Perpetual Maps in Brand Research

Multidimensional Scaling refers to a family of models where the structure in a set of data is represented graphically by the relationships between a set of points in a space. MDS can be used on a variety of data, using different models and allowing different assumptions about the level of measurement. In MDS "Permap" is new resource base.

Use of Permaps in Brand Research

Limitations of approaches used for Perceptual Mapping

There are many kinds of techniques under perceptual mapping. But, these techniques can be widely categorized as

-1. Attribute free perceptual mapping approach

-2. Attribute based perceptual mapping approach

1. Attribute free perceptual mapping approach would typically associate with the Multi-dimensional Scaling(MDS) where in the respondents would provide the inputs and thus an evaluation chart for each brand is prepared which is used to derive the spatial positions in a multidimensional space. This represents the reflection of the perceptions.

2. Attribute based perceptual mapping approach would typically employ several techniques which include multiple variables that require respondents to provide evaluations of specific attributes, which are used to derive an overall evaluation of the brands and spatial dimensions along which the brands are positioned.

Advantages and Disadvantages of the approaches:

-Attribute free perceptual mapping approach

Advantages

• The attributes are not specified during the evaluation and respondents give their perception of the brand without the attributes
• They can be developed at individual or aggregate level

Disadvantages

• No objective basis based on which the respondents evaluate the brands. There is very little guidance for these actions
• Only general guidelines and prior beliefs are used to define the dimensions of the perpetual maps

-Attribute based perceptual mapping approach

Advantages

• Based on many attributes, the respondents give their inputs for each brand and this provides an explicit description of the dimensions in the perceptual map
• Both brands and attributes can be represented on a single map which is useful for competitive analysis

Disadvantages

• Brand evaluations are limited to the attributes by the respondents
• There is an assumption made on the method used for combining the attributes to obtain the overall measure
• Results are usually available in aggregate form

Helpful link -

http://www.relevantinsights.com/tag/perceptual-map

- Group 5