Marketing Research Pixar

Marketing Research is imperative to Disney Pixar’s success. Marketing research is the process in which managers perform to gather information effectively to introduce their products and services to their target market. Although the amount of time required for this research depends on the size of the target market and the company’s line of business, there is a defined process used to implement the company’s products or services. This process includes 1) assessing information needs, 2) developing needed information through internal databases, 3) implementation of marketing research, 4) organization of ideas, and 5) distributing and using information.

Therefore, marketing research is important to developing a marketing strategy because it assesses what steps a company needs to take to reach their target market. Therefore, marketing research is important to developing a marketing strategy because it assesses what steps a company needs to take to reach their target market. The Internet has helped with collecting marketing data through online focus groups, Internet surveys, and experiments. The marketing research process also involves collecting and secondary data.

Secondary data involves re-checking internal and external secretarial and marketing procedures, such as sales invoices, warranty cards, and published material. Therefore, an efficient means for data collection will assist this process. As defined within Marketing Research, “scaling is the process of creating a continuum on which objects are located according to the amount of the measured characteristic they possess,” (2007). Therefore, this paper will review how Disney Pixar employs secondary market research, and effective scaling processes for their organization.

Secondary Market ResearchPixar, a wholly owned subsidiary of Disney, has changed the way animated movies are made. Pixar has played a revolutionary role in changing the public’s view on how movies are made by introducing computer-based graphics compared to a cartoon-animated movie. Pixar leads the computer animation industry by going above and beyond the generally accepted technological methods. Pixar established a research group in 2004 with a mission to develop technology that is currently too speculative for a production to commit. Pixar fosters innovation with the company. They provide consulting on algorithmic and mathematical issues. Pixar also participated in the external; research community by publishing papers, engaging in professional activities, and staying abreast of recent results and current trends (Pixar research group).

Pixar is consistently enhancing the product or service they provide to the customers. The advancements are very technological and by glance not associated to direct consumers, but more though, steps and improvements to help create faster, cleaner, and realistic movies. These improvements directly introduce consumers to the enhancements. In May 2009, Pixar released an article “Determining the benefits of direct-touch, bi-manual, and multi-finger input on a multi-touch workstation.” The report shows that direct touch with a single finger provides a large performance benefit over using a mouse and that bimanual interaction provides a smaller additional benefit. This benefits Pixar because they can develop applications to develop movies based on test results. The results generate better application, better movies, re-define how computer animated movies.

Pixar has a trademark called Renderman, which is an application program interface that assists in creating guidelines for the designers and communicates the results to the rendering software Pixar uses to develop the movies. This enhancement to Pixars program maintains checkpoints or a systematic guideline on how models should run. This enables pixar to generate high quality movies without starting from step one every time.

Disney owns Pixar, and Disney is the distributor for Pixar products. Under the new direction of Bob Chapek, Disney will enhance the reach to consumers using new and restructured strategies across theatrical exhibition, home entertainment, pay TV digital formats, and other new media. New routes of distribution the Chapek is setting a goal for is the HD blue ray, and in home 3-D solutions (Finke, Nov, 09).

The examples above show how Pixar can enhance the service to the consumers. By enhancing technology, trade marking systems, and using effective distribution channels, Pixar will stay competitive on reaching the customer’s needs and imaginations.

Online ResourceThe online resource the team has chosen is IMDB that stands for Internet Movie Database. This website provides movie information in the form of movie news, ratings, statistics, and archival information. IMDB has over 20 different website resources they use to obtain various types of news and information. These resources are themselves movie news websites and blogs that contribute to specific and up-to-date news and information regarding all genres in cinema. Box Office Mojo, CenimaSpy, IFC, ew.com Hollywood insider, and MTV blogs are just a sample of the resources that IMDB pulls from to create a comprehensive analytical movie website. IMDB acquired Box Office Mojo in 2008 adding box office statistical analytics to the website.

This online website can work for the Disney Pixar project in several ways. First are the box office statistics that rank box office intake and run time of movies in the theater. This is bottom-line information that determines how well the movie performed. This information compares a movie to other movies shown during the same period, how the movie ranked, and how the movie fared against the competition and against other Disney Pixar movies. Next are the news blogs that can promote the company’s upcoming products. Finally the consumers votes for the movies, especially when one of the movies rank higher than most others will prove to be a double edge sword.

First, the company can obtain a sample of the target market that like the film. Disney Pixar can purchase this information from IMDB and retrieve information on what similar movies the consumers appreciated as well. This information can assist in research when making developments on Disney products, Disneyland Theme park attractions, and ideas for future movies. Upon registering, IDMB asks for the name, age, gender, and location of the person registering. This data can give a Disney Pixar detailed information on who the audience is for the kind of movie released, age requirements, and movie location. For unregistered voters, Disney can use the ranking information to see how consumers think a certain movie rate among others, and blogs can give reasoning of why a movie was a success or a failure.

Pixar Questionnaire for Feature Film (Likert Scale)Strongly disagreeDisagreeNeither disagree or agreeAgreeStrongly agree

The film was entertainingThe film was easy for young children to understandThe film had a great messageThe film kept my interestI would recommend this film to other families.

Likert scales delve into people’s attitudes or feelings about a product or service.

Consumer Survey: Pixar QuestionnairePlease circle the best choice:What is your age group?20-2425-2930-3435-3940 and overWhat is your occupation?What is your income level?Under $15,000$15,000- $24,000$25,000-$29,000$30,000-$40,000$50,000 or overDo you typically purchase Disney/Pixar memorabilia?YesNoHow many Disney/Pixar films to you own?01-45 and overHow did you hear about this film?RadioMagazineTelevisionInternetFriendChildHave you ever been to Disneyland/World?Yes and will returnNo but I want to goYes but did not have a good experienceNoHow many children are in your household01-23 or morePixar semantic differential scalePlease check one:The film was:7654321BoringAmusingSeriousSillyUnlikableEntertainingOrdinaryRemarkableSemantic differential uses two bi-polar adjectives at each end and the scale rates people’s opinions. Semantic differential scales have no neutral point so the person has to lean toward one adjective or another.

Surveys find a sample reaction to a product or service, in which each surveyor has several steps indicating the survey’s accuracy. Validation is the first step in the survey process, which indicates the accuracy of the interview. This step also checks if the interviewer cheated or failed to follow instructions. The editing process checks for interviewer and respondent mistakes, and the coding process groups and assigns numeric codes to each answered response. Following the coding process, there is machine cleaning of data in which the company has some sort of software programming that does a final check before tabulation and statistics happen (McDaniel & Gates, 2006).

One-way frequency tables show the number of respondents who gave a possible answer to each question. Sampling procedures include homogenious sampling, typical case sampling, or stratified purposeful sampling. Homogenious sampling involves reducing to one variable and shortens analysis, such as in the Likert scale the only variable is if the person enjoyed a certain film made by Pixar. “Likert scales require a respondent to indicate a degree of agreement or disagreement with a variety of statements related to the attitude or subject,” (Aaker, Kumar, & Day, 2007). This method lists an item part that provides a brief statement about a certain variable. It also lists an evaluative part that allows an individual to rank the variable according to a defined list of categories. Typical sampling is normal sampling for a particular phenomenal and stratified purposeful sampling is particular subgroups of interest and facilitates comparisons between the different groups (Mugo, 2009).

ConclusionSecondary marketing methods will allow Disney Pixar to enhance service to their customers. Secondary data involves re-checking internal and external secretarial and marketing procedures, such as sales invoices, warranty cards, and published material. Disney Pixar uses secondary data information to determine the benefits of new innovations, such as direct touch, bi-manual, and multi-finger interaction methods. This marketing research method also influences Disney Pixar’s Internet Movie Database (IMDB), which provides consumers with movie information in the form of movie news, ratings, statistics, and archival information. However, scaling can help assist obtain this information. As seen throughout this paper, scaling allows Disney Pixar to effectively cater toward customer’s desires by evaluating their reactions through survey methods.

References

Aaker A, D, Kumar, V, Day, S, G, (2007). Marketing Research, Ninth Edition.

Chapter 10. Retrieved November 30, 2009, from University of Phoenix e-book collection.

McDaniel C., Gates R. (2006). Market Research, Seventh Edition. Chapter 14.