1525-0012-0184 USMINT Qualitative Tagline Research (In Depth Interviews)

#23-854
Summer 2013

US Mint

Topic Guide: Tagline Research

I. INTRODUCTION (5 minutes)

• According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, no one is required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a valid OMB number. The OMB number for this study is _______________

• Ground Rules: Anonymity, audiotaping, candor, cell phones/pagers, etc.

• Objectives: The purpose of today’s discussion is to understand your thoughts about collectibles, including collectible coins, and to get your feedback to a promotional phrase

• Personal Background: Household composition, occupation, interests/hobbies

  • [CUSTOMER OR GIFT-GIVER] Confirm screener status

II. CURRENT COLLECTING BEHAVIOR (10 minutes)

CUSTOMERS

• When did you begin collecting items from the US Mint?

• What types of products have you purchased from the US Mint?

• What prompted your interest in collecting these items? (Probe: investment value, interest in history, beauty, emotional/sentimental appeal, interest of a friend/family member, legacy, etc.)

• What do you like most about collecting Mint coins?

• What is it about the particular items you’ve purchased that appeals to you?

• What is most meaningful to you about collecting Mint coins?

• Do you buy these items for yourself or to give as gifts to others?

• [IF ANY US MINT ITEMS GIVEN AS GIFTS] For what types of occasions have you given US Mint products as gifts? …To whom have the gifts been given? …Which products have you given as gifts?

• What makes these items suitable or appealing as gifts? (Probe for appeal to gift-giver vs. gift recipient)

• How do your feelings about collecting coins compare to the way you feel about collecting other items? (Probe: sentimental value, beauty, connection with history, passing along to next generation, investment, etc.)

• If you told a friend or acquaintance that you purchase products from the U.S. Mint, what types of positive things would this tell them (or would you hope this would tell them) about you as a person?

• If you had to describe to a friend why you purchase products from the U.S. Mint, what would you say?

• What are some of the positive qualities that you associate with the products you purchase? With the U.S. Mint general?

NON-CUSTOMERS

• What types of things, if any, do you like to collect?

• When did you begin collecting these items?

• What prompted your interest in collecting these items?

• What makes these items appealing to collect?

• [IF COINS NOT ALREADY MENTIONED] Have you ever considered collecting coins or coin sets from the U.S. Mint? …Why or why not?

• What comes to mind when you think about collecting coins?

• What, if any, impressions do you have of the US Mint?

• [IF APPLICABLE] Where did you learn that information? (Probe family/friend, print/television advertising, product exposure, etc.)

• What, if anything, do you think might be appealing about collecting coins? (Probe investment value, historical significance, beauty, giving as gifts, passing down through family, etc.)

• What, if anything, discourages you from collecting coins? (Probe lack of awareness, lack of interest, cost, storage concern, etc.)

[Show example U.S. Mint collectible products. Include core (including AE
Silver), gift occasion products.]

• Which, if any, of these products might you have an interest in purchasing? For self or gift? [Probe for any products they show at least some interest in.]

• What, if anything, prompts your interest in this/these items? (Probe: investment value, interest in history, beauty, emotional/sentimental appeal, interest of a friend/family member, legacy, etc.)

• What is it about this particular item that appeals to you?

• [If interested for gifting] What makes these items suitable or appealing as gifts?

• If you told a friend or acquaintance that you purchased this product from the U.S. Mint, what types of positive things would this tell them (or would you hope this would tell them) about you as a person?

• If you had to describe to a friend why you purchased this product from the U.S. Mint, what would you say?

• What are some of the positive qualities that you associate with these U.S. Mint products? With the U.S. Mint in general?

III. TAGLINE ASSESSMENT (15 minutes)

• Suppose the U.S. Mint were creating an advertisement or other communications about these products. What do you think are the types of things they should say in these communications to invite your interest.

• Now suppose they’ve covered all those points, and it then comes to a closing statement that they make at the end of the ad or communication that reflects something positive and memorable. Here are some candidate options for what they could say at that point.

[Present candidate taglines. Ask participant to sort the statements into 3 groups – good, so-so, and not good. Then ask the following questions about 2-3 of the preferred taglines.]

• Have you ever seen or heard this phrase before? …If so, where? …In what context?

• What does this particular phrase mean to you? …How do you interpret it?

• What images come to mind when you read this?

• What types of associations, positive or negative, does this phrase bring to mind?

• What do you like most about this phrase? …Least?

• How well does this phrase fit with the way you feel about the U.S. Mint? …How well does it fit with the reasons you are (or might be) interested in their coin products?

• What makes it a good fit/not a good fit?

• What impact, if any, does this phrase have on the way you feel about the US Mint? …Why?

• What impact, if any, might it have on future US Mint purchases of coin products?

[Once above questions have been asked for preferred taglines, lay out all of the options again and ask the following questions:]

• Which of the phrases is the most appropriate fit for the US Mint? …Why?

• Please rank order the remaining phrases from second most appropriate fit to the least appropriate. …Why that order?

• Is there another phrase or idea that you can think of that would be even better for the US Mint to think about using? …What makes that a better fit for the Mint?

IV. WRAP UP AND THANK RESPONDENT

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