Types of Advertising Media

Print media. More advertising money is spent in newspapers than in any other medium. The most frequent users of newspaper advertising are local advertisers. This is understandable because most newspapers have a local audience. Newspaper advertising has many advantages. Advertising reaches large portions of a local market, its cost is relatively low. Newspapers are timely: they appear weekly or daily. Their special interest sections such as entertainment, business, sports, and family pages are effective in reaching a target market. But there are also limitations: newspapers are usually read once and stay in the house for just a day; the print quality of newspapers is not always the best; ads have to compete with each other for the readers’ attention; there is no assurance that every person who gets the newspaper will read the ad.

There are many reasons why magazines rank high as a major medium for many advertisers. The exceptionally good selectivity of audience possible with magazines minimizes waste circulation. There is a magazine designed for almost every special-interest group, as well as magazines that appeal to general audiences. Magazines have a longer life than most other media. A monthly magazine often remains on the coffee table for an entire month. Colour reproduction in most magazines is superior to that in newspapers. The main reason is the lower quality of paper used by newspapers. The major disadvantages of magazines are: they come periodically and thus have a delayed reach and frequency, which often dates the ads. Magazines are not as flexible as newspapers: it takes from three weeks to two months for an advertisement to be published. But newspaper ads can be placed with as little as two or three days’ notice.

Broadcast media. Television viewing and radio listening are almost as much as a part of our life as eating and sleeping. So, it is no wonder that these media offer enormous opportunities to advertisers.

The growth of television has been phenomenal. Its unique qualities have made it the leading medium for national advertisers. Television offers many advantages to advertisers: both maximum number of potential viewers and maximum number of times a message can be run. Television is demographically selective, it is relatively easy to reach a target market. It also has superior product demonstration capability because of its visual dimension.

However, some characteristics of television limit its effectiveness. The life of a TV commercial is over the moment the commercial ends. The viewer who misses it cannot go back later for the message as it is possible with print media. The number of television commercials wherein advertisements can be added is limited by the number of hours a station is on the air. Besides, television is an expensive medium, and the costs have been steadily rising.

Radio, as a medium, offers a form of entertainment that attracts listeners while they are working, travelling, relaxing or doing almost anything. Though many people thought radio would die with the growing popularity of television, radio is stronger now than it ever was. It is still an excellent medium for advertisers. Radio is a relatively inexpensive way of reaching people. There are enough stations. Each offering its own brand of programming that almost any group can enjoy listening. Radio is innovative. Stations are constantly experimenting with new formats. Like television, radio is demographically selective. Radio advertisers can select a market segment and broadcast their commercials on the station that appeals to the people in this particular segment. Moreover, radio is also a way to support your printed advertising.

But radio advertising has some limitations. As in television, the message has no life but is gone the moment it is spoken. The fact that radio is essentially local may make it less attractive to some national advertisers. Since it is audio and not video, a radio commercial is best suited for simple messages that do not require product demonstration.

Direct mail ranks third among the media in terms of advertising money volume, exceeded only by newspapers and television. It includes letters, catalogues, postcards, folders, and other forms of ‘junk mail’, as it is known by its critics. The purpose of direct mail is to get immediate orders or inquiries from customers. It is very expensive, as it includes the cost of postage.

The term out-of-home-media is concerned with two kinds of advertising – outdoor and transit. Outdoor advertising is also known as billboard advertising. The three main types of outdoor advertising are posters, painted bulletins, and electric spectaculars. The use of outdoor advertising is growing because of the high mobility of modern consumers. This type of advertising is natural for motels and restaurants, as travelers look for posters indicating the presence and location of such businesses. Outdoor advertising is an excellent way to remind consumers of the advertiser’s brand. It also adds to the repetitive effect of a firm’s total advertising, and it provides this service 24 hours a day.

One of the biggest drawbacks is the criticism from environmentalists and certain aesthetic groups. They consider the posters to be eyesores in the environment and interfere with travellers’ enjoyment of the countryside.

Transit includes messages appearing on or in the vehicles themselves. Transit advertising is associated with all forms of public transportation, including buses, subways, elevated trains, streetcars, and commutertrains. It is an important supplementary medium for many advertisers and is the least expensive of all media.

Despite all these types, the ultimate in advertising is word of mouth: friends and colleagues are often our most reliable sources of information. This form of advertising is usually free. All the advertiser can do is to hope that it is positive.

Дата добавления: 2015-11-16