Compare and contrast the purpose of a test market and a control market, explaining how the two function together

What will be an ideal response?

A test market is a geographic market that is selected for implementing a media plan on a limited basis. The media plan may be for an established or entirely new product. The test market should have a range of media channels, demographics, and other characteristics that reflect the media profile of the campaign as a whole. The product is manufactured, priced, and distributed into the test market, and the media plan is implemented. Marketers then track how the media plan affects actual sales in the test market. Unlike a test market, a control market receives no special treatment. Instead, everything remains constant so that the control market resembles the nontest market that is to be included in the overall media plan. Through comparing sales in the test and control markets, marketers can develop a better understanding of the effect of the media campaign and make adjustments as needed.