According to Statista.com, brands are projected to spend nearly $200 billion on advertising in 2019. But how do they know what they are doing will be effective? Have you ever seen an ad and thought to yourself, “I could do that!” Strategic communication professionals use research to create and deliver messages to distinct groups of people every day. But the research they conduct isn’t always found in a library or through an internet search. Often, they have to go straight to the source.

After completing this lesson, students will be able to:

• Recognize the importance of research in developing strategic communication

• Describe the types of decisions research informs when creating a strategic communication campaign

• Recall research methods often used by strategic communicators

• Propose research questions to be uncovered in a situation analysis

• Discuss the benefits of conducting original or primary research

• Explain the importance of gathering data on and conducting research with consumers who are representative of the target audience you are trying to reach with your message

• Discuss how research likely informed a brand’s message