Benefit TestingSM, a process developed and refined in close cooperation with advertising creative directors, is designed to elicit affective and cognitive reactions to alternative positioning concepts or benefits from selected target audiences. In preparation for the groups, the client, advertising agency staff, and research staff confer to develop a series of alternative benefits or position statements to be tested. Group participants evaluate each statement individually, paying particular attention to its importance, motivational impact, credibility, distinctiveness, and overall appeal. The outcome is an in-depth understanding of which benefits, selling propositions, or positioning alternatives are most compelling and why. This type of information is vital to the development of marketing strategy and advertising.