BBA 5th Sem – Event Advertising and Media Management

Unit 1: Introduction to advertising

History of Advertising:

ADVERTISEMENT - AN INTRODUCTION

Advertising is a powerful communication force, highly visible, and one of the most important
tools of marketing communications that helps to sell products, services, ideas and images, etc.
Many believe that advertising reflects the needs of the times. One may like it or not but
advertisements are everywhere. Advertisements are seen in newspapers, magazines, on
television and internet and are heard on radio. The average consumer is exposed to a very
large number of advertisements every day, particularly the urban and semi-urban population.
It seems almost impossible to remain totally neutral and not take any notice of modern-day
advertising.

The most visible part of the advertising process is the advertisements that we see, read, or
hear and praise or criticize. Many suitable adjectives are used to describe advertising,
depending on how an individual is reaching, such as great, dynamic, alluring, fascinating,
annoying, boring, intrusive, irritating, offensive, etc. Advertising is an indicator of the growth,
betterment and perfection of civilization. It is part of our social, cultural and business
environment.

It is not at all surprising that advertising is one of the most closely scrutinized of all business
institutions. In today’s environment, not only are advertisers closely examined by the target
audience for whom that advertisement is meant, but by society in general.

ADVERTISING – DEFINITION
“Advertising is any paid form of non-personal presentation and promotion of ideas,
goods and services by an identified sponsor.” – American Marketing Association.
“Advertising is controlled, identifiable information and persuasion by means of mass
communications media.”
“Advertising is the non-personal communication of marketing-related information to a
target audience, usually paid for by the advertiser, and delivered through mass media in
order to reach the specific objectives of the sponsor.” – John J Burnett.
“Advertising is a message paid for by an identified sponsor and delivered through mass
medium of mass communication. Advertising is persuasive communication. It is not
neutral; it is not unbiased; it says; ‘I am going to sell you a product or an idea.”- J Thomas
Russell and W. Ronald Lane

MEANING OF ADVERTISING:

Advertising is the action of calling public attention to an idea, good, or service through
paid announcements by an identified sponsor.

What is advertisement?
Any paid form of non- personal presentation and promotion of ideas, goods or services
through mass media such as newspapers, magazines, television or radio by an identified
sponsor.

OBJECTIVE OF ADVERTISEMENT
● To increase support: advertising increases the morale of the sales force and of
distributors, wholesalers and retailers.

● To stimulate sales amongst present, former and future customers. It involves decision
regarding the media.

● To retain loyalty: to retain loyalty of present and former consumers.

● To protect an image: advertising is used to promote an overall image of respect and

trust for an organization.

● To communicate with consumers: this involves regarding copy.

What is included in advertising?

(i) The information in an advertisement should benefit the buyers. It should give them
more satisfactory expenditure of their rupees.
(ii) It should suggest better solutions to their problems.
(iii) The content of the advertisement is within the control of the advertiser, not the

medium.

(iv) Advertising without persuasion is ineffective. Advertisement that fails to influence

anyone, either immediately or in the future is a waste of money.

(v) The function of advertising is to increase the profitable sales volume. That is,
advertising expenses should not increase disproportionately.
Advertising generally includes the following forms of medium:
The messages carried in-
➢ Newspapers and magazines;
➢ 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 advertiser’s circumstances are never identical with
those of another; he cannot predict with accuracy what results his future advertising
efforts will produce.
(i) Advertising is not a game, because if advertising is done properly, both the buyer
and the seller benefit from it.
(ii) 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.
(iii) 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
OBJECTIVES OF ADVERTISING
There are 3 main objectives of advertising. These are:
To Inform
Advertisements are used to increase the brand awareness and brand exposure in the
target market. Informing the potential customers about the brand and its products is the
first step towards attaining business goals.

To Persuade
Persuading customers to perform a particular task is a prominent objective of advertising.
The tasks may involve buying or trying the products and services offered, to from a brand
image, develop a favourable attitude towards the brand etc.

To Remind
Another objective of advertising is to reinforce the brand message and to reassure the
existing and potential customers about the brand vision. Advertising helps the brand to
maintain top of mind awareness and to avoid competitors stealing the customers. This
also helps in the word-of-mouth marketing. Other objectives of advertising are subsets of
these three objectives. These subsets are:
 Brand Building
 Increasing Sales
 Creating Demand
 Engagement
 Expanding Customer Base
 Changing Customers’ attitudes, etc

The basic objectives of an advertising programme may be listed as below:

(i) To stimulate sales amongst present, former and future consumers. It involves
decision regarding the media, e.g., TV versus Print.
(ii) To communicate with consumers. This involves decision regarding copy.
(iii) To retain the loyalty of present and former consumers. Advertising may be used to
 reassure buyers that they have made the best purchase, thus building loyalty to the
brand name or the firm.
(iv) To increase support. Advertising impliedly bolsters the morale of the sales force
and of distributors, wholesalers, and retailers, to instill confidence in organization.
(v) To project an image. Advertising is used to promote an overall image of respect
and trust for an organization. This message is aimed not only at consumers, but
also at the government, shareholders, and the general public.

CHARACTERISTICS OF ADVERTISING
 Paid Form: Advertising requires the advertiser (also called sponsor) to pay to create
an advertising message, to buy advertising media slot, and to monitor advertising
efforts.
 Tool for Promotion: Advertising is an element of promotion mix of an organization.
 One Way Communication: Advertising is a one-way communication where a brands
communicate to the customers through different mediums.
 Personal Or Non-Personal: Advertising can be non-personal as in the case of TV,
radio, or newspaper advertisements, or highly personal as in the case of social media
and other cookie-based advertisements.

TYPES OF ADVERTISING
Advertising is the promotion of a company’s products and services though different
mediums to increase the sales of the product and services. It works by making the
customer aware of the product and by focusing on customer’s need to buy the product.
Globally, advertising has become an essential part of the corporate world. Therefore,
companies allot a huge part of their revenues to the advertising budget. Advertising also
serves to build a brand of the product which goes a long way to make effective sales.

 There are several branches or types of advertising which can be used by the
companies. Let us discuss them in detail.
Print Advertising - The print media has been used for advertising since long. The
newspapers and magazines are quite popular modes of advertising for different
companies all over the world. Using the print media, the companies can also promote
their products through brochures and fliers. The newspaper and magazines sell the
advertising space and the cost depends on several factors. The quantity of space, the
page of the publication, and the type of paper decide the cost of the advertisement. So,
an ad on the front page would be costlier than on inside pages. Similarly, an ad in the
glossy supplement of the paper would be more expensive than in a mediocre quality
paper.

Broadcast Advertising - This type of advertising is very popular all around the world. It
consists of television, radio, or Internet advertising. The ads on the television have a large
audience and are very popular. The cost of the advertisement depends on the length of
the ad and the time at which the ad would be appearing. For example, the prime-time ads
would be more costly than the regular ones. Radio advertising is not what it used to be
after the advent of television and Internet, but still there is specific audience for the radio
ads too. The radio jingles are quite popular in sections of society and help to sell the
products.
 Outdoor Advertising - Outdoor advertising makes use of different tools to gain
customer’s attention. The billboards, kiosks, and events and tradeshows are an
effective way to convey the message of the company. The billboards are present
all around the city but the content should be such that it attracts the attention of
the customer. The kiosks are an easy outlet of the products and serve as
information outlets for the people too. Organizing events such as trade fairs and
exhibitions for promotion of the product or service also in a way advertises the
product. Therefore, outdoor advertising is an effective advertising tool.

Covert Advertising - This is a unique way of advertising in which the product or

the message is subtly included in a movie or TV serial. There is no actual ad,
just the mention of the product in the movie. For example, Tom Cruise used
the Nokia phone in the movie Minority Report.

Public Service Advertising - As evident from the title itself, such advertising is for
the public causes. There are a host of important matters such as AIDS, political
integrity, energy conservation, illiteracy, poverty and so on all of which need
more awareness as far as general public is concerned. This type of advertising
has gained much importance in recent times and is an effective tool to convey
the message.
Print Advertising: Newspaper, magazines, & brochure advertisements, etc.

Broadcast Advertising: Television and radio advertisements.

Outdoor Advertising: Hoardings, banners, flags, wraps, etc.

Covert Advertising: Advertisements displayed over the internet and digital devices.

Public Service Advertising: Product placements in entertainment media like TV show, YouTube video, etc.

IMPORTANCE OF ADVERTISING

(i) To the Customers

 Convenience: Targeted informative advertisements make the customer’s decision
 making process easier as they get to know what suits their requirements

and budget.

 Awareness: Advertising educates the customers about different products

available in the market and their features. This knowledge helps the
customers compare different products and choose the best product for them.
 Better Quality: Only brands advertise themselves and their products. There
are no advertisements of unbranded products. This ensures better quality to
the customers as no brand wants to waste money on false advertising.
To the Business
 Awareness: Advertising increases the brand and product awareness among
the people belonging to the target market.
 Brand Image: Clever advertising helps the business to form the desired
brand image and brand personality in the minds of the customers.
 Product Differentiation: Advertising helps the business to differentiate its
product from those of competitors’ and communicate its features and
advantages to the target audience.
 Increases Goodwill: Advertising reiterates brand vision and increases the
goodwill of the brand among its customers.
 Value for Money: Advertising delivers the message to a wide audience and
tends to be value for money when compared to other elements of promotion
mix.

ADVANTAGES OF ADVERTISING
1.Reduces Per Unit Cost: The wide appeal of advertisements increases
the demand of the product which benefits the organization as it
capitalizes on the economies of scale.

2. Helps in Brand Building: Advertisements work effectively in brand building.

Brands who advertise are preferred over those which don’t.
 3. Helps in Launching New Product: Launching a new product is easy when it is
backed by an advertisement.
4. Boosts up Existing Customers’ Confidence in the Brand: Advertisements
boosts up existing customers’ confidence in the brand as they get a feeling of
pride when they see an advertisement of the product or the brand they use.
5. Helps in Reducing Customer Turnover: A strategic advertisement of new offers
and
better service helps reduce customer turnover.
6. Attracts New Customers: An attractive advertisement helps the brand in
gaining new customers and expanding business.
7. Educates The Customers: Advertisements inform the customers about
different products existing in the market and also educates them in what they
should look for in an apt product.

DISADVANTAGES OF ADVERTISING
1. Increases the Costs: Advertising is an expense to the business and is added
to the cost of the product. This cost is eventually borne by the end consumer.
2. Confuses the Buyer: Too many advertisements with similar claims often
confuses the buyer in what to buy and should he buy the product or not.
3. Is Sometimes Misleading: Some advertisements use smart strategies to
mislead the customers.
4. Only For Big Businesses: Advertising is a costly affair and only big
businesses can afford it. This makes small businesses out of competition with
big businesses who gets to enjoy a monopoly in the market.
5. Encourages The Sale Of Inferior Products: Effective advertisements even
lead to the sale of inferior products which aren’t good for the consumers.

FUNCTIONS OF ADVERTISING
1.To identify products and differentiate them from others. (Branding)

2.To communicate information.

 3.To induce consumers to try new products and to suggest reuse. (new
and repeated consumers)

4.To stimulate the distribution.

5.To build brand awareness, preference and loyalty.

6.To lower the cost of sales. (For the cost of reaching just one
prospect through personal selling, companies can reach thousands of
people through media advertising.)

CLASSIFICATION AND TYPES OF ADVERTISING

1.Product – Related Advertising

A. Pioneering Advertising
B. Competitive Advertising
C. Retentive Advertising
2. Public Service Advertising

3. Functional Classification

A. Advertising Based on Demand Influence Level.

a. Primary Demand (Stimulation)
b. Selective Demand (Stimulation)
B. Institutional Advertising
C. Product Advertising
a. Informative Product Advertising
b. Persuasive Product Advertising
c. Reminder-Oriented Product Advertising
4. Advertising based on Product Life Cycle
a. Consumer Advertising
b. Industrial Advertising
5. Trade Advertising
a. Retail Advertising
b. Wholesale Advertising
 6. Advertising Based on Area of operation
a. National advertising
b. Local advertising
c. Regional advertising
7. Advertising according to Medium Utilized

1. Product – Related Advertising

It is concerned with conveying information about and selling a product or service.
Product advertising is of three types-
A. Pioneering Advertising
B. Competitive Advertising
C. Retentive Advertising

A. Pioneering Advertising
This type of advertising is used in the introductory stages in the life cycle
of a product. It is concerned with developing a “primary” demand.
It conveys information about, and selling a product category rather
than a specific brand. For example the initial advertisement for black
and white television and colour television. Such advertisements
appeal to the consumer’s emotions and rational motives.

B. Competitive Advertising
It is useful when the product has reached the market-growth and
 especially the market-maturity stage. It stimulates “selective” demand.
It seeks to sell a specific brand rather than a general product
category. It is of two types:
a. Direct Type: It seeks to stimulate immediate buying action.
b. Indirect Type: It attempts to pinpoint the virtues of the product in
the expectation that the consumer’s action will be affected by it
when he is ready to buy.
Example: Airline Advertising

Air India attempts to bid for the consumer’s patronage either

immediately -direct action-in which case, it provides prices, time
tables and phone numbers on which the customer may call for
reservations; or eventually – indirect action – when it suggests that
you mention Air India’s name when talking to your travel agent.

C. Retentive Advertising:
This may be useful when the product has achieved a favourable status in
the market – that is, maturity or declining stage. Generally, in such
times, the advertiser wants to keep his product’s name before the
public. A much softer selling approach is used, or only the name may
be mentioned in “reminder” type advertising.

2. Public Service Advertising

This is directed at the social welfare of a community or a nation. The
effectiveness of product service advertisements may be measured in
terms of the goodwill they generate in favour of the sponsoring
organization. Advertisement on not mixing drinking and driving is
a good example of public service advertising. In this type of
advertising, the objective is to put across a message intended to
change attitudes or behaviour and benefit the public at large.
 3. Functional classification: Advertising may be classified according to the
functions that it is intended to fulfill.

(i) Advertising may be used to stimulate either primary demand or selective

demand.
(ii) It may promote either the brand or the firm selling that brand.
(iii) It may try to cause indirect action or direct action.
I. Advertising Based on Demand Influence Level

A. Primary Demand Stimulation

Primary demand is demand for the product or service rather than
for a particular brand. It is intended to affect the demand for the
type of product, and not the brand of that product. Some advertise to
stimulate primary demand. When a product is new, primary demand
stimulation is appropriate. At this time, the marketer must inform
consumers of the existence of the new item and convince them of the
benefits flowing from its use. When primary demand has been
stimulated and competitors have entered the market, the advertising
strategy may be to stimulate the selective demand.

B. Selective Demand Stimulation

This demand is for a particular brand such as Charminar cigarettes, Surf
detergent powder, or Vimal fabrics. To establish a differential
advantage and to acquire an acceptable sort of market, selective
demand advertising is attempted. It is not to stimulate the demand
for the product or service. The advertiser attempts to differentiate his
brand and to increase the total amount of consumption of that
product. Competitive advertising stimulates elective demand. It may
either be direct or indirect type.

ii. Institutional Advertising

Institutional Advertising may be formative, persuasive or reminder
oriented in character. Institutional advertising is used extensively
during periods of product shortages in order to keep the name of the
 company before the public. It aims at building for a firm a positive
public image in the eyes of shareholders, employees, suppliers,
legislators, or the general public. This sells only the name and
prestige of the company. This type of advertising is used frequently
by large companies whose products are well known. HMT or DCM, for
example, does considerable institutional advertising of its name,
emphasizing the quality and research behind its products.
Institutional advertisements are at consumers or focus them upon other
groups, such as voters, government officials, suppliers, financial
institutions, etc. If it is effective, the target groups will respond with
goodwill towards, and confidence in the sponsor. It is also a useful
method of introducing sales persons and new product to consumers.
It does not attempt to sell a particular product; it benefits the
organization as a whole.

It notifies the consumers that the company is a responsible business

entity and is patriotic; that its management takes ecologically
responsible action, is an affair- motive- action employer, supports the
socialistic pattern of society or provides employment opportunities in
the community.
When Indian Oil advertisements describe the company’s general
activities, such as public service work, this may be referred to as
 institutional advertising because it is intended to build an overall
favorable attitude towards the company and its family of products.
HMT once told the story of the small-scale industries supplying it with
component parts, thus indicating how it aided the development of
ancillary industries.

iii. Product Advertising

Most advertising is product advertising, designed to promote the sale
or reputation of a particular product or service that the organization
sells. Indane’s Cooking Gas is a case in point. The marketer may use
such promotion to generate exposure attention, comprehension,

attitude change or action for an offering. It deals with the non-

personal selling of a particular good or service. It is of three types:-

A. Informative Product Advertising

B. Persuasive Product Advertising
C. Reminder-Oriented Product Advertising

A. Informative Product Advertising

This form of advertising tends to characterize the promotion of any new
type of product to develop an initial demand. It is usually done in the
introductory stages of the product life cycle. It was the original
approach to advertising.

B. Persuasive Product Advertising

Persuasive product advertising is to develop demand for a particular
product or brand. It is a type of promotion used in the growth period
 and, to some extent, in the maturity period of the product life cycle.

C. Reminder-Oriented Product Advertising

The goal of this type of advertising is to reinforce previous promotional
activity by keeping the brand name in front of the public. It is used in
the maturity period as well as throughout the declining phase of the
product life cycle.

4. Advertising Based on Product Life Cycle

A. Consumer Advertising
B. Industrial Advertising
A. Consumer Advertising
Most of the consumer goods producers engage in consumer product
advertising. Marketers of pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, scooters,
detergents and soaps, cigarettes and alcoholic beverages are
examples. Baring a few, these products are all package goods that the
consumer will often buy during a year. There is a heavy competition
among the advertisers to establish an advantage for their particular
brand.

B. Industrial Advertising
Industrial executives have little confidence in advertising. They rely on
this form of promotion merely out of fear that their competitors may
benefit if they stop their advertising efforts. The task of the industrial
advertiser is complicated by the multiple buying influence
 characteristics like, the derived demand, etc. The objectives vary
according to the firm and the situation. They are:
➢ To inform,
➢ To bring in orders,
➢ To induce inquiries,
➢ To get the advertiser’s name on the buyer’s list of sources,
➢ To provide support for the salesman,
➢ To reduce selling costs,
➢ To help get items in the news column of a publication,
➢ To establish recognition for the firm or its product,
➢ To motivate distributors,
➢ To recognition for the firm or its products,
➢ To motivate distributors, to create or change a company’s image,
➢ To create or change a buyer’s attitude.
The basic appeals tend to increase the rupee profits of the buyer or help in
achieving his non- monetary objectives. Trade journals are the media most
generally used followed by catalogues, direct mail communication, exhibits,
and general management publications. Advertising agencies are much less
useful in industrial advertising.

5. Trade advertising

●Retail Advertising

●Wholesale Advertising

A.Retail Advertising This may be defined as “covering all advertising by

the stores that sell goods directly to the consuming public.” It
includes, also advertising by establishments that sell services to the
 public, such as beauty shops, petrol pumps and banks. Advertising
agencies are rarely used. The store personnel are usually given this
responsibility as an added task to be performed, together with their
normal functions. The result is that advertising is often relegated to a
secondary position in a retail store.

One aspect of retail advertising is co-operative advertising. It refers to

advertising costs between retailers and manufacturers. From the
retailer’s point of view, co-operative advertising permits a store to
secure additional advertising that would not otherwise have been
available.

A. Wholesale Advertising

Wholesalers are, generally, not advertising minded, either for themselves

or for their suppliers. They would benefit from adopting some of the
image-making techniques used by retailers – the need for developing
an overall promotional strategy. They also need to make a greater use
of supplier promotion materials and programmes in a way
advantageous to them.

6. Advertising based on Area of Operation

It is classified as follow:
A. National Advertising
B. Regional Advertising
 C. Local Advertising
A. National Advertising
The term ‘national advertising’ has a special connotation that advertising is not
confined to any geographic area within the nation. This type of advertising is
undertaken mostly by a marketer of branded product or services, sold through
different outlets in the distribution channel, wherever they may be located and
appears in both national and regional media like print, electronics, outdoor etc.
Apparently the term ‘national advertising’ conveys mass marketing effort. In
reality this does not necessarily mean that the product is sold nationwide. The
goal is to inform, persuade or remind consumers about company or brand.
National advertising often identifies a specific target audience and attempts to
create an image for the product. For example the ad for Mercedes-E class is
targeting a specific segment in the Indian market.

B. Regional Advertising
It is geographical alternative for organizations. For example, Amrit
Vanaspati based in Rajpura claims to be the leading hydrogenated oil
producer in the Punjab. But, until recently, it mainly confined itself to
one of the vegetable oil brands distribution to Malihabad district (in
U.P. near Lucknow).

C. Local Advertising
It is generally done by retailers rather than manufacturers. These advertisements
save the customer time and money by passing along specific information about
products, prices, location, and so on. Retailer advertisements usually provide
 specific goods sales during weekends in various sectors.

7. Advertising According to Medium

The most common classification of advertising is by the medium
used. For example: TV, radio, magazine, outdoor, business periodical,
newspaper and direct mail advertising. This classification is so common in
use that it is mentioned here only for the sake of completeness.

Advertising as a Marketing Tool

Advertising is a powerful marketing tool that businesses and organizations use to

communicate with their target audience, promote their products or services, and
ultimately drive sales and achieve their marketing objectives. Here are some key ways
in which advertising serves as a marketing tool:
1. Building Brand Awareness: Advertising introduces a brand and its offerings to a
wide audience, creating recognition and familiarity. Through consistent exposure,
consumers become more aware of the brand, which is crucial for long-term success.
2. Promoting Products and Services: Advertising highlights the features, benefits,
and unique selling points of products and services. It educates consumers about
what's being offered and helps differentiate the offerings from competitors.
3. Influencing Consumer Behavior: Effective advertising has the potential to
influence consumer behavior by creating desires and needs. It can prompt
consumers to consider a product they hadn't thought of before or encourage them
to make a purchase decision.
4. Expanding Market Reach: Advertising enables businesses to reach a broader
audience, including those who might not have been aware of the brand or its
offerings. It allows companies to tap into new markets and demographics.
5. Creating a Competitive Edge: Well-crafted advertising can position a brand as a
leader in its industry and highlight its competitive advantages. This helps establish
credibility and gives the brand an edge over its competitors.
6. Generating Sales: Advertising can directly lead to increased sales by encouraging
consumers to make purchases. Effective advertising campaigns can drive immediate
sales spikes, especially during promotional periods.
7. Engaging Emotions: Emotional appeal in advertising can create strong
connections between a brand and its audience. Emotional resonance can lead to
brand loyalty and a higher likelihood of repeat business.
8. Educating Consumers: Complex or innovative products often require explanation.
Advertising serves as a platform to educate consumers about how a product works,
why they need it, and how it can enhance their lives.
9. Supporting Other Marketing Efforts: Advertising works in synergy with other
marketing activities, such as public relations, social media, and content marketing. A
well-integrated approach can amplify the overall marketing impact.
10. Adapting to Trends and Technology: Advertising evolves with technological
advancements. Businesses can leverage digital platforms, social media, and
personalized targeting to reach consumers where they spend their time.
11. Measuring Performance: Many advertising platforms offer tools to measure the
effectiveness of campaigns. Metrics like click-through rates, conversion rates, and
return on investment (ROI) provide insights into the campaign's success.
12. Creating Long-Term Impact: Effective advertising can leave a lasting impression
on consumers' minds, even if they don't make an immediate purchase. This impact
might lead to future purchases or recommendations to others.
Overall, advertising is a strategic tool that, when used wisely, can help businesses
achieve their marketing goals, connect with their audience, and drive growth. It
requires careful planning, creativity, and an understanding of the target audience's
preferences and behaviors.

Criticism of Advertising

Criticism of advertising is rooted in concerns about its effects on individuals, society,

and the overall cultural landscape. While advertising serves as a vital component of
the modern economy and business world, it is not immune to criticism. Here are
some common criticisms of advertising:
1. Deceptive Practices: One of the most significant criticisms is that advertising can
sometimes use misleading or deceptive tactics to influence consumers. This includes
exaggerating product benefits, using manipulated visuals, or making false claims to
attract customers.
2. Promotion of Materialism: (All importance on one stuff) Critics argue that
advertising fosters a culture of materialism, where individuals are constantly
encouraged to value possessions and consumption as measures of success and
happiness. This can lead to unsustainable patterns of overconsumption.
3. Negative Body Image: Advertising often promotes unrealistic and idealized
standards of beauty, leading to body image issues and self-esteem problems among
individuals who feel they don't conform to these standards.
4. Intrusiveness: (Aggressiveness) Some forms of advertising, such as pop-up ads
and aggressive online tracking, can be intrusive and disrupt users' online experiences.
This can create negative perceptions of brands and products.
5. Cultural Homogenization: ( Making this uniform or similar )Critics argue that
advertising can contribute to the spread of a global consumer culture, leading to the
erosion of local cultures and traditions as Western ideals are often promoted as the
norm.
6. Exploitation of Vulnerable Audiences: Advertising may exploit vulnerable or
impressionable audiences, such as children, by using persuasive techniques that they
may not fully understand or be equipped to resist.
7. Environmental Impact: The production and consumption encouraged by
advertising can contribute to environmental degradation, resource depletion, and
waste generation, especially in industries with high levels of consumption.
8. Privacy Concerns: The use of personal data for targeted advertising has raised
concerns about privacy and data security. Consumers often feel their online
behaviors are being tracked without their explicit consent.
9. Cultural Stereotyping: Some advertisements perpetuate harmful stereotypes
based on gender, race, ethnicity, and other characteristics. This reinforces biases and
contributes to societal inequalities.
10. Distortion of Values: Critics argue that advertising can prioritize materialistic
values over important qualities like empathy, community, and personal growth.
11. Over-commercialization of Public Spaces: The proliferation of advertising in
public spaces, such as billboards and transit ads, can contribute to a visually cluttered
environment and diminish the aesthetic quality of public spaces.
12. Impact on Children: Children are often targeted by advertising, and critics argue
that this can influence their preferences and desires, leading to conflicts between
parents and children and promoting materialistic values at a young age.
13. Encouragement of Instant Gratification: (Instant benefit) Advertising often
emphasizes quick fixes and instant gratification, which can undermine patience,
resilience, and the ability to delay rewards.
It's important to note that while these criticisms exist, advertising is a complex and
multifaceted phenomenon. Not all advertising practices fall under these negative
aspects, and many advertisers strive to create ethical and responsible campaigns. The
industry has also made efforts to address some of these concerns through self-
regulation, improved transparency, and responsible marketing practices.
Advertising as a Communication Process

Advertising can be understood as a communication process through which

organizations convey messages to their target audience to promote products,
services, ideas, or brands. This process involves several key components that work
together to effectively transmit the intended message. Here's how advertising
functions as a communication process:

1. Sender (Advertiser): The sender is the organization or individual initiating the

advertising campaign. This could be a company, non-profit organization, government
entity, or any other entity looking to communicate a specific message to the
audience.

2. Message Creation: The sender creates the advertising message, which includes
the content, visuals, and overall creative elements designed to capture the audience's
attention, convey information, and evoke desired emotions or responses.

3. Encoding: The sender encodes the message by translating the intended

information, ideas, and emotions into symbols, language, visuals, and other elements
that the audience can understand and relate to.

4. Medium and Channel Selection: The sender chooses the appropriate medium or
channel through which to deliver the message. This could include television, radio,
print media, digital platforms, social media, billboards, and more.

5. Transmission: The message is transmitted through the chosen medium or

channel. This could involve broadcasting a TV commercial, publishing a print ad,
posting content on social media, or any other means of distribution.

6. Reception (Audience): The audience, consisting of individuals or groups, receives

the message through exposure to the advertising content. The audience's level of
attention, interest, and receptiveness varies based on factors such as context,
relevance, and personal preferences.

7. Decoding: The audience decodes the received message by interpreting the

symbols, language, visuals, and other elements. Successful decoding occurs when the
audience's understanding aligns with the sender's intended message.

8. Interpretation and Meaning: The audience assigns meaning to the message

based on their personal experiences, beliefs, and cultural background. This
interpretation shapes how they perceive the advertised product, service, brand, or
idea.
9. Feedback: Feedback refers to the audience's reactions and responses to the
advertising message. This can be in the form of direct consumer feedback, changes
in purchasing behavior, online engagement, or any other measurable response.

10. Noise: Noise refers to any interference or distractions that can disrupt the
communication process. Noise can be physical (such as background sounds),
semantic (language barriers), or psychological (preconceived notions or biases).

11. Effect on Audience: The ultimate goal of advertising is to influence the

audience's attitudes, behaviors, or opinions. This could involve prompting them to
purchase a product, support a cause, remember a brand, or change their perceptions.

12. Monitoring and Adjustments: Advertisers monitor the campaign's performance

by analyzing metrics, feedback, and audience responses. Based on the results, they
may make adjustments to the message, medium, or strategy to enhance
effectiveness.

In essence, advertising as a communication process involves a dynamic interaction

between the sender, message, medium, audience, and context. Effective advertising
requires careful consideration of each step, from message creation to audience
reception and feedback analysis. The goal is to ensure that the intended message is
accurately conveyed, resonates with the audience, and achieves the desired
outcomes.