Message development:

Message development involves putting together the information that needs to be conveyed to
the general public and to the intended audiences during an emergency. Messages are likely to
change as the emergency evolves, with different phases of the emergency requiring a different
focus. Messages can have a variety of purposes depending on the communication objective and
on the audiences being targeted:

• Educate about how to assess and manage risk

• Inform about risk-reduction behaviors
• Promote risk-reduction behaviors and practices
• Increase trust between the public and authorities or service providers
• Reduce and dispel rumors
• Reduce fear and stigma
• Nurture advocacy
• Promote social cohesion
• Resolve conflicts and controversies

Draft Message Statements

With your audience and objectives in mind, begin drafting key message statements. If you
could make only a few key points to your target audience, what would those points be? As you
write these message statements, keep the following criteria in mind. Key messages should be:

• Concise: Key message statements should be clear and concise, ideally just one
sentence long–but not a long, run-on sentence.
• Simple: Key messages should use language that is easy for target audiences to
understand. You should avoid acronyms, jargon, and flowery or bureaucratic-
sounding language.
• Strategic: Key messages should differentiate your organization and what you
stand for, while articulating the value proposition or key benefits you offer.
• Convincing: Messaging should include believable, meaningful information that
creates a sense of urgency and stimulates action. Message wording should be
decisive and active, rather than passive.
 • Relevant: Key messages should matter to the audience; they should
communicate useful, relevant information that the audience finds appealing not
only on a logical or rational level but also on an emotional level.
• Memorable: Key messages should stick in the mind, so the impression they
make is easy to recall.
• Tailored: Messaging must communicate effectively with intended target
audiences. This means the messaging should reflect the target audience’s unique
needs, priorities, issues, terminology, relationship to the organization, and other
distinguishing factors that might help the messaging better communicate with
that audience.

A tip: Don’t worry too much about word-smithing as you develop a first draft of key messages.
Get your initial thinking down on paper quickly, and then go back to check against the criteria
above as you refine the wording. Remember, you only need a handful of key messages—just
one to three well-crafted statements—so don’t slave over trying to fill an entire page.

Different types of advertisements:

6 Traditional Methods of Advertising

There are many different types of advertising, each serving a purpose in your effort to reach
consumers. Some of the traditional forms of advertising include:

1. Broadcast advertising:
Television ads and radio ads are media advertising formats known as broadcast
advertising. Radio and television advertising remains among the most cost-effective means of
connecting goods and services to a large and diverse demographic. Though satellite television
allows many consumers to skip over traditional TV ads, companies still reach viewers through
pop-up ads that appear during programming.

2. Direct mail advertising:

Brochures, flyers, and other forms of printed materials sent in the mail are all forms of
direct mail advertising. This strategy can be an effective way for small businesses to inform
new customers who have just moved to the area about your business.
3. Outdoor advertising:
Billboards and advertisements on public transportation are forms of outdoor
advertising. They typically feature bold images and limited text since the interactive period
between a consumer and outdoor advertising is usually brief.

4. Print advertising:
While some companies create printed advertisements like flyers or brochures, the term
“print advertising” refers to print media ads like newspaper advertisements and magazine ads.
This tactic can reach general audiences or specific demographics depending on the focus and
circulation of the print media.

5. Product placement advertising:

Marketing plans can include product placement advertising, which involves embedding
goods or services in feature films or television programs. Product placement advertising is
often subtle, with no direct mention of the goods or services save for their appearances on-
screen. However, characters often use or consume the products as part of the storyline.

6. Word-of-mouth:
A low-cost means of reaching customers without an ad campaign, word-of-mouth
advertising relies on consumers telling friends and family about their positive experiences with
a company’s goods or services. Some companies incentivize customers to endorse their
products with referral programs.

Digital Advertising: 7 Types of Advertising on Digital Platforms

Also known as online advertising, digital advertising is any form of advertising on the internet,
apps, or digital devices. Some of the most common digital advertising formats include:

1. Display advertising:
With this digital marketing strategy, companies create pop-up ads and banner ads on
websites to reach new audiences. These ads feature a clear call to action (or CTA) that prompts
users to click through to your website. After a user clicks the digital ad, you can utilize
remarketing or retargeting tactics to continue to reach the customer with future advertising
efforts.
2. Mobile advertising:
Any mobile device with internet connectivity, such as a smartphone or tablet, is a
conduit for mobile advertising, allowing you to reach potential customers through digital
advertising methods on apps.

3. Native advertising:
To employ this digital advertising technique, companies create sponsored articles that
resemble other forms of content on a website. Native advertising appears within the flow of
regular content on a site, downplaying its very nature as an ad. Advertisers and the websites
that host native ads find this approach effective, as it allows for a more intuitive experience for
users and avoids breaking up the flow of content with display ads.

4. Paid search advertising:

Also known as pay-per-click or PPC advertising, paid search advertising is a form of
digital advertising that allows companies to bid on specific keywords relevant to their goods
and services. Search engines then connect users to the advertising whenever they look for these
words on search engines. This paid tactic complements organic search engine
optimization (SEO) efforts.

5. Podcast advertising:
Podcasts can help you reach a more targeted audience than advertising on radio
stations. Podcast hosts typically read the ad copy, which often includes a discount for potential
customers who hear the podcast.

6. Social media advertising:

Social media platforms gather demographic information that lets advertisers target
specific audiences, allowing you to create cost-effective ad campaigns. You can also tap the
online following of social media celebrities through influencer ads.

7. Video advertising:
You can reach audiences on social media sites or streaming platforms with dynamic,
engaging video ads. Some sites require users to play video ads before watching or engaging
with other content, guaranteeing a certain number of views per ad.
Advertisement Layout

According to Sandage and Fryburger, “The plan of an advertisement, detailing the arrangement
of various parts and relative spatial importance of each is referred to as layout”.

Functions of an Advertisement Layout

• Assembling Different Parts — The main function of layout is to assemble and arrange
the different parts or elements of an advertisement illustration, headline sub headlines,
slogans, body text and the identification mark etc. And boarder and other graphic
materials — into a unified presentation of the sales message. In all the layouts present
these elements in the same size, form, shape, position and proportion as desired by the
advertiser in the final ad, proof , Thus layout gives both creative personals (copywriter
and artists) and the advertiser who pays for it a good idea of how the finished ad will
finally appear.
• Opportunity of Modification – The layout offers an opportunity to the creative teams,
agency management and the advertiser to suggest modification before its final approval
and actual construction and production begins.
• Specification for Costs — The layout provides specification for estimating costs and
it is a guide for engravers typographers and other craft workers to follow in producing
the advertisement.

Principles of Design and Layout

It is not necessary that all elements of advertisement copy must form part of the copy. They
appear in today €Ÿs ads with varying degree of frequency. The components of the
advertisement copy must be decorated or positioned on the basis of certain basic principles
regardless of the number of elements in an add. The following five principles of good
composition are important to anyone who creates or evaluates the advertisement:

1. Balance — A layout may be called balanced if equal weight or forces are equidistant
from a reference point or a light weight is placed at a greater distance from the reference
point than a heavy weight. Balance is the law of nature. The reference point or fulcrum
 is the optical center of the advertisement. The artists with a given area or space, are to
place all the elements with in this space. Optical center of fulcrum of the ad is often a
point approximately two — thirds of the distance forms the bottom. It is the reference
of the advertisement layout.
2. Proportion– Proportion is closely related to balance since it refers to the division of
space among layout elements for a pleasing optical effect. Good proportion in an
advertisement requires a desired emphasis on each element in terms of size and
position. If the major appeal in an advertisement is product’s price. The price should be
displayed in proportionate space position.
3. Contrast and Emphasis — Contrast means variety. It gives life to the whole
composition and adds emphasis to selected important elements. An advertiser always
looks to advertisements from completion point of view and desires the policy of the
most important elements to attract the attention of the people. An advertisement with
good contrast may attract the attention of customers Contrast maybe visible in a number
of ways. It may be witnessed through sizes, shapes and colors. Different colors sizes
and shapes of elements in an advertisement add contrast. The varying directions, of
design elements (Vertical trees, horizontal pavements arched rainbows) add contrast;
too there must be sales communication purpose behind every layout decision made.
4. Eye Movement — Eye movement is the design principle which helps move the eyes
of the readers from element to element in the order given in the hierarchy of effects
model for effective communication of the message in advertising. An effective ad uses
movement to lead its reading audience from initial message awareness through product
knowledge and brand preference, to ultimate action (intent to purchase). Direction and
sequence are two terms for the same element and artists may perform it in many ways.
Mechanical eye direction may be created by devices such as pointing fingers lines
arrows or even a bouncing ball that moves from unit to unit. Planned eye movement
should follow the established reading patterns too, such as the tendency to start to top
left corner of a page and read through to the lower right corner. The eyes also moves
naturally from large items to small from dark to light and from colors to not — colors.
5. Unity or Harmony — Unity or harmony is another important design principle.
Although each element should be considered as a separate unit in striving for balance,
proportion, contrast and eye movement. The complete layout or design should appear
as a unified composition. Common methods of securing unity in layouts are (i) use of
consistent typographical design. (ii) repetition of the same shapes and motifs, (iii) the
 overlapping of elements (iv) use of a boarder to hold elements together and (v)
avoidance of too much which space between various element.

Although unity and contrast seem conflicting but they function quite smoothly together if they
operate at cross purposes — if the artists strive for balance here too as well as in the
advertisement layout overall. Unity contributes orderliness to elements — a state of coherence.
And if they are properly placed. Contrasting Size shapes colors and directions can flow together
beautifully.

Design appeal

Advertising appeals refers to the approach used to attract the attention of customers or
to influence their feelings towards a brand, product or service. It is the central idea of an
advertisement and speak to an individual’s need, wants or interest and entice her to take the
desired action which generally is “Buy me”. Here are the top 10 advertising appeals that really
work.

Top 10 Advertising Appeals

1. Emotional appeals - Emotional appeals relate to the consumers social or physiological

needs for purchasing a product or a service. Many consumers’ purchase decisions are emotional
and are made on what they feel about a particular brand more than its features. They are
designed to make an audience associate positive feelings with your brand. These appeals
generally focus on trust, joy, love, loyalty and happiness, which you can leverage through the
use of powerful music and imagery. Examples – Jewellery ads, Ariel share the load ads

2. Sexual Appeals - Sex appeals relate to a person’s natural desire to experience romance and
appeal to others romantically. The goal of this appeal is to make people feel like they will be
more attractive, more desirable, and more likely to get the person of their dreams if they use a
certain product or take certain actions.Sex appeals capture attention, but seldom promote
product consumption. Although history has shown that sex does indeed sell or at least gets
attention. Examples – Fragrance product ads, condom ads

3. Humor Appeals - Who doesn’t like something that’s funny? Humor appeals make
consumers laugh and create an emotional link with the product. It is a proven appeal type for
grabbing attention. When consumers find something humorous, it has value because is causes
them to watch, laugh and, most importantly, remember. By capturing the viewer's
attention, humor appeals cut through advertising clutter and allow for enhanced recall and
improved moods of the viewers. The challenge with humor however is to keep the brand in the
humor – so your market associates the humor with your brand. Often it’s the humor that is
remembered more than the product. Examples – Mentos ads, Center shock ads, Fevicol ads.

4. Musical Appeals - Like humor, music is a great way for brands to get noticed and make an
audience remember their products. In addition, musical appeals can bring up positive memories
whenever someone hears a catchy tune in an ad, which goes a long way toward making them
feel good about the product being presented. The use of musical appeals allows for a
connection between the product or service and a catchy jingle or piece of music. Examples –
Airtel jingle ad, Lifebuoy “Lifebuoy hai janah tandaroosti hai wahan”, Washing powder Nirma.

5. Rational appeals - Rational appeals use logic, facts, and data to convince consumers to buy
products, and are often found in advertisements for medications, cookware, and cleaning
products. They focus on the consumers practical, functional need and utility for the product or
service. It emphasizes on either product features or its functional benefits or its problem
removal or problem avoidance attribute. Examples – mobile phone ads showing features,
detergent ad showing superior stain removal property.

6. Fear Appeals - Fear appeals focus on the negative outcomes that can happen because of an
action or inaction. Another fear tactic involves isolation. People will purchase a product to
avoid isolation from others because of bad hygiene for example in the case of toothpastes and
Deodorants. Fear appeals fit particularly well with certain types of goods and services,
particularly those products that can eliminate threats or provide a sense of personal security.
For example, fear is often used in insurance company ads, focusing on the consequences of an
untimely death. Examples – anti tobacco ads, toothpaste ads focusing on germ fighting
property.

7. Scarcity appeals - Scarcity appeals tap into people’s fear of missing out, so they’re a great
way to convince people to take advantage of a sale or a limited edition product. However, make
sure that scarcity actually applies to what you’re selling and sale is indeed a sale and is not a
permanent offer. Examples – Toothbrush Free with Toothpaste ads, ads giving gifts or lucky
coupons.
8. Bandwagon appeals – Bandwagon appeals, also known as FOMO appeals (Fear of missing
out appeals), make consumers believe that they are missing out by addressing the consumer’s
need to belong. This type of message says buy this product because everyone does. Examples
– ads showing “India’s no. 1 or most preferred brand”, “Desh ke 80% logon ne ise chuna”.

9. Favourable Price appeals – Favourable price appeals make price as the dominant point of
the message. It can be used to announce a lower price product, low prices every day. Examples
– 5 Rs. Chhota coke, Vodafone’s 10 ka chhota recharge, Mc Donalds “I’m Loving it” ads

10. Competitive advantage appeals – Competitive advantage appeals make either a direct or
indirect comparison to another brand and usually claim superiority on one or more attributes.
This is also known as comparative advertising. Examples – Detergent ads showing a particular
product cleaning a cloth better than competition product, health drink ads showing more or
higher nutrients than the competition product.

Finally, certain appeals will only work for certain products – so remember what your brand
stands for and whether the strategy truly fits your brand’s characteristics.

Advertising Copy

The effectiveness of advertisement lies in how well the advertising message is developed.
Advertising copy may be defined as all the written or spoken matter including figures etc.
which are made to convey desired message of advertiser to target customers. It includes
headings, sub-headings, pictures, slogans and body etc.

In the words of Schew and Smith, “Advertising copy includes all the written or spoken
elements of the message in advertisement to target customers.” Message is the heart of
advertising campaign. Therefore, the message that has to be conveyed in an advertisement copy
should be emotional, descriptive, narrative and factual. It is the collective effort of copywriters,
artists and layout men.

Essentials of a Good Advertising Copy:

It is very difficult to state as to what constitutes a good advertising copy. Nevertheless, a good
advertising copy is that which succeeds in conveying to the target audience the message of
advertiser.
The main characteristics of a good advertisement copy are:

i. Attention Value – An advertising copy must attract the attention of the prospective
customers, otherwise all the efforts and expenses on advertisement will go waste. For holding
attention use of illustrations, colours, novelties and display are useful.

ii. Interest Value – Only gaining attention of the prospects will not induce them to buy the
product. Therefore, an advertising copy must be such that it arouses interest value in the
customer.

iii. Suggestive Value – The third essential of a good advertising copy is its suggestive value.
For this purpose the advertising copy must include the merits of the product. For example,
“Problem Chal hat” used in Dabur Red toothpaste. For this purpose slogans pictures, phrases
and suggestions can be used.

iv. Reception Value – All three values stated above i.e. attention, interest and suggestive
cannot give desired result of advertisement if people forget it. Therefore, the advertising copy
layout should be such that it makes permanent impression in the mind of the public.

v. Sentimental Value – Sales of certain product heavily depend upon the sentiments of the
buyers. It is specially true in case of food products. People patronise the place where they find
good and clean food with satisfactory service. For example – McDonald.

vi. Educative and Creative Value – Another important essential of a good advertising copy
is that it must be educative and creative. Educative and creative value of an advertising copy is
particularly important in case of products which are meant for replacing existing products. For
example – DVD players to replace CD players. Such copy must be designed in such a way to
provide information regarding extra benefits which the customer gets by using these products.

vii. Other Characteristics – Besides above stated characteristics a good advertising copy
should –

a. Contain language and words which the target audience can easily understand.

b. Be brief and to the point.

c. Be clean, unambiguous and self-explanatory.

Types of Advertising Copy:

i. Scientific Copy:

Scientific copy is of technical nature and it provides details regarding the producer and the
product. This type of copy is generally used by engineering and drug & pharmaceutical firms
to inform the ordinary people in general and professional persons in particular about the merits
and value of the product so that they may be stimulated to buy it.

ii. Descriptive Copy:

This copy is non-technical in nature and is prepared in such a manner that a layman can
understand it. It gives detailed information about the product in very simple language. This
type of advertisement copy is generally used for the products which are purchased as a matter
of routine.

iii. Topical Copy:

Topical copy is that advertisement copy which is intended to appeal the target prospects by
establishing a connection between the product and a particular recent happening. This type of
copy commands good deal of interest because of that sensational event which are fresh in the
minds of the prospects. For example – advertising copy of Adidas during sports.

iv. Narrative Copy:

Under this type of copy, appeals are made to the prospects with the help of fictitious stories
which narrates the benefits of purchasing the product. Generally the story covered under this
copy is humorous and carries the message in appealing manner which can be remembered by
the public easily.

v. Personality Copy:

This type of advertisement copy attempts to encash the opinion of an important personality
about the product. Personality advertisement copies are quite popular now a day on television.
For instance – Salman Khan in Revital.
vi. Questioning Copy:

Questioning copy includes a number of questions expected to be answered by the prospects.

The answer of these questions lies in the use of the product so advertised. For example,
advertisement of Godrej Locks.

vii. Suggestive Copy:

Suggestive copies are those advertisement copies which try to suggest the audience directly or
indirectly for pursuing them to purchase a particular product. It is particularly useful in those
products where the prospects are confused about the quality of different brands. For example,
Advertisement done through Medifact about Complan.

viii. Reason Why Copy:

In this type of advertising copy advertised message explains why it is necessary to have the
product. It gives definite positive points in favour of a particular product. For example,
advertisement copy used in insurance sector like LIC.

ix. Fear Copy:

Those advertising copy which appeal to the sense of fear of prospects come under this category.
These copies arouse deep interest in prospect for protecting their valuables. For example,
Advertisement of locks, medical and insurance sector etc.

Structure of Advertising Copy:

Attainment of advertising objectives largely depends on the way the advertisement copy is
designed. The advertising copy should be designed in such a way that it is in position to attract
the attention of the prospective buyers.

i. Headline:

The most important element of the advertising copy is its headline. If headline fails to attract
the prospects, remaining part of the advertisement are wasted. Thus, the main purpose of the
headline of every advertising copy is to attract attention and create curiosity in the prospects.
For e.g. – Desh Ki Dhadkan (Hero Honda).

ii. Sub-Heading:

After the headline the next is sub-headline. If the headline has rightly suggested the value of
product, the job of sub-headline becomes quite easier. Sub-headline helps the reader to have
more knowledge about the product. For e.g. – sub-headline used in Horlicks ad – Dudh Mein
Horlicks Milao, Dudh Ki Shakti Badhao.

iii. Slogans:

A slogan is the group of words regularly used by the advertiser to impress prospects about the
product and producer. It is one of the most popular methods to attaining and holding attention
of the customers. For e.g. – McDonald – I’m loving it.

iv. Text or Body:

After headline, sub-headline and slogan comes the text of advertising copy. In the text, both
the rational and emotional reasons are put forward to persuade customers to buy the particular
brand. Facts and figures about the product, guarantee of satisfactory performance, testimonials,
etc. are given in the text of the advertisement copy depending upon the nature, competition,
market, etc.

v. Closing Idea:

Last but not the least, advertising copy should close the idea with enough information, direction
and motivation for the customer to act. Various types of closing idea are “buy now”, “visit the
nearest store today”, etc.

Copy Testing:

Copy testing is an important part of advertising management. It is the tool to evaluate the
effectiveness of the advertisement before it appears in final form, to determine whether and to
what extent it will accomplish its objective. In simple words, copy testing is a method to control
the effectiveness of final advertising.
Types of Copy Testing:

Different techniques have been developed to test the various aspects of an advertising copy
before and after the launch of advertisement.

(1) Pre-Testing Method:

Pre-testing as the name suggest refers to testing the advertising copy prior to its running. This
test is run to find out the plus and minus points of an advertisement campaign.

i. Checklist Method:

Checklist method tests the various aspects of advertisement copy. This method ensures that no
important feature is omitted. It is simple and speedy process of measuring the effectiveness of
advertising copy involving limited cost. However it suffers from personal biasness. Moreover
it is not suitable for all instances.

ii. Consumer Jury Method:

Under this method, the advertisement copy is shown to a group of consumer or jury (who are
supposed to be consumer) and their opinion is asked. They generally rank the advertisement
copy then or message. This method is very useful as it involves a direct contact with the
consumers.

iii. Coupon Response Method:

Under this method, advertiser offers to send something complementary to the reader on receipt
of letter from him. The offer can be of a free sample of product or a premium offer.

iv. Inquiry Test Method:

Under inquiry test, effectiveness of advertising copy is made by the means of inquiry made for
the product. In it two or more ads are run on limited scale. The ad which gets the maximum
inquiry is said to be effective.

(2) Post-Testing Method:

These tests are those tests which are conducted after the launch of advertisement campaign.
These tests are conducted to know the effectiveness of the copy after its publication. Post-
testing method provides information about whether the brand name or selling theme of a given
advertising copy or advertising campaign penetrates in the minds of consumers and if so to
what extent.

Under post testing following methods are used:

i. Recall Test:

Under this method, the reader, for instance, is shown a magazine cover and is asked whether
he has read the issue. If the answer is yes, he is asked to describe anything which he remembers
after seeing that issue. He is then given a deck of cards, on which brand name appears and is
asked to indicate the advertisement.

ii. Recognition Test:

Under this method, the readers are merely asked whether they have seen or heard about the
advertisement copy. If answer is yes it is presumed that the advertisement copy is the effective
one. This test is conducted by personal interviews with the readers of the magazines and
newspapers.

iii. Sales Test:

Under this method an association is made between the effectiveness of advertisement and sales.
If the sale after the advertisement increases, the advertisement is said to be effective one. This
method also facilitates comparison between two ads or two media of advertisement.

iv. Split-Run Test:

Under this method the advertisement copy is prepared in two ways and run in one medium.
Then the coupon response gives an evaluation of the advertisement copy. The advertisement
receiving more response is said to be more effective.

v. Inquiry Test:
Under this method, effectiveness of the advertisement copy is made on the basis of inquiry
made by the customers regarding the product. To encourage inquiries, the advertiser offers to
send something complementary to the reader if he replies.

Print Advertising

Print advertising is a type of marketing that uses different print media channels for advertising
to reach a broader target audience. Companies advertise their products on different print
advertising channels such as newspapers, direct mails, brochures, magazines, billboards, etc.

Many people think that print media has simply become obsolete. Yes, it is true to some extent,
but on average, the companies in the United States spent 25 billion USD on print advertising
annually. This figure is pretty low in comparison to the past, but it is a solid indication that
print advertising is still an integral part of modern marketing strategies.

Print Advertising Has Unique Way to Reach Audience

Print advertising is different from digital advertising in several ways. For instance, people
generally find it easy to recall a print advertisement. Similarly, the trust factor is also in favour
of products or services in print ads rather than online ads.

Here are some interesting marketing trends:

▪ Customers’ reaction towards print ads is more “emotional” than online ads.
▪ Print ads are a better “information absorbing” source for customers as compared
to online ads.
▪ Products or services in print advertisements hit the subconsciousness of people
in a better way.

Print Advertising Builds Trust and Credibility

Even after an authoritative website, amazing email campaigns, and strong social media
presence, a company might still fail to win the trust of its target audience. However, print
advertising conveys a hidden message that “this brand is trustable.” Yes, this might sound
awkward, but it is what it is. In fact, as per the Nielson survey, here are the top 10
advertising/marketing formats ranked according to customers’ trust:
 1. TV ads
2. Newspaper ads
3. Magazine ads
4. Billboards/outdoor advertising
5. Radio ads
6. Online videos
7. Brochures
8. Search engine results
9. Social networks
10. Ads on mobile devices
Print Advertisements Have a Higher Conversion Rate
The conversion rate is one of the benchmarks to evaluate any marketing campaign’s success.
Yes, print advertising may be costly, but it is a substantial investment for any company.
Moreover, the conversion rates in print advertising are also on the higher side. For instance,
the CMO Council concluded that:

▪ 80 percent of the consumers/potential customers take action on direct mail

advertisements.
▪ 50 percent of the consumers respond to email advertisements.
Similarly, business cards, newspaper ads, magazines, etc., have higher conversion rates as well.

Types of Print Advertising

There are various forms of print advertising, but here are some of the most common and
effective ones:

▪ Newspapers
▪ Magazines
▪ Directories
▪ Brochures
▪ Direct Mail
▪ Billboards

Newspapers
It won’t be wrong to say that newspaper is the king of print advertising. Even after
digitalization, people still like reading the newspaper. Newspapers have not only a greater
reach, but they are very effective for small or local businesses.

According to Dun & Bradstreet, small businesses in the United States are advantageous when
it comes to newspaper advertising. Newspaper advertising can help businesses to reach a local
or specific target audience effectively.

Magazines
Magazines are one of the best print advertising channels to target a specific audience. People
in United States, Europe, and Asia, have a special liking to magazines. In fact, there are
magazines for different niches such as health, fashion, and beauty, cooking, diet, etc.

Another good thing about magazines is that readers get high-quality images that are not only
attractive but portray a product in the best possible way. The cost of a magazine ad depends on
different factors, and it may range from dollars to $2000 depending on the magazine.

Directories
Directories can give your business greater exposure to build a client base. Directory ads appear
in different forms of directories such as regional directories, industry directories, yellow pages,
etc.

If a business can make it to the yellow page, it is a clear indication for consumers that the
business is completely legitimate. Legitimacy leads to trust and credibility.

Brochures
Brochures are one of the best ways to give complete information about your business, product,
or service. Appealing and comprehensive brochures are still very effective in advertising your
brand. Moreover, brochures are easy to distribute and are very cost-effective.

Direct Mail
If you want personalization while reaching your potential customers, then direct mail is still
one of the ways to do it. You can target a specific group of potential customers according to
their needs. Apart from that, direct mailing is also another very affordable option.

Billboards
Billboards are a form of print advertising which is impossible to ignore. Appealing and rightly-
placed billboards can help you create brand awareness on a huge scale. Moreover, you can
target a general as well as a specific audience. Different studies have shown that billboards are
still one of the most viewed types of advertising.

Advantages of Print Advertising

▪ Cost-Effective. Print advertising, without any doubt, is generally a very cost-

effective option. A local business can easily advertise its products or services in
local newspapers at an affordable cost. Similarly, brochures, direct mails, etc.,
are also very economical options.
▪ Credibility and Trust Building. Newspapers and magazines are considered as
credible sources of information. That means a newspaper won’t advertise any
illegitimate or ambiguous brand, product, or service. Therefore, advertising in a
newspaper automatically helps you build creditability and trust in your target
audience.
▪ Better Engagement. People read the newspaper for different purposes but
obtaining information is a common objective of newspaper readers. This means
a business can have higher audience engagement through newspaper ads.
However, a business must be unique with its ads because they can be easily
ignored in a cluster of ads.
▪ Longevity. Even a single newspaper is read by multiple readers. That means your
ad will have an extended viewership. Apart from that, shops, offices, and other
venues display newspapers for longer periods. That means your ad will be
exposed to a lot of people for a long time.
▪ Flexibility. Print advertising is also a flexible option for advertisers or marketers.
That said, a brand can advertise its products or services in a specific newspaper
to reach an area-specific audience or reach a general audience. Similarly, if a
business has a low budget for advertising, it can place its ad on the publication
accordingly.

Disadvantages of Print Advertising

 ▪ Against the Trend. Just as mentioned earlier, print media has been surpassed by
digital channels. In fact, the modern generation is not very fond of reading
newspapers or magazines. People born before the 90s still like reading
newspapers, but that means a business may miss a huge potential customer base
by relying on print advertising.
▪ Lower Accessibility. The world has become a global village, and international
trade is the new common now. Even small businesses are making their way out
to international markets. That is why reaching a global audience through print
advertising is simply next to impossible. You cannot have a global reach with a
national newspaper.
▪ Paper Media Is “Killing Our Planet”. There are no easy words to say this, but
you need to cut down a lot of trees to make paper. To be honest, trees and plants
are a lifeline for this planet, and you need 10 liters of water to make one A4 size
sheet, which is pretty “expensive” in terms of natural resources.

Examples of Print Advertising

If you think there is little room for innovation in print advertising, here are some innovative
examples of print advertising that are simply amazing:

C&A
C&A, a famous fashion retailer, came up with unique customized magazine editions. These
editions were linked to a person’s Facebook account. The readers were able to like their desired
looks, and the data was sent back to the leader board in the store.

Lipton -“Cool Down Stop,”

How can you take advantage of a situation (for advertising purposes) where locals and tourists
are feeling the summer heat? Well, you can take inspiration from Lipton. The company printed
an interactive ad at a bus stop. The ad was named as “cool down stop,” and anyone pressing
the ad would be misted with cold water. That was truly creative, clever, and helpful as well.

KFC- We Ran Out of Chicken

Can you imagine a gas station without gas? Well, this happened to one of the biggest global
fast-food chains, KFC. The company ran out of chicken at its restaurants. It was important to
inform and apologize to the public immediately.

However, instead of posting a straightforward apology, the company came up with a print ad
that was attached to the company’s website where readers could get more information about
the rare mishap.

Radio Advertising

Radio advertising is buying commercials to promote products or services. Advertisers pay

commercial radio stations for airtime and, in exchange, the radio station broadcasts the
advertiser’s commercial to its listening audience.

1. Radio Reaches a Huge Audience

The latest 2019 survey results show the number of people listening to radio is continuing to
increase. In Australia, over 10 million people listen to a commercial radio station for at least
one hour every week of the year.

2. Radio is Targeted

Radio allows messages to be tailored and localised to each audience. Advertisers can target
their message to specific demographics and communities, geographic areas, and around events
and genres in a market. Each radio station is operated with specific market segments in mind,
so after a careful selection process, your product or service will be advertised to your exact
target market.

3. Radio Cuts Through

Radio is the medium that people spend the most time with throughout the day, providing ample
opportunity for a message to reach its audience. People carry out a wide range of activities
while simultaneously listening to the radio. And media surveys always show that radio listeners
are far less likely to "tune out" when ads come on the radio, compared to television. Ask
yourself - how often do you change channels or get up from your seat when the ads come on
tv? Do you do the same while listening to the radio?
4. Radio is the Anywhere, Anytime Medium

Given the radio’s portability, advertisers have the opportunity to reach people on the go, giving
them an edge over competitors. The accessibility of radio enables listening to occur in places
that other media may have difficulty reaching, for example, your target customers don’t read a
newspaper or magazine whilst driving, nor do they watch tv whilst working in the garden. It's
said that there are 50 million radios in Australia - that's an average of 5 devices per household.
Today, radio even overlaps with the phenomenon of digital media via downloadable radio
station apps.

5. Radio Is the Pulse of the Community

Radio is live and local so it reflects the community. People listen to the radio to find out what
is happening now in their community such as special events, news, traffic updates, weather
reports, sport and entertainment. It’s more local than global the traffic is jammed or the bridge
is closed. In fact, it's very interesting to note that radio has many of the characteristics that the
new digital world has in the way it acts as your constant companion, with you wherever you
are.

6. Radio Offers Promotional Opportunities

A "live broadcast" at your location, sampling your product on air, running a competition.
Promotions like this can be hard to do with social media, print, or television, but radio can offer
this sort of target customer involvement at an affordable price. And if it's done well, it can
really personalize your product or service to your target customer.

7. Radio is Influential

Radio is the medium to build top-of-mind awareness - for example, careful time placement of
ads can have a real impact on your call to action. In addition, a "live read" that offers a personal
endorsement by a radio personality will add credibility to your product or service. Studies show
that radio content influences people because they feel they are hearing it from a "friend" and
referrals are always the best type of sales opportunity.

8. Radio Reaches Your Target Customers with Frequency

Advertising works by repetition. Your target customer may well need to hear your commercial
three or four times before they respond to your call to action. To reach this level of frequency,
radio advertising is usually more cost-effective than other media. People choose to listen to the
radio - they want to listen and be engaged and they listen on average to almost 15 hours of
commercial radio each week.

9. Radio is Flexible and Immediate

Radio commercials can be created quickly without the production and delays of other media.
Copy can be produced and revised at short notice. A radio advertising campaign can be up and
running within a week.

10. Radio Provides a Strong Call-To-Action

Radio commercials can be selectively scheduled by day-part and weekday, enabling messages
to be delivered close to purchase. Listeners can act on an advertiser's message and participate
in station competitions.

How Radio Advertising works for your Business

• Radio advertising makes your business memorable

Due to the frequency of a radio ad playing a number of times throughout the day,
week, or month, the ad becomes memorable to the listener, and results in your
business being top of mind.
• Radio ads give your business a personality
Radio ads use one sense; the sense of hearing, which means the listeners have to
use their imagination to create a picture of what they are hearing. The better your
script is, the easier it becomes for the listener to see the story in their minds and
see the personality of your brand in that story.
• Results in action
Radio advertising continues to prove an excellent medium for reaching audiences
through its high penetration levels and repetition, and because radio ads have a
high call to action they generate excellent consumer recall.

Is Radio Advertising Still Effective?

Cost effective

Considering the lower investment cost when compared to TV and print advertising, statistics
show that Radio yields an exceptional return. If you consider the cost of one prime print advert
on the front page of a daily newspaper, or the huge cost of even 1 TV ad spot, it becomes clear
that unless you have an unlimited budget, radio could be a key asset for your business.
High repeat and recall

A key aspect of successful advertising is being able to repeat your message often and create
high recall and memorability. Radio allows for both. Again, due to radio advertising’s cost
effectiveness, repeating a message frequently enough is not out of reach of most advertisers.
And the ability to do this leads to extremely high recall levels for the associated investment.

Highly segmented offering

Instead of spraying your message everywhere and hoping it reaches your audience, you can
target them specifically and be much more effective.

Ability to tell stories

People today are not satisfied with standard promotion-driven advertising. To afford you a
share of their time, they demand that you engage them, entertain or tell them a good story in
return for their attention. Radio offers a great medium through which to do so. Humour and
stories are often sought by listeners as a source of distraction from their day, while the ability
to inject a unique tone of voice and ambiance through music is key.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Radio Advertising

Tracking ability

Radio advertising has a tracking ability which allows you to see if the ad is being effective on
a daily and weekly basis. The great thing here is that you can easily move your radio ad to a
different radio slot if the results are not satisfied within the period that you have set.

Limited spots

Everyone wants to get their ad aired during peak times, it can get difficult to secure yourself a
spot in these slots. It is vital to work with an agency that has relationships in the radio industry
and will be able to negotiate to get you onto the prime spots.

Low production cost

No hair and make-up cost, no lights, camera, action costs on elaborate sets and all the other
costs that go into creating a television commercial.
Targeted reach

Knowing which radio station your target audience listens to will allow you to get your message
to them effectively and frequently. Linking your radio ad to a competition, this way you can
get great listener engagement. Listeners can call-in to participate in the competition and as a
result, remember your ad.

Lack of visual appeal

Radio makes use of just one sense (hearing), meaning that your ad has to be so effective that it
stirs up the imagination of the listeners and evokes emotions.

Reach your audience anywhere

Radio is the only mass medium that people use while driving, cleaning the house or out in the
garden. TV advertising requires people to sit in front of their TV, print ads and online media
requires focused attention on the page or your screen. But you can listen to the radio while
doing other things.

Television Advertising

Televisions have been a staple in an average home for decades now. People use them for
entertainment, news, and even as an educational tool. But another common use for television
is advertising. Advertisers have long used television commercials to sell their products or
services to consumers.

These ads can take many different forms, but they all have one goal: to persuade viewers to
buy what they are selling.

This is television advertising and it’s an important part of the marketing mix for many
companies.

Television advertising refers to the process of creating and airing commercials on television
with the aim to promote a product or service.
TV advertising is one of the most common and effective ways to reach consumers. This is
because it offers a wide reach, frequency, and impact.

While OTTs and digital content are now competing for attention with the TV industry, TVs are
still the dominant medium for advertising.

In fact, an average person spends around 4 hours watching TV each day. This provides
advertisers with many opportunities to get their message in front of potential customers.

Characteristics Of Television Advertising

TV ads typically have some or all of the following characteristics:

• They are highly creative and attention-grabbing: Television commercials

are designed to be entertaining and memorable so that they stick in the viewer’s
mind.
• They use sight, sound, and motion: TV ads rely on multiple senses to reach
viewers. This is why they often include music, visuals, and special effects.
• They are backed by marketing objective: Every TV ad is created with a
specific marketing objective in mind, whether it’s to increase brand
awareness or generate sales.
• They deliver a message in a short amount of time: Television commercials
get only a few seconds to deliver their message. Hence, they make sure to get
their point across quickly and effectively.
•

Types Of TV Advertising

Television advertising comes in many different forms, including:

• Television Commercials (TVC): TVCs are the most common type of television
ad. They typically last between 15 and 60 seconds and air during commercial
breaks.
• Product Placement: Product placement is when a product or service is featured
prominently in a TV show or movie. This can be done organically as part of the
 story (e.g. a character using an iPhone) or through explicit placement like when
a product is shown in close up or used in a key scene.
• Brand Integration: Brand integration is when a brand becomes part of the
fabric of a TV show. That is, when the entire script revolves around a particular
brand or has its offering as a special prize (e.g. Fear Factor where contestants
win a Ford truck).
• Infomercials: Infomercials are lengthy TV ads that usually air late at night or
on weekends. They typically last for 30 minutes or more and include a call to
action, such as a phone number or website URL.
• Overlay: Overlays are short, 10-second ads that appear over the bottom of the
screen during a TV show. They are typically used to promote upcoming
programs or products during live events.

Examples Of Television Advertising

TV advertising takes many different forms, from traditional commercials to modern-day

product placement. Here are some examples of television advertising:

Traditional Commercial Examples

Old Spice: The Man Your Man Could Smell Like

Old Spice is a popular men’s grooming brand that is known for its humorous commercials. The
company has produced a number of memorable TV ads, including “The Man Your Man Could
Smell Like.”

This commercial features a man who is confident, attractive, and successful. He is shown doing
a variety of things that are meant to appeal to men, such as riding a horse and playing basketball.
The commercial ends with the tagline, “Old Spice. The man your man could smell like.”

Advantages Of Television Advertising

Television advertising has its advantages over other marketing channels. Here are some of
them:
 • Mass Medium: TV reaches a large audience quickly and effectively. This
makes it ideal for advertisers who want to reach as many people as possible.
• Appeal To Everyone: Television is one such advertising medium that doesn’t
require the audience to be literate. It can be consumed by people of all age
groups and literacy levels.
• Persuasive: TV advertising is very effective at persuasion, thanks to its use of
sight, sound, and motion.
• Creates An Emotional Connection: TV commercials often rely on emotions
to drive their message home. This can be done through music, visuals, and even
stories.
• Measurable: The effects of TV advertising can be measured through surveys,
brand awareness studies, and sales data. This helps advertisers determine
whether or not their campaigns are successful.
• Attention-Grabbing: TV commercials are designed to grab the viewer’s
attention and hold it for the duration of the ad. This is done through creative
visuals, music, and special effects.
• Trustworthy: TV advertising is seen as more trustworthy than other marketing
channels, such as online ads. This is because TV commercials inherit the trust
that viewers have in the channel itself.
• Medium To Develop Brand Personality: TV is an important medium for
developing a brand personality as it allows advertisers to show rather than tell
their audience what the brand is all about.

Disadvantages Of Television Advertising

Television advertising also has some disadvantages that marketers should be aware of:

• Expensive: TV advertising is one of the most expensive marketing channels

available. This is because it requires a lot of money to produce a high-quality
commercial and air it on TV.
• Not Targeted: TV advertising reaches a large audience, but it’s not very
targeted. This means that advertisers will end up paying to reach people who
are not interested in their product or service.
 • Limited Creative Freedom: The limited time available for TV commercials
means that there is only so much that can be done creatively. This can be a
challenge for advertisers who want to stand out from the crowd.
• Not Interactive: TV advertising is a one-way medium, which means that it’s
not very interactive. This can make it difficult to engage with the audience and
get them to take action.
• Requires Repetition To Be Effective: TV advertising is not very effective
unless it’s repeated multiple times. This can be expensive and time-consuming
for advertisers.
• Less Flexible: It’s both expensive and time-intensive to make edits to a TV
commercial once it has been produced. This means that advertisers have to be
sure of their creative before it goes on air.
• Declined In Recent Years: The popularity of TV has declined in recent years,
as more and more people are cutting the cord. This means that there are fewer
people available to view TV commercials.

Web Advertising

The first web advertisement was placed on the October 1994 Edition of the Hotwired Website.
Web advertisement requires the participation of Internet users. The Internet has enabled
consumers to interact directly with the advertisers and the advertisements. Web advertising is
an attempt to disseminate information through the Internet in order to effect a buyer-seller
transaction.

Advertising on the Web is usually non-intrusive. The advertisement consists of a one-liner,

Image banners and Videos. It requires the user to click on the advertisement for further
information. This automatically takes him to the home page or Website of the advertiser, either
for more information, or to try or purchase of the product. There are two very good reasons for
embracing the inevitability of the growing amount of commercial advertising on the Web.

• Advertising conveys much-needed information.

• Advertising generates significant revenue.

Advantages of Web Advertising

i) Advertisements can reach a very large number of potential global buyers.

ii) Web advertisements are accessed on demand for all the 24 hours a day, 365 days a year and
costs are the same regardless of audience location.

iii) One-to-One direct marketing is possible

iv) Web advertisements can be interactive and targeted to specific interest groups and
individuals.

v) Contents can be updated, supplemented or changed at any time at a minimum cost.

vi) Multimedia will create more attractive advertisements.

vii) They can efficiently use the convergence of text, audio, graphics and animation.

viii) They can introduce new products or alternatives to existing products.

ix) They can generate awareness of branded products.

Disadvantages of Web Advertising

i) There is no clear standard or language of measurement.

ii) Only Internet users are the audience of web advertising, who are still lesser.

iii) Cost is high in many circumstances.

Media Research

Media Research is the study of the effects of the different mass media on social,
psychological and physical aspects. Research segments the people based on what television
programs they watch, radio they listen, media they access and magazines they read.

It includes achievements and effects of media and a study about the development of
media. Newspapers, magazines, radio, TV, Cinema or other mass media analysis and collection
of information’s. It helps to understand the ways in which media can meet the needs of the
audience. Whether it can provide information and entertainment to more and different types of
people. New technological improvements that help to improve or enhance the medium. Thus,
in order to deal with social and political issues insightfully, management and regulation of
media is needed. Unbiased evaluation of data can be achieved through media research.

Parameters in Media Research

In Media Research, we need to understand:

1. The nature of medium being used

2. The working of the medium

3. Technologies involved in it

4. Difference and similarities between it and other media vehicles

5. Functions and services provided by it

6. Cost associated and access to new medium

7. Effectiveness and how it can be improved

As decision process depends on data, thus media research has grown to be utilized for long
range planning. Research is in growth phase due to competitions between different media.

Media Research Example

An example can be time a person spends with a particular medium like a TV channel, radio
station or social media platform. The effectiveness in terms of time spent, interactions etc. are
measured. It also includes the costs associated with each channel and ROI provided.
Reliability

Reliability refers to how consistently a method measures something. If the same result can be
consistently achieved by using the same methods under the same circumstances, the
measurement is considered reliable.

You measure the temperature of a liquid sample several times under identical conditions. The
thermometer displays the same temperature every time, so the results are reliable.
A doctor uses a symptom questionnaire to diagnose a patient with a long-term medical
condition. Several different doctors use the same questionnaire with the same patient but give
different diagnoses. This indicates that the questionnaire has low reliability as a measure of the
condition.

Validity

Validity refers to how accurately a method measures what it is intended to measure. If research
has high validity, that means it produces results that correspond to real properties,
characteristics, and variations in the physical or social world.

High reliability is one indicator that a measurement is valid. If a method is not reliable, it
probably isn’t valid.

If the thermometer shows different temperatures each time, even though you have carefully
controlled conditions to ensure the sample’s temperature stays the same, the thermometer is
probably malfunctioning, and therefore its measurements are not valid.

If a symptom questionnaire results in a reliable diagnosis when answered at different times and
with different doctors, this indicates that it has high validity as a measurement of the medical
condition.

However, reliability on its own is not enough to ensure validity. Even if a test is reliable, it may
not accurately reflect the real situation.

The thermometer that you used to test the sample gives reliable results. However, the
thermometer has not been calibrated properly, so the result is 2 degrees lower than the true
value. Therefore, the measurement is not valid.
A group of participants take a test designed to measure working memory. The results are
reliable, but participants’ scores correlate strongly with their level of reading comprehension.
This indicates that the method might have low validity: the test may be measuring participants’
reading comprehension instead of their working memory.

Validity is harder to assess than reliability, but it is even more important. To obtain useful
results, the methods you use to collect your data must be valid: the research must be measuring
what it claims to measure. This ensures that your discussion of the data and the conclusions you
draw are also valid.

Reliability and validity assessed:

Reliability can be estimated by comparing different versions of the same measurement.

Validity is harder to assess, but it can be estimated by comparing the results to other relevant
data or theory. Methods of estimating reliability and validity are usually split up into different
types.
Types of reliability

Type of reliability What does it assess? Example

Test-retest The consistency of a measure across A group of participants complete

time: do you get the same results when a questionnaire designed to measure
you repeat the measurement? personality traits. If they repeat the
questionnaire days, weeks or months
apart and give the same answers, this
indicates high test-retest reliability.

Interrater The consistency of a measure across Based on an assessment criteria

raters or observers: do you get the same checklist, five examiners submit
results when different people conduct substantially different results for the
the same measurement? same student project. This indicates that
the assessment checklist has low inter-
rater reliability (for example, because
the criteria are too subjective).

Internal The consistency of the measurement You design a questionnaire to measure

consistency itself: do you get the same results from self-esteem. If you randomly split the
different parts of a test that are designed results into two halves, there should be
to measure the same thing? a strong correlation between the two sets
of results. If the two results are very
different, this indicates low internal
consistency.
Types of validity

The validity of a measurement can be estimated based on three main types of evidence. Each
type can be evaluated through expert judgement or statistical methods.

Types of validity

Type of validity What does it assess? Example

Construct The adherence of a measure to existing A self-esteem questionnaire could be

theory and knowledge of the concept assessed by measuring other traits known or
being measured. assumed to be related to the concept of self-
esteem (such as social skills and optimism).
Strong correlation between the scores for
self-esteem and associated traits would
indicate high construct validity.

Content The extent to which the A test that aims to measure a class of
measurement covers all aspects of the students’ level of Spanish contains reading,
concept being measured. writing and speaking components, but no
listening component. Experts agree that
listening comprehension is an essential
aspect of language ability, so the test lacks
content validity for measuring the overall
level of ability in Spanish.

Criterion The extent to which the result of a A survey is conducted to measure the
measure corresponds to other valid political opinions of voters in a region. If the
measures of the same concept. results accurately predict the later outcome
of an election in that region, this indicates
that the survey has high criterion validity.
Reliability vs validity

Reliability Validity

What does it tell you? The extent to which the results can be The extent to which the results really
reproduced when the research is measure what they are supposed to
repeated under the same conditions. measure.

How is it assessed? By checking the consistency of results By checking how well the results
across time, across different observers, correspond to established theories and
and across parts of the test itself. other measures of the same concept.

How do they relate? A reliable measurement is not always A valid measurement is generally
valid: the results might be reproducible, reliable: if a test produces accurate
but they’re not necessarily correct. results, they should be reproducible.

Techniques to Measure Advertising Effectiveness

There are different tests and several techniques in each of the test to evaluate advertising
effectiveness. Test depends on the aspects to be evaluated. Based on Philip Kotler’s views, let
us first discuss classification of tests (various ways or approaches) to evaluate advertising
effectiveness.

1. Pre-test and Post Test:

Pre-test implies testing advertising message before it is sent to specific media. Post test implies
testing impact of advertising message after it is published in any of the media.

2. Communication and Sales Effect Test:

Communication test measures communicability (ability to communicate) of the message.
Whereas sales-effect test measures advertising impact on sales volume.

3. Laboratory and Field Test:

Clearly, a laboratory test is conducted in a controlled environment in a limited scale.
Respondents are invited in a laboratory to state their response. Quite opposite, a field test is
conducted in original setting, artificial climate is not created. It is similar as conducting survey
to measure what customers think about company’s advertisement.

4. Experimental and Survey Test:

Experimental test involves testing advertising effect by conducting test by manipulating
independent variable (i.e., advertising efforts) and measuring the effect of the manipulation on
other dependent variables like sales, profits, consumer satisfaction, etc. Experimental test may
be laboratory or field test. Survey test involved knowing consumers’ views through a survey
method.

5. Message and Media Effect Test:

While message test involves measuring clarity, contents, believability, action ability, etc., of
the message, the media test measures effectiveness/ suitability of one or more media.

Mostly, a company is interested to measure advertisement’s communication effect and sales

effect. Therefore, it is worthwhile to discuss communication and sales effect test.

Communication and Sales Effect Test:

Among several tests, the communication test and the sales effect test are more relevant because
success of advertising campaign depends on how far advertising has influenced knowledge,
attitudes and preference of the target customers. In the same way, a sales volume is the ultimate
aim of all marketing efforts (including advertising). Advertising must increase sales. Therefore,
evaluation of advertising effectiveness, in most cases, consists of evaluating communication
test and sales effect test.

Methods for Communication Effect Test:

Communication effect test seeks to determine whether advertisement is capable to
communicate effectively.
Following methods are used:
1. Direct Rating Test:
In this method, consumers are asked to rate/rank alternative advertisements. They are exposed
to different ads and are requested to rate them. Consumers can consider various criteria to rate
the advertisement, like message contents, message clarity, coordination, and overall
impression.

2. Recall Test:
It measures the retention value of ad message. The consumers are asked to listen and/or view
the particular advertisement. They are then asked to recall the same. The amount of contents
and message they recall determines effectiveness of advertisement.

3. Portfolio Test:
Here, the consumers are asked to view and/or listen to a portfolio of advertisements. They are
given as much time as they need. They are then asked to recall all the ads and their contents.
Their recall level indicates an advertisement’s ability to affect consumers’ knowledge and
arouse interest.

4. Laboratory Test:
The test is conducted in laboratory. Necessary equipment’s are used to measure consumers’
physical reactions in terms of heartbeat, blood pressure, perspiration, etc., to an ad.

Methods Sales Effect Test:

While the communication effect test measures communicating ability of the ad, the sales affect
test measures ad’s ability to influence sales. Ad must affect sales positively. In fact,
advertising’s sales effect is difficult to test because sales are influenced by many factors besides
advertising, including product’s features, price, availability, and competition.

Following two methods are used:

1. Historical Test:
The test involves correlating the past sales to the past advertising expenditures using advance
statistical techniques. The results can reveal how far advertisement was effective in generating
or increasing sales. The test can be used for different products, territories and ad media, or in
general.
2. Experimental Test:
Experiment is conducted to assess impact of advertisement on sales. Instead of spending the
same per cent of sales for advertisement in all territories or products, a company spends
different percentage of sales for advertisement. Company can easily judge whether high-
spending territories have resulted in increasing sales and vice-versa.

How To Write An Advertising Case Study

An advertising case study describes how an advertising agency can achieve its marketing
objectives, overcome challenges, and attain successful results. Case studies are applied by
organizations in the sales process and demonstrate their skills, capability, and approach and to
show how they with customers. Advertising case studies can be useful in print, on your
website, in your advertising kit and when sales staff is meeting prospective companies selling
those spots.
When it comes to effectiveness, case studies are considered superior selling tools than
testimonials and because they contain specific information describing, how a company solved
marketing and advertising problems. This is how you go about the process.

Provide enough background

Write about your target markets like the audience to which you are advertising medium
appeal and the challenges within the market. For instance, you can publish your content in a
parenting magazine, and the services or products that appear in this publication are meant for
the parents of newborns and grade school children. You can indicate why the booming
population increases subscriptions, even though nowadays parents are utilizing the internet as
a source of information. You have to enable potential advertisers who read your case study to
understand the state of the market and the challenges that they have to surmount in order to
make money for their spots. You have to speak about the competing mediums of advertisement
like radio, television, print, digital media, or billboards to demonstrate the uniqueness of your
advertising solution. This will give your case study more credible.
Expound on the problems and objectives

Show the problem that the customer brings to you. It can be the need to reach a sales
goal, finding new customers in a specific segmented market and so on. If the objective of your
advertising campaign is to promote a new product or building towards name recognition among
buyers and prospects, then include that description. You can also explain the recommended
advertising strategy to achieve the objectives.
You have to talk about the business of the client in details especially on major areas and outline
the challenges and the available opportunities within the market. Explain about the current sales
and services of the client and show where they stand concerning the market share and the
volume of sales. When describing the marketing objectives of your client, you have to use
terms like “increasing the market share…” increase sales by…”. You also have to show how
the client is going to support these goals. It can be through creating customer awareness of the
company’s products or services. It can alsobe through more lead generation to increase sales
volume.

Provide the solution in details

Now that you have provided the solution give it more details using the client’s words
an expound on why they prefer your advertising company. Include statements about how a
particular sales person assisted in the selection of the best ad for their budget. Tell them of how
he put together a frequency plan for the ad to run adequately to get the desired attention.
For any creative services you provide, give strategies that you formulated and how you listened
to the client for you to come up with the best and effective advertisement. Give details about
the outcome and the results received by the client. It can be the number of sales made or how
many potential customers called or visited the company after seeing the ad.

Enhance readability
When it comes to an advertising case study, no one is interested in reading a long text.
As such, you have to use formatting that makes the ensure case study easy to read. Let the
readers comprehend your case study without having to read too much. You can include
headlines and subheadings to bifurcate your case studies into sections.
Let the headlines mention the problems, solutions, benefits, and outcomes. This gives your case
study the maximum impact. Formulate a strong title that attracts even the prospective
advertisers, making them want to know more.

More on advertising case study

In most cases, advertising case studies encompass impressive features that have great
and impressive details. As such, they must be very captivating to the reader. The study can be
more on the best marketing tools that adopt new channels to generate the much-needed leads.
Remember you are advertising to attract more potential customers.
Talk about the “who” more than the “what.” For instance, it can be a case about segmentation
solution that they can implement. As such, the strategy would be to target a niche audience via
sharable content. Most of the client’s success story in the advertisement world is big on return
on investment and rates of conversion. However, the design has to be right in this scenario.

Benefits of using case studies

Case studies have been used in different areas. When it comes to advertising case
studies, several benefits abound. They include:

Creating helpful resources for sales

Case studies are great collateral for sales. If you have a system for marketing
automation, you can include case studies to your drip campaigns to send your prospective
customers examples of how to use your products. This can help sales members close many
deals.

Identify your brand evangelists

When you create a case study, you have to approach your clients and ask for their
participation. This can lead you to people who are willing to be brand ambassadors. If you have
customers who can vouch for you, then your products are meant to make inroads into the
market.

Turning your product or service into a story

Case studies use a typical format that introduces your clients, tells you about the conflict
the face, and provides you with a solution. Make customers the heroes of this story and let them
see how your product is going to help them in saving the day.