Mark 311 white paper gnmaa lights 2

White Paper Analysis
Donais Deetz, Mark Foley, Christine
Miller, Chris Robinson, Meredith
Tilot
Marketing 311, Section 201
Stacy Neier
December 16, 2011

Table of Contents
Introduction………………………………………………………………………………....2
Background/Opportunities………………………………………………………………....3
Solution……………………………………………………………………………………...5
Conclusion…………………………………………………………………………………13
Works Cited………………………………………………………………………………..17
Appendix
A……………………………………………………………………………………18
B……………………………………………………………………………………23
C……………………………………………………………………………………38
D……………………………………………………………………………………46
E………………………………………………………………………………...….47
F………………………………………………………………………………….…48
G……………………………………………………………………………………51
H……………………………………………………………………………………61
2

Introduction
For more than fifty years Chicago has kicked-off the holiday season with the lighting of trees
along Michigan Avenue and the ceremonial installation of a Christmas tree at the Daley Center. The
annual events in the heart of the city have evolved into a festival of holiday fun. Every year the Greater
North Michigan Avenue Association (GNMAA) broadens their reach and the Magnificent Mile Lights
Festival now includes celebrity appearances, concerts, crafts, food, and a plethora of other family
friendly events. 1987 marked a turning point for the Lights Festival when it entered into its standing
partnership with Disney. The annual Lights Festival is currently presented by BMO Harris Bank.
Mickey Mouse and friends lead the procession while being covered by news stations at both the local
and national level. (http://magnificentmilelightsfestival)
The success of the festival is dependent upon the consumer’s experience. In an effort to
maintain continued success Loyola University students asked the question: What can GNMAA do to
improve the consumer experience? The surveys designed by the students had both quantitative and
qualitative aspects in order to best achieve the research objectives. Once a finalized survey was
approved, student volunteers administered the survey using iPads during the festival, directly resulting
in a higher response rate.
Significant findings were determined by using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences,
(SPSS) program for data analysis. The results are: formulate creative opportunities to expand the
efficacy of current social media platforms, respondents want family friendly sponsorships, and
improvements in crowd control.
Background/ Opportunities
3

The Lights Festival is now in its twentieth year and boasts over a million attendees. The Greater
North Michigan Avenue Association is contending for the holiday attention received by similar events
such as the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City and the Tournament of Roses Parade
in Pasadena, California. It is the GNMAA’s belief, as expressed in an in-depth interview with
association representatives that the Magnificent Mile Lights Festival can reach the level of popularity
drawn by the aforementioned events, however the method is undetermined. It was deemed necessary to
conduct a full scale research venture to discover how to launch the Greater North Michigan Avenue
Association Annual Magnificent Mile Lights Festival towards an international standing.
Prior to meeting with the clients, the Loyola University Chicago’s Market Research class took a
variety of preliminary exploratory steps. The discovery was made that in past years research has
extensively examined the demographics of festival attendees, as well as the existing logistics of the
Lights Festival. This previous literature allowed for an understanding of the GNMAA, but it was also
understood that the festival is a dynamic event. Therefore, the facts uncovered by previous teams may
still need to be examined for present day application. The GNMAA is making constant efforts to
improve the Lights Festival, leading to the conclusion that it is necessary to build on the results of the
past while expanding upon them.
4

What can the
Greater North Michigan Avenue Association
do to improve customer experience?
After becoming familiar with the Greater North Michigan Avenue Association and its potential
needs regarding the Magnificent Mile Lights Festival, it was important to meet and discuss specific
opportunities. In September 2011, several weeks before the Festival, in-depth interviews were
conducted with Jill Caravelli and Bob Deon to explore the possible avenues of research. Conversations
with these individuals revealed
an intense desire to expand the
festival without sacrificing the
quality of the customer
experience (Reference Appendix B). The focus of the research became understanding the customer
experience, and therefore this became the focus of the research. The team resolved to pursue the
following managerial decision opportunity and research objectives:
RESEARCH OBJECTIVES:
 Explore the demographic of
attendees.
 Identify the biggest area of
improvement for the Lights Festival.
 Examine the effectiveness of social media.
 Explore the effectiveness of the brochure.
 Explore why people attend the event.
5

It is important to note that these are not the only opportunities identified by the research team. A
secondary application for research tools was found regarding the logistics of the event. Particular
emphasis should be paid to logistical aspects of the Lights Festival as the execution of activities
directly affects the attendee’s experience. It would be impossible to improve consumer satisfaction
without this crucial point; therefore it was incorporated into the final objective goals for the project.
After forming the appropriate managerial decision opportunity it became clear that the best
method to collect relevant data would be to administer a survey directly to festival attendees (Reference
Appendix C). This is the most effective way to reach the target market. The student research team
received extensive training in the survey software provided by Qualtrics.com, which was then parleyed
into a highly interactive and detailed survey. By employing iPad technology during data collection, the
survey was made efficient without forgoing any value. As will be discussed in the following sections,
the survey results were later exported through Qualtrics to SPSS and this software was used to derive
insights (Reference Appendix D).
Solution
In order to best fulfill the goal stated in the managerial decision opportunity, a number of steps
were taken to collect valuable data addressing the stated objectives. First, exploratory research was
conducted including secondary data analysis based on the previous data collection as well as key
informant interviews with representatives from the Greater North Michigan Avenue Association. The
next step included the creation of a focus group moderator guide. Although the focus groups were
never carried out, the questions posed offer further opportunities for exploratory research.
When generating the focus group moderator guide, the questions were divided into three unique
sections: engagement, exploration, and exit. The engagement questions are basic, introductory, and
open ended. The main goal is to get the respondent thinking about the festival in general and their own
personal experience. Following the funnel approach, these questions are meant to bridge seamlessly
6

into the fundamental specifics of the section to follow. These two engagement questions specifically
target research objective five: “explore why people attend the event”. The next section includes
exploration questions. These are funneled down from the festival experience in general, to a focus on
areas of improvement with respects to logistics such as crowd control. The exploration section was
designed to target research objective two: “identify the biggest area of improvement for the Lights
Festival.” The final section consists of one exit question. It is a broad question meant to wrap up the
focus group discussion and uncover any remaining opinions and comments respondents may have.
(Refer to Appendix D)
Post exploratory research, descriptive research was conducted with use of an online survey
created via Qualtrics.com. The final survey is a compilation of the best aspects of multiple sub-group
surveys that most effectively reflect the managerial decision opportunity. The survey consists of
twenty-seven questions, including twenty-four nominal, two ordinal, and one free response question.
(Refer to Appendix A) This approach is appropriate because nominal questions provide ease in the
delivery of the survey, as well as successfully address the research objectives, and ordinal questions aid
in further analyzing consumer preference beyond categorical data. (Refer to Appendix A)
Concerning the overall questionnaire design, proper attention was given to each research
objective. The last section of the survey, questions 104, 74, 108, and 72, include questions exploring
the demographics of the attendees, fulfilling research objective one. These specific questions were
strategically placed at the end of the survey at which point the survey administrator had already
3established a relationship with the respondent. Here it is much more appropriate to ask respondents
personal question (Vovici). Questions 36, 116, 88, 2, and 126 address the areas of improvement
fulfilling research objective two. Questions 84, 56, 58, 62, 64, and 124 examine the effectiveness of
social media, addressing research objective three. Questions 48, 50, 52, and 54 explore the value of the
brochure, corresponding with research objective four. Questions 124, 88, 2, 126, 26, 4, 6, and 80
7

explore why people attend the event, corresponding with research objective five. (Refer to Appendix
A)
After the survey was created a series of pretests were conducted. The research team distributed
the survey and it was pretested a total of 3 times by other Loyola Market Research teams, whose clients
were not affiliated with the Greater North Michigan Avenue Association. This was done to avoid
common pitfalls and biased questions, as well as to optimize structure and flow. Although, extensive
pretesting was conducted, it is still impossible to completely avoid error. After reviewing the survey, a
few systematic errors were found. Question 116 was a misplaced question. Its location in the middle of
the demographics section disrupts the flow of the survey. Additionally, this question is imperative to
research objective five, and its placement at the end of the survey may have pressured respondents into
answering hastily. Question 104 contains a mutually non-exclusive response category as well as a non-
specific answer section. Respondents who had more than one child were unable to successfully answer
with the option of only one age range. Question 16 was non-specific because respondents may have
been unsure as to what “extended beyond one day” meant. Question 84 involved an unbalanced listing
error, because there was no neutral answer option. A five point or seven point bipolar scale tends to be
more effective than a unipolar scale. (Henning)
After the construction of the survey a sample plan was developed. Since the appropriate time
and resources were lacking to design a probability sample, a non-probability convenience sample
design was used. The sample size and response rate could not be calculated due to the use of a
convenience sampling method. Beyond the systematic errors previously discussed, other non-sampling
errors were found regarding respondent’s inability to answer questions. Specifically, in question 108 a
total of 18% of respondents were uncomfortable giving their exact age. (See Appendix C) Also the
answer selection format contained age ranges, which can offend the respondent. Many do not like
being grouped into the same category as those older than them. It is recommended to ask respondents
8

for their birth year instead. (Henning)
Concerning the respondents, there were no ethical dilemmas found. Each respondent had the
right to choose whether or not to take the survey. They had a right to safety as well as to be informed
about the research. They also had a right to privacy since the survey results were completely
anonymous. However, on the administrative side, there was a possibility that some survey
administrators were not being honest, filling in random answers to save time.
The sample frame is best explained in the team charter, “…an active festival goer and is
enthusiastic about attending the Magnificent Mile Lights Festival. Respondents can range anywhere
from young adults to elderly attendees.” After receiving data results, this sample frame fairly represents
the population under study. However, all sample frame units did not have an equal chance of being
selected to take the survey. This is due to administrator bias based on personal comfort and
convenience. The only way for respondents to have an equal chance at being chosen is if a simple
random sample was used, which was not appropriate for this project. This is one possible reason as to
why men appeared to be underrepresented in the sample.
While reviewing the data, quality was taken into consideration. Overall, the integrity of the
results was intact, though some limitations were apparent with internal validity. For example, not
every respondent answered every question and some respondents may have answered untruthfully.
These issues may have resulted from uncontrolled conditions in the survey setting, limiting the full
potential and significance of the data. There were also limitations apparent with external validity. Due
to the specificity of the survey the data collected cannot be generalized to the entire population. With
data for only 538 respondents out of a million or so attendees there is not enough statistical power to
extend the data to the population as a whole.
After collecting data on the day of the festival, student volunteers who did not get the
opportunity to use iPad technology manually entered the data into Qualtrics.com. From there the results
9

were exported to SPSS and appropriately edited and coded. The individual questions perceived as the
most important for frequency analysis were questions 26, 126, 2, 54,124, 116, 72, 16, 102, and 56. (See
Appendix A) Additionally, specific questions were cross tabulated for each research objective to
achieve multivariate analysis. (See Appendix B) The questions and cross tabulations are fully
illustrated below.
Question #26 “ In order of importance, 1 being most important, 6 being least important, please
rank your reasons for attending the festival”
Respondents considered their reasons for attending the festival and ranked them in order of
importance. The Greater North Michigan Avenue Association expressed interest in exploring reasons
for event attendance and this question provides data regarding the popularity of each event.
Question #126 “What activities are you (OR HAVE YOU) attending (ATTENDED) today? (Select
all that apply.)”
Building off of Question 26, this question delves into what activities people actually attended or
were planning on attending, giving further insight to the Greater North Michigan Avenue Association
as to the desirability of events.
Question #2 “Do you view Chicago as a destination for the holiday season?”
The Greater North Michigan Avenue Association desires to make the Lights Festival the 3rd
largest holiday event in the country. This question helps reveal consumer's preference for Chicago as a
holiday destination.
10

Question #54 “Is the brochure useful?
This question was designed to explore the effectiveness of the brochure, to help discover its aid
in consumer satisfaction which was another important concern of the Greater North Avenue Michigan
Association.
Question #124 “How did you learn about today's activities? (Select all that apply.)”
Offering insight into the means of promotion and advertisement for the event, this question
helps the Greater North Michigan Avenue Association gauge the effectiveness of different means of
garnering festival awareness.
Question #116 “Where are the biggest areas of improvement for the Lights Festival? (Select all
that apply.)”
One of the main concerns for the Greater North Michigan Avenue Association is improving the
festival from year to year. This question gives direct feedback from consumers addressing possible
festival improvements that can provide a better experience. An “other” option is included in the
available answer choices, giving consumers a chance to freely respond while offering a qualitative
perspective to the survey.
Question #72 “What is your zip code?”
The Greater North Michigan Avenue Association expressed interest in discovering the
geographical location of the attendees. It was imperative to know what portion of attendance was
drawn nationally (as opposed to locally). This simple question allows respondents to freely respond
11

providing valuable qualitative data.
Question #16 “How likely are you to attend additional events if the Lights Festival were extended
beyond one day?”
The possibility of extending the Lights Festival into a weekend extravaganza was discussed
during the key informant interview. The Greater North Michigan Avenue Association wanted to know
if festival attendees would be interested in attending events for a whole weekend and this question
provides that insight.
Question #102 “Do you have children?”
Representatives from the Greater North Michigan Avenue Association heavily stressed that the
Lights Festival is primarily a family event. This question provides insight into how many attendees
have children, providing a family focused opportunity.
Question #56 “Do you use social media?”
This question was designed to divulge information regarding consumers’ use of social media.
The Greater North Michigan Avenue Association discussed their current use of social media as a
promotional platform. This question was formed to reveal how many festival attendees actually use
social media.
Question #74 vs. Question #108
The first stated research objective concerned the exploration of the demographics of the Lights
Festival attendees. The cross tabulation between age and gender provide a look into the characteristics
of the attendees.
12

To delve further into the second research objective question #116 concerning the largest area of
improvement was cross tabulated with question #126 which asks attendees what specific events they
attended or planned on attending. This cross tabulation is posed to uncover how certain events can be
modified to improve the consumer experience.
In order to explore why people attend the Light Festival in more depth, consumers were asked if
they view Chicago as a holiday destination (question#2). This question was then cross tabulated with
question #126, which asks attendees which events they attended or planned on attending.
The representative from the Greater North Michigan Avenue Association expressed great
interest in examining the effectiveness of social media. Question #56 asks if attendees use social media
and was cross tabulated with question #58, asking which type of social media is most frequently used.
This best determines opportunities to engage in social media as a medium of communication with
consumers.
To further examine the effectiveness of the brochure in relation to the use of social media,
question #48, asks if attendees know about the informational brochure. It was cross tabulated with
question #56 which asks if attendees use social media. This cross tabulation was executed to display
any opportunities that may link the brochure with social media
13

Conclusion
After deciding which cross tabulations would be relevant to the research objectives, conclusions
were drawn from the results provided by the statistical software. These results show in-depth analysis
of the relationship between multiple data points. Additionally, the cross tabulations allow for the
exploration of the relationships between the research objectives themselves. For example, feedback on
the informational brochure related to the widespread use of social media. The following are the results
of the aforementioned cross tabulations.
The first research objective explored the demographics of Lights Festival attendees. According
to the data sample, women constitute the majority of the Lights Festival participants. The data also
revealed a wide age range with a stronger attendance from the younger population.
When asked what area of the Lights Festival could be most improved, the largest response was
“crowd control.” When respondents indicated “crowd control” as the most important aspect of the
festival to be improved, their responses were cross-tabulated to examine which events were actually
attended. The results suggested that “crowd control” is the largest problem area at the festival
procession and along Lights Festival Lane. The third most problematic location for “crowd control”
was the firework display and accompanying viewing areas.
14

Another cross tabulation focused on why consumers attend the Lights Festival. Of those
attendees who felt that Chicago was a destination for the holiday season, most respondents come to the
Lights Festival to view the lighting procession on Michigan Avenue and the following fireworks
display. Many also indicated that visiting Lights Lane was a high point of the event for their family.
Social media has become an integral part of doing business. The representatives from the
Greater North Michigan Avenue Association expressed great interest in examining the impact of social
media as a promotional tool. According to the data, respondents most frequently use Facebook. Twitter
and FourSquare did have some users, but the numbers were nearly insignificant compared to Facebook.
The clients at GNMAA also indicated a keen interest in exploring the logistics behind the
distribution of their informational brochure as well as consumer perceptions of the brochure. While
many respondents were not aware of the brochure, those who were aware of the brochure received it at
the festival. Others obtained it from the GNMAA website or by email.
This cross tabulation examines the impact of social media in conjunction with the effectiveness
of the brochure. This analysis showed that many respondents were not aware of the informational
15

brochure, even though they had admitted to being avid users of social media. This indicates an
opportunity regarding the distribution of the brochure through social media outlets.
To rejoin the initial concept of demographics with the final objective regarding social media,
one additional cross tabulation was performed. This analysis is relevant because the Greater North
Michigan Avenue Association heavily noted that the Lights Festival is a family event. According to
respondents, those who frequently use social media also are parents, regardless of age.
After further consideration of the results of the data analysis, it has been concluded that the
greatest area of opportunity lies within social media. The data illustrates that 74% of respondents use
social media, however only 12% of the respondents found out about the Lights Festival through social
media. This discrepancy clearly illustrates the need for a higher utilization of social media as a two -
way communication device. This is supported by several unstructured observations. Primarily, usage of
smartphones was noticed to be prevalent among festival attendees. Survey administrators also saw
high-intensity excitement in survey respondents when they were able to use the iPad technology. From
these observations the research team has noted a large opportunity in mobile devices. This is supported
by an external study revealing that smartphones “will soon become ubiquitous” indicating
opportunities for information distribution during future festivals (Eaton).
While this study has uncovered a variety of important insights for the Greater North Michigan
Avenue Association, it is important to note that limitations exist. One such boundary is that the findings
are not applicable to a larger general population. As this survey is specific to both the city of Chicago
and the Lights Festival it cannot be generalized outside of the sample. Due to the specificity of the
survey and the event itself, the research allowed for exclusive insight into this singular event.
16

Works Cited
2011 — Magnificent Mile Lights Festival. Web. 16 Dec. 2011.
<http://magnificentmilelightsfestival.com/>.
"Age Demographics in Survey Research." Survey Research & Enterprise Feedback Management |
Voice of Vovici Blog. Web. 16 Dec. 2011. <http://blog.vovici.com/blog/bid/17904/Age-
Demographics-in-Survey-Research>
"Demographic Questions: Sample Survey Template." Survey Research & Enterprise Feedback
Management | Voice of Vovici Blog. Ed. Erin. Vovici, 11 June 2011. Web. 16 Dec. 2011.
<http://blog.vovici.com/blog/bid/18176/Demographic-Questions-Sample-Survey-Template>.
Henning, Jeffrey. "Rating Scale Best Practices." Survey Research & Enterprise Feedback Management
| Voice of Vovici Blog. Vovici, 31 May 2010. Web. 16 Dec. 2011.
<http://blog.vovici.com/blog/bid/21102/Rating-Scale-Best-Practices>.
"Smartphones Are Cool for Kids, Dumbphones Doomed: Global Survey | Fast Company."
FastCompany.com - Where Ideas and People Meet | Fast Company. Web. 16 Dec. 2011.
<http://www.fastcompany.com/1710296/survey-smartphones-cool-for-kids-around-earth-
dumbphones-doomed>.
18

Appendix A
Questionnaire
Lights Festival Final
Q70 Hi there! Welcome to the 20th Annual Magnificent Mile Lights Festival survey extravaganza! We
are absolutely tickled that you've agreed to help us out. Let's get started, shall we?
Q4 Are you here to attend the Magnificent Mile Lights Festival?
← Yes (1)
← No (2)
If No Is Selected, Then Skip To End of Survey
Q67 Let's talk about the Lights Festival in general.
Q80 How long have you known about the Lights Festival?
← 6 months or less (1)
← 7 months-1 year (2)
← 1-2 years (3)
← 2-3years (4)
← 4-5 years (5)
← 6+ years (6)
Q6 How many times have you attended the Lights Festival?
← This is my first time (1)
← 1-2 times (2)
← 3-4 times (3)
← 5-6 times (4)
← more than 6 times (5)
19

Q88 Rank the following in order of importance as they pertain to a holiday event.
______ Quality of food/beverage (1)
______ Family friendly sponsorship (2)
______ Proximity of the event to home (3)
______ Quality of live entertainment (4)
______ Crowd management (5)
Q2 Do you view Chicago as a destination for the holiday season?
← Yes (1)
← No (2)
Q126 What activities are you (OR HAVE YOU) attending (ATTENDED) today? (Select all that apply.)
1) Parade (1)
2) Music Performances (2)
3) Lights Festival Lane (3)
4) Fireworks (4)
5) Extended Shopping Hours (after 7pm) (5)
Q26 In order of importance, 1 being most important, 6 being least important, please rank your reasons
for attending the festival.
______ The parade (1)
______ To visit booths on Lights Lane (2)
______ Shopping on Michigan Avenue (3)
______ The fireworks (4)
______ The Disney characters (5)
______ Concerts and music performances (6)
20

Q16 How likely are you to attend additional events if the Lights Festival were extended beyond one
day?
← Unlikely (1)
← Somewhat Likely (2)
← Indifferent (3)
← Likely (4)
← Very Likely (5)
Q36 How did you arrive at the Lights Festival? (Select all that apply.)
6) Personal Transportation (1)
7) Walk (2)
8) Taxi (3)
9) Public Transportation (4)
Q66 Now let's talk about Lights Festival promotion.
Q84 Before attending any publicly held events, how frequently do you check the Internet for event
information?
1 (1) 2 (2) 3 (3) 4 (4)
Rarely if
ever:Almost
always (1)
← ← ← ←
21

Q124 How did you learn about today's activities? (Select all that apply.)
10) Lights Festival Website (1)
11) Facebook (2)
12) Hotel (3)
13) Signs (4)
14) Family and Friends (5)
15) Print advertising (Magazine, newspaper, transit) (6)
16) Twitter (7)
17) Other (8) ____________________
Q48 Do you know about the informational brochures for the event?
← Yes (1)
← No (2)
If No Is Selected, Then Skip To Do you use social media?
Q50 Did you obtain the brochure prior to today?
← Yes (1)
← No (2)
Q52 How did you obtain the brochure?
← Email (1)
← Website printout (2)
← Recieved at festival (3)
Q54 Is the brochure useful?
← Yes (1)
← No (2)
22

Q56 Do you use social media?
← Yes (1)
← No (2)
If No Is Selected, Then Skip To Only a few more questions! Most of th...
Q58 Please choose which social media website you use most often?
← Facebook (1)
← Twitter (2)
← FourSquare (3)
← Other (4)
If Facebook Is Selected, Then Skip To Have you "liked" the Magnificent Mile...If Twitter Is Selected, Then
Skip To Do you follow the Magnificent Mile on...
Q62 Have you "liked" the Magnificent Mile Facebook page?
← Yes (1)
← No (2)
If Yes Is Selected, Then Skip To Only a few more questions! Most of th...If No Is Selected, Then Skip To Only
a few more questions! Most of th...
Q64 Do you follow the Magnificent Mile on Twitter?
← Yes (1)
← No (2)
Q68 Only a few more questions! Most of these are about you.
23

Q24 Who is attending this event with you? (Select all that apply.)
18) Friends (1)
19) Family (2)
20) Significant Other (3)
21) Co-workers (4)
22) Alone (5)
Q102 Do you have children?
← Yes (1)
← No (2)
If No Is Selected, Then Skip To What is your gender?
Q104 How old are your children?
← 0-12 months (1)
← 12 months-4 years (2)
← 5 years-12 years (3)
← 13 years- 17 years (4)
← 17 years + (5)
Q64 Did you bring your children with you today?
← Yes (1)
← No (2)
Q74 What is your gender? (SURVEY RESEARCHER: OBSERVE AND RECORD. DO NOT ASK.)
← Male (1)
← Female (2)
24

Q108 What is your age range?
← 18-24 (1)
← 25-30 (2)
← 31-37 (3)
← 38-45 (4)
← 45-51 (5)
← 51+ (6)
Q116 Where are the biggest areas of improvement for the Lights Festival? (Select all that apply.)
23) Crowd Control (1)
24) Information Availability (2)
25) Musical Performances (3)
26) Parade (4)
27) Fireworks (5)
28) Celebrity Appearances (6)
29) Lights Festival Lane (7)
30) Shopping (8)
31) Other (9) ____________________
Q72 What is your zipcode?
Q69 Thank you! Enjoy the Festival today, and visit www.magnificentmile.com for a follow-up survey
too. The link will also be posted to Facebook and Twitter!
25

Appendix B
SPSS Cross Tabulation Output (Graphs)
26

Do you view Chicago as a destination for the holiday season? * Who is
attending this event with you? (Select all that apply.)-Friends
36

Do you view Chicago as a destination for the holiday season? * Who is
attending this event with you? (Select all that apply.)-Family
37

Do you view Chicago as a destination for the holiday season? * What activities
are you (OR HAVE YOU) attending (ATTENDED) today? (Select all that apply.)-
Parade
38

Do you view Chicago as a destination for the holiday season? * What activities
are you (OR HAVE YOU) attending (ATTENDED) today? (Select all that apply.)-
Fireworks
39

Appendix C
SPSS Output (Frequency Tables)
What is your age range? * What is your gender? (SURVEY RESEARCHER: OBSERVE AND
RECORD. DO NOT ASK.)
Count
What is your gender? (SURVEY RESEARCHER:
OBSERVE AND RECORD. DO NOT ASK.)
Total0 Male Female
What is your age range? 0 91 3 3 97
18-24 13 19 65 97
25-30 7 30 43 80
31-37 3 27 56 86
38-45 4 27 48 79
45-51 0 15 40 55
51+ 0 18 26 44
Total 118 139 281 538
41

Case Processing Summary
Cases
Valid Missing Total
N Percent N Percent N Percent
Where are the biggest areas
of improvement for the
Lights Festival? (Select all
that apply.)-Crowd Control *
What activities are you (OR
HAVE YOU) attending
(ATTENDED) today? (Select
all that apply.)-Parade
538 100.0% 0 .0% 538 100.0%
HAVE YOU) attending
all that apply.)-Lights Festival
Lane
538 100.0% 0 .0% 538 100.0%
HAVE YOU) attending
all that apply.)-Fireworks
538 100.0% 0 .0% 538 100.0%
42

Where are the biggest areas of improvement for the Lights Festival? (Select all
that apply.)-Crowd Control * What activities are you (OR HAVE YOU) attending
(ATTENDED) today? (Select all that apply.)-Parade
Count
What activities are you (OR HAVE
YOU) attending (ATTENDED)
today? (Select all that apply.)-
Parade
Total0 1
that apply.)-Crowd Control
0 157 168 325
1 65 148 213
Total 222 316 538
(ATTENDED) today? (Select all that apply.)-Lights Festival Lane
Count
Lights Festival Lane
Total0 1
0 214 111 325
1 88 125 213
Total 302 236 538
43

(ATTENDED) today? (Select all that apply.)-Fireworks
Count
Fireworks
Total0 1
0 199 126 325
1 94 119 213
Total 293 245 538
Do you use social media? * Please choose which social media website you use most often?
Count
Please choose which social media website you use most often?
0 Facebook Twitter FourSquare
Do you use social media? No Response 91 1 0 0
Yes 4 280 31 2
No 114 0 1 0
Total 209 281 32 2
44

Do you use social media? * Please choose which social media website
you use most often?
Count
Please choose
which social
media website
you use most
often?
TotalOther
Do you use social media? No Response 1 93
Yes 12 329
No 1 116
Total 14 538
Do you have children? * Do you use social media?
Count
Do you use social media?
TotalNo Response Yes No
Do you have children? No Response 90 1 3 94
Yes 3 190 79 272
No 0 138 34 172
Total 93 329 116 538
45

Do you know about the informational brochures for the event? * How did you obtain
the brochure?
Count
How did you obtain the brochure?
0 Email Website printout
Do you know about the
informational brochures for
the event?
No Response 92 0 0
Yes 17 15 61
No 248 0 1
Total 357 15 62
Do you know about the informational brochures for the event? * How did
you obtain the brochure?
Count
How did you
obtain the
brochure?
Total
Recieved at
festival
the event?
No Response 0 92
Yes 102 195
No 2 251
Total 104 538
46

Do you know about the informational brochures for the event? * Do you use social media?
Count
Do you use social media?
TotalNo Response Yes No
the event?
No Response 89 3 0 92
Yes 2 143 50 195
No 2 183 66 251
Total 93 329 116 538
Do you view Chicago as a destination for the holiday season? * What activities are you
(OR HAVE YOU) attending (ATTENDED) today? (Select all that apply.)-Parade
Count
Parade
Total0 1
Do you view Chicago as a
destination for the holiday
season?
No Response 88 3 91
Yes 103 264 367
No 31 49 80
Total 222 316 538
47

(OR HAVE YOU) attending (ATTENDED) today? (Select all that apply.)-Lights Festival Lane
Count
Lights Festival Lane
Total0 1
season?
No Response 89 2 91
Yes 163 204 367
No 50 30 80
Total 302 236 538
(OR HAVE YOU) attending (ATTENDED) today? (Select all that apply.)-Fireworks
Count
Fireworks
Total0 1
season?
No Response 89 2 91
Yes 162 205 367
No 42 38 80
Total 293 245 538
48

Appendix D
Focus Group Moderator Guide
GNMAA 20th
Annual Magnificent Mile Lights Festival
Focus Group Moderator Guide
Engagement Questions:
1) Why did you come to the festival?
2) What is your favorite part about your festival experience?
Exploration Questions:
32) What was your trip arriving to the festival like?
33) What are your holiday plans for next year? How far in advance do you plan for holiday trips,
events, etc?
34) With regards to visibility and crowd navigation, what do you think can be improved?
35) How would you describe your overall festival experience?
Exit Question:
1) Is there anything else you would like to add about your festival experience?
49

Appendix E
Team Charter
Appendix
Appendix F
FIELD NOTES
50
Dear Greater North Michigan Avenue Association Lights Festival Committee,
Within this deliverable we wish to share focus group moderator guides and final descriptive survey links which display
our methods of fulfilling our managerial decision opportunity and research objectives stated as following: How can the
GNMAA 20th
Annual Magnificent Mile Lights Festival improve logistics to maximize the customer experience? Research
objectives: 1) Investigate the demographics of consumers. 2) Uncover how to improve consumer experience. 3)
Explore effectiveness of the brochure. 4) Examine effectiveness of social media. 5) Discover how events of the same
magnitude employ sound logistics.
Regarding our focus group moderator guide we have decided to focus on the logistical elements of the customer's
experience at the festival, encompassing their experience getting to the festival, at the festival, and leaving the festival.
Our focus group reflects only one research objective, specifically the second one, uncover how to improve consumer
experience.
Using the Qualtrics online survey system, our team has created a survey that we feel will appropriately address the
stated managerial decision opportunity and provide relevant data to fulfill the research objectives. The survey is divided
into blocks of questions to specifically target different aspects of the entire experience. We developed questions
addressing motivation for festival attendance, family dynamics of the attendee, logistical aspects of the festival, and the
effectiveness of the marketing materials. Included is the preview link for our proposed survey:
https://new.qualtrics.com/SE/?
SID=SV_5cpaOklhBWwHjec&Preview=Survey&BrandID=lucbusiness We have prepared this survey
with the use of multiple Qualtrics features, knowledge of previous survey data, and an extensive pretest period. After
class discussion and independent research, we decided to construct a survey consisting of mainly nominal and ordinal
questions, these being most applicable to our objectives. We fully utilized the features of Qualtrics to create an
engaging and interactive survey experience. In particular we mastered the use of skip logic to avoid redundancy and
perfected the survey flow and design to create ease and interest in taking the survey. We employed outside pretest
sources to verify correct flow and proper logistical aspects of this survey. It was tested a total of 4 times by both other
students in our class as well as our professor.
Our next steps include collecting and sorting data in order to present it in the most efficient and effective way possible.
We have developed a sample frame to generally distinguish our ideal respondent. Someone lying within our sample
frame is an active festivalgoer and is enthusiastic about attending the Magnificent Mile Lights Festival. Respondents
can range anywhere from young adults to elderly attendees. Those lying outside the sample frame consist of those not
attending the festival as well as children too young to give accurate responses. Since the appropriate time and
resources are lacking to design a probability sample, a non-probability sample design will be used. Specifically, we will
utilize a convenience sample. Those who are readily available and willing to take the survey will be sampled. Data will
be collected through November 2011 and supported by SPSS analysis in early December 2011. Final deliverables will
be made available by mid-December.
Our team mission is to collect appropriate data to fulfill the goals stated in our request for proposal and to present the
collected data in a strategic manner to benefit event logistics for years to come. Our team works very well together; we
balance ourselves quite equally across the 9 Enneagram types. Some are “helpers” and “achievers” while others are
“asserters” and “perfectionists”. Our deliverables are the strongest because we have taken them in a different direction
than the past years. Focusing on customer satisfaction with regards to logistics will give insight into improvements to
make GNMAA Magnificent Mile Lights Festival the 3rd
largest holiday event in the country. Our survey is well thought out
and strategically designed to achieve high quality responses from festival goers. It has been tested and edited several
times to enhance the logistical design as well as its appearance to improve respondent experience.
We thank you for considering our proposed deliverables. Please contact me with any further questions or feedback.
Donais
Donais Deetz

← 9/16/2011
←
←
←
←
←
←
←
←
← Appendix F
← Key Informant Interview Field Notes
← 9/16/2011
←
1. Mag Mile Lights Festival
• BMO Harris bank
o Brings in talent and funds the event
• 20th
annual event
• used to bring in the “movie stars” celebrity lighting of the star
• Let’s let mag mile shine…commemorate Chicago
• In 1987 Disney became part of it
o Mickey magically lit the lights and then fireworks
o Added a day time event
 Song and dance
• Over 1 million people came last year
• Disney brings the entertainment
• Want to add?
o Celeb component
o Bigger national entertainment
• Competition?
o Macy’s Day Parade in NYC
• Where are people coming from? How much attention is being drawn
nationally or internationally?
• 1st
event held in the holiday season. First Saturday before thanksgiving
November 19
o “where your holidays begin”
• don’t want to focus on anniversary bc they are trying to hold their breath
for the 25th
• “it is about shopping. it is about kicking off the holiday season”
• No alcohol
• Family event….safe
• Only national event mickey makes an appearance
51

2. Classes before us?
• General questions
• One specific focus: lights festival lane
o Day time entertainment
o How to get the word out about that event
• One specific focus: how to make it a week long event
o Charity
o The extra mile
o Sunday was a shopping event
• Looking to see more media coverage
o How do we make this a truly national event?
3. Are local businesses and hotels on the bandwagon?
• Yes
• Little to no specials
• Some events
4. Who is anti- this event?
• Chicago PD
o Safety issue
o Small children
o Expensive
o Entirely funded by sponsors…no public dollars
• Too crowded…some people won’t come back
• There is a need to let people know where to go so they aren’t just lost
and ambling around
o Maps
o Brochures
 About 100,000
 Schedule of events
• The weather affects things
5. International clients….what’s the marketing?
• Chicago has a marketing position over seas
• They love the blues
• Try to draw them in with other attractions and a weak dollar for shopping
• “Promote Chicago”
o 5th
or 6th
most popular city
• “we don’t have enough money to adequately promote even in Chicago”
• grassroots marketing
← 6. How do you plan on making the returning people happy?
• It becomes a tradition. It’s always going to be Mickey lighting the lights.
And always will have fireworks
• The whole vibe is focused on tradition…warm fuzzy family feeling
• Sights and sounds
52

• Now it’s a parade not a procession
• Not losing sight of logistics
← 7. Is the surprise a good idea?
• Yes
• That’s marketing
• Non paid earned media
← 8. What can we do for you?
• Demographic data
• Are we making a national draw?
• How can we continue to increase our attention abroad and nationally?
o Why are they here?
o What events/people/etc would make people come to this?
o How can we make this a tradition?
← 9. events?
• Floats focusing on all over the country
• Visual stimulus
• House choreography contest
← 10. Logistics?
• Spread areas of interest
• Added jumbo trons so people can see
• Expanded parade route
• Discounts in stores
• VIP viewing stands by the tribune
←
← HAVE FUNNNN
←
←
← MDO
 How can we increase our exposure nationally and internationally?
 How can we make the festival more interactive? Whole family?
 How can we get the city to be more involved?
 How can we improve the logistics of the festival?
Class mdo’s
 How do we continue a loyal fan base?
 What is our current demographic
 How can we use the research to build nationwide awareness
 How do we plan to survey people who attend and how to judge
satisfaction?
 What can you do to improve nationally?
 Why do people attend?
53

 How do we increase attendance w/o deterring those who don’t want to
fight the crowds?
 How can we improve logistics?
 What marketing attracted the consumer to the GNMAA?
 What can GNMAA do to improve the customer experience?
 Why do people attend?
Appendix G
Round Table Presentation Slides
54

Appendix H
Resume Collection
65

Donais Deetz
6212 N Winthrop Ave
Apt 4S
Chicago, IL 60660
(507)-456-4293
ddeetz@luc.edu
Education
Loyola University Chicago, Chicago IL
3) Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing Expected May, 2013
4) Minors in Spanish Literature, Dance Expected May, 2013
5) GPA: 3.799 cumulative
6) Honors and Awards: Deans List: Fall 2009, Spring 2010, Fall 2010,Spring 2011
Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid Spain
1. Completed a variety of liberal arts courses and a business course taught completely in Spanish
Loyola University Chicago, Rome Italy
2) Completed Special Topics in Marketing course focused on the global textile and clothing industry
Experience
Office of Undergraduate Admission, Loyola University Chicago, Chicago IL
Student Ambassador Fall 2009-present
 Communicate the outstanding qualities of Loyola to prospective students which yielded email and
personal compliments resulting in decisions to attend Loyola
 Lead tours for prospective students and their families
 Greet and welcome prospective students, motivate them to explore Loyola, and answer their questions
during Open Houses and Loyola Weekend
Costas Chocolate, Owatonna MN
Marketing Assistant Summer 2009
 Assisted in the construction of a marketing plan
 Helped plan and implement a referral plan
 Made follow up calls to corporate customers increasing sales contracts
 Leveraged BCG Matrix and Porter's 5 Forces which determined expansion opportunities
Market Research Project for Greater North Michigan Avenue Association, Chicago, IL
 Developed a Request for Proposal and submitted to clients Fall 2011
 Designed and constructed an online survey using Qualtrics to carry out goals stated in Request for
Proposal
66

 Simulated focus groups to explore consumer attitudes
Activities
Chi Omega Fraternity Fall 2010
-Present
 Active member of Loyola's first Chi Omega pledge class
Intramural Soccer
Loyola Refugee Outreach Club Fall 2010 -
Present
 Mentor a Nepali refugee family once a week
 Assist the children with homework
 Help family to improve their English and assimilate to a new country
Loyola University Tap Club
Skills
 Proficient in Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, and Access
 Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel, experience with macros, solver, and pivot tables
 Able to read, write, and speak Spanish at the advanced level
67

Mark D. Foley
Education
Loyola University Chicago August 2009-May 2013
• Pursuing Bachelor of Business Administration, Majors: Marketing and Operations Management,
Minor: Information Systems, Current GPA: 3.442
Experience
Morningstar, Inc.-Human Resources Intern October 2011-Present
• Deliver proficient support of day-to-day HR administrative duties including issuing contracts,
references, employment letters, and scanning
• Assist with the recruitment process by posting job advertisements, managing applications, and
scheduling interviews
• Coordinate the induction process by creating new starter packs and employee induction schedules
• Update the Human Resources Information System as required
• Update the Morningstar intranet site with new policies, training or benefit information, and
internal job advertisements
SmithBucklin Association Management-Special Operations Assistant June 2011-August 2011
• Built and sustained strong member relations through attention to detail in handling member
requests and volunteer interaction for the American Association of Legal Nurse Consultants and
the National Association of Orthopedic Nurses
• Maintained and updated areas of the associations’ website with current information, benefits,
member programs, etc. for AALNC and NAON
• Provided administrative and project support to the client and staff team, including database
maintenance, batch processing and reporting
• Assisted with the preparation of conferences, board meetings & seminars (serve as staff liaison to
committees)
W Chicago-Lakeshore Hotel-Whatever/Whenever Attendant July 2010-September 2010
• Responded to all guest requests in the most efficient and professional manner possible
68

• Specifically assigned to special guest relations projects as a result of overwhelming positive
feedback from previous guests
• Created and maintained close relationships with guests for the duration of their stay
• Gained valuable insight and experience in varying departments of the hotel as a result of
exemplary work
Campus and Community Engagement
Students in Free Enterprise-Director of Projects & Presentation Team January 2011-Present
• Organize and supervise 9 undergraduate business projects (4 domestic projects and 5
international projects) with socially responsible and environmentally sustainable goals
• Manage a team of over 50 members and maintain all logistical records pertaining to each
participant
• Assist team members in developing new projects, reflecting upon current success and revising
goals and expectations for existing projects
• Present LUC SIFE’s projects to SIFE-USA at both the regional and national level competitions
(Competed with team to earn a ranking in the Top 40 of 577 active teams in the United States
in 2011)
69

Christine M. Miller
(937)672-2680
1236 W North Shore Avenue Apt 1 Chicago, IL 60626
cmiller5@luc.edu
Professional
Profile
My goal is to be an effective asset to _______. I am an extremely dedicated and result
oriented worker with and innate ability to quickly learn new skills.
 Poised and presentable
demeanor
 Outgoing and professional
communication skills
 Trained in formal writing skills
 Strong organizational skills
 Non-dramatic and flexible personality
 Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite, social media
platforms, Statistical Package for the Social Sciences
(SPSS), Billhighway(online billing and accounting
suite), Qualtrics Online Survey Tool
Work History Clinique Associate Consultant [February 2011-present]
• Trained and taught in the confidence building industry of makeup and skincare
• Promote new product developments to the counter associates and clients,
which resulted in teaching clients and associates proper effects of application
• Located in multiple Michigan Avenue department stores, I adapt to work
effectively with different management teams at each location
• Personally served a diverse and global clientele base
• [Chicago, IL]
Executive Assistant to Jennifer Smetters Esq. [2010]
• Managed the reorganization of the filing and telephone messaging systems
• Effective use of Access and online scheduling tools to handle Ms. Smetters’ demanding legal
schedule
• Constant phone and personal contact with clientele
• Helped Ms. Smetters schedule television appearances and create a professional portfolio for her
personal marketing needs
• [Chicago, IL]
The Muse Machine [2005-2010]
• Managed the Will Call desk for multiple theater productions
• Assisted with the operational aspects of the Annual Benefactor Gala
• [Dayton, OH]
Campus
Leadership
Alpha Sigma Alpha Sorority
 Treasurer (2010-2011)
-[Elected position in which I was in charge of all monetary duties and documentation of 101
members with a $30,000 non profit budget. I sat on the executive board and therefore was
directly involved with the marketing and direct planning of the society’s events and
organizational structure.]
Interdisciplinary Honors Program (2009-2013)
 Invited to join Loyola University of Chicago’s Honors Program for my Undergraduate career
 Extended coursework requirements in multiple accelerated courses
 Recipient of the Dean’s Scholarship for Outstanding Academic Achievement
Education LOYOLA UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO
Bachelors Degree
College of Business Administration
70

Finance and Marketing
Interdisciplinary Honors Degree
Expected Graduation: Spring 2013
JOHN FELICE ROME CENTER
Rome, Italy
January 2011-May 2012
71

Christopher Robinson
808 W Belle Plaine Ave. Apt 305 * Chicago IL 60613 * 630 217 6066 * crobinson4@luc.edu
EDUCATION
Loyola University Chicago Fall
2011
Bachelor of Business Administration
Major: International Business Minor: Marketing
Fluent in Spanish
EXPERIENCE
Bank of America N. A. Chicago,
Illinois
Personal Banker / Sales Service Specialist 2007 -
2010
• Acted as Banking Center Manager for 4 months during a transitional period assuming full responsibilities of
the banking center
• Provided guidance and training to employees during the acquisition of LaSalle Bank N. A.
• Participated in leadership meetings and helped set vision for banking center
• Cultivated relationships with Hispanic businesses to generate sales growth
• Representative of banking center audit team that ensured we met and surpassed goals during an audit
• Opened deposit accounts, took loan applications, responded to customer inquiries, and resolved issues
• Coached tellers on referral opportunities and product knowledge to promote a result oriented team
• Surpassed sales goals in 2008 by 120%
• Earned Award of Excellence for Q3, Q4 2008
Teller
• Ranked in the top 3 sellers in the Chicago market Q3 2007.
• Exceeded personal sales goals by 187% in Checking, Savings, and CDs, in Q3 2007
• Received Spirit Award for meeting quarterly sales goal in one month
J.Crew Chicago,
Illinois
Brand Representative May 07- Aug
07
• Ranked in the top 5 seller of the location
• Maintained a client book for individuals to call during store relevant promotions
• Executed rollout for multi floor 3 business location
Go Roma Italian Kitchen Chicago,
Illinois
Manager 2006 -
2007
• Led the scheduling process of 22 employees
• Helped conduct inventories and Product and Labor Statements
• Controlled labor and all other managerial functions in the dinning room
72

Maggiano’s Little Italy Oakbrook,
Illinois
Host June 06 - Aug
06
• Answered telephone calls, determined their purpose, and forwarded them appropriate departments warmly
and efficiently
• Prepared line up for multiple restaurant servers and bussers nightly
Potbelly Sandwich Works Chicago,
Illinois
Corporate Trainer 2003 -
2006
• Trained new associates at 26 restaurant openings in 7 U.S. states.
• Provided operational support to new Potbelly managers during training periods.
• Motivated associates, understood, and exemplified all food service guidelines.
Created training tools and playbooks to organize the skill sets of associates at st
73

MEREDITH TILOT
Statement of Purpose: As an expected graduate of the nation’s largest Jesuit university, it is my intent to promote
ethical business practices across borders through the arts, education, and faith.
Education
Loyola University Chicago, Chicago, IL
Bachelors of Business Arts in International Business and Marketing Expected May 2012
Minors in Finance and Rome Studies Expected May2012
Cumulative GPA 3.505
Work Experience
Loyola University Chicago Rome Start Program, Rome, Italy Jan. 2011-May 2011
Intern
Provided administrative support in the offices of the John Felice Rome Center, Rome, Italy.
Specialized in social media marketing, development, and maintenance, while acting as student
liaison
Collectio Avellana Conference, Rome, Italy Jan. 2011-May 2011
Assistant
Created and maintained detailed databases of information regarding conference participants
Managed any and all conference documents and media required by the participants
McGaw YMCA, Evanston, IL Sept. 2009-May 2010
Marketing and Development Assistant
Acted as assistant to the development department, processing donations and managing a
database entries of benefactors
Supported Marketing Department staff in planning celebratory events for the 125th
Anniversary of
the McGaw YMCA
Related Academic Experience
Loyola University Chicago Fall
2011
Market Research Assistant, Greater North Michigan Avenue Association Service Learning Project
Developed managerial decision opportunity and research objectives, determined appropriate
research methodology and constructed/pretested a descriptive survey, collected data via convenience
sampling using Qualtrics.com, gained insights through statistical analysis using SPSS software.
Presented findings and recommendations to Client through roundtable presentations and white paper
deliverable
Activities Skills
Loyola University Marketing Club Fall 2008- Present Moderate Proficiency in Italian
Phi Sigma Sigma Social Sorority Fall 2008- Present Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite
Ceramics Club Fall 2009- Present Basic Skills in SPSS & Qualtrics softwares
74

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