Ad-Gage Readership Research

 

Methodology

• Ad-Gage is executed by Mendon Associates Inc. Readers are surveyed on behalf of the magazine and are made aware of the research sponsor.
• The sample frame is 400 selected on an 'nth' name random basis from the circulation list of the magazine. Larger sample sizes can be used at the request of the publisher. Where the publisher has the ability to generate a random sample based on the CCAB audit list generation procedure, four copies of the 400 names are provided to Mendon Associates Inc. on pressure sensitive labels, who will provide the circulation department with the necessary random numbers to start the list generation. Where the CCAB style random list generation is not available, Mendon Associates will consult with the magazine's circulation department to choose another selection procedure.
• There are three mailings. The first is mailed one week prior to the delivery of the issue to be gauged and advises the readers that they have been randomly selected to participate in the study. The second mailing, sent approximately two weeks after the issue is delivered, includes the questionnaire, a covering letter and an incentive. Approximately three weeks after the mailing of the first questionnaire, a second questionnaire with a covering letter is mailed to those readers who have not responded to the first mailing.
• Using this methodology, a 30 to 45 per cent response is normal, depending on factors such as: time-of-year of the survey; the length of time returns are allowed to come in; length of the questionnaire, which is dependent on the number of articles and advertisements to be gauged; and most importantly, how well the publication is received in the marketplace.
• The returned questionnaires are edited and entered into a computer data base. A print out of the data is generated and checked against the original questionnaires to correct any entry errors. Compilation of the data is performed with the use of data base software and the data is read into a spreadsheet program for statistical analysis. The tables to be presented in the report are then generated. Next, a graphics program reads the data from the spreadsheet program to generate the charts for the report. Through this cross-transportation of information, a minimum amount of data entry occurs, thus limiting the chance of entry error.