Define Advertising media. What are its Types and Functions?

Advertising Media Definition:- Advertising media has become a common need of every business organization today, and without advertising media, nobody can think about surviving in the market. There is no doubt about it that “Advertising” is a great force of promotions now regarded as an effective and profitable investment.

A firm that has to spend money takes proper care in planning expenditure on advertising. It can be defined as “A medium which is most effective for inducing the people to purchase its good or services is known as advertising media”.

Advertising Media Consideration

A firm, therefore, before selecting an advertising media takes into consideration:-

• The cost of the advertisement.
• The extent of circulation.
• The time of the advertisement.
• The quality of media.
• Degree of flexibility in changing advertisement according to the changed circumstances
• The effectiveness of the media.
• The editorial policy of the media.
• Relationship media to market etc.

Generally, the medium which is selected contains some of each of the above qualities. The advertiser, therefore, chooses the advertising media, which is most suited to his business requirements.

Types of Advertising Media

Below are the 11 different types of advertising media, which are nowadays common in the business world.

1. News Papers
2. Magazines
3. Radio and Television
4. Film Advertising
5. Internet Advertising
6. Direct Mail Service
7. Outdoor Advertising
8. Transportation Advertising
9. The point at Purchase Advertising
10. Product Sampling
11. Premium

• News Papers

The newspaper is the principal means of advertising medium as it is read by a large number of people. The advertisement may be classified or unclassified. News Paper Advertising is the commonly used types of advertising media. 

• Magazines

Magazines are another important medium for advertisement. The advertisement in a magazine has a much larger life than the other advertisement media as they remain with the reader for a longer period of time. The magazine may be consumer magazines, business magazines, farmers’ magazines, etc.

• Radio and Television

Radio and television have become the most important advertising media. Radio conveys a message to the listening audience. Television has the advantage that it combines sight, sound, motion and demonstration.

• Film Advertising

Film advertising is also known as cinema advertising and work just like television advertising.  With both visual and audible messages, they are much more effective than just audible messages like that of radio or telephonic. It is limited to the local population only, where the cinema is located but it is of repetitive value and that’s what makes it able to tackle the problem mentioned above.

The costs involved here provide the same challenges as that of television advertising. Filmmaking costs and usage of distributional media and costs involved in them are something that makes them limited to just bigger companies. Unlike other media, film advertising consumes a whole lot of time and still, the effectiveness of the method cannot be confirmed.

• Internet Advertising

With the tremendous growth in the market in recent times, most of the advertisers think it is far more beneficial than other advertising media because of its extensive reach. Since there are more than millions and billions of internet users online and the number is growing immensely and that’s something which is causing brands to spend more and more of their budget by every passing year.

 As an unbeatable advertising media, the internet provides the advertisers with a large number of advertising options like emails, banners, posters, blogs, magazines, forums, e-newspapers, websites and much more. Moreover, targeting a particular group of people is a lot easier when one chooses to go forward with the internet as its advertising base. Furthermore, tracking the subscriber response is just like a child’s play in the realm of online advertising.

• Direct mail Service

Direct mailing carries messages to the prospective buyers at home addresses through letters, postcards, pamphlets, booklets, folders, catalogs, etc it is thus a media used for selective customers.

• Outdoor Advertising

Outdoor advertising gives geographical coverage. It consists of a wide variety of billboards, painted signs, electrically illuminated displays, to attract the attention of pedestrians and motorists.

• Transportation Advertising

This advertising media is used by the display of posters, signboards, etc at the stations, trains, buses and taxes, etc.

• The point at purchase Advertising

Point at Purchase advertising as the name suggest is made inside the departmental stores. The customers attracted by the advertisement are also induced to purchase the products.

• Product Sampling

In order to promote sales, a small sample of the product is distributed free either by the house to house delivery or through the mail. This also has become one sort of advertising media today.

• Premium

If a buyer purchases a specific good, he is given a premium as a gift. The premium leads the buyer into thinking that he or she is receiving something for nothing.

Advertising Agency

The advertising agency varies in size. It may consist of one man who drafts an advertising copy and also recommends the advertising media. Large advertising agencies, employ specialists who are responsible for the operating of various agency functions. This can be illustrated with the help of the following organizational chart for an advertising agency.

Functions of Advertising Agency

As the advertising is now being carried on scientific lines, the functions of advertising agencies have considerably increased. The advertising agency is a firm which specializes in creating advertising and also making research work in the market. The following are the main functions of Advertising Agency.:-

1. Determination of Market

The advertising agency makes a study of the demand for the client’s products in the market. It takes into consideration the class of buyers, the time of purchase made in bulk or in small quantities.

2. Analysis of Potential Market

The advertising agency carefully analysis the present position of the client’s product and the prospectus of its growth is the future. Market research is thus an important part of the whole procedure of advertisement.

3. Distribution Factors

The advertising agency has also need to guide the client in the selection of the channel distribution for the sale of the product. For instance, it may recommend an opening of a factory’s, sales branch, or appointment of agents or wholesale distributors for the marketing of product.

4. Media of Advertisement

It has also to determine the advertising media, which is most suited for the promotion of sale and also costs less per unit to the client.

5. Formulation of Plan

The advertising agency also formulates plans on scientific lines and presents it to the client for his guidance and implementation.

6. Execution of the Plan

The advertising agency provides all possible help in the development and execution of the plan.

7. Preparing the Advertising Copy        

The advertising agency prepares the advertising copy, taking into consideration human desire, the tone of advertising, etc. It selects the best medium of advertisement for the firm’s product. It is called keying in business terminology.

8. Close Cooperation

The agency keeps a close touch with the client and constantly examines the results from the advertising campaign. It is called a follow-up system.

9. Agency Commission

The advertising agency receives a commission for the services it renders in promoting the sales of his client by preparing an effective advertisement, buying space and conducting the advertising result.