MEANS OR MEDIA OF ADVERTISEMENT
Media of advertisement means any object or any device which is used to communicate the message, either written or oral, to the potential consumers. For the convenience of study, means of advertisement may broadly be divided into four parts-(I) Press Advertising; (II) Outdoor or Mural Advertising: (III) Advertisement by Mail; (IV) Other Media. A brief discussion in this regard is as follows:
(I) Press Advertising
Press is considered to be the most popular media of advertisement these days. It is also considered to be the cheapest and the best media because of its wide circulation. Press advertising may be divided into forms: Newspapers and Magazines. Newspapers and magazines have become an essential part of our day-to-day life. The details regarding Press advertising are as follows:
1. Newspaper Advertisement. All the advertisements made through newspapers are called Newspaper Advertisements. A newspaper may be of national or local level, in English, or in any other language. Newspaper advertisements may be of four types
(i) Classified Advertisement. These advertisements are. published in quite brief. These carry only messages and that too in precise form. These advertisements do not stress attraction. There is a certain space in every newspaper for these advertisements. The main examples of such an advertisement are the advertisement for Matrimonial. To let. For Sales, Situations Wanted, Educational, Tender Notices, Auction, etc. (MCom 2nd Year Advertising Sales Management Study Material Notes)
(ii) Non-classified Advertisement. These advertisements are published in detail and in an attractive manner. These advertisements give full information about products and producers. Such advertisements are generally published on fall or half or quarter or a certain part of a page of the newspaper. There is no certain place in the newspapers for such advertisements.
(iii) Teaser Advertisements. This is a new form of advertisement Under this form, a number of advertisements are published in a newspaper in series at regular intervals. These advertisements
do not carry any sales message. Such advertisements keep the readers engaged till the last advertisement appears.
(iv) News Type Advertisements. These advertisements are published in the form of news. The words “It is an Advertisement are added at the end of the message, so that the purpose of the advertisement may be expressed Speeches of the Chairman of Companies are published in this form. (MCom 2nd Year Advertising Sales Management Study Material Notes)
2. Magazines or Journals Advertisement. When an advertisement is published in a magazine or a journal it is called a magazine or journal Advertisement.
Magazines or journals may be of three types:
(i) General Magazines. These magazines are meant for everyone. These magazines cover almost every field of life, such as illustrated weekly of India, Sunday, Blitz, Sarita, Dharamyug, Maya, etc.
(ii) Specialised Magazines. These magazines are meant for a specific group of consumers, such as Commerce and Capital for businessmen: Famine for women, Chandamama, Champak, Nandan for Children; Chartered Accountant for the student of C.A., Management Accountant for the Students of I.C.W.A.; Competition Master, Competition Success Review for the students preparing for competitions, etc.
(iii) Special Issues. Some Magazines are special issues, Such as directories, annual numbers, etc.
(II) Outdoor or Mural Advertising
Outdoor advertisements are the advertisements that attract customers when they are out of their homes. These advertisements are displayed on roads or otherwise. This is the oldest form of advertising but it is equally common even these days. This is used very widely and very often. Actually, this form of advertising is a complement to press advertisement. It is adopted with the object to remind the consumers of the product again and again and at all times and places. This method is very useful for products that need a wide appeal.
Various forms of outdoor advertisement may be as follow:
1. Posters. ‘Posters’ means the papers or cardboards which are pasted on walls. These posters are prepared in a very attractive manner and are pasted on the walls of the commonplace.
2. Advertising Boards. Advertising Boards are boards, generally made of tin, of big size, painted in beautiful colours and pictures carrying the advertising message in brief. These boards are placed on Main Crossings, Bus stands, Railway Stations, Cinema Halls, Educational Institutions, etc. These boards attract the attention of the maximum number of persons passing from those places.
3. Electric Display. This is the latest and most attractive form of outdoor advertising. Under this form, the name, design, etc. of the product is written in bright colors and is lighted. These displays attract the attention of people, particularly at night.
4. Advertisement through the Means of Transport. Advertisements on the means of transportation are becoming more and more popular day by day. Under this method, the backside or sides of buses, trucks, matadors, etc. are painted or advertisement boards are fixed. The advertisement may be made inside also. This method has proved very successful.
5. Sandwich Board. Under this method of advertisement, some persons are hired. These persons are decorated in the manner that they may advertise the product wherever they go. Then these persons are moved from one place to another in a procession. They play musical instruments also and attract the attention of the public.
6. Counter and Window Display. This is a very common form of outdoor advertising. Under this form, counters and windows are decorated in a manner that the attention of the general public may be drawn. These counters and windows are fixed at some important places also, such as-Cinema Hall, Bus stand and Railway Stations, etc.
(III) Direct Mail Advertising
Direct mail advertising means the form or advertising in which the advertiser sends a personal message in writing through the post to some selected persons. As this method approaches persons directly it is also called ‘Direct Advertising’. This is also called Advertising through Letter Box.’ J.W.W. Cassels defined Direct Mail Advertising as, “Direct Mail Advertising is using the letterbox to tell the right people about right goods at right time in the right way.”
According to Roger Barton, “Direct mail advertising is the use of the mail to reach preselected individuals with advertising or sale message”. (MCom 2nd Year Advertising Sales Management Study Material Notes)