DGME 100: Ad Plan Assignment

These library databases are great resources for doing research about your company, particularly if your company is large, has been around a long time, and is successful. These databases can provide you with business-related reports about your company but might not be the best source for all companies. Some things to keep in mind while searching these databases:

• If your company is very young or is not a public company (that means it's not being traded on the NY Stock Exchange) then there will be less information available.
• Only companies that have gone public on the NYSE are required to disclose certain financial and statistical information so if you've chosen a small independent company to research then there may be little or no information in these databases.
• If you are using a small or independent company for your project, using the company's own website, NY Times, or article databases to find information may be your best bet.
• You can also use these databases to search for information on the companies that offer similar services or products AKA the competition.

Information about your company, your product, and the competition is a great place to get started in your research. In addition to the links below, there are other places you can get valuable information about the history and background of your company:

• The official website for your company - Look for a page called "About Us" or a page on their site that talks about their story, or the history of their company.
• New York Times - The New York Times has been reporting on business for over 100 years. Articles from the New York Times are great for researching both the history and the current goings-on with your company. As a CSM student you can sign up for free access to the NY Times online. Go to our News Sources page and follow the instructions to set-up your free account.
• See News & Other Articles to find articles related to your company and product

If your company is publicly traded on the stock exchange then advertising expenses will be reported on a company's financial or income statement. On Yahoo Finance you can find this information by searching for your company, then selecting the Financials tab and looking under "Selling & Marketing Expense"

• Yahoo Finance