Public Opinion Research

Print Media - July 2005

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Overview

This paper provides a summary of public opinion research conducted on miscellaneous print media (billboards, displays, posters, pamphlets). This paper is not meant to be a substitute for the pre-testing of materials, rather it is a collection of generalized findings intended to provide insight into the initial design of various print media. Many research projects have been conducted on print media and several trends have emerged throughout this research in areas such as:

Content

• Canadians exhibit a preference for emotionally compelling content that they can make some kind of personal connection with.¹, ²
• Messages should be clearly conveyed in a succinct manner without ambiguity.¹, ⁴, ¹², ¹⁴, ¹⁶
• Unsubstantiated claims raise skepticism among Canadians.¹ This can be avoided by including facts and figures where it is appropriate to do so.¹, ¹⁴, ¹⁶ Vague and unconfirmed information raises questions about the validity of the information.¹, ¹²
• Tag-lines and calls to action should be dissimilar to those from other campaigns and organizations, as this tends to diminish the impact they have on Canadians.⁷
• When presenting a lot of facts and statistics to Canadians, sources should be included, as being able to determine where information comes from lends credibility to a publication.²⁰

Format

• Canadians are very particular about the amount of content they wish to see in a publication. Although clutter should be avoided, too much white space is generally viewed as being wasted space.², ⁸, ¹¹, ¹⁵ A balance between too much white space and not enough white space should be attempted in order to increase interest in reading the publication.⁸, ¹², ²⁰
• Generally, Canadians express a preference for bulleted information rather than long paragraphs, as they are easier and quicker to read.¹⁴, ¹⁵, ²⁰
• Fonts should be large and easy to read.¹⁹, ²⁰
• Although new formats that Canadians are not used to seeing tend to catch their attention, many find them awkward to read or make use of (i.e. a two-sided, three-panel poster).⁵, ⁶, ⁹, ¹², ¹³
• Canadians wish to see sizes and formats of publications that reflect their intended purposes. Publications meant to be displayed should be of a size and format that is conducive to doing so.³ Similarly, publications which are meant to be used as a take-along reference should be small enough that they can easily be brought along and used (i.e. when grocery shopping).⁶
• In regards to visual displays (i.e. kiosks), take away information should be provided, so that interested Canadians know how to obtain further information. An example of this that was generally well-received was the tear-off sheets containing the 1-800-O-Canada phone number and a website address accompanying a display.⁷, ⁸

Visuals

• Visuals need to be eye-catching and have a strong impact on Canadians in order to be effective.¹, ³, ⁸, ¹² Photographs of children are generally good at grabbing attention.⁵, ⁶, ¹¹, ²⁰
• Visuals need to be carefully considered when being included in various print media. Canadians notice when a visual is not related to the topic being discussed and question the rationale for including irrelevant visuals (i.e. a winter scene when discussing the West Nile virus threat during the summer).⁹, ¹⁷ Furthermore, when a visual depicts something counter to the information being provided, Canadians notice (i.e. a child with bare arms in a West Nile brochure urging people to wear long sleeves).⁷
• Colours of backgrounds and text should have enough contrast that they can be read easily.¹⁵, ¹⁹, ²⁰ Furthermore, there are some colours which Canadians closely associate with certain words. For example, red is associated with "danger" and yellow is associated with "warning".⁷, ⁸

Language

• Overall, Canadians do not appreciate wishy-washy language (i.e. "could", "might") and feel that it conveys the wrong message.¹, ³, ¹⁴, ¹⁶ Strong, unambiguous messages tend to be well-received, however judgmental messages or those delivered with an overly moralistic or authoritative tone are not appreciated.¹, ⁵, ⁸, ¹⁴, ¹⁸, ²⁰
• The use of laymen's language is appreciated by Canadians.⁷, ⁸, ¹², ¹⁴, ¹⁵, ¹⁶, ²⁰ They often note that the intended audience needs to be kept in mind when writing a publication.⁷, ¹²
• Canadians report that they are more likely to stop and read a message that is personalized (i.e. "Protect yourself").¹, ⁶, ⁷, ⁸
• The language used should avoid trivializing serious matters. This is most often a problem when a tagline attempts to use humour to address smoking or a contagious disease. ⁷
• All print publications should avoid resorting to scare tactics to make a point, as this tactic tends to lead to resentment among the target audience (i.e. smokers).⁴, ²⁰
• French phrasing and tone need to be considered even more carefully than in English, as French-speaking Canadians tend to find the tone of publications to be too authoritative or commanding. In other cases, the French translation is too ambiguous and leads to confusion.¹¹

Aboriginals

• This group tends to prefer large text, simple point form design and bulleted information.⁹ Text should stand out from the background and any visuals should depict Aboriginal people.⁹, ¹¹, ¹⁷ Clutter and small text should be avoided, as it gives them the impression that the information will present a long and tedious read, decreasing their likelihood of reading the information.⁶, ⁹, ¹⁰
• A "Questions and Answers" approach to issues tends to be well-received, as Aboriginals note that this style of presenting information tends to address their primary concerns and then provides them with information on how to obtain further information should they desire it.¹⁷
• Warnings, although understood to be well-intended most of the time, can be misconstrued. In some cases, warnings come to be seen as infringing on Aboriginal culture and their way of life.¹⁰
• Aboriginal people identify closely to traditional outdoor activities such as hunting, fishing and dancing.², ⁹, ¹⁰, ¹¹, ¹⁷
• Special attention should be paid to graphics, as Aboriginal people identify themselves as visually oriented.⁹
• The use of green and outdoors watermarks are often linked to nature and the Aboriginal way of life by this target group.⁹, ¹⁰, ¹⁷
• With regards to brochures, they prefer those that are small and portable.⁶, ⁹ Other items need to be functional in order to have an impact (i.e. calendars need to be large enough to write on).¹¹
• Direct mail is an effective communication tool, particularly if the envelopes are individually addressed and something on the envelope indicates that the content is important.¹⁰, ¹¹

Youth

• Print media targeted at youth should carefully target the intended audience and avoid being too childish.¹³, ²⁰
• In order to best communicate with youth, be honest, current and fun. Use simple language, but don't try to speak to them in their slang or try to be cool, as this raises cynicism among youth.¹³
• Youth appreciate a blunt tone that isn't too demanding and doesn't dance around a topic.⁴, ⁵
• Canadian youth respond well to testimonials and tend to remember them. They want to see real people with real stories, as this gives them a sense that something (i.e. an effect of smoking) has happened, rather than suggesting that it might happen.⁵
• This group identities themselves as being visually oriented. They often comment that they want visuals that catch their attention and communicate the intended messages. Of note, some youth indicate that they have trouble making out a black and white image on a billboard, but in a brochure, black and white is easy to read.⁵

Distribution

• Canadians expect brochures and other information from the Government of Canada to be available in public places, not just through calling 1-800-OCanada.³, ⁶, ⁷, ⁸, ⁹, ¹¹, ¹², ¹⁷, ¹⁸, ²⁰
• Canadians have mixed feelings about placing government displays in commercial environments, as they believe it gives the impression that the government is supporting/involved with the company or organization in question.⁷

If you have any questions about this research or would like further information, please do not hesitate to contact Jane Hazel, Director, Public Opinion Research and Evaluation Division, Communications, Marketing and Consultation Directorate (CMCD) at (613) 957-0215 or via e-mail at jane_hazel@hc-sc.gc.ca.