Introduction to Advertising
Advertising is concerned with giving publicity to the existence of goods and services by focusing attention on facts such as features, uses, benefits, etc, about the goods and services in order to create effective demand for them.
It is defined as any non-personal presentation and promotion of goods and services to a target market by an identified sponsor, through a paid medium such as; television, radio, newspapers, bill boards, magazines, etc. It is also a commercial promotion of goods and services, institutions and ideas. It helps the buyers to be aware of the particular products he wants, the brands and where he could get them. It is informative and helps the buyers to make good buying decisions.
Uses of Advertising
Advertising is usually carried out to:
· Build primary demand.
· Introduce a price deal
· Inform about a product’s availability
· Build brand recognition or brand preference or brand insistence.
· Help salesmen by building awareness of a product among retailers.
· Create reputation for service, reliability or research strength.
· Increase market share
· Modify existing product appeals and buying motives
· Increase frequency of use of product.
· Inform people on new uses of a product.
· Increase the quantity or quality of retail outlet.
· Build company image
· Effect immediate buying actions.
· Reach new areas or segments of population.
· Develop overseas market.
Types of Advertising
1. Informative Advertising: This is used to make the public aware of new facts/things they have not been heard before.
2. Persuasive Advertising: This is used to induce people to buy the advertised product rather than that of the competitor.
3. Competitive Advertising: This is used to advertise goods that have close substitutes.
4. Mass/Generic Advertising: This is used to advertise the general use of goods without being specific on the particular brand.
5. Specific Advertising: This directs its appeal to a particular brand of goods or services.
Forms of Advertising Media
i. Radio
ii. Television
iii. Newspaper
iv. Bill boards
v. Magazines/Journals
vi. Poster
vii. Sales Van
viii. Car Stickers
Tests and Exercises
1. All are uses of advertisement except ……. (a) Increase market share (b) Informs about a product’s availability (c) drives the goods to the market (d) Build company image. Answer: drives the goods to the market
2. The following are forms advertising media except …… (a) Television (b) Bill board (c) DVD (d) Radio. Answer: DVD
3. ……. is any non-personal presentation and promotion of goods and services to a target market by an identified sponsor, through a paid medium. (a) Advertisement (b) Promotion (c) Marketing (d) Selling. Answer: Advertisement
4. …… advertising is used to make the public aware of new facts/things they have not been heard before. (a) Persuasive (b) informative (c) Mass (d) Specific. Answer: Informative
5. …… advertising is used to advertise the general use of goods without being specific on the particular brand. (a) Persuasive (b) informative (c) Mass (d) Specific. Answer: Mass
