ADVERTISING

Advertising is the any paid form of non-personal presentation & promotion of ideas, goods, & services by an identified sponsor. It also refers to controlled, identifiable information & persuasion by means of mass communication.

Advertisements designs to target a group of customers rather than individuals. It helps a business to promote their brands & products to the targeted audience with the aim to increase sales, enhance brand value, inform customers about new products, educate customers about product features etc.

• Objective of Advertising

1. to introduce new products
2. to stimulate buying impulse
3.  support personal selling
4. to reach inaccessible customers
5. to build brand image & good will
6. enter a new market to attract a new group of customers
7. to support the effort of dealers & agents to sell products & services
8. to expand market for the existing range of products & services
9. motivate the channel partners to stock in more of the organization’s products
10. to tap the memory of existing customers
11. to rope in new customers
12. provide end to end guidance to the existing & prospective customers
13. to provide the information about products & services
14. reassure the existing customers about the service levels
15. to change social attitude & persuade the customers to take action.

• Characteristics of Advertising

1. Advertising is basically a commercial activity different from publicity
2. It is sponsored communication which influences the purchase behaviour & attitude of consumers
3. lack personal elements & is purely non-personal mostly carried out through sponsors to target & attract a large group of customers
4. it encompasses research, plan, co-ordination & execution of activities
5. This is a key component of promotion element of marketing mix
6. It is effective when the time, place, & direction of advertisement is controlled & is highly persuasive
7. Set of the targeted customers,  identifies it.

• Different methods are used to advertise different products

1. Functions of Advertising
2. preparing ground for new products
3. creation of demand
4. facing the competition
5. creating & enhancing good will
6. barring new entrances
7. persuading customers & maintaining customers loyalty
8. build brand image
9. informing the changes to customers
10. to lower the prices
11. acts as a competitive weapon
12. strengthen other promotion mix elements

• Social & Economic Effects of Advertising

1. Economic Effects

• effect on the value of products & services
• effect on prices
• on consumer demand & consumer choice
• effect of competition

2. Social Effects

• social & cultural issues
• stereotyping in advertising
• sex appeals or nudity used to gain consumer’s attention

• Advertising & Decision Making

Advertising reaches products & services to customers. During the process many crucial decisions need to be taken by the branding & marketing communications team. Some of the decisions are listed below:

1. objectives behind releasing the advertisement
2. media through which the advertisement effort is to be carried out
3. ad copy & related aspects of the advertisement
4. advertising budget taking into consideration the various costs involved

• Classification of Advertising

1. on the basis of area coverage(i.e. local, regional, national, international advertising)
2. audience(i.e. consumer, industrial, trade, professional advertising)
3. on the basis of media(i.e. print, electronic, outdoor media advertising, etc.)
4. on the basis of advertising stages(i.e. pioneer, retentive stage advertising, etc.)

• There are different types of Advertising like social, political, institutional, product, retails, financial, service, etc.
  Selection of a right type of advertising media is a difficult task. Any media that is selected must be capable of accomplishing at least three main objective :

1. it must reach the largest number of people possible
2. must attract their attention
3. it must be economical

• Marketing Tools

1. Above the line (ATL)
2. Below the line (BTL)
3. Through the line(TTL)

• ATL

  It refers to promotional activities done at macro level. It does at national, regional, or at bigger territory level & is coveres mass audience in this type of promotion. Creates brand image  about the company & its product. Radio, cinema, television, newspaper, & magazines are used to create an impact about the company & its products. ATL communication is more of conventional in nature.

• BTL

This communication is unconventional in nature, done micro level &forms part of non-media communication. Measures include direct mailing, distribution of flyers, brochures, & usage of sponsorship, public relations, tele-marketing & point of sale.

• Through the Line (TTL)

It refers to an advertising strategy involving both above & below the line communications. This strategic approach allows brands to engage with a customer at multiple points. This enables an integrated communications approach where consistent messaging across multiple media create a customer perception.

The advent of social media has blurred the ‘Line’ segregating the marketing techniques. These days, companies use an integrated approach involving both ATL & BTL & called TTL approach. This generate a solid perception regarding the company & the product, the main aim of Marketing!