Advertising Media
Advertising is a way of promoting a product or a brand through different mediums. In broader terms, we can say that advertising is an act of getting people's attention towards a brand. If a product is advertised well and its information reaches to the masses; the chance of it being sold too increases. Therefore, advertising is very essential for the sale of a product.
“An advertising media is the vehicle, carrier or means through which an advertisement on advertising message is conveyed to the individuals or groups which is hoped to influence.”
While choosing a media for advertising few things must be kept in mind, out of which the most important factors are:
- The media should be easily accessible to the public.
- It should be made sure that medium chosen is popular among the masses.
- The theme chosen for advertising must be attractive and attention diverting.
If the media chosen for advertising something is popular amongst the masses, then the chances of more people getting to know about it increases. Hence, popularity of the medium is most important factor for an advertising media. The ads play a very important role. People only pay attention to those ads that are compelling and draw their attention towards them.
Types of advertising media
- Radio - The radio commercials are audio and not visual it’s important that the audio commercial made is well spoken and has sounds and words that catch the attention of the listener.
- Hoardings, Boards and Posters - These media are an excellent source for advertising especially large hoardings on the roadsides. However, in order to grab the attention of a passer by these boards and posters of course have to be attractive and must be bold and clear.
- Newspapers and Magazines - Newspapers are yet another very common and a very old media for advertising. Small or large ads can be given on a newspaper either on the side of a news column of in front of the paper. Magazines are also very popular among the masses and an advertisement given in a magazine is sure to grab attention.
- Telephones and Mobile Phones - These media are not very commonly used but are in many cases used as the media for advertising. Mobile telecom companies advertise their new packages by sending SMS to their users. Companies to companies’ advertisement takes place through telephones commonly.
- Internet - Internet in today’s world can be stated as one of the best media for advertising. Ads can be given on the sides of popular websites most importantly on social networking websites that are extremely popular amongst the youth.
- Television - It is an excellent media for advertising something as it is one of most commonly used medium by the masses. While making a TV commercial it is very important that the theme of the commercial is good it is well made and the concept should compel the viewer to look at it rather than changing the channel during a commercial break of a program. A famous figure used as model for selling the product diverts people attention more.
Media Planning
An advertising media plan is a strategy for marketing your business through certain media channels to achieve a business goal such as raising brand awareness to obtain new customers. Media planning will ensure you are putting your advertising message in front of the right audience using the right media channels, where your customers are most likely to see. And most importantly, effective media planning will improve your advertising ROI. Its success depends on careful research and implementation, as well as your knowledge of media buying and basic marketing strategies. Media planning process starts with a review of the industry and competition and an evaluation of available media research to understand the consumer habits and motivations that may impact their response to your advertising. Then, we design a customized media strategy, based on a careful examination of your business, your competitive position and your unique marketing goals and objectives. Finally, a strategic calendar of advertising activity is recommended that provides for effective utilization of your advertising budget. This media plan will provide a framework within which the media buyers can evaluate various media proposals and then negotiate purchase and schedule the media.
The components of advertising Plan
- Setting up Advertising Objectives
- Advertising Budget
- Message Strategy
- Media Strategy.
Why You Need an Advertising Plan
The most creative advertising in the world is worthless if it misses the target audience. The best offer in the world is worthless if it does not offer the benefits your clients want. Even well planned and executed advertising has little value if you don’t keep it in front of your customers. Effective advertising comes from good planning, good budgeting, a long-term commitment, and a lot of work. You need great ads that get results.
- Effective advertising lowers your cost of doing business.
- Minimal, limited duration or random advertising equals wasted money.
- Advertising is not creative or funny if it does not bring in clients.
- Advertising has a cumulative effect, and is a long-term investment.
- Sales response builds over time if advertising is consistent.
- Effective advertising comes from solid planning and high-quality production.
- Synergy is a real thing in advertising.
- Advertising cannot make up for poor quality, service, or timing.
Media Scheduling
Media scheduling refers to the programming of media insertions. The media planners are preparing a media schedule. Media scheduling depends upon a number of factors such as:
- Nature of product - consumer usable, durables or industrial
- Nature of sales - whether seasonal or regular sales.
- Product lifecycle - whether introduction, growth, maturity or decline.
- Pattern of competitor’s programmers.
- Entry of new competitors.
- Availability of funds for advertising.
The schedule shows the number of advertisements that are to appear in each medium, the size of the advertisements, and the date on which they are to appear. There are many ways of scheduling any advertising programme. No single way can be said to be best for all advertisers. Each advertiser must prepare a specific schedule most suitable for its market and its advertising objectives. What may be good for one advertiser and his product may be bad for another. Even for the same advertiser, the best at one stage of the product life cycle may not be suitable at another stage. An advertiser, for example, may schedule to buy six pages space in a monthly consumer magazine. Alternatively, he may buy one-page space every month for the first three months; then he may not buy space for the next three months; and then again take one-page space every month for the next three months. There may be a variety of schedules of advertisements. The last method of scheduling is known as the wave method, or the flighting method. In flighting, advertisements are bunched with the intention of providing a concentrated impact. The other method is the blitz schedule. The insertion of double-page advertisements in three consecutive issues of a magazine is an example of the blitz schedule. There are many more methods of bunching advertisements. However, the purpose of bunching is to provide concentrated impact with a single issue of the publication.
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