many felt that it tended to target Canadians with a direct personal link to Veterans or members of the CAF. For some, those with a direct connection to a veteran were more likely to be older, and as a result, some felt that this ad targets older Canadians in particular. On the other hand, it was also suggested that the ad tends to target younger Canadians because of the reference to more remote family connections (i.e., grandfather, great-grandmother) and the depiction of a photo on a smart-phone.
One point on which those who found the ad meaningful and those who did not agreed, was that the ad lacks a forceful call to action.
Suggestions to make this ad more effective included the following:
As noted above, when participants were asked explicitly to compare the three concepts, the Unforgettable approach was much more likely than the other two to be chosen as most effective in terms of sustaining attention, resonating on a personal level, and motivating participants to want to learn more about the role Canada's military has played in times of war and peace. Youth (18-35) tended to be divided in their preferences between 38 million and Unforgettable, with Eastern, Atlantic, and QC youth preferring Unforgettable and Prairies and some BC youth preferring 38 million. For their part, older Canadians were much more likely to prefer Unforgettable.
Participants' reasons for preferring an approach in each of these areas are identified below. Not surprisingly, when explaining their preference participants tended to re-iterate or re-emphasize points they had previously made regarding these ads.
Reasons given by participants to explain why the Unforgettable concept is most effective in terms of attracting and sustaining attention included the following:
Reasons given to explain why the 38 million concept is most effective in this regard included the following:
Reasons given to explain why the Photos concept is most effective in this regard included the following:
Reasons given to explain why the Unforgettable concept is most effective in terms of resonating on a personal level included the following:
Reasons given to explain why the 38 million concept is most effective in this regard included the following:
Reasons given to explain why the Photos concept is most effective in this regard included the following:
As noted above, neither of the approaches was considered very effective in terms of motivating participants to learn more about the role Canada's military has played in times of war and peace. That said, comparatively-speaking, reasons given to explain why the Unforgettable concept is most effective in terms of motivating participants to learn more about the role Canada's military has played in times of war and peace included the diversity of situations depicted (which elicits curiosity about the range of CAF activities), and the call to remember Canada's Veterans.
Reasons given to explain why the 38 million concept is most effective in this regard included curiosity about the origin/source of the photos/images, as well as reference in the final frame to 'learning more'.
Reasons given to explain why the Photos concept was most effective in this regard also included the reference in the final frame to 'learning more'. It was also observed that the ad was one that would be watched over and over again, which might induce someone to follow-up at some point.
By way of conclusion, participants were asked if they had any thoughts about the design of any future creative concepts and/or supporting materials related to a public commemoration campaign. Suggestions included the following:
When it came to ways in which VAC could do to reach and engage more Canadians through commemorative or remembrance initiatives, participants suggested the following:
Thank you for your interest in this research study. This short online questionnaire will take no more than 5 minutes to complete. The purpose of the online questionnaire is to confirm the eligibility of individuals interested in participating in this research study.
PROGRAMMING NOTE: "Contact us" will open a new window that will contain the following:
For more information about this research, contact Phoenix SPI by email at research@phoenixspi.ca or by telephone at 1-844-960-1700.
Phoenix SPI
1678 Bank Street, Ste. 2
Ottawa, ON K1V 7Y6
www.phoenixspi.ca
1. In which of the following age categories do you belong? [RECRUIT A MIX BY AGE WITHIN EACH AGE SEGMENT: UNDER 35 AND AGED 35+]
[TERMINATION MESSAGE – AGE-under 18: Thank you for your interest. To be eligible for this research study you must be 18 years of age or older. / TERMINATION MESSAGE – AGE-55+: Thank you for your interest. Unfortunately you are not eligible to participate in this study.]
2. Do you, or a member of your household or immediate family, work in any of the following fields?
[TERMINATION MESSAGE – INDUSTRY: Thank you for your interest. Unfortunately you are not eligible to participate in this study.]
3. What language do you speak most often at home?
4. In which province or territory do you live?
5. Are you First Nations, Métis or Inuk (Inuit)?
6. [DO NOT ASK IF Q5=YES] Were you born in Canada?
7. [ASK IF Q6=NO] How long have you been living in Canada?
RECRUIT A MAXIMUM OF 2 INDIGENOUS AND/OR NEW CANADIAN PARTICIPANTS FOR EACH GROUP.
8. Which best describes your gender? [RECRUIT A MIX FOR EACH GROUP]
9. What is the highest level of education that you have completed? [RECRUIT A MIX FOR EACH GROUP]
10. Which of the following best describes your total household income last year, before taxes, from all sources for all household members?[RECRUIT A MIX FOR EACH GROUP]
CONTINUE TO C. INDUSTRY SCREENING
We have a few final questions for you.
11. Have you ever attended a discussion group or taken part in an interview on any topic that was arranged in advance and for which you received money for your participation?
12. When did you last attend one of these discussion groups or interviews?
13. How many discussion groups have you attended in the past 5 years?
[TERMINATION MESSAGE – INDUSTRY_2: Thank you for your cooperation. We already have enough participants who have a similar profile to yours, so we are unable to invite you to participate.]
CONTINUE TO D. CONSENT
14. The focus groups we'd like to invite you to participate in will take place online using an online platform and webcams. You will be required to access the platform via a weblink and to participate using your webcam. The platform will be accessible via a mobile device or a laptop/desktop environment. How comfortable would you be participating in this type of discussion?
15. Participants will be asked to voice their opinions in front of others. How comfortable would you say you are doing this in English (English screener) / français (French screener)?
16. The discussion group will be recorded. These recordings are used to help with analyzing the findings and writing the report. The results from the discussions will be grouped together in the research report, which means that individuals will not be identified in any way. Is this acceptable?
17. There may be some people from Veterans Affairs Canada who have been involved in this project observing the online session. They will not take part in the discussion. Is this acceptable?
[TERMINATING MESSAGE: Thank you for your cooperation. We already have enough participants who have a similar profile to yours, so we are unable to invite you to participate.]
CONTINUE TO E. INVITATION
We would like to invite you to attend the online focus group session where you will exchange your opinions in a moderated video session with others. The discussion will be led by a researcher from the public opinion research firm, Phoenix Strategic Perspectives. The group will take place on [DAY OF WEEK], [DATE], at [TIME]. It will last up to two hours. Information regarding how to participate will be sent to you by email in the coming days. You will be asked to log into the online session 15 minutes prior to the start time. People who participate will receive $100 to thank them for their time.
i. Are you willing to participate?
ii. May we have your contact information so that we can send you information related to the online focus group?
EXIT MESSAGE: Thank you very much for your time and willingness to participate in this research.
EXIT LINK:
Introduce moderator/firm and welcome participants to the focus group.
TECHNICAL CHECK; CONFIRM SOUND AND VIDEO QUALITY.
Describe focus group.
Explanations.
Any questions?
Roundtable introduction: Please tell us your first name.
As I mentioned, we'll be asking for your opinion on ideas being considered for a Remembrance campaign, but before we get to that I'd like to take a few minutes to discuss remembrance and commemoration in general. THE FOCUS IS ON REMEMBRANCE/COMMEMORATION AS IT RELATES TO CANADA'S VETERANS. CLARIFY IF NECESSARY.
1. In your opinion, what is the main purpose of remembrance or commemoration? [DO NOT LINGER; INTERESTED IN TOP-OF-MIND REACTIONS]
2. How important is remembrance or commemoration to you personally? Why?
3. What do you think should be the focus of remembrance or commemoration activities?
4. What kinds of commemorative or remembrance activities or initiatives do you recall, or are you aware of? NOTE: THIS COULD INCLUDE CEREMONIES, EVENTS, ACTIVITIES, ADS, PROJECTS, EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS, PROMOTIONAL MATERIALS, SOCIAL MEDIA (SHARING OF POSTS, ETC.).
5. What kinds of commemorative or remembrance activities or initiatives, if any, have you taken part in?
6. What kinds of commemorative or remembrance activities of initiatives, if any, resonate with you or are particularly meaningful to you? Why?
Let's turn to the advertising materials being considered as part of the commemoration campaign Veterans Affairs Canada is developing for 2021. Before we do, I'd like you to think about any messages or advertising campaigns dealing with commemoration or remembrance that you have seen or heard.
7. Can anyone recall any ad or ad campaign dealing with commemoration or remembrance? NOTE: THE FOCUS IS ON ANY CAMPAIGN CARRIED OUT BY WAY OF MEDIA AND DESIGNED FOR THE BROAD CANADIAN PUBLIC. If so, what do you recall about what you saw/read/heard? What about it was memorable and why?
Now we'll turn to the materials we would like to get your opinions about tonight. Veterans Affairs Canada has developed three concepts or approaches for ads it is planning to run as part of its Remembrance advertising campaign. The ads would be 30 seconds long and could eventually appear on TV or as videos on social media.
The ads have not been finalized yet, so what we are presenting to you this evening are only various concepts or approaches being considered. To do this, each concept will be presented to you using a storyboard with static images accompanied by a voiceover. The purpose is to give you the idea of what the ad would look and sound like before it gets produced with real footage, professional announcers and music. Think of them as sketches that an artist would do before the final painting.
As you review them, therefore, please keep in mind that these are not finished products. What we want you to focus on are the messages conveyed in these ads, any feelings or emotions they elicit, and the effectiveness of the overall approach. We will not be talking about the quality of the images, or the quality of the soundtrack. NOTE: ENSURE CLARITY BEFORE PROCEEDING.
I'm going to show you the advertising concepts one at a time.
Let's start with the first ad which I'll call concept... [A, B, C]. Take a minute to watch the ad. I'm going to show it twice and then I'd like you to answer some questions about it [POINT TO POLL AND EXPLAIN HOW TO USE AS NEEDED]. Please keep your reaction to each ad to yourself until we discuss it as a group.
CREATIVE CONCEPTS:
ROTATE PRESENTATION ACROSS GROUPS
POLL:
To what extent, if at all, does the ad do the following:
SCALE: 1=Not at all, 2=To a small extent, 3=To a moderate extent, 4=To a great extent
Now let's talk about this ad as a group.
FOR EACH AD, ASK THE FOLLOWING:
8. What is your overall impression of this ad? Why do you say that?
Probe:
9. What message is this ad trying to communicate? CHECK POLL RESULTS Does it communicate the message clearly? Why/why not?
10. What about the tone of the ad… is it appropriate?
Probe:
11. Is this ad meaningful or relevant to you? Does it resonate with you on a personal level? Why is that?
12. How effective is this ad in terms of attracting and sustaining your attention, in the sense that you would watch it from start to finish?
13. Does this ad motivate you to want to learn more about the role Canada's military has played in times of war and peace? Why/why not?
14. Who do you think is the target audience for this ad? Why do you say that?
15. What changes, if any, would you suggest in order to make this ad more effective or meaningful?
Let's turn to the next ad. Once again, please keep your reaction to yourself until we discuss it as a group.
PLAY AD THEN REPEAT QUESTIONS 8-15. ONCE ALL THREE ADS HAVE BEEN TESTED, ASK:
Now that you've reviewed the three ads, I'm going to ask you to compare them. Let's have another look at each of them. [SHOW ADS ONE AFTER THE OTHER, REVERSING THE ORIGINAL ORDER OF PRESENTATION].
16. Which of these ads do you think would be most effective in terms of attracting and sustaining your attention, in the sense that you would watch it from start to finish? Why is that?
17. Which of these ads do you think would be most effective in terms of resonating with you on a personal level? Why is that?
18. Which of these ads do you think would be most effective in terms of motivating you to learn more about the role Canada's military has played in times of war and peace? Why is that?
We've covered a lot tonight and I really appreciate you taking the time to share your opinions. CHECK WITH OBSERVERS TO SEE IF THERE ARE ANY LAST QUESTIONS.
19. Do you have any thoughts about the design of any future creative concepts and/or supporting materials related to a public commemoration campaign?
20. What (more), if anything, do you think VAC could do to reach and engage more Canadians through commemorative or remembrance initiatives?
21. Does anyone have any last thoughts or feedback to share with Veterans Affairs Canada about the topic?
Thank you very much for your time. This concludes the discussion group. Your incentive will be available via e-transfer or a cheque. We will contact you by email to determine your preference.
