Message testing has evolved. It’s no longer just about gauging likeability or clarity—those days are behind us. Instead, the future of message testing is deeply strategic, context-driven, and infused with AI and behavioral science. At Shapiro+Raj, we believe that truly effective message testing must align with business strategy, competitive landscapes, and the cultural forces shaping your audience’s mindset.
Start with Strategy, Not Just Metrics
Message testing must begin with strategic intent, not just a checklist of KPIs like differentiation and motivation. Instead, every project should be framed around three core principles:
- Belief: What belief is the story trying to instill or shift?
- Behavior: What action should the message inspire? (e.g., talking to a doctor, researching, scheduling an appointment)
- Brand Perception: How should the brand be positioned in the market?
Without this strategic foundation, even messages that score well on traditional KPIs might fail to deliver on what truly matters—shaping perceptions and driving behavior change.
Key Takeaway: A strategic foundation ensures message testing moves beyond surface-level metrics and directly supports business objectives.
The Competitive Context Matters More Than Ever
In a crowded market, context is everything. It’s no longer sufficient to evaluate messages in isolation. Breakthrough messaging requires understanding the broader category landscape. Take hyper-competitive spaces like GLP-1s or psoriasis treatments—brands must break through entrenched behaviors and narratives.
One useful application of evaluation comes from the field of Semiotics, which examines how people create and interpret meaning through symbols, signs, and language. In marketing and communication research, semiotics helps analyze how messages are perceived in different cultural and competitive contexts. In the context of message testing, semiotics provides valuable insights into how audiences interpret messaging based on cultural codes, industry norms, and competitive positioning.
A simple example of this is Keytruda’s messaging in one of their recent campaigns, which leans on numerical signifiers (“100 clinical trials,” “16 types of cancers”) to communicate broad application and credibility. In semiotic terms, numbers function as signifiers that convey specific meanings—credibility, scientific rigor, and broad applicability. In pharma advertising, numbers often serve as trust-building tools. This aligns with industry norms where brands communicate efficacy and legitimacy through quantifiable achievements. The use of numerical signifiers also creates contrast—implying that Keytruda’s broad application sets it apart from more specialized treatments. A competing brand, by contrast, might position itself as highly targeted or specialized. Understanding these patterns allows brands to carve out white space and own a differentiated narrative.
You can dive in deeper into Semiotics by examining the visual design, color choices, and imagery that accompany these numerical claims. Even comparing Keytruda’s use of numbers to industry competitors to identify unique or shared codes and/or exploring how different audience segments interpret numerical messaging—e.g., does it resonate more with doctors (who seek clinical credibility) than with patients (who may be more emotionally driven)?
When we apply this lens in our own work, we often start competitive analysis well before primary research begins. It’s a critical thought exercise to ensure that the messages being tested truly stand apart from competitors—not just in content but in the subconscious heuristics they evoke. These communication codes may be subtle, but they shape how messages are perceived, especially for patients and consumers who respond to tone, imagery, and emotion just as much as hard data.
Key Takeaway: Evaluating messaging within the broader competitive and cultural landscape ensures true differentiation and impact.
How Applied Social and Behavioral Science Strengthens Message Testing
Traditional message testing often measures explicit reactions—what people consciously think about a message. However, human decision-making is heavily shaped by implicit, subconscious associations that respondents may not articulate. This is where applied behavioral science provides a more nuanced and predictive approach. System 1 and System 2 analysis and techniques like implicit testing, projective exercises, story and framing theory for example allow for measuring how messages truly resonate beyond surface-level reactions
Following are a few key frameworks that enhance message testing:
System 1 and System 2 Thinking:
System 1 is fast, intuitive, and emotional—it governs gut reactions.
System 2 is deliberate, analytical, and rational—it engages deeper cognitive processing.
Effective message testing must assess both systems. If a message performs well in System 2 (i.e., it’s logically compelling) but fails to engage System 1 (i.e., it lacks emotional pull), it may struggle to drive real-world behavior
Implicit Association Testing (IAT):
IAT measures how strongly people subconsciously associate concepts, such as linking a brand to trustworthiness or innovation. Unlike traditional survey questions, IAT relies on reaction times—the faster the response, the stronger the subconscious association. In pharma, IAT can determine whether a treatment is instinctively linked to efficacy, safety, or patient support—insights that traditional methods might miss.
Framing Effects and Cognitive Biases:
How a message is framed—whether it emphasizes gains vs. losses, social proof, or urgency—can significantly impact its effectiveness. Behavioral science helps optimize message framing to ensure it aligns with human heuristics and decision-making shortcuts.
Emotional and Linguistic Triggers:
The choice of words, metaphors, and emotional cues can activate or suppress engagement.
Techniques like sentiment analysis and metaphor elicitation can uncover which messaging elements evoke the strongest responses
By integrating these behavioral science principles, brands can ensure their messages don’t just “test well” but actually influence beliefs, perceptions, and actions.
Here are some examples of how Shapiro + Raj has applied these principles:
In a recent study we conducted, traditional interviews suggested efficacy messages were most impactful. However, System 1 evaluation revealed that competitor’s dosing and administration messages were rising to the top. This insight allowed the client to refine their strategy, ensuring their core efficacy message remained strong while also addressing practical considerations important to physicians
A practical way to incorporate System 1 evaluation is through a swipe-style rapid assessment, which is a core part of the Implicit Association Testing (IAT) instrument. When faced with dozens of potential messages, brands can use this technique to quickly filter out weaker contenders by gauging immediate audience reactions. By layering this approach within a competitive context—including unbranded competitor messages—it becomes easier to identify which themes resonate most and refine messaging before formal testing begins.
Implicit Association Testing (IAT) methods can help brands determine which attributes are most closely associated with their messaging. If a brand has been in the market for a while, an IAT test can reveal whether audiences instinctively connect it with key attributes like efficacy, innovation, or patient support. By measuring reaction times, brands can identify whether these associations are strong or require reinforcement through messaging.
Projective Techniques and Story for Deeper Insights
Sometimes, asking people directly about messages isn’t enough—they may not be fully aware of their subconscious responses. That’s why we use projective techniques to unearth deeper insights. Projective approaches include metaphor elicitation and persona association, where respondents are asked to describe messages as if they were a type of person, object, or movie. These exercises uncover the implicit narratives shaping audience perceptions and provide invaluable direction for refinement.
Other techniques like six-word stories help participants distill their reactions into a few powerful words, revealing the emotions and associations sparked by different messages. For example, when testing oncology messaging, a six-word story exercise uncovered that some messages evoked feelings of empowerment and resilience, while others felt clinical and detached. This insight allowed the client to refine the messaging to strike the right balance between scientific credibility and human connection.
Another revealing exercise is have respondents pitch to a colleague, which can be an effective way to uncover real-world messaging barriers and help us sharpen messaging effectiveness.
At the end of an interview, we ask participants—often physicians—to retell the product story in their own words, but with a challenge: “Imagine you’re speaking to a colleague who strongly favors a competing product. How would you position this treatment to them?”
This exercise reveals how they naturally counter resistance, exposing real-world messaging barriers and authentic persuasion tactics. If a physician struggles to position certain benefits, it signals messaging gaps that need refining. It also sheds light on peer influence—critical in environments where collective beliefs shape decision-making.
By engaging in this light role-play, we capture actionable, field-tested insights that ensure brand messaging stands up to real-world scrutiny where decisions are made.
Key Takeaway: Projective techniques unlock deeper emotional and psychological responses, helping brands craft messages that truly resonate.
The Role of AI in Message Testing
Generative AI is transforming message testing by enhancing speed, precision, and personalization. At Shapiro+Raj, we integrate AI with human expertise through Stella, our proprietary AI agent designed for insights professionals. Stella accelerates iteration, refines messaging based on real-time feedback, and even simulates market response to predict effectiveness in competitive landscapes.
However, AI is strongest when not used as a standalone solution—but as an enabler. The most impactful message testing blends AI-powered efficiency with human strategic depth. This “TechManity” approach ensures that messaging strategies remain both agile and deeply human-centered, allowing brands to craft messages that resonate, differentiate, and drive action.
Key Takeaway: AI enhances message testing but must be paired with strategic expertise to deliver meaningful insights.
The Bottom Line: Rethinking Message Testing for a New Era
If message testing is just an isolated exercise in gathering feedback, it’s a missed opportunity. Brands must embrace a strategy-forward, context-aware, and AI-enabled approach to truly optimize their messaging. By rethinking KPIs, embedding applied social and behavioral science, and leveraging AI, message testing can become a powerful driver of market impact.
Want to learn more? Check out our Future Forward Insights Mastermind webinar series, where we dive deeper into how cutting-edge insights can shape the future of brand communication.