Question
For simplicity\'s sake, let\'s say we\'ve conducted market research and found that there
are two types of people on each campus, A and B. Historically, our client has also used two
types of recruiting messages in its advertising. The first, called "See the World," gets one
percent of type A students to apply, but three percent of type B students. The second,
called "Pathway to Leadership," gets five percent of Type A students to apply, but only two
percent of type B students.
The chart below lists the breakdown of types A and B students at some of our major
campuses, and the message our client is using on campus.
School % of Type A Students % of Type B Students Recruiting Message Used on Campus
University 1 80% 20% Pathway to Leadership
University 2 48% 52% See the World
University 3 70% 30% Pathway to Leadership
University 4 60% 40% See the World
Q6: Assuming there\'s no difference between the costs of each message, what can you tell me
from this information?
School % of Type A Students % of Type B Students Recruiting Message Used on Campus
University 1 80% 20% Pathway to Leadership
University 2 48% 52% See the World
University 3 70% 30% Pathway to Leadership
University 4 60% 40% See the World
A: According to these numbers, the client should use the "Pathway to Leadership" message
across all four universities. The "See the World" message is preferable only if more than 80%
of the students at a given university are of type B.
An even more insightful response would mention that the ultimate answer depends on the cost
of each message, whether the cost increases depending on the number of students at the campus,
and how interested we are in students of Type A vs. Type B (e.g., will one type be more likely
than the other to get an offer and to be successful on the job). One could imagine using both
messages on some campuses if the additional cost were justified by the resulting increase in
hires.