Advertising Principles and Practices

What is Advertising?

Advertising is a type of promotion that seeks to encourage a certain audience to purchase a good or service. It is one of the oldest forms of marketing which attempts to influence the actions of its target audience to either buy, sell, or do something specific. Using a highly tailored message the advertisement can be niche (targets a small audience) or general (targets a large audience).

The majority of marketing strategies, including email marketing and search engine marketing, are far more recent than advertising. Advertising has been divided into two types since the internet became the norm: traditional advertising and digital advertising.

Print, TV, and radio advertisements are considered to be traditional advertising because they have been used for more than 150 years. The most effective form of advertising for businesses is print media since it relies on the target market physically receiving the message through flyers, newspapers, and mail.

Any online advertising activities, including display advertising, PPC, social media advertising, etc., are at the center of digital advertising. This type of marketing is now more frequently employed because it is less expensive and simpler to track.

Importance of Advertising

Businesses use advertising to achieve a variety of objectives, and they publish those ads in a variety of media. Businesses also advertise in media that reach certain markets, in addition to traditional media like newspapers and general interest publications. For instance, a mobile phone is advertised on a social media platform that caters to younger users. A Home and Garden Show program guide features advertisements for home furniture and design. Business objectives are advanced by well-produced advertisements.

Principles and Practices of Advertising

Make it Simple

A simple advertisement is certainly easier to read and comprehend than one that is complex. If you include too much information or graphics, customers could become overwhelmed and rapidly stop paying attention to your advertisement.

Make it Consistent

Consistency is key when it comes to consumers remembering your product. You should always strive to use consistent graphics within your advertising, consistent phrasing or slogans, and consistent positioning of your brand or product in advertising.

Choose a Selling Point

Pick one quality of your product that, in your opinion, best conveys its advantages and helps to sell it. Make sure that is the main focus of your advertisement because that is the only thing you are attempting to sell to customers.

Advertising Length

It is important to determine the length of an advertising campaign upfront. In order for a consumer to remember your advertisement, you will need to run it for a very while. However, if you choose to run your advertisement for too long consumers will start to gloss over it and lose interest. 

Stand Out

The last thing you want is for consumers to associate your advertisement with all the others in its vicinity since it is so generic. There are numerous ways to stand out from the competition with your advertisement. Consider the typography and graphics. Ensure that yours is original.