Zoomerang Sample Delivers Representative Respondents to Ad Agency

At Colle + McVoy in Minneapolis, the advertising agency gets reliable, relevant survey data from targeted geographic groups around the country with Zoomerang Sample.

Colle + McVoy, a full-service advertising agency based in Minneapolis, works with clients that range from large multi-nationals to smaller, regional firms. "We're in Minnesota, so we rely on Zoomerang to tell us what's going on in other parts of the country, like Southern California or Southern Florida," says Eric Whitaker, Senior Account Planner.

Samples account for regional differences
Whitaker finds that access to consumers in specific areas of the country is particularly critical for national accounts with regional differences. "When we issue a national survey, we break it down to understand the regional nuances," he says. "For example, we'll do five or six attitudinal surveys broken down by demographics."

"When I came on board, the agency was using Zoomerang with a list that the agency had developed. But 99.9% of the people were in Minnesota. So I thought, "Is there a way we can get a more diverse sample?'" says Whitaker. Then two years ago, he ran his first survey using Sample. "I had done a similar survey in a previous job," so while he was testing the sample, he was also testing Sample.

Initial survey proved sample quality
"I set up the first five or six questions to validate the quality of the sample. The results were exactly what we had experienced in the past. That's when I was convinced the samples were reliable," he says. "I have to admit, at first I wasn't a believer. My biggest concern was believing that people who were online were like other consumers. Because I'll learn more from talking to 10 of the right people than from 100 people who are just okay," he says. "The results I get are as accurate as any kind of written survey I've done."

Surveying across region and time
Traditionally Whitaker runs surveys in two waves. First he tests for attitudes before the advertising has launched, to have a benchmark against which to judge the results. Then he launches a post-advertising survey, to learn how the promotions changed awareness levels in a region.

A recent sampling tested Sample's ability to deliver relevant, targeted consumer samples with time-specific parameters. "We were doing a challenging pre- and post-wave attitudinal survey," Whitaker says, "for a large chemical manufacturing company. The company produces a product to kill termites. Well, termites aren't a problem in Minnesota, but the South East is the termite belt of this country," he says. So Whitaker had to track the advertising results in highly targeted areas of the country. "It was a really challenging sample survey. It had to be geographically specific and time specific."

He set up a pre-wave study in five markets: Jacksonville and Orlando in Florida; Raleigh, North Carolina; Memphis, Tennessee and New Orleans, Louisiana. The first survey went out to the sample at the same time, to test the pre-advertising awareness across the regions.

Given the differences in geographies and climates, the advertising was being launched at different times in different areas, so the second set of surveys had to be staggered. The post-wave surveys were structured in three groups. The first survey tested Jacksonville and Orlando respondents, the second survey tested North Carolina and Tennessee respondents, and then finally those in New Orleans were surveyed. "This is the toughest demand that can be put on a survey, and it worked perfectly. Within 24 hours of putting in my request, I knew the quality of the sample was there. I requested the lists by area code and by zip code, and they were spot on," says Whitaker. "With these samples, I knew I was communicating with the right people, in the right geographies with the right demographics to make our client's efforts successful."

Quality of sample gives confidence
Currently Colle + McVoy has about 20 Zoomerang surveys out. "Personally, I use it once or twice a month," Whitaker says. "I need to be able to walk in the door of my client, and feel confident that the survey results are of value, by required demographic profile. And with Sample, I am."