The word advertising originates from a Latin word advertise, which means to turn to. The dictionary meaning of the term is “to give public notice or to announce publicly”. Advertising may be defined as the process of buying sponsor-identified media space or time in order to promote a product or an idea.
The American Marketing Association, has defined advertising as “any form of non-personal presentation or promotion of ideas, goods or services, by an identified sponsor.”
What Advertisement Is? Advertisement is a mass communicating of information intended to persuade buyers to by products with a view to maximizing a company’s profits.
The elements of advertising are:
- It is a mass communication reaching a large group of consumers.
- It makes mass production possible.
- It is non-personal communication, for it is not delivered by an actual person, nor is it addressed to a specific person.
- It is a commercial communication because it is used to help assure the advertiser of a long business life with profitable sales.
- Advertising can be economical, for it reaches large groups of people. This keeps the cost per message low.
- The communication is speedy, permitting an advertiser to speak to millions of buyers in a matter of a few hours.
- Advertising is identified communication. The advertiser signs his name to his advertisement for the purpose of publicizing his identity.
What is Included in Advertising?
- The information in an advertisement should benefit the buyers. It should give them a more satisfactory expenditure of their rupees.
- It should suggest better solutions to their problems.
- The content of the advertisement is within the control of the advertiser, not the medium.
- Advertising without persuasion is ineffective. The advertisement that fails to influence anyone, either immediately or in the future, is a waste of money.
- The function of advertising is to increase the profitable sales volume. That is, advertising expenses should not increase disproportionately.
Advertising includes the following forms of messages: The messages carried in-
- Newspapers and magazines;
- On radio and television broadcasts;
- Circular of all kinds, (whether distributed by mail, by person, thorough tradesmen, or by inserts in packages);
- Dealer help materials,
- Window display and counter — display materials and efforts;
- Store signs, motion pictures used for advertising,
- Novelties bearing advertising messages and Signature of the advertiser,
- Label stags and other literature accompanying the merchandise.
What is excluded from Advertising?
Advertising is not an exact science. An advertisers circumstances are never identical with those of another; he cannot predict with accuracy what results his future advertising efforts will produce.
- Advertising is not a game, because if advertising is done properly, both the buyer and the seller benefit from it.
- Advertising is not a toy. Advertiser cannot afford to play with advertising. Advertising funds come from sales revenue and must be used to increase sales revenue.
- Advertisements are not designed to deceive. The desire and hope for repeat sales insures a high degree of honesty in advertising.
The activities excluded from advertising are:
- The offering of premiums to stimulate the sale of products;
- The use of exhibitions and demonstrations at fairs, show and conventions;
- The use of samples and activities, involving news releases and the activities of personal selling forces;
- The payment of advertising allowances which are not used for advertising;
- The entertainment of customers