Using Qualitative Research in Advertising: Strategies, Techniques, and Applications

This Second Edition remains the only book to discuss both theory and application of qualitative research techniques to inspire great advertising and build strong brands. Using a step-by-step approach, designed for students considering advertising careers and for those currently working in the advertising industry, this book explains what qualitative research techniques are designed to do. The text describes how these techniques aid in uncovering insights useful for advertising strategy development, creative development, and post-campaign evaluation. Practical information and discussions on interviewing, projective techniques, focus groups, and online/social media applications positioned within a theoretical context illustrate the value of qualitative research in the real world.

Kim Bartel Sheehan is a Professor and Director of the Master’s Program in Strategic Communication and the Undergraduate Honors Program at the School of Communication and Journalism at the University of Oregon. She held leadership positions at agencies in Boston, Chicago, and St. Louis and has consulted with numerous companies. Her research involves advertising, culture, and new technology, with a focus on sustainability communications. She has published extensively about online privacy, advertising ethics, and direct-to-consumer prescription drug advertising. She has served as an Associate Editor and a Special Issue Editor for the Journal of Advertising and President of the American Academy of Advertising. Sheehan won the School of Journalism and Communication’s Marshall Award for Innovative Teaching in 2001 and 2010. She is currently a Fellow for the Society of New Communications Research and has been a two-time Page Legacy Scholar and two-time Dave and Nancy Petrone Faculty Fellow.