Whatever Happened To High Spend Testing?

We were recently inspired by one of our highly respected clients. He told the true story of how his Brand Team, faced with a significant volume-versus-plan shortfall, made an unusual move: they asked their senior management for more marketing funds. But in asking for these funds they realized there was an onus on them to demonstrate that these funds would lead to more volume. So they tested incremental spending behind the brand. Where we come from, incremental-spend tests were not only common, they were expected. Senior Management always wanted to know: if we spent more how much better might we do? This week we reconsider this, more and more it seems, lost business-building discipline.

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The DISPATCHES^TM for June 14, 2009 can be found here:

WHATEVER HAPPENED TO HIGH-SPEND (TESTING)?

A printer / handheld friendly version can be found here:

WHATEVER HAPPENED TO HIGH-SPEND (TESTING)?

It is also available in PDF here:

WhateverHappenedToHighSpendTesting.pdf (PDF File)