How to Interpret MRI-Simmons Data

Simmons Insights provides users with in-depth reports that utilize a crosstab (FDU, 2022). When you are analyzing Simmons Insights data, keep in mind that the columns relate to the product or brand you are interested in, while the rows contain demographic characteristics, media habits, or psychographic variables (FDU, 2022). Figure 2.3 is an example of the data you might retrieve (here, on energy drinks).

Terms

Some of the terms in the report will be of particular importance.

Sample

Samples in this report refer to the number of respondents who participated in the survey and who also fulfill the column and row characteristics. For example, in this report, 1,707 survey respondents were males who said that they drink energy drinks.

Weighted

This figure, which is expressed in thousands, is a projection of the total number of adults in the United States who fulfill the row and column characteristics based on the stated samples. For example, this report estimates that 22,727,000 people in the United States both are male and drink energy drinks.

Vertical %

This refers to the percentage of respondents who first meet the column criteria and then meet the row criteria. For example, in this report, out of all the respondents who drink energy drinks, 62.23% are male.

Horizontal %

This refers to the percentage of respondents who first meet the row criteria and then meet the column criteria. In this report, out of all the male respondents, 19.60% reported drinking energy drinks.

Index

The index measures the likelihood that respondents will meet the criteria for both the column and the row, as compared to the total U.S. population (FDU, 2022). The base number of the index, for comparison purposes, is 100 (FDU, 2022). In this example, the index for male respondents who drink energy drinks is 129, which means that, compared to the total U.S. population, these male respondents are 29% more likely to have had energy drinks.

The index is one of the most important pieces of information found in the Simmons Insights report (FDU, 2022). If the index is 130, survey respondents have 30% more interest in using a product or brand than the rest of the population (FDU, 2022). An index of 75 indicates that the likelihood of using a product or brand is 25% less than the average (FDU, 2022). If the index is close to 100, usage among survey respondents and the general population will not differ much (FDU, 2022).

Interpreting Energy Drinks Results

Figure 2.3 identifies those who selected Red Bull Regular in response to the survey question “What brands of energy drinks did you have in the past month?” The possible answer Red Bull Regular is captured in the rightmost column label. The corresponding rows break down the data via demographic characteristics: gender and age:

• Men are more likely to have had Red Bull than women are; the index for men is 136, compared to 66 for women. 
• Of the people who stated that they had Red Bull, 65.62% were men; 34.38% were women. 
• Adults in the 18–24 age group are much more likely to have Red Bull than any of the other survey respondents. The index for this group is 204, which is much higher than the base of 100.

 

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References

Fairleigh Dickinson University (FDU). (2022, April 12). Simmons Insights Database Guide: Understanding Your Results. https://library.fdu.edu/c.php?g=777863&p=5697189