1.2. Definition of advertisement

The word advertising originates from a Latin word advertise, which means to turn to. The dictionary meaning of the term is “to give public notice or to announce publicly”.

Advertising may be defined as the process of buying sponsor-identified media space or time in order to promote a product or an idea.

The American Marketing Association, Chicago, has defined advertising as “any form of non- personal presentation or promotion of ideas, goods or services, by an identified sponsor.”

Advertisement is a mass communicating of information intended to persuade buyers to by products with a view to maximizing a company’s profits.

The elements of advertising are:

• a mass communication reaching a large group of consumers.

• it makes mass production possible.

• non-personal communication, for it is not delivered by an actual person, nor is it addressed to a specific person.

• a commercial communication because it is used to help assure the advertiser of a long business life with profitable sales.

• advertising can be economical, for it reaches large groups of people. This keeps the cost per message low.

• the communication is speedy, permitting an advertiser to speak to millions of buyers in a matter of a few hours.

• advertising is identified communication. The advertiser signs his name to his advertisement for the purpose of publicizing his identity.

Advertising is included in:

• The information in an advertisement should benefit the buyers. It should give them a more satisfactory expenditure of their rupees.

• It should suggest better solutions to their problems.

• The content of the advertisement is within the control of the advertiser, not the medium.

• Advertising without persuasion is ineffective. The advertisement that fails to influence anyone, either immediately or in the future is a waste of money.

• The function of advertising is to increase the profitable sales volume. That is, advertising expenses should not increase disproportionately.

Advertising includes the following forms of messages, which carried in:

• Newspapers and magazines;

• On 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.

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. Advertising is not a game, because if advertising is done properly, both the buyer and the seller benefit from it. 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. Advertisements are not designed to deceive. The desire and hope for repeat sales insures a high degree of honesty in advertising.

Each advertisement is a specific communication that must be effective, not just for one customer, but for many target buyers. This means that specific objectives should be set for each particular advertisement campaign. Advertising is a form of promotion and like a promotion; the objectives of advertising should be specific. This requires that the target consumers should be specifically identified and that the effect which advertising is intended to have upon the consumer should be clearly indicated. The objectives of advertising were traditionally stated in terms of direct sales. Now, it is to view advertising as having communication objectives that seek to inform persuade and remind potential customers of the worth of the product. Advertising seeks to condition the consumer so that he/she may have a favourable reaction to the promotional message. Advertising objectives serve as guidelines for the planning and implementation of the entire advertising programme.