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JOMC 170, 172 Pathfinder

SELECTED RESOURCES IN ADVERTISING & MARKETING

Listed here are some recommended reference sources to help students locate information on corporate history, advertising plans, marketing strategies, consumer trends, demographic data, product promotion, market share and related factors in the competitive marketplace.

1. Check the CD-ROM products near the Reference Desk in Davis Library. Students sign up for one-hour search time on the U-SEARCH computer terminal. A yellow triangular flag signals the location.

ABI Inform
Investext
News & Observer on CD-ROM
Wall Street Journal
The New York Times

2. Sign up for full-text searches on the Nexis/Lexis databases. Study the handouts next to the 6 terminals in Davis Library Reference area or check with the JoMC librarian, Barbara Semonche, about an appointment for an online search demonstration.

(Note: Dialog offers online files that are full-text as well as abstracts, and citations. Check with the JoMC librarian for an appointment to access Dialog. Later in this handout you will discover some suggested Dialog search strategies. Dialog is a commerical database. It is not on the UNC Online Data Network.)
Sample NEXIS searches:

market;releas;hlead(mead co!) and date is 1996
market;indnws;atleast10(insur!) and date aft 12-31-1995
market;curnws;mccarthy and perault .fo market w/15 text!
market;curnws;hlead(breakthrough or break through or develop! or new or develop! or new or improv! w/15 aids or hiv or h.i.v. w/5 drug or medicin!)
compny;compny;company(nike)
compny;compny;nutrasweet
compny;spnews;type(merger) and sic(7011) and date is 1996

3. Start searching the UNC Online Data Network. Select #4 from the main menu (Indexes to Periodicals and Newspapers), then select the desired database from the menu of four items (the Business Index or the Newspaper Index are good bets). Next, use the "keyword" search protocol (select "k" from the next menu) and then proceed to enter your desired search terms such as names of products or companies. These databases offer good abstracts as well as citation information. Keep in mind that you may have to go to the newspaper or journal microfilm or the bound volumes in order to retrieve the full text of desired articles. Sample UNC Online Data Network search:

fi pantagonia
fi travel and trends
fi detergents or soap
fi autos or cars
fi CNN and market

4. At the Reference Desk, Davis Library, check the Market Share Reporter for 1998 for a quick market overview. It lists 2,000 share-of-market reports for products, brand names, and companies.

5. Also in the BA/SS reference section of Davis, check the following resources:

  • Manufacturing USA (used for industry analysis and statistics for leading companies
  • Wards' Business Directory of U.S. Private & Public Companies
  • Roper's Report: The Public Pulse (with research supplement)
  • The Wall Street Journal Index
  • The New York Times Index (business, finance and marketing sections)
  • Business Periodicals Index (BPI)
  • Moody's Industrial Reports
  • Hoover's Handbook of 500 U.S. Corporations (Note: JoMC Library has this one.)
  • LNA AD $ Summary. (Leading National Advertisers serial) [Bookshelf 22]
  • LNA Multi-Media Report Service (Class/brand YTD $ serial) [Bookshelf 22]
  • LNA Company Brand $ (serial) [Bookshelf 22]
  • Trade Names Directory: Companies & Their Brands (Note: this is a "who owns what".)
  • Trademark Design Register
  • Standard & Poors Register of Corporations
  • Donnelley's Demographics (U.S. Census Data for 1980 WITH current estimates & projections.) Also, check CENDATA on Cd-ROM at BA/SS.
  • American Demographics (a publication by The Wall Street Journal). Recent issues can be found in Davis Library serials department. It is also available full- text on the Nexis/Lexis database service.
  • (Note: BA/SS has selected corporate annual reports on file.)

6. Online searching in JoMC Library. Gather your group members and make an appointment with the JoMC librarian for an online search demonstration for your project. Access to Nexis/Lexis, Dialog and DataTimes is offered. We can search PR Newswires, PTS New Product Announcements, Marketing and Advertising References and American Demographics. Do your preliminary searching on the UNC Online Data Network so that our online searching will be useful and economical.

7. Tables and statistical information on the media and products can be found in the JoMC library. Check Bookcase #31. If you do not know how to use these materials, check with your professor.

Simmon's Media & Markets (1995) (Note: this is the lastest year available to us.)
MediaMark Research Inc. (1995)
Standard Rate & Data Service (1998)

Other statistical sources, located in Davis Library, include:

U.S. Census, 1990
Editor & Publisher Market Guide, 1998
Statistical Abstract of the United States
American Statistical Abstract
N. C. Statistical Abstract

Compiled by: Barbara Semonche, JoMC Librarian. January 1998

Copyright 2003 - The Park Library - School of Journalism and Mass Communication - University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill