Advertising is an audio or visual form of marketing communication that employs an openly sponsored, nonpersonal message to promote or sell a product, service or idea.
Sponsors of advertising are often businesses who wish to promote their products or services. Advertising is differentiated from public relations in that an advertiser usually pays for and has control over the message. It is differentiated from personal selling in that the message is nonpersonal, i.e., not directed to a particular individual.
Advertising is communicated through various mass media, including old media such as newspapers, magazines, Television, Radio, outdoor advertising or direct mail; or new media such as search results, blogs, websites or text messages. The actual presentation of the message in a medium is referred to as an advertisement or "ad".
What is Advertising?
Advertising is the process of promoting a person, product or cause. This can involve using lots of different strategies to reach people who might be interested in what is being advertised and convince them using persuasive language and technique. The point of advertising, put simply, is to draw positive attention towards something.
Where Do We Find Advertising?
The field of advertising is incredibly broad. From television commercials, to logos printed on shopping bags, it really is everywhere. Here are a few examples of places you may find advertising.
Printed Media: Billboards, posters, magazines, newspapers, flyers, brochures, business cards, stickers, etc.
Branded Merchandise: Pens, frisbees, plastic bags, t-shirts, notebooks, hats, tote bags, lanyards, logos on branded products, stationary, etc.
Video Media: Television commercials, YouTube commercials, instructional videos on websites promoting products, advertisements before the film at the cinema, etc.
Social Media: YouTube advertising, e-mails, newsletters from websites you subscribe to, Goodreads, Amazon recommended products, Facebook ads, Twitter campaigns, YouTube Sponsorships, etc.
How Does Advertising Work?
Advertisers use a combination of techniques to persuade people to try what they’re advertising. This usually involves influencing people’s emotions by choosing words, images and even colours so they’re more likely to buy into a product or service.
Target Audiences
One important factor in how advertisers do this is by focusing on a specific target audience, usually relating to the age, gender and occupation of who they imagine their customers to be.
For example, looking at this image of ‘Tasteroid Crisps,’ a fictional product by Twinkl, you can assume the product would have a young target audience because of the bright colours, spacey-theme and funnily named flavours.