Advertising

Advertising is paid-for communication between an individual, organization or business and prospects or customers.

It takes place in a medium such as newspapers, TV, magazines or the Internet and is generally priced based upon how many readers, viewers or prospects (circulation or audience) it will reach. In advertising, the buyer or sponsor has virtually total control over the message because it is purchased.

Advertising helps customers decide what to purchase

The messages provided in an advertisement or commercial are designed expressly to create preference for the sponsor’s product or service. In this sense, it is self-serving. However, advertising also aids prospects by providing them with detailed information about the product or service offered, it’s price and delivery and any guarantees or ‘extras’ that come with a purchase. When the advertisement is of a competitive nature, it serves the sponsor by creating preference for what he offers over his competitors, but it also helps the customer by providing him with an opportunity to make an informed choice of supplier.

Advertising comes in many forms

There are many different types of advertising ranging from a simple sign or placard carried by an individual in front of a retail establishment, to sophisticated TV commercials that cost a small fortune to produce and air. These messages can be delivered by TV, radio, print media, video games, magazines, and billboards or through a wide variety of Internet methods. They can also be seen in airport posters, on the sides of buses, heard on the telephone while waiting on ‘hold’, delivered via public address systems and even placed in the sky by airplanes or by towed banners. There is also advertising that while designed to create preference, doesn’t sell anything. Good examples include religious organizations, the military, political groups or candidates, public service announcements and non-profit organizations.

Many advertising functions are outsourced

Although advertising has traditionally been conceived, crafted, produced and placed by advertising agencies or in-house advertising departments in larger companies, the Internet has made outsourcing one of the most popular ways to get the job done by using outside professionals such as freelance writers, graphic designers, website design specialists and others. Outsourcing has been rapidly growing because it eliminates the need for companies to hire extra employees and spend additional sums for benefit programs, retirement plans and extra space, equipment and supplies. Outsourcing via the Internet also permits both companies and individuals to gain access to specialized talents that are nearly impossible to locate elsewhere. In many cases, it also permits the buyer to choose from numerous ‘bidders’ on his project based upon their demonstrated abilities and price.

Advertising is big business

In 2005 alone, more than $144-billion was spent on advertising in the United States. Worldwide statistics indicate that $385-billion was spent in advertising in that same year. Moreover, projects indicate that these expenditures will exceed half-a-trillion dollars by the year 2010. While advertising is necessary for economic growth, some see it as sometimes being socially invasive, as in the case of bulk unsolicited e-mails sent over the Internet. Whatever one’s point of view, advertising messages are clearly here to stay.