What defines a marketing research problem?

A marketing research problem is fundamentally about identifying the objectives and the specific questions that the research aims to answer. This involves clearly defining what information is needed to address marketing challenges and guide decision-making. By understanding the problem, marketers can effectively gather relevant data that will help them achieve their goals, whether it's understanding consumer behavior, identifying market trends, or evaluating the effectiveness of different marketing strategies.

Option C reflects this focus on clarifying objectives in data gathering and demonstrates how a well-defined research problem can lead to more effective and targeted research efforts. Identifying objectives ensures that the research is aligned with the overarching goals of the marketing strategy.

The other options do not encapsulate the essential nature of a marketing research problem. While areas where no data is collected (option A) may be related to the need for research, they do not represent a defined problem in itself. A method for predicting sales (option B) is more about outcomes than the research process, while a guideline for advertising strategies (option D) pertains to implementation rather than the foundational issues that marketing research seeks to resolve.