Advertising is the best tool for companies to promote their products and services both online and offline. For this, they use various mediums, which help them to increase the sales of their product and services and boost their brand value.
It is basically the act of spreading awareness among the consumers about a particular brand or its products. Also, it works by focusing on customer’s requirement to buy the product. Hence, advertising has become an important part of the corporate industry globally. And hence, organizations spend a lot of their budget on promotional campaigns.
Further, advertising helps in building a brand of the product, which goes a long way in making effective sales.
There are various types of advertising organizations indulge in. Have a look at them.
Classification of Advertising
1. Print Advertising
This is probably the oldest form of advertising. Here, products and services are promoted in the form of texts. Companies from various industries across the globe have been using newspapers and magazines for over years now. With print media, companies can endorse their brand or products through fliers and brochures through newspapers and magazines.
They can buy advertising space in any popular newspaper or magazine and the cost depends on various factors including the quantity of space, type of paper, and the page of the publication.
For instance, an advertisement on the first page of the newspaper costs more than on other pages. Likewise, an advertisement on a thick, glossy paper or a highlighted corner would be more expensive than in an ordinary quality paper.
2. Broadcast Advertising
This form of advertising is widespread all around the world. Broadcasting includes radio, television, and Internet advertising. With this form of advertising, companies can cover up large number of audiences, even in real-time. Advertisements on the television are very popular. The length and time of the ad determines the cost of a particular advertisement.
For instance, advertisements that are telecasted at the prime time would be more costly than the regular ones. While, radio advertising has been a popular form of broadcasting, after the advent of television and internet, its popularity has reduced greatly. However, it is still an important advertisement form in rural areas.
The radio campaigns are quite popular in some sections of society helping to sell the products/services.
3. Outdoor Advertising
This type of advertising makes use of various tools to get customer’s attention like the billboards, kiosks, and tradeshows and events which are an effective way to convey the message of any organization. While billboards are there all around, the content displayed should be capable enough to attract potential customers.
This means it should be very attractive. Organizing events, on the other hand, such as exhibitions and trade fairs for promoting the product or service helps in effective endorsement of the product. Hence, outdoor advertising is also an effective advertising tool.
4. Public Service Advertising
This type of advertisement is done for public causes to make people aware about such public issues. Social, national and environmental matters such as political integrity, AIDS, Cancer, energy conservation, population, illiteracy, poverty and many more which need more awareness are spread through these advertising. Public service advertising has achieved widespread importance in recent times and is an effective tool to communicate the message.
5. Covert Advertising
This is an entirely different way of advertisement. In this form, the product is subtly included in a serial or movie. There’s no actual advertisement. It includes just mentioning the product in the movie or TV serial.
For instance, Katty Perry using Apple phone in her new album. Seeing a product being used by a celebrity creates an impact on the audience which boosts their interest in buying that product.
6. Celebrity Advertising
In this type of advertising, business owners bank upon celebrities for advertising their products or services. Advertisers sign up popular celebrities for various advertising campaigns and use their popularity to reach and attract customers. Celebrity advertising comprise all kinds of advertising including, television ads, social media or even print advertisements.
7. Surrogate Advertising
This type of advertising is used when a particular product or services is banned by the law. For instance, advertising products like alcohol and cigarettes which are harmful for the health of consumers are prohibited by law in many nations.
In order to continue their sale, such companies have to come up with other products with the same name. This technique helps them remind their consumers of cigarettes and hard drinks of the same brand. Kingfisher is a great example of this type of advertising.
8. Response Advertising
Personalized messages are sent to the consumers in the form of offers based on their personal interests. The main objective is to develop a ‘relationship’ with the customer. This form of advertising encourages a response from the customer based on which brands build commercial relation with them.
9. Interactive Advertising
It involves promotions through interactive mediums like internet, TV, SMS, and Mobiles. Advertisers, through these interactive mediums influence the buying decisions of the customers.
With this type, advertisers can interact with their consumers directly or in a personal way. This can affect the buying decision of a potential customer, especially in an e-commerce space.
10. Advocacy Advertising
Such advertising is used in an attempt to change public opinion in areas of controversies. For example, ads run by the coal industry to encourage the use of coal by power plants. However, this advertising type is not very prevalent.