The virtual flagpole
Hmmm. What do America Online’s 17 million subscribers think of your brand? Marketers and agencies can find out through Digital Marketing Services, a Lewisville, TX-based subsidiary of AOL. Digital Marketing offers online custom market research based on its Opinion Place consumer surveys on AOL. Last year, marketers fielded 1.5 million online surveys among randomly selected AOL subscribers. (Ad agency Foote, Cone & Belding, Chicago, was the first ad shop to sign up for the service. Its first job was to test changes to a tired old brand name; FCB floated some possible changes past AOL users to gauge their reaction.) Marketers can virtually test-market packaging, promos, and other visuals that normally require face-to-face interviews, or can research consumer lifestyle and buying trends.
AOL began DMS in 1995 with marketing research firm M/A/R/C Group, Dallas. DMS also manages AOL Rewards purchase incentives. More information: Digital Marketing Services, 972-874-5080 or dmsdallas.com.
