A key assumption underlying segmentation studies is that marketing efforts have differential effects on market segments. This question was investigated in the context of a field experiment involving enlistment in the armed forces. Approximately 8000 completed questionnaires administered at various stages in the US Navy enlistment recruiting process were collected at two points in time, corresponding to a pre- and post-experimental intervention. Attitudinal data were analysed to identify meaningful segments. Differential responses of market segments to advertising and recruiter changes were found, providing direction for evaluation of, and changes in, the creative component of advertising.

This paper presents research initiated in 1978 to examine the marketing effectiveness of the U.S. Navy recruiting program and to quantify the relationship between marketing efforts and enlistment achievements. The major component of the research was a one-year, controlled experiment in which levels of Navy recruiters and advertising were systematically varied and a detailed and comprehensive data base assembled. This paper describes the experiment and presents analyses of the experimental data. These analyses led to a number of conclusions regarding the impact of various factors on enlistment numbers and quality: The number of recruiters had a significant impact. Effectiveness of recruiters depended on recruiter tenure with clearly discernable learning and delearning effects. Advertising expenditures of certain types were effective, while others were not. There was a wide variation in the impact of the effective media. Socioeconomic factors such as unemployment and urbanization had major impacts. Navy marketing efforts led to an expansion of the total market for enlistments in addition to their impact on Navy enlistments. The study was carried out in a highly collaborative mode, with frequent meetings and briefings with all levels of Command. This not only facilitated control and direction of the research, but also led to a number of adaptive initiatives undertaken by policy makers. These included reallocation of the advertising budget, development of a tenure-based recruiter incentive system and a change in emphasis from recruit accessions (deliveries) to contracts (sales).

: This report is Volume 1 of a large scale field marketing experiment conducted over a three year period. This research was designed to measure and quantify, where possible, the effectiveness of Navy recruiting resources. The background of this research effort is presented in this report, together with a discussion of the experimental methodology and of the choice of measured endogenous and exogenous variables. This is followed by a short description of the collected data, and of the measurement techniques employed. Observed responses to experimental and environmental variables are briefly presented. This leads to an identification of the factors which affect military enlistments, and to an estimation of the magnitude of their effects. The effect of key marketing variables over time is examined. There follows a summary of supporting data obtained through tracking studies of perceptions, attitudes, and demographics. A conclusion discusses observed marginal costs and effects of the various treatments, and suggests implications for future resource allocation.