Building Awareness for Glidden within US Walmart Stores

Cody Fisher || Tucker Nebel || Jodeci Richards || Sam Ripley || Samantha Sargent Rachel Sather || Tatjana Soto || Lauren Stratman || Suzie Tawney

c 2

Table of Contents Executive Summary 3 Objectives 4 Participants 5 Findings Qualitative 6 Quantitative 11 Recommendations 15 Other 19 Appendix Moderator Guide i Informational Goals iv Pre-screening Questionnaire v Consent Form vi

Transcripts Focus Group #1 vii Focus Group #2 xiii Focus Group #3 xxv Survey xxxi Results i.

c

Executive Summary

3

Executive Summary

Though the Glidden paint brand was established in 1875, it was more recently—in 2010—that Walmart announced Glidden as its new paint supplier. However, Glidden has expressed the need to build more awareness for their products among American consumers. Specifically, Glidden seeks to market to a younger demographic and those who DIY (do it yourself). To meet Gliddenʼs goal, Team GO researched consumersʼ paint knowledge based on:

Use Brand Purchase location Familiarity with Glidden and Wal-Mart

Team GO conducted several focus groups with Florida State University

students. From these focus groups, we learned that:

Glidden is not a very well known paint brand compared to other major brands

They would not associate Walmart with selling paints From our research, we believe the best steps for Glidden would be to

redesign their marketing strategy so that itʼs to a more specific target market, increase their advertising, and inform consumers of their partnership with Walmart.

c

Objectives

4

Objectives

Through conducting three focus groups, Team GO analyzed:

Where our research subjects are purchasing paint What brands theyʼre purchasing and why Why people are purchasing certain brands of paint and why those

factors matter

This helped Team GO evaluate whether or not the participants were aware of the Glidden paint brand and of Walmart as a Glidden retailer. These informational goals will give the client insight into what their consumers are thinking about when purchasing paint. Focusing on why people buy paint at certain places or for certain reasons will help the client determine a reasonable direction for the brand awareness and marketing problem. Brand awareness proved to be the main challenge the research addresses. Many respondents werenʼt knowledgeable about the Glidden brand and therefore didnʼt know Glidden was available at Walmart. The findings and recommendations further expand on how to improve Gliddenʼs brand awareness in Walmart.

c

Participants

5

Qualitative Participants

Team GO sampled FSU students ages 18-24 whoʼd purchased paint in the past. All participants were recruited in one of two ways: using Facebook (e.g. posting to Florida State Universityʼs Free and For Sale group or on personal timelines) and through personal acquaintances FSU campus.

Team GO conducted three focus groups. Four participants attended the first focus group, two attended the second, and three participants attended the third. Team GO carried out the first two focus groups on October 31, 2012 from 2-6 P.M. in Strozier Library Smart Room 107-K on Florida State Universityʼs campus. The third focus group was conducted on November 7th, 2012 in Room 206 of the Shores Building on FSUʼs campus. The first two focus groups each proceeded for about an hour while the third focus group proceeded for about 45 minutes. Quantitative Participants

Team GO dispersed the surveys by email, posting to FSUʼs Free and For Sale group on Facebook, and posting to personal timelines on Facebook. Respondents took the survey on a browser over an Internet connection. All respondents were college FSU students ages 18-24 whoʼd purchased paint in the past. 64 total respondents participated in the online survey hosted by Qualtrics.

c

Findings

6

Qualitative Findings

Team GO conducted three focus groups over a period of two weeks (on October 31, 2012 and November 7, 2012). The main goals of the qualitative research were to analyze the reasoning behind participantsʼ paint purchase decisions and locations in order to understand their awareness of Glidden paint and Walmart as a Glidden retailer. The focus group participants revealed the following: Lack of Paint Purchase and Paint Usage After asking one of the first questions, “How often do you buy paint,” most participants in all of the focus groups essentially responded that they didnʼt often buy paint or that the purchase was circumstantial.

Participant 2: Generally donʼt buy [paint] very often. You use it all the time?

Participant 3: Depends on the circumstances. Focus Group 1, 10/31/2012

Participant 1: … back home, I only painted my room every four or five years.

Participant 2: Um, not that often. Iʼd say every couple of years. Focus Group 2, 10/31/2012

Moderator: How often do you buy paint?

Participant 1: Once every three of four years.

Moderator: What about you?

Participant 2: I buy it about once a year to fix walls and stuff around the house.

Participant 3: Not very often at all. Focus Group 3, 11/07/2012

Participants in the second focus group continued to say that moving out on their own for the first time triggered their desire to decorate their own space, an opportunity they might not have gotten while living as a dependent. Participants in the first focus group commonly noted that they used paint to “fix up” their living space, though itʼs uncertain whether or not they meant for aesthetic purposes or to fix damage. This is why, as our recommendations will show, it is necessary to cast Glidden in use by a first-time college student or apartment/home owner. Participantsʼ limited use of paint and, thus, limited need to purchase paint possibly lend to their overall lack of knowledge about paint brands because they may tend to not pay as much attention to a product that they donʼt need. This would consequently lend to their lack of exposure to Glidden paint.

c

Findings

7

Major Bases for Purchase are Color and Price Participants commonly and enthusiastically insisted that price and color/color selection were influential in their purchase decisions. They first stated price as the initial influence, with color a close second.

S: I donʼt look for anything except for price or if they have a color that I like. … S: Well, I would go based off the color first, and then the price. You have to look at the color everyday, but you only have to pay that price once.

T: I agree. I would have the same mindset. I would be willing to pay a little more to have the color that I actually want instead of settling for a color that is only kinda like the color I wanted.

Focus Group 2, 10/31/2012

Participant 4: Color.

Participant 3: Color, yeah.

Participant 2: I canʼt really say that now, I donʼt think color is the most important.

Participant 1: Mainly price, because, as I said, right now Iʼm not living in a house that I own, so I want to be able to have a cheap option. So price, the cheapest.

…

Participant 2: Yeah, I mean, because [students] arenʼt fixing up their own stuff, you know. Price is important.

…

Participant 4: Because Iʼm doing more artistic things, the color is the most important. But for more general projects, the color isnʼt the most important.

Focus Group 1, 10/31/2012 Lack of Knowledge About Paint and Paint Brands The majority of participants, when asked what brands they associate with paint, were unable to uniquely identify one particular brand. Or, when they did, showed hesitation in their answer, which was usually Behr. But no participants gave any reason for why Behr stood out to them, with the exception of its advertising presence.

Participant 3: Yeah, Iʼve heard of Behr, Iʼve seen commercials. Focus Group 1, 10/31/2012

c

Findings

8

Moderator: What brands do you normally associate with paint?

Participant 1: Behr

Participant 2: Sherwin Williams

Participant 3: Behr and Sherwin Williams Focus Group 3, 11/07/2012

This possibly shows that if Glidden were to have a more apparent

marketing presence on par with or exceeding the top US brands, that it, too, can be a recognized name. But as of now, itʼs not. Lack of Exposure to Glidden Because participants lacked paint knowledge, expectations for Glidden brand recognition were low. And, in fact, most participants said they hadnʼt heard of or remembered Glidden as a paint brand. They even thought that it ranked low among the top paint brands because of their inability to recognize it. Some participants also revealed that they didnʼt know who sold Glidden paint. Those participants who had heard of Glidden and used the product offered negative commentary on their experiences. (To read the full commentary, refer to Focus Group Transcript 1 in the Appendix.)

Moderator: Have you heard of Glidden before?

Participant 1: No.

Participant 2: No.

…

Moderator: What features do you think define Glidden paint from others?

Participant 2: I didnʼt even know about Glidden until today, until you started talking about it.

Where do you think Glidden ranks among other paint brands?

Participant 1: I think pretty low.

Participant 2: Yeah, really low.

Participant 3: I mean, itʼs from Walmart, so yeah, pretty low. Focus Group 1, 10/31/2012 Negative Perceptions of Walmart When asked to express their feelings towards Walmart, many participants revealed distaste for the super center. Though some have had decent experiences with the chain, overall many of the participants didnʼt have positive things to say about the store and often referred to it as “cheap.”

c

Findings

9

Moderator: What do you think of when you hear “Walmart”?

Participant 1: Cheap.

Participant 2: Friends, social.

Participant 3: Cheap.

Participant 4: Grocery shopping, cheap. Focus Group 1, 10/31/2012

Moderator: So what is the very first thing you think of when you hear the word “Walmart”?

Participant 2: Cheap.

Participant 1: I donʼt know. I think I should keep it to myself.

Moderator: No, go ahead.

Participant 1: I go to Walmart all the time, but I just hate it. Itʼs horrible. Focus Group 2, 10/31/2012

Participant 1: I donʼt buy paint at Walmart because it sucks and itʼs really, really gross. The service sucks there wherever you go.

Participant 2: Iʼd get what I need at Walmart for the price. but not for the service.

Participant 3: I would because itʼs cheaper and closer.

Moderator: What do you think of when you hear “Walmart”?

Participant 1: It sucks.

Participant 2: Itʼs cheap.

Participant 3: I think itʼs cheap.

…

Moderator: Do you think of quality in customer service when you go to Walmart?

Participant #1: No.

Participant #2: I think the opposite.

Participant #3: No. Focus Group 3, 11/07/2012

Even though participants viewed the store as cheap, they expressed that Walmartʼs price value is what brings them to the store in the first place. They also felt that Walmartʼs product quality was poor and would only buy certain things from Walmart. But no one in the focus groups hailed Walmart for its customer service. In fact, all participants said that Walmart had poor customer service.

c

Findings

10

Moderator: Do you think of quality/customer service when you go to Walmart? Do you think this factors into your knowledge of their paint section?

Participant 2: No.

Participant 3: No.

Participant 4: I have had good experiences but overall, no. Focus Group 1, 10/31/2012

J: Where would you say does have good customer service?

T: Um, Target. And other places like Lowes and Home Depot. Theyʼre more geared towards helping the customer and Walmart is the get in get out place. Theyʼre not really there to help you with your decision making process, but I guess thatʼs because if youʼre going to Walmart, you have a basic idea of what you need or want. Focus Group 2, 10/31/2012

All in all, focus group participants didnʼt show much knowledge of paints and paint brands or Walmart as a paint retailer. It seems that a way to connect and ameliorate these two issues is by using Walmart employees. If theyʼre actively involved in customer paint purchase decisions, they can fix customer service perceptions, lack of paint knowledge, and lack of awareness for Walmart as a paint retailer.

c

Findings

11

Quantitative Findings Team GO initially released a survey using Qualtrics as the survey builder. Respondents were recruited using Facebook (FSUʼs Free and For Sale group and Team GO membersʼ personal accounts) and email. All in all, 63 respondents partook in the survey, with 39 clearing the pre-screening questions. The questions were based on the following research objectives:

Better understand how participants are exposed to paint brands overall.

Better understand how purchase locations influence knowledge/education of paint brands.

Better understand participants' exposure to Glidden paint.

Based on the listed objectives, Team GO extracted information integral to building suitable recommendations for Glidden and Walmart. Such findings include: 74% of Respondents Were Female The prevalence of female respondents is indicative of the beginnings for Glidden to build a more focused target market. More Internet than T.V. Use The mean internet use among respondents was 6.10 hours, contrasted against the two hours that respondents spent watching TV on average (which excluded watching TV shows on the internet). But, contrarily, respondents listed TV commercials as one of the most common ways theyʼre exposed to paint advertisements. This shows a disconnect between what paint brands and the responding demographic are doing. Lack of Exposure

Based on questions 7, 10, 11, 12, 24, 25, and 26, Team GO concluded that respondents didnʼt have much knowledge or exposure to paint brands. By their own admittance, a total of 29 (more than half) respondents rated their paint knowledge as “Fair” or “Poor,” meaning that more than half of the respondents are potential vessels waiting for some kind of education (Figure 5.1).

c

Findings

12

Questions 25 and 26, which specifically asked respondents about their exposure to specific paint brands, showed Team GO just how far behind Gliddenʼs exposure is compared to other top brands. Respondents rated their exposure to Glidden ads as low to average when compared to top competitors like Behr and Sherwin Williams.

Connecting Qualitative and Quantitative: Lack of Exposure Focus group participants expressed that they rarely used or needed paint, with one participant saying they needed it every 4-5 years. Even though the quantitative findings show a lack of knowledge and exposure to paint brands and advertisements, Team GO considers frequency of use to be a possible influence for such low awareness. If participants donʼt need paint, they may not pay attention to or care about paint, paint brands, and paint ads.

Purchase Decision

Question 18 asked respondents how influential they felt customer service was on their purchase decisions. 19/32 responded that customer service was “often” and “very” influential in their purchase decisions (Figure 5.2). 81% of respondents noted that customer service plays a role in their awareness of whether or not a store carries a certain product (Figure 5.3). 78% of respondents recorded that employee expertise and credibility also played a role in their decision (Figure 5.4). This is important to note when, in question 21, respondents expressed shopping for paint at Walmart 14 times, even though 26/32 participants knew that Walmart sold paint, as suggested by Question 22.

A cross tabulation of figures 5.2, 5.3, and 5.4 reveals that—of the 19 who responded that customer service was “often” and “very” influential in their

Figure 5.1

c

Findings

13

purchase decisions—17 answered that customer service plays a role in their awareness of whether or not a store carries a certain product and that employee expertise and credibility also played a role in their decision (Figure 5.5).

Response to survey questions 8, 17, and 21 show that respondents feel

that a store is responsible for advertise what products it carries, but no one connects Walmart with Glidden. Question 8 asked, “Do you think it's a store's responsibility to educate you (through advertising) on whether or not it carries a certain product?” to which 74% of respondents answered “Yes.” However, respondents only associated Glidden with Walmart 6 times when Team GO asked respondents to associate paint brands with their retailers.

Connecting Qualitative and Quantitative: Purchase Decisions How influential customer service is poses a problem for Walmart

because focus group participants expressed that Walmartʼs customer service is poor. Walmart is potentially losing out on paint purchasers because they might feel that they arenʼt receiving customer service and expertise in an area that respondents admit to being only “fairly” knowledgeable. If they arenʼt getting the proper service, then there isnʼt anything influencing them to purchase.

Figure 5.2

Figure 5.3

Figure 5.4

Figure 5.5

c

Findings

14

Ultimately, respondents provided Team GO with results that spoke to the initial objectives. There was, in fact, a lack of paint and brand exposure all around. By connecting information from the focus groups and surveys, Team GO also found that purchase locations and their subsequent customer service heavily influenced purchase decisions, which was especially helpful when considering Walmartʼs customer service. Team GO was also able to gather insight into how overall lack of paint knowledge affects knowledge about the Glidden brand. These findings were imperative in constructing recommendations for Walmart and Glidden.

c

Recommendations

15

Recommendations Market to Women Ages 18-24

The quantitative data from Team GOʼs survey clearly indicated a strong segment that Glidden should hone in on. Approximately ¾ (28/38) of the survey respondents who bought or assisted in buying paint products were female (Figure 6.1).

From this finding, Team GO recommends that Glidden focus a great portion of the advertising budget on the market segment of females age 18-24. According to our research, implementing this will result in a in a niche market that could possibly maximize advertising and marketing investments.

Highlight Glidden as a Quality Paint Product

Participants in our focus groups commonly referred to the quality of products carried at Walmart as “cheap.”

Moderator: Other than customer service, would you say that price wise [Target is] better/different?

Participant 2: I think theyʼre better. They may have things that are more expensive that are better quality but they can also have something that is just as cheap. I would prefer going to Target because it has that range so you can decide if you wanna be cheap with some things and splurge on others; you have that option. But at Walmart everything they have—quality and price—is cheap.

Participant 1: It really depends on what I am trying to buy. I feel like Walmart has a lot of variety in what they sell, but they donʼt have a lot

Figure 6.1

c

Recommendations

16

of just one thing. I will go into Target and end up buying like 600 things I didnʼt wanna buy because they have so much quality stuff that I enjoy.

Focus Group 2, 10/31/2012

They continued to mention that they would not go to Walmart for paint purchases because a lack of faith in quality as seen in focus group 2, which presents Glidden with a problem: how to stand alone from Walmart regarding quality.

Team GO recommends that Gliddenʼs quality should be the main focus in advertisements. Since our participants inherently thought of poor quality when Walmart came to mind, we need to make excellent quality just as inherent when Glidden comes to mind.

Highlight Walmart as a Great Source of Customer Service

Since our goal is to also make Walmart consumersʼ primary paint purchase location, we need to focus on bettering the image of Walmart.

In all focus group discussions and survey responses, individuals expressed that Walmart delivers poor customer service. But half of our survey respondents said that customer service was “often influential” in their purchase decision-making.

Thus, if we can make Walmartʼs customer service stand better in consumersʼ minds, then we can also better their chances of purchasing products (including Glidden paint) from Walmart. We achieve this better image of customer service by highlighting a positive customer service experience in the advertisements.

Advertise More Using the Internet

According to our survey respondents spent, on average, 6.1 hours per day on the Internet compared to an average of 2 hours per day watching television (Figure 6.2). From this finding, itʼs apparent that the majority of individuals aged 18-24 spend most of their free time in front of a computer screen. Thus, in an attempt to capitalize on this finding, Team GO recommends that Glidden focus a majority of its advertising budget online.

c

Recommendations

17

Advertisement Recommendations

In addition to the above recommendations, Team GO crafted a few creative strategies for advertisements that would touch on most of the areas mentioned above.

College-Student Oriented Commercial

Since focus group participants revealed how painting can be an enjoyable experience for college students (as shown by the following quote), one possible advertisement direction could relate to the target segment “S: Um, well it was my first “own place.” I was allowed to paint at home but it is different when you go to college and you have your own place and want to decorate it how you want to decorate it.” Focus Group 2, 10/31/2012

The scene opens on a group of female college students sitting in a boring living room. They then decide to get creative. The girls are then seen entering their local Walmart, going to the paint department, picking out Glidden paint with an experienced employee (highlighting the improved customer service), and grabbing a pizza. The commercial ends with the female students sitting on a couch in their newly painted living room with an empty box of pizza. The tagline could be: “A simple trip can make a colorful difference.”

Figure 6.2

c

Recommendations

18

Creative Contest Team GO also recommends the use of an incentive to get the

attention of college students to encourage them to use Glidden products. Students would create different paint projects (i.e. painting a living room, redecorating furniture, etc.), and then have people vote for their favorites online. The name of the contest would be “Glidden Gets You Going. Where Does It Take You?” (Figure 6.3).

This contest would not only be a creative spark to get more students using paint products, but will also aid in Gliddenʼs aforementioned brand recognition problem. The contest could utilize social networking trends such as Facebook and Instagram in facilitating ease of use as well as a cheap way to virally spread the contest and the Glidden name.

Figure 6.3

c

Other

19

Other

An insight that merits further investigation is the exact activities that consumers are engaging in while on the Internet. When provided more elaboration on these activities, Team GO can find out the specific times and the specific websites for online advertisements. Other insights that merit further investigation would be what kind of paint projects the target market is doing and how they view spokespersons. If Team GO receives positive feedback regarding the use of a spokesperson, it would have to research what type of spokesperson could promote the Glidden and Walmart brands.

Team GO could also further research on the target marketʼs response to the current Glidden logo and how to strengthen it. Below is a possible recommendation that could be based on further logo research (Figure 7.1). Team GO crafted the following logo design to incorporate and highlight color—one of the top factors that participants listed as influential in their purchase decision. A strong central ʻGʼ provides a bold image that consumers can easily recognize.

Team GO unexpectedly found that 18-24-year-old college students had a

lack of knowledge towards paint brands. Another unexpected finding was that 74% of paint users in our target market were female. This was surprising because the team associated painting, a physical act, to be something in which males would partake. However, when making that assumption, Team GO didnʼt take into consideration the design aspect of painting a room, which is what women partook in.

An opportunity that competitive brands might not consider is the importance of the Internet advertising and the many websites onto which ads can be placed. According to our survey, respondents spent an average of 6.1 hours per day on the Internet, compared to an average of 2 hours per day watching television, which is where respondents reported seeing paint ads.

Walmart and Glidden should track and measure the effectiveness of Team GOʼs IMC recommendations (if utilized) through post testing. Various qualitative and quantitative studies can be conducted to see if the IMC recommendations have been effective in creating the brand awareness for Glidden and associating

Figure 7.1

c

Other

20

Walmart as a Glidden retailer. If they use the recommendations for advertising online, the client can track interactions online by using cookies and click-throughs to gauge whether their consumers are interacting with their online media or not.

c

Appendix

i

Appendix Moderator Guide I. Introduction a. Moderator

1. Good afternoon. Thank you for participating in our focus group. My name is [moderator name] and we are conducting this focus group on for our advertising research class. Assisting me are [note taker and camera operator names].

b. Purpose

1. The purpose of this focus group is to learn about the perceptions of paint purchases. We have invited students from various majors to share their ideas. You have been chosen to participate because you are a student between the ages of 18- 24 and have purchased paint at least once while attending university. You represent different majors and backgrounds and weʼre interested in your paint usage and purchases. Please remember there are no right or wrong answers.

c. Ground Rules

1. Rest assured this is not part of a sales pitch. It is strictly a research project. Please speak freely because your comments are valuable to us and we would like to hear from all of you. We are video recording this discussion. Please speak one at a time so we will not miss any of your comments. 2. We will be on a first name basis, but our final report will not include names. What is said will be kept in complete confidentiality, so please be candid in your response. If at any time you are uncomfortable with the discussion, you are free to leave and your responses will be removed from our record.

d. Icebreaker

1. To warm up, weʼll go around and introduce ourselves and then play “Two Truths and a Lie.” Please tell us your name, your age, and your major. Then state two truths about yourselves and a lie. The group will then guess which of your statements are truths and which is a lie.

II. Paint Usage a. Why do you buy paint?

c

Appendix

ii

b. How often do you buy paint? c. What kind of projects do you need paint for? d. How much paint do you use?

III. Purchase Location a. Would you buy paint at a super center? b. Where would you normally go to buy paint? c. What stores do you think of when you think of paint? d. Why would you choose to buy paint where you do? e. Does employee expertise/credibility play a role in your purchase?

IV. Types of Paint a. What do you look for in a paint brand?

b. What kinds of paint do you use? (Paint and Primer All-in-One, regular paint, etc.)

c. What are the deciding factors in choosing paint/paint brand (i.e. color, fumes/no fumes, etc.)?

V. Brands a. What brands do you normally associate with paint? b. Do you know where? c. What would you consider to be the top brands in the industry? VI. Glidden a. Have you heard of Glidden before?

c

Appendix

iii

b. Do you know where Glidden paint is sold? c. Have you ever used Glidden? d. What was your opinion of Glidden? e. Do the colors for Glidden offer a wide enough range? f. What features do you think define Glidden paint from others? g. Where do you think Glidden ranks among other paint brands? VII. Walmart a. Did you know Walmart carries Glidden paint?

b. Why would you not choose Walmart as a place to go to buy paint/paint supplies?

c. What do you think of when you hear “Walmart”? d. When you go to Walmart, what is the primary department you frequent?

e. Do you think of quality/customer service when you go to Walmart? Do you think this factors into your knowledge of their paint section?

VIII. Closing

a. Well, we all would like to thank you for coming out to talk with us about this tonight. Just so you are aware of what this information will be used for, we are currently conducting a project for our Advertising Research course. Part of our grade involves comprising a research proposal for Glidden and Walmart. A large part of this is in the form of qualitative research (like these focus groups). If you have any questions about the further uses of your opinions, you may feel free to contact Dr. Parker at bparker@fsu.edu.

c

Appendix

iv

Informational Goals

Our team intends to accomplish several research goals through focus groups. We want to find out where our research subjects are purchasing paint, as well as what brands, and why. We would also like to focus on finding out if our research subjects are aware of Glidden paint being sold at Wal-Mart. We want insights on why people are purchasing certain kinds/brands of paint, and finding out why those things matter. We believe these informational goals help the client by giving them insight into what their consumers are thinking about when purchasing paint. We think that focusing on why people buy paint at certain places or for certain reasons will help the client figure out a reasonable direction for the brand awareness marketing problem.

c

Appendix

v

Pre-Screening Questionnaire

Hello, my name is _________________________ and I am a major from the College of Communication and Information. We are currently looking for people to participate in a discussion about paint brands. It will be about an hour-long discussion and refreshments will be served in exchange for your time and opinions. If you are interested, please answer a few short questions to verify your participation. MALE_____ FEMALE_____ 1. How old are you? ______________ (Terminate if not between 18-24.) 2. Are you currently a student? _______ YES _______ NO 3. What is your major? _____________________ 4. Have you purchased interior/exterior paint while in college? (Terminate if “no.”) __________________ The discussion will take place on Wednesday, October 31st at either 2:00 P.M. or 4:00 P.M. Which session could you attend?

WEDNESDAY________ WEDNESDAY________

In order to confirm your participation in this discussion, please provide your telephone number and email.

Phone Number ________________________ Email Address ________________________

c

Appendix

vi

Consent Form This focus group seeks to gain knowledge about opinions and beliefs on paint brands and paint purchase locations. Your participation aids in the acquisition of this information. Any information you give will remain anonymous and confidential, though you will have nametags for us to identify you during discussion. In exchange for your time, we will provide food and refreshments. Signature Date

c

Appendix

vii

Focus Group Transcripts Focus Group #1, 10/31/2012 Moderator: Good afternoon, everybody. Hello. Thank you for participating in our focus group. My name is Sam Ripley and we are conducting this focus group on behalf of our advertising research class. Assisting me are all of these people. So thereʼs Rachel, thereʼs the other Samantha, thereʼs Lauren, and thereʼs Tucker. So, thatʼs all of us. The purpose of this focus group is to learn about the perceptions of paint purchases. We have invited students from various majors to share their ideas. You have been chosen to participate because you are a student between the ages of 18- 24 and have purchased paint at least once while attending university. You represent different majors and backgrounds and weʼre interested in your paint usage and purchases. Please remember there are no right or wrong answers. Rest assured, this is not part of a sales pitch. It is strictly a research project. Please speak freely because your comments are valuable to us and we would like to hear from all of you. We are video recording this discussion. Please speak one at a time so we will not miss any of your comments. Please also speak loudly because this recorder is kind of tiny. We will be on a first name basis, but our final report will not include names. What is said will be kept in complete confidentiality, so please be candid in your response. If at any time you are uncomfortable with the discussion, you are free to leave and your responses will be removed from our record. I donʼt foresee any of us getting uncomfortable talking about paint, but if that does happen, you can leave, thatʼs totally okay, no one will judge you. So we have a little icebreaker to warm up, weʼll go around and introduce ourselves and then play Two Truths and a Lie. Please tell us your name, your age, and your major. Then state two truths about yourselves and a lie. The group will then guess which of your statements are truths and which is a lie. Iʼll go first, my name is Samantha Ripley and I am a Creative Writing and Advertising major. Iʼm a junior. And two truths and a lie: I am related to Robert Ripley, I have been to the Grand Canyon three times, and I like coffee. Tucker: Youʼve only been to the Grand Canyon twice? Moderator: No, Iʼm not related to Robert Ripley. Which would be cool, but. Participant 2: Whoʼs that? Moderator: The Ripleyʼs Believe it or Not guy! Rachel: Iʼm Rachel, junior, Advertising major, from Orlando, Florida. Um, two truths and a lie. Um, Iʼm on the Florida State bowling team, I have five cats, and I live off-campus.

c

Appendix

viii

Moderator: Is it “I live off-campus”? Participant 3: Itʼs the cats! Rachel: Yeah, I only have three cats. Moderator: All right, you can say what you want to say, Participant 4. Participant 4: My name is [Participant 4] and Iʼm from Winter Haven, Central Florida—between Tampa and Orlando. My major is Media and Communications Studies. And my two truths and a lie. I have broken my ear, I have fallen into a fireplace, and I have fallen off a waterfall. Everyone: Fallen off a waterfall. Tucker: How big was the waterfall? Moderator: You didnʼt break your ear? Tucker: Your ear! Participant 4: You canʼt break your ear! Samantha: Iʼm Samantha Sargent. Iʼm an Advertising major from Washington DC, Iʼm a junior and, okay, I was born in Texas, Iʼm an only child, and I have been to Africa. Tucker: You werenʼt born in Texas? You havenʼt been to Africa. Samantha: I havenʼt been to Africa. Participant 3: Iʼm [Participant 3], Iʼm a junior, Iʼm double majoring in Media Production and Business Management. I, letʼs see, I work with Seminole Productions, Iʼve been to Ecuador, oh wait, and, um, [laughing] dang it, I screwed it up. It wasnʼt a lie. They were all complete truths. Participant 2: Iʼm [Participant 2], Iʼm a senior, Iʼm a biochemistry student. I guess two truths and a lie, Iʼm six four, I was born in Texas, and I like tomatoes. Moderator: You donʼt like tomatoes. Participant 2: Yeah, I donʼt like tomatoes! Tucker: Iʼm Tucker, Iʼm twenty-two, Iʼm from Dothan, Alabama. And I donʼt want to play two truths and lie. Participant 1: Iʼm [Participant 1], Iʼm a senior, economics is my major. Two truths and lie: Iʼve been skydiving, Iʼve been bitten by a shark, Iʼve never been to the North Pole. Everyone: Shark! North Pale! Participant 1: North Pole, yeah, never been there. Samantha: Where were you bit? Participant 1: On my leg.

c

Appendix

ix

Lauren: All right. Iʼm Lauren, ICT major. Two truths and lie—Iʼm just gonna pass that part. Moderator: Why do you buy paint? Participant 1: Mainly just fixing the apartment or house. Participant 2: Just to fix the walls in my apartment but also sometimes to spray-paint stuff. Participant 3: I was trying to fix up my walls. Participant 4: I got a lot of body paint, does that count? Okay, yeah, I buy other paint and like, acrylics and stuff from Michaelʼs because Iʼm pretty spirited, but thatʼs pretty much the only reason why. Moderator: How often do you buy paint? Participant 2: Generally donʼt buy it very often. You use it all the time? Participant 3: Depends on the circumstances. Moderator: What kind of projects do you need paint for? Participant 1: Mostly for housework. For little jobs right now in my apartment that are cheap and I need paint for them. Moderator: How much paint do you use? Participant 2: I donʼt know, like a quarter of a can. I buy three liters. Participant 3: Thereʼs pints, right? The small ones? Participant 1: Just as much as is needed to get the job done. Moderator: Would you buy paint at a super center? Participant 3: Yeah, thatʼs where I got mine. Participant 2: I just go to Loweʼs and Home Depot. I feel more like a man for being there. They seem more guy-oriented. Moderator: Ladies, what about you? Participant 3: I go to Walmart. Participant 4: Yeah, me too. Participant 1: Walmart is cheaper. Moderator: What stores do you think of when you think of paint? Participant 2: Sherwin Williams. Participant 1: Home Depot. Loweʼs. Participant 4: Michaelʼs. Moderator: Why would you choose to buy paint where you do?

c

Appendix

x

Participant 1: Price because Iʼm just doing it for something thatʼs not mine. Participant 2: Yeah, price. Participant 3: Price, same, yeah. Participant 4: For me, price is a factor, but I have a hard time finding the colors that I want. Itʼs sometimes hard to find the color I want. Moderator: So variety is important to you? Participant 4: Yeah, I want a whole array of colors. Moderator: Does employee expertise/credibility play a role in your purchase? Participant 1: At Home Depot, but not at Walmart. Participant 2: To find what color it is, yeah, at Home Depot. Participant 3: Yeah, I care. last time I went they werenʼt much help. Last time I went to Walmart and they didnʼt know what they were talking about . Participant 4: Actually, last time I went to Walmart to buy spray-paint, I had a really good experience and they were very nice and helpful. I tried to find the manager to tell them, but I couldnʼt find them. Moderator: What do you look for in a paint brand? Participant 4: Color. Participant 3: Color, yeah. Participant 2: I canʼt really say that now, I donʼt think color is the most important. Participant 1: Mainly price, because as I said, right now, Iʼm not living in a house that I own, so I want to be able to have a cheap option. So price, the cheapest. Moderator: Okay, so do you think for college students, price is usually the most important? Participant 2: Yeah, I mean, because they arenʼt fixing up their own stuff, you know. Price is important. Participant 3: You also want it to blend in because you donʼt want to get caught. Participant 4: Because Iʼm doing more artistic things, the color is the most important. But for more general projects, the color isnʼt the most important. Moderator: What kinds of paint do you use? Paint and Primer All-in-One, regular paint, etcetera. Participant 1: I would prime if it was my house, but since Iʼm just renting I want to get the cheapest one possible. Itʼs only gotta look good for a while. Participant 2: I know that in my old house I would use primer, but not for, like, here. I donʼt really paint that much because Iʼm colorblind. Participant 3: I donʼt know the difference.

c

Appendix

xi

Participant 4: I donʼt usually use any kind of paint like that. Moderator: What brands do you normally associate with paint? Participant 3: Scott. Participant 2: I only know like one type. I guess brand doesnʼt really matter to me. Participant 4: Is Sherwin Williams a brand? Participant 1: Behr, I think thatʼs one. Participant 4: I donʼt know the name, but I know what the can looks like. Moderator: What would you consider to be the top brands in the industry? Participant 2: I think that Behr. Participant 3: Yeah, Iʼve heard of Behr. Iʼve seen commercials. Moderator: Have you heard of Glidden before? Participant 1: No. Participant 2: No. Moderator: Do you know where Glidden paint is sold? Participant 1: No. Iʼve never heard of it. Moderator: Itʼs where the house paint was. Moderator: What was your opinion of Glidden? Participant 3: It was way too light. I put on a lot of layers and it was light. Participant 1: I just put on a lot of layers and it worked okay. Moderator: Do the colors for Glidden offer a wide enough range? Participant 1: Yeah, I think it was fine for what it was. Participant 3: I donʼt think so. There definitely wasnʼt enough choice in the colors. Moderator: What features do you think define Glidden paint from others? Participant 2: I didnʼt even know about Glidden until today, until you started talking about it. Moderator: Where do you think Glidden ranks among other paint brands? Participant 1: I think pretty low. Participant 2: Yeah, really low. Participant 3: I mean, itʼs from Walmart, so yeah, pretty low. Moderator: Did you know Walmart carries Glidden paint?

c

Appendix

xii

Participant 1: I knew they carried paint. Participant 2: I did not know they carried that specific brand of paint, Glidden, no. Moderator: Why would you not choose Walmart as a place to go to buy paint or paint supplies? Participant 3: Quality. Participant 1: Quality and lack of customer service. Participant 4: Yeah, quality. Moderator: What do you think of when you hear “Walmart”? Participant 1: Cheap. Participant 2: Friends, social. Participant 3: Cheap. Participant 4: Grocery shopping, cheap. Moderator: When you go to Walmart, what is the primary department you frequent? Participant 1: Through the garden entrance. Participant 2: Food. I go there first and then I wander to electronics. Not usually in the paint section, but I bought arts and crafts sometimes. Participant 4: I feel like the people in paint donʼt know what theyʼre talking about. Participant 1: Thatʼs just Walmart in general. Moderator: Do you think of quality or customer service when you go to Walmart? Do you think this factors into your knowledge of their paint section? Participant 2: No. Participant 3: No. Participant 4: I have had good experiences, but overall, no. Moderator: Well, we all would like to thank you for coming out to talk with us about this tonight. Just so you are aware of what this information will be used for, we are currently conducting a project for our Advertising Research course. Part of our grade involves comprising a research proposal for Glidden and Walmart. A large part of this is in the form of qualitative research (like these focus groups). If you have any questions about the further uses of your opinions, you may feel free to contact Dr. Parker at bparker@fsu.edu.

c

Appendix

xiii

Focus Group #2, 10/31/2012 Moderator: First, we just have a very basic consent form so that you know whatʼs happening. Hi, Iʼm Jodeci. And thank you for participating in our focus group. We have Cody who is recording; we have Suzie who is our note taker; and Rachel who is our camerawomen.

The purpose of this focus group is to learn about the perception of paint purchases. We have invited students from various majors to share their ideas. You have been chosen to participate because you are a student between the ages of 18-24 and have purchased paint at least once while attending the university or have been involved in someone elseʼs paint purchases. You represent different majors and backgrounds and weʼre interested in your paint usage and purchases. So, please remember there are no right or wrong answers.

Rest assured this is not part of a sales pitch. It is strictly a research project. Please speak freely because your comments are valuable to us and we would like to hear from all of you. We are video recording this discussion so we can gauge your reactions. Please speak one at a time because it will be hard to differentiate between the two of you on our recording device.

We will be on a first name basis and donʼt worry we will get to know each other a little bit. Our final report will not include your names; it is strictly confidential. What is said will be kept in complete confidentiality, so please be candid in your response. If at any time you are uncomfortable with the discussion, you are free to leave and your responses will be removed from our record.

Um, we are going to start with an ice-breaker. It is a really simple one and you mightʼve played it back in middle school. Itʼs called two truths and a lie. The goal is to figure out which of your statements is a lie. Participant 1: Um, I have to think of it. Hang on. Moderator: Go ahead and take your time if you want to think about it first. Let me know when youʼre ready. Participant 1: Oh my gosh, Iʼm sorry. Itʼs too much pressure. Okay, um, hold on I have to think of a lie. Okay, I am from Ohio. My first car was a Jeep. And my sister is a ginger. Moderator: [Laughs] Okay, what are your two truths and a lie? Participant 2: My nameʼs [Participant 2], I have a brother, Iʼm a vegetarian, and I live on an island back home. Moderator: My nameʼs Jodeci, I have five siblings, I have been to Europe, and I love Justin Beiber. So what do you think her two truths and a lie are? Participant 2: I think the lie is that sheʼs from Ohio. Participant 1: Mhm.

c

Appendix

xiv

Moderator: Where are you from? Participant 1: Iʼm from Florida. My parents are from Ohio. Moderator: Okay, cool. And what about you? What do you think? Participant 1: Do you not have a brother? Participant 2: Yeah. Moderator: What do you think my lie is? Participant 2: That you love Justin Beiber? Moderator: Yeah! Thank you so much! All right, so we are going to go ahead and start. Our first set of questions are just about paint usage. The first thing that we want to know is why have either of you bought paint in the past? Participant 1: I painted my room when I moved into my apartment. Moderator: Okay, what about you [Participant 2]? Participant 2: I helped my friend paint her living room when she moved here. Moderator: So what made you want to paint your apartment or living room? Participant 1: Um, well it was my first “own place.” I was allowed to paint at home, but it is different when you go to college and you have your own place and want to decorate it how you want to decorate it. Moderator: Right, what about you? Participant 2: Well, my mom would never let us paint our own walls; she would hire someone to do it because she wanted it to look professional. The fact that my friend wanted help to paint her apartment, I was really excited to do that and she also wanted to warm up the place a little bit since it was so standard. Usually all the apartment complexes here are all the same, standard. I feel like paint gives it a warmer vibe and makes it more personal. Moderator: How was the experience in painting? Was it tough? Did you enjoy it? Participant 1: In the actually painting? Moderator: Yeah. Participant 1: I didnʼt do the painting. I had my dad do it. I watched. Participant 2: I feel like itʼs always fun at first and then after a while it gets very tedious. And then it becomes actually “work.” And itʼs not playtime anymore. Moderator: How big were the rooms? Participant 1: Small. Like the size of the walls in this room. Moderator: Okay, so how often do you buy paint or would you buy paint? Like, do you think youʼll ever buy paint again to paint your room?

c

Appendix

xv

Participant 1: Prolly not. Not while Iʼm in college. Not until I move into a different place. And back home I only painted my room every four or five years. Participant 2: Um, not that often. Iʼd say every couple of years. Moderator: Why wait so long? Participant 1: Well, usually you have your decorations. I usually go off of my comforter. You donʼt want to have to buy news things if you want to paint a different color. Participant 2: I feel like it takes us a while to grow out of the color that we choose. When you choose a color, it is something that you are committing to and itʼs obviously something you will like for a while. And even if you do get sick of it, it seems like too much of a hassle to repaint your entire room; itʼs almost not worth it to just change the color. Moderator: Okay, so when you move on to another place, would you be expecting to move into a bigger apartment to paint? Participant 1: I donʼt know. It depends. I have no idea. Participant 2: Hopefully. But, maybe not. Moderator: Do you think your tastes will change a lot by then? Or do you think youʼre going to be pretty stuck in your ways about color choices? Participant 1: Prolly about the same. I wouldnʼt pick the same exact color. I would probably pick the same group of colors. Moderator: Okay. So what types of projects do you need paint for? And not just interior/exterior, but any kind of projects. Participant 2: Um, I know my friend paints a lot of his furniture. They moved into an unfurnished house and they got a lot of used furniture and to make it look new and to give it a nice finish they would paint the furniture. It actually turned out looking very good. Moderator: Did they use house paints or did they go get fabric paints? Participant 2: No, I think it was leftover house paints. Moderator: Wow. Thatʼs really cool. What about you? Participant 1: I donʼt think Iʼve ever used house paint for anything other than a wall. Iʼm not that crafty. Moderator: So no other craft projects that you have personally done? Have you ever thought about it? Maybe have gone on to Pinterest and maybe thought about using… Participant 2: My friends splatter art a wall once. Participant 1: Thatʼs cool.

c

Appendix

xvi

Moderator: So how much paint, you said that your apartments were very small, did you buy and use? Participant 2: I donʼt know. Just the standard. Moderator: One gallon? Participant 2: Yeah. Participant 1: I bought two because I was painting in two different colors. But I wouldnʼt have needed two. Participant 2: Yeah, I always have leftover. Moderator: Yeah, and then you have nothing to do with it, right? Participant 2: Yeah Moderator: So, I already asked this question: so how often do you buy paint or—you said every… Participant 1: Four or five years. Moderator: And that was when you were back home? Participant 1: Yeah. Moderator: Oh, okay. And you havenʼt bought have you? Participant 2: No. But I was with my friend when she did. Moderator: Oh okay. So how often do you think your friend would buy paint? Do you think she would paint her room next year? Participant 1: Um, Yeah I think it just depends on, like, your living situation. If you move into a new home, you might paint the wall. But if you are staying in the same place you were living in last year, you probably wonʼt. But I also know people who, every year, want to paint the living room a different color. I think thatʼs a little extreme. Moderator: Do you think you both would choose to move into a place that at least offers the option for you to paint the walls? I know you mentioned that some places donʼt afford you that option. Participant 1: Yeah that was kinda important to me. That was one of the first things I asked when I moved in; if I was allowed to paint the walls. And, actually, since Iʼve moved in theyʼve changed it to that youʼre not allowed to. But I had already painted the walls. So, I mean, yeah. It definitely changes the vibe of your place whether you have white walls versus whatever color you chose to paint them. Moderator: And how long have you been living at your apartment? Participant 1: Um, this is my second year. So, I lived there all year last year and summer and this year.

c

Appendix

xvii

Moderator: So before you move out officially, do you have to paint them back a certain color? Participant 1: Yeah. Participant 2: In the last apartment I was in, where they splatter painted the wall, we had to repaint the entire wall. Moderator: Was it back to the original color or was it… Participant 2: Yeah, it was back to white. We were allowed to do anything to the walls, but we had to paint them back when we were done living there. Moderator: All right, so would you buy paint at a supercenter like Target, Samʼs, or Walmart? Participant 1: Yeah, thatʼs where I bought it from last time; Walmart. Participant 2: Probably not, just because I didnʼt know that Walmart had paint. I would probably automatically think Home Depot or Lowes, or one of those places. I didnʼt know Target had wall paint. Participant 1: Home Depot would probably be my other option if I didnʼt know that Walmart sold paint. I donʼt really have a preference in where I buy it, wherever has it cheaper. And I think I was already at Walmart for something else. Moderator: When you were at Walmart, did you already know that you wanted to paint your room? Participant 1: Yeah. Moderator: Okay, so it wasnʼt just a spur of the moment thing because they had paint there? Participant 1: I just didnʼt know that they had paint, and then when I saw it, I decided I might as well get it here. Moderator: Okay, and this is a similar question, but what stores do you automatically think of when I say the word “paint”? Participant 1: Um, like Home Depot and Sherwin Williams. Iʼve never actually been there. Participant 2: Yeah, those are like the first ones that pop into my mind as well. Moderator: I didnʼt even think of Sherwin Williams in this entire thing. Um, so why would you decide to paint at whatever location you choose to do so? Participant 2: I guess itʼs, like, convenience. Now that I know they have it at like Target or Walmart, I would prolly get it there because there are other things I would need to get from Target or Walmart besides paint. But if I go to Home Depot, I wonʼt be able to pick up my groceries as well. So itʼs convenience and pricing, I guess.

c

Appendix

xviii

Participant 1: Yeah, if I noticed a major price difference, I would definitely go wherever it was cheaper. Moderator: Okay, so definitely convenience, I understand that. Because Home Depot can be kinda not convenient. Um, so does employee credibility or knowledge play a role in your purchase at all? Did anyone help you when you went to purchase paint? Participant 1: Well, I went with my dad. So I didnʼt really feel the need to ask for help from the employees, so I would say no. But, if I was shopping by myself, it would probably matter a little more. Moderator: Do you think Walmart would have helped you? Participant 1: No. Absolutely not. Participant 2: Um, I think right now I wouldnʼt really care that much about the credibility of the source recommending the source because itʼs college. But if I was moving into my own home and I was going to be established there for a while, then I would want to make sure that it was a nice paint. I would want to make sure that the paint would last well for the entire time that I would be living there. So I would probably be more picky about the paint if it was more of a long term thing, not like a college living situation. Moderator: So would you educate yourselves beforehand when you went to a paint center of any sort or would you solely rely on employee expertise? Participant 2: I think I would just change the place that I was going to. Here I would probably be okay buying paint from Walmart but I would go to Home Depot if I was doing any long term thing. Moderator: So, types of paint. What do you look for in a paint brand if anything at all? Participant 1: I donʼt look for anything except for price or if they have a color that I like. Participant 2: Well, I know that some paints have the primer in them already so itʼs just the one step. Moderator: Okay, that leads into our next question. What kinds of paint do you use? Do you use the paint and primer all in one? Participant 2: Yeah, definitely. Participant 1: I have. I donʼt ever think about it. Moerator: Do you know how many coats you possibly had to apply?

c

Appendix

xix

Participant 1: Um, probably like two. I painted it pink, though, so it looked kinda weird after the first coat. Moderator: What was the color underneath? Participant 1: It was white. It just looked kinda washed out. Moderator: Um, what about you? Participant 2: I think we did, like, two layers. It was white originally and then we painted it a sea-foam green. We actually bought Disney colors. Disney has their own line; Disney inspired colors. Moderator: So what were the deciding factors in choosing the paint that you bought? Colors? Fumes? Participant 1: It was only price and color for me. Participant 2: I think the Disney thing did kinda make a difference because Disney had a funny color name. Weʼre in college now. We get to decide the paint we buy. Moderator: Some brands might have more color choices than another brand, do you think thatʼs— Participant 2: Yeah, Iʼd say thatʼs one of the biggest. Participant 1: Yeah, you go in knowing that you want to paint it pink, but you donʼt know what color pink you want until you have them in front of you. So I think that if youʼre trying to decide which color, if a brand has so many different shades, youʼll be able to choose the one that you really wanted versus one where they only have two shades of pink. I think that really matters. T: Yeah, you donʼt want to have limited options when youʼre making that decision. Moderator: So, if price was a factor, what if a brand had more colors, but they were a little more pricey than the brand that had only two colors of pink? Participant 1: Well, I would go based off the color first, and then the price. You have to look at the color everyday, but you only have to pay that price once. Participant 2: I agree. I would have the same mindset. I would be willing to pay a little more to have the color that I actually want instead of settling for a color that is only kinda like the color I wanted. Moderator: I understand that. All right, so what brands would you normally associate with paint? Do some brands have more colors than others? Participant 1: I can only think of Behr. Itʼs the only brand I can think of. Participant 2: I know there are other ones, but I guess itʼs the kinda thing I have to see in order to recognize.

c

Appendix

xx

Moderator: Do you know where Behr is sold? Participant 2: Well, I know Home Depot. Moderator: Okay, so what do you consider to be the top brands in the industry? Obviously Behr, since thatʼs the one that sticks out in your mind. So no other brands are dangling at the top of your mind? Okay. Well, have you heard of Glidden before? Participant 1: Yeah. Moderator: You just gotta hear it, then you remember it. Do you know where it is sold? Participant 1: I imagine the same places that Behr is sold. Moderator: Do you know if you have ever used it? Do you know what brand you did end up using? Participant 2: I think I used Behr. Moderator: Because you have never heard of or used it, do you think you would have any opinion on Glidden? Participant 1: I mean, Iʼve heard of it, but I just didnʼt think of it as a top brand. That doesnʼt necessarily mean I wouldnʼt buy it. Based on whether they had the price and color that I want—I donʼt have a negative connotation with Glidden. I donʼt think of bad things when I think of them. Participant 2: I think paints are pretty standard. They donʼt differentiate that much from each other. Itʼs not like car brands. Itʼs pretty basic. I wouldnʼt discriminate because of a brand name. Moderator: So if you had to guess, since you have never used Glidden, would you think that Glidden offers a wide enough range? Participant 1: I guess, I donʼt know. Moderator: Since itʼs an unknown brand to you, would you think that Behr offers a wider range when you went looking for paint? Participant 2: Yeah, thatʼs what I would say. Moderator: All right, well, all these are about Glidden, and you havenʼt heard of Glidden. So, what do you think would be features that would set paint apart from one another besides the availability of color? What else do you think you would really want in a paint? Participant 2: Um, like I mentioned, a primer. And if it was faster drying. Participant 1: It depends on how long I plan on being there because maybe I want it to be able to be painted over easier. But if it was my home, I wouldnʼt because furniture gets pushed up against it; you would want it to last longer. But now, I donʼt really care.

c

Appendix

xxi

Moderator: To go off of you mentioning furniture getting pushed up against the painted wall, I know there are paints out there claiming to be “no-mess” or if you get it dirty, itʼs easier to clean. Would that be a factor at all? Participant 2: I think that in a college environment, that is something that people would take into account. Yeah, you might be clean, but you donʼt know if the people youʼre living with are or if you have people over for a party. Itʼd be nice if you could easily clean something up that happened to the wall. Especially something that happens that calls a lot of attention to the wall. Moderator: So where do you think that Glidden ranks in your heads? Or have you never really thought of it before? Participant 1: Well, Iʼm sure there are tons of other brands that Iʼve never heard of. When I painted my room, it was some no-name brand—I just went off of price. But I feel like Glidden is in the middle or upwards of the middle because I feel like there is not a lot of known brands in paint. Maybe thatʼs just because I donʼt know any, but Iʼm just not aware of a lot of them. Moderator: All right, so did you know that Walmart carries Glidden paint? So, it might have been the paint that you bought from there. Participant 2: Well, I guess Walmart sells everything. I shouldʼve guessed that they sold paint. But I would have never thought, “I need paint, letʼs go to Walmart.” But Iʼm not surprised that they carry paint. Moderator: Why would you possibly not choose Walmart as a place to go buy paint or paint supplies? Participant 1: I just hate Walmart. Everyoneʼs so rude. Itʼs just a hard experience. They are always understaffed and whenever you go there no one can help you; like a big CF. The only reason that I went there is due to price. I have never had a good customer experience at Walmart. Moderator: Really? When you went with your dad, was there anyone there at all? Participant 1: No, nobody asked us what we were doing. We just brought it up and paid for it. Participant 2: I like Walmart. I have fun at Walmart. I love how you can go to Walmart at 3A.M. and just watch the people who are there. Um, but I guess quality would be the only reason that I wouldnʼt want to buy something at Walmart, because I feel like they have a very limited selection, not just with paints, but if you go for shower curtains for trash cans. I feel like they have a lot of cheap things, but they donʼt have a lot of variety. I feel like with paint, I would want more options instead of a cheaper price. Moderator: Is there a place that you feel would have a lot of variety?

c

Appendix

xxii

Participant 2: I feel like a place that is more specialized towards being a “home” store. Participant 1: I feel the same way. Moderator: So what is the very first thing you think of when you hear the word “Walmart”? Participant 2: Cheap. Participant 1: I donʼt know. I think I should keep it to myself. Moderator: No, go ahead. Participant 1: I go to Walmart all the time, but I just hate it. Itʼs horrible. Moderator: Is there a particular experience that you would like to share? Participant 1: Itʼs only fine when you know what you want and you know where it is. But if you need help with anything— Well I went there last week and I had to talk to four different people to find out that the jewelry section was closed. I was trying to get Minnie Mouse earrings for my sisterʼs birthday, but they were in a case with a lock on it. But I could not find anyone in the entire store anywhere to help me with it. Finally the guy who was mopping the floor asked me if I needed help. I literally called the store from inside the store and I told them I was in the jewelry department and they said they would send someone to help, and they didnʼt. The guy who was mopping told me that the section was closed. I finally decided to leave. Moderator: I know you mentioned that it was cheap. Do you enjoy that it is cheap? Participant 2: Yeah, itʼs kinda funny to see whoʼs there. All the people in their little scooter/go-kart things even though they donʼt have to be since theyʼre not handicapped or elderly. Itʼs a funny experience. But I would never think of Walmart as good customer service so… Moderator: Where would you say does have good customer service? Participant 2: Um, Target. And other places like Lowes and Home Depot. Theyʼre more geared towards helping the customer and Walmart is the get-in-get-out place. Theyʼre not really there to help you with your decision-making process, but I guess thatʼs because if youʼre going to Walmart, you have a basic idea of what you need or want. Moderator: Other than customer service, would you say that, price-wise, they are better/different? Participant 2: I think theyʼre better. They may have things that are more expensive that are better quality, but they can also have something that is just as cheap. I would prefer going to Target because it has that range, so you can decide if you wanna be cheap with some things and splurge on others; you have that option. But at Walmart everything they have—quality and price—is cheap.

c

Appendix

xxiii

Participant 1: It really depends on what I am trying to buy. I feel like Walmart has a lot of variety in what they sell, but they donʼt have a lot of just one thing. I will go into Target and end up buying like 600 things I didnʼt wanna buy because they have so much quality stuff that I enjoy. Moderator: When you do go to Walmart, what is the primary department you normally go there for? Participant 2: I guess for certain types of food, I wouldnʼt say that they have the freshest produce. But for canned things or cereal—things that are going to be standard no matter where you get it—if I can save money buying it at Walmart, why not? Participant 1: I buy the same items as you. I will make special trips to buy bottled water from Walmart because it is that much cheaper and itʼs the same. Moderator: So when you talk about the quality of some of Walmartʼs products compared to other places, are you talking about the quality of their personal brands (Great Value)? Would you say their own brand is cheap? Participant 1: It depends on what it is. Like, I would probably never buy clothes from Walmart. It depends I guess. Yeah, I guess. I mean Iʼve bought their cleaning products before, but it just depends on what it is. Moderator: Do you think that their cleaning products work okay? Participant 1: Yeah, theyʼre not bad. Theyʼre all right. Moderator: So, weʼve talked about customer service or lack there of. And do you think that customer service plays into your knowledge of having a paint section at all? Participant 2: Um, I guess. I think itʼs more of the layout of the store. I get lost in Walmart looking for things. You have no idea where things are. There doesnʼt seem to be a flow in their product organization as there is with Target. When at Walmart itʼs like, “Where is anything?” Participant 1: Well, I already knew they had paint there. But thatʼs only because I walked by it and saw it. But yeah, I donʼt even think it was near the home improvement section; itʼs just there in the middle of the store. Participant 2: I went to buy double-sided tape once and I was in the school supplies section, and I asked someone for help and they sent me all the way to the home supplies area and I thought those things didnʼt go together. So I think that the organization of the store has a lot to do with it. Moderator: So would you say that you wouldʼve never found the paint section because you are never near the automotives? You just happen to be by there? Okay. We would like to thank you all for coming out. Do you have any questions for us concerning what weʼve been asking you and what this is being used for? Okay, well just so youʼre aware of what this is all going to be used for: We are

c

Appendix

xxiv

conducting a project for our Advertising Research course and part of our grade involves a research proposal for Glidden and Walmart. Part of this is in the form of qualitative research like focus groups and if you have any questions about the further uses of your opinions you can contact Dr. Brian Parker at bparker@fsu.edu and if you need me to write that down, just let me know. So no questions, comments, or concerns? Participant 2: Do they only carry that brand at Walmart? Moderator: I think they do actually. Participant 1: Thatʼs so great. That means I bought it. Moderator: Yeah, I was trying not to say anything, but I knew that you bought Glidden. Participant 2: Do they sell Glidden at other places? Moderator: They do, actually. They sell it at Home Depot. Itʼs a smaller section, but they do sell it at other places. But thank you guys for coming in and feel free to have some pizza. Itʼs around dinner time so you might be a little hungry.

c

Appendix

xxv

Focus Group #3, 11/07/2012 Moderator: Thank you for attending our focus group for our advertising research class. Assisting me is my group: Rachel: Hi, Iʼm Rachel. Samantha: Hi, Iʼm Samantha. Tucker: Tucker. Moderator: The purpose about this focus group is to learn about the perceptions of paint purchases. We have invited students from various places to share your ideas. You have been chosen to participate because you are a student between the ages of 18-24 and have purchased paint at least one once while attending the university. You represent different majors and backgrounds, but we are only interested in your paint background and purchases. Please remember there are no right or wrong answers.

The ground rules, rest assured this isnʼt part of a sales pitch. Itʼs strictly a research project. Please speak freely because your comments are valuable to us and we would like to hear from all of you. We are video recording this discussion, Please speak one at a time so we wonʼt miss any of your comments. We will be on first name but our final report will not include any names. What is said will be kept in complete confidentiality so please be candid in your response. If at anytime you are uncomfortable with the discussion you are free to leave at any time and your responses will be removed from our record.

To warm up, we are going to go around and introduce ourselves and play two truths and a lie. You give two truths about yourself and one lie and you try to get the people in the room to guess which one is a lie. So, Iʼll start. My name is Lauren. My major is ICT, Iʼm a senior. And two truths and a lie are, ugh, I went to high school in Michigan, I was born in Florida, and I was bit by a shark. Tucker: Bit by a sharkʼs a lie. Moderator: Itʼs a lie. Okay. Participant 1: My major is advertising, Iʼm a senior, ugh, two truths and a lie. Iʼm 30 years old, ugh, have two best friends, and I grew up in Korea. Moderator: You didnʼt grow up in Korea. Participant 1: [Laughs] No, I didnʼt. Participant 2: Iʼm a senior and an econ major. Two truths and a lie. Iʼve been skydiving, Iʼve been to the North Pole, and Iʼve been bit by a shark. Tucker: You havenʼt been bitten by a shark. Participant 2: I have.

c

Appendix

xxvi

Participant 1: You havenʼt been to the North Pole. Participant 2: No, I havenʼt. Participant 1: You have been bitten by a shark? Participant 2 Yeah, I have. Participant 1: Wow, thatʼs awesome. Participant 3: Hello, Iʼm a senior. I spend more time on Tumblr than I do on Facebook. I do not vote. And I voted for Obama. Participant 2: You didnʼt vote? Participant 3: Yeah, I didnʼt vote. Moderator: All right, we are gonna first start talking about paint usage. Um, Why do you buy paint? What are the reasons you would go and buy paint? Participant 1: To paint my room. Participant 2: To fix things. Moderator: Like what? Participant 2: Like walls and stuff. Moderator: Oh okay. What about you? Participant 3: Oh, Iʼve only used it to fix small holes in the wall. Moderator: How often do you buy paint? Participant 1: Once every three of four years. Moderator: What about you? Participant 2: I buy it about once a year to fix walls and stuff around the house. Participant 3: Not very often at all. Moderator: What kind of projects do you need paint for? Participant 1: Arts and crafts. I painted like this wood thing at my house. Moderator: What about you? Participant 2: Any projects that call for paint. Participant 3: Iʼve helped my sister paint some walls at her apartment, so around once a year I guess. Moderator: How much paint do you use when you use paint? Participant 1: Around one thing. Moderator: You mean around 1 gallon? Participant 1: Yeah, one gallon.

c

Appendix

xxvii

Moderator: Ok we are going to move on to purchase location. Would you ever buy paint at a supercenter? Would you buy it at Walmart? Would you buy it at a supercenter like Walmart? Participant 1: They sell paint at Walmart? Moderator: I guess thatʼs a good answer. Participant 2: It depends on the project that Iʼm working on. If it was personal stuff, then I would buy better paint. Moderator: What about you? Participant 3: It depends on how close it is to my house. Like, Loweʼs is right down the road from my house. Moderator: Oh ok, so location has a big influence on where you get your paint. Where would you normally go to buy paint? Participant 1: Home Depot. Participant 2: Home Depot. Participant 3: Home Depot. Moderator: And the reason why? Participant 1: Itʼs the home section for paint. Moderator: What stores do you think of when you think of paint? Same ones? Same ones. Okay why do you choose to buy paint where you do? Participant 1: Location. Participant 2: Price and quality. Participant 3: I just buy where my parents buy paint. Moderator: Does employee expertise play any role in your purchase of paint. Participant 1: Yes. Participant 2: Depends on the store. Participant 3: Yes. Moderator: Oh okay .Now moving on to types of paint. What do you look for in a paint brand? What qualities? Participant 1: The finish. It canʼt be too shiny. Participant 2: Nothing specific. Participant 3: Nothing too glossy. Moderator: What kind of paints do you use? Do you use paint with primer or just plain paint? Participant 1: I use paint with primer.

c

Appendix

xxviii

Participant 2: I also use paint with primer. Participant 3: Depends if itʼs outside or inside. If it were outside, I would definitely use primer. Moderator: What are the deciding factors when choosing paint or a paint brand? Participant 1: Color is very important. Participant 2: Quality and price are important. Participant 3: Yeah, mostly color and price. Moderator: What brands do you normally associate with paint? Participant 1: Behr. Participant 2: Sherwin Williams. Participant 3: Behr and Sherwin Williams. Moderator: Do you know where these brands are sold? Participant 1: Yes. Participant 2: Yes. Participant 3: Yes. Moderator: What would you consider to be the top brands in the paint industry? Participant 1: Behr and Sherwin Williams. Participant 2: I donʼt know. Participant 3: Iʼm not sure either. Moderator: All right now we are going to move on to a section about Glidden paint. Have you guys heard about Glidden paint? Participant 1: No. Participant 2: Yes. Participant 3: Yes. Moderator: Do you know where Glidden paint is sold? Participant 1: No. Participant 2: Walmart. Participant 3: Walmart. Moderator: Have any of you used Glidden? Participant 1: No. Participant 2: I may have. Participant 3: No.

c

Appendix

xxix

Moderator: What was your opinion of Glidden? Participant 1: None. Participant 2: It got the job done. Participant 3: Same. Moderator: Does Glidden offer a wide enough range of color? Participant 1: Yes. Participant 2: Yes. Participant 3: Yes. Moderator: What features do you think divide Glidden paint from others? Participant 1: I donʼt know. Participant 2: Price. Participant 3: Price. Moderator: Where do you think Glidden ranks among other paint brands? Participant 1: Low. Participant 2: Probably the lowest. Participant 3: Low. Moderator: Now we are going to move on to Walmart. Do you guys know that Walmart says Glidden paint? Participant 1: No. Participant 2: Yes. Participant 3: No. Moderator: Why would you not choose Walmart for a place to buy paint or other paint supplies? Participant 1: I donʼt buy paint at Walmart because it sucks and itʼs really, really gross. The service sucks there wherever you go. Participant 2: Iʼd get what I need at Walmart for the price, but not for the service. Participant 3: I would because itʼs cheaper and closer. Moderator: What do you think of when you hear “Walmart”? Participant 1: It sucks. Participant 2: Itʼs cheap. Participant 3: I think itʼs cheap. Moderator: When you go to Wal-Mart, What is the primary department you go to?

c

Appendix

xxx

Participant 1: Groceries. Participant 2: Hunting,fishing. Participant 3: Grocery section. Moderator: Do you think of quality in customer service when you go to Walmart? Participant 1: No. Participant 2: I think the opposite. Participant 3: No. Moderator: Do you think this factors into your knowledge of their paint section? Participant 1: Yes. Participant 2: Yes. Participant 3: Yes. Moderator: Well, hat pretty much wraps it up. We would like to thank you for coming out to talk with us about this. And just so you are aware about what this information will be used for, we will be currently conducting a project for our advertising research course. Part of our grades requires us to compose research for Glidden and Walmart. A large part of this is for qualitative research like this focus group and if you guys have any further questions about the use of your opinions, then you can contact our professor at bparker@fsu.edu. So thank you.

c

Appendix

xxxi

c

Appendix

xxxii

Survey

c

Appendix

i.

c

Appendix

ii.

c

Appendix

iii.

Initial  Report  

Last  Modified:  12/03/2012  

1.    Do  you  attend  The  Florida  State  University?  

#   Answer       Response   %  1 Yes     57 90% 2 No     6 10%

Total   63 100% 2.    When  were  you  born?  

#   Answer       Response   %  1 1980     0 0% 2 1981     0 0% 3 1982     0 0% 4 1983     0 0% 5 1984     0 0% 6 1985     1 2% 7 1986     0 0% 8 1987     1 2% 9 1988     5 9%

10 1989     0 0% 11 1990     8 14% 12 1991     16 29% 13 1992     17 30% 14 1993     3 5% 15 1994     4 7% 16 1995     0 0% 17 1996     0 0% 18 1997     0 0% 19 1998     0 0% 20 1999     1 2% 21 2000     0 0%

Total   56 100%

c

Appendix

iv.

3.    Have  you  ever  purchased  interior  house  paint  (paint  used  solely  for  the  inside  of  a  building)  or  been  involved  in  someone  else's  interior  paint  purchase  decision?  

#   Answer       Response   %  1 Yes     38 75% 2 No     13 25% Total   51 100%

4.    What  is  your  gender?  

#   Answer       Response   %  1 Male     10 26% 2 Female     28 74% Total   38 100%

5.    Approximately  how  many  hours  do  you  spend  on  the  internet  per  day?  Slide  bar  to  indicate.  

#   Answer   Min  Value   Max  Value   Average  Value  

Standard  Deviation  

Responses  

1 Hours on internet per day

2.00 18.00 6.58 3.98 38

6.    Approximately  how  many  hours  do  you  spend  watching  television  per  day  (excluding  watching  TV  shows  online)?  Slide  bar  to  indicate.  

#   Answer   Min  Value   Max  Value   Average  Value  

Standard  Deviation  

Responses  

1

Hours watching television per day

0.00 6.00 1.97 1.59 38

c

Appendix

v.

7.    How  would  you  rate  your  knowledge  of  paint  brands?  

#   Question   Poor   Fair   Good   Very  Good  

Excellent     Mean  

1 Knowledge of paint brands

13 16 8 0 1 38 1.95

8.    Do  you  think  it's  a  store's  responsibility  to  educate  you  (through  advertising)  on  whether  or  not  it  carries  a  certain  product?  

#   Answer       Response   %  1 Yes     28 74% 2 No     10 26%

Total   38 100% 9.    Do  you  think  it's  a  brand's  responsibility  to  educate  you  (through  advertising)  on  whether  or  not  a  store  carries  their  product?  

#   Answer       Response   %  1 Yes     4 44% 2 No     5 56%

Total   9 100% 10.    In  the  past  month,  how  many  times  do  you  think  you've  seen  any  kind  of  paint  advertisement?  Slide  bar  to  indicate.  

#   Answer   Min  Value   Max  Value   Average  Value  

Standard  Deviation  

Responses  

1

Frequency of paint advertisement exposure

0.00 29.00 5.67 7.08 36

c

Appendix

vi.

11.    How  were  you  exposed  to  any  kind  of  paint  advertisement?  Click  all  that  apply.  

#   Answer       Response   %  1 TV Commercial     26 72%

2 Bus Advertisement     1 3%

3 Billboard     5 14%

4 In-Store Advertisement     21 58%

5 Radio Commercial     2 6%

6 Print Advertisement     11 31%

7 Internet Advertisement     13 36%

12.    Do  you  think  you  are  exposed  to  paint  brands  more  through  store  advertisements  (i.e.  a  store  commercial  advertising  a  paint  brand)  or  brand  advertisements  (i.e.  a  paint  brand  commercial  made  by  and  solely  for  the  brand)?  

#   Answer       Response   %  

1 Store Advertisements     14 39%

2 Brand Advertisements     12 33%

3 I've never really paid attention     10 28%

Total   36 100%

c

Appendix

vii.

13.    Do  you  research  paints  before  you  purchase  (e.g.  online  browsing,  in-­store  browsing,  asking  experts,  etc.)?  

#   Answer       Response   %  1 Yes     23 64% 2 No     13 36% Total   36 100%

14.    Did  your  research  help  you  with  your  purchase  decision?  

#   Answer       Response   %  1 Yes     20 87% 2 No     3 13% Total   23 100%

15.    Do  you  remember  the  paint  brands  that  you  use  or  have  used?  

#   Answer       Response   %  1 Yes     27 75% 2 No     9 25%

Total   36 100% 16.    Do  you  associate  certain  paint  brands  with  certain  stores?  

#   Answer       Response   %  1 Yes     10 28% 2 No     26 72%

Total   36 100%

c

Appendix

viii.

17.    Which  paint  brands  do  you  associate  with  what  stores?  Click  all  that  apply.  

#   Question   Lowes   Home  Depot  

Walmart   Sherwin  Williams  

Haven't  Heard  of  Brand  

 

1 Valspar 4 2 3 0 5 14 2 Behr 3 8 0 0 0 11 3 Olympic 5 2 3 0 4 14 4 Glidden 3 5 6 0 1 15

5 Sherwin Williams 0 2 1 6 0 9

18.    How  influential  is  customer  service  in  your  purchase  decision  making?  

#   Question   Not  Influential  

Rarely  Influential  

Sometimes  Influential  

Often  Influential  

Very  Influential  

  Mean  

1

Influence of customer service

4 4 5 15 4 32 3.34

19.    Do  you  think  a  store's  customer  service  plays  a  role  in  your  awareness  of  whether  or  not  it  carries  a  certain  product?  

#   Answer       Response   %  1 Yes     26 81% 2 No     6 19%

Total   32 100%

c

Appendix

ix.

20.    When  paint  shopping,  does  employee  expertise/credibility  play  a  role  in  your  purchase  decision?  

#   Answer       Response   %  1 Yes     25 78% 2 No     7 22% Total   32 100%

21.    Where  do  you  go  or  have  you  gone  to  buy  paint?  Click  all  that  apply.  

#   Answer       Response   %  1 Home Depot     28 88% 2 Walmart     14 44% 3 Ace Hardware     5 16% 4 Lowes     22 69%

5 Sherwin Williams     9 28%

22.    Did  you  know  Walmart  sells  paint?  

#   Answer       Response   %  1 Yes     26 81% 2 No     6 19%

Total   32 100% 23.    How  often  do  you  go  to  or  see  the  paint  section  in  Walmart  during  one  trip?  Slide  bar  to  indicate.  

#   Answer   Min  Value   Max  Value   Average  Value  

Standard  Deviation  

Responses  

1

Frequency of paint section exposure

0.00 8.00 1.19 1.67 32

c

Appendix

x.

24.    Approximately  how  many  times  in  the  past  month  do  you  think  you've  seen  an  advertisement  for  each  of  the  following  paint  brands?  

#   Question   0   1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8   9   10+     Mean  1 Olympic 27 3 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 32 1.25 2 Glidden 24 2 2 0 2 1 0 0 0 1 0 32 1.88 3 Behr 10 12 3 3 0 1 0 0 1 0 2 32 2.88 4 Valspar 23 6 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 32 1.59

5 Sherwin Williams 11 9 6 2 1 2 0 0 0 1 0 32 2.56

25.    Drag  and  drop  to  rank  the  following  paint  brands  based  on  how  often  you've  seen  their  advertisements  (with  the  item  you've  been  most  exposed  to  at  the  top  and  ranked  #1).  

#   Answer   1   2   3   4   5    4 Behr 16 8 5 2 1 32

3 Sherwin Williams 11 15 2 2 2 32

2 Glidden 5 3 6 12 6 32 5 Olympic 0 1 10 10 11 32 1 Valspar 0 5 9 6 12 32 Total 32 32 32 32 32 -

26.    In  the  past  month,  how  many  times  do  you  think  you've  seen  an  advertisement  for  Glidden  paint?  Slide  bar  to  indicate.  

#   Answer   Min  Value   Max  Value  

Average  Value  

Standard  Deviation  

Responses  

1

Frequency of exposure to Glidden Paint advertisements

0.00 10.00 1.13 2.09 32