Richard Day Research, Inc.

We think of ATU studies as a way to find the best leverage point for our client's brand. The goal is to help our client invest marketing resources as efficiently as possible.

We also know that an ATU study about our client's brand only would be a disservice because all activities occur in a marketplace of competitors. Understanding your key competitors is essential to maximizing your effectiveness.

Awareness: What is the depth of familiarity, what do they know, how does this compare to the awareness and level of knowledge (correct and incorrect) of your key competitors?

Trial: Of those who know your product/service what is the rate of trying it? Who has and has not tried it? Of those who have tried it who has continued its use and discontinued use and why?

Usage: Who are your loyalists, those who are indifferent, and your non users? Who are your main competitors within each group? What characterizes your loyalists, those who are indifferent/unfamiliar, and non users?

The analysis for ATU studies can be very sophisticated. Typically we employ XX YY ZZ to tease out the insights that enable our clients to use their marketing dollars to maximum benefit. The recommendations, however, are to-the-point and actionable.