Final answer:
The correct answer is option 3. Gowan's research objective should be to determine how often television commercials result in purchases of new vehicles, focusing on measuring the direct impact of adverts on sales and using viewer data to inform his research process.
Step-by-step explanation:
The best way for Gowan to establish a research objective to assess whether Bailey's Automotive should air television commercials in the local market is to determine how often television commercials result in purchases of new vehicles. This objective focuses specifically on measuring the impact of TV adverts on sales, which is the core concern of the company. Gowan should employ methods such as tracking sales data in correlation with the timing of televised advertisements, conducting market surveys to understand consumer behavior in response to ads, and analyzing the content of successful commercials to see how they influence purchase decisions.
It is important for Gowan to draw on relevant information about how television advertising can target market demographics effectively and use associative learning principles to create desire for products. Understanding the psychological impact of advertising, as well as the specific content that makes an effective commercial, are underlying factors that can guide the research. However, these are supplementary to the main objective of measuring the direct relationship between TV commercials and vehicle sales.
Given the extent of television usage and the targeted nature of advertisements, leveraging the sophisticated viewer data from networks can significantly inform Gowan's research process. By focusing on sales data, Gowan can provide Bailey's Automotive with concrete evidence of the effectiveness of television advertising, enabling them to make an informed decision about their marketing strategy.