THE AWESOME WORLD OF ADVERTISING



Advertising is the communication relayed from companies to persuade an audience to purchase their products. This communication is usually through various forms of paid media -- TV and radio commercials, print ads, billboards and more recently, product placement. Ads are placed where advertisers believe they will reach the largest, most relevant audience. Commercial businesses use advertising to drive the consumption of their product, while non-profit organizations may place ads to raise awareness or encourage a change in behavior or perception.
A successful advertisement creates a desire in viewers, listeners or readers. It also provides information on how to fulfill that desire and makes the potential customer feel good about doing so. With so many products and service providers in the marketplace, using a proven technique in your advertising increases the likelihood that your ad dollars will return value. Basic techniques used in propaganda transfer successfully to advertising and remain the most frequently employed.
THE MOST COMMON ADVERTISING TECHNIQUES
REPETITION
Repetition is a simple yet effective technique used to build identity awareness and customer memory. Even advertisements using other successful approaches mention the product or company name more than once, particularly in television because its combination of sight and sound, allows the advertiser to disguise the repetition by changing its delivery (from visual to audio). An ad first shown during a Super Bowl broadcast for a product called HeadOn remains the classic example of this advertising technique. Though the advertisement never explained what the product does, viewers remembered its name.
CLAIM
Advertising that promotes specific features or makes claims about what a product or service can do for the potential customers provides successful results by informing, educating and developing expectations in the buyer. Claims can state facts or simply use hype, such as calling one brand of orange juice "the best" when nutritionally it is identical to other brands. Claims may mislead through omission or by using what some advertisers and political campaigners call "weasel words." These are subtle statement modifiers that render the claim meaningless if studied closely. Common weasel words include "helps," "fights" and "virtually."
ASSOCIATION
Associating a product or company with a famous person, catchy jingle, desirable state of being or powerful emotion creates a strong psychological connection in the customer. Sporting equipment companies use successful athletes in their ads, automakers display their cars in front of mansions, brewers show their beer consumed by groups of friends having fun and cosmetic companies sign celebrities to represent their products. These ads encourage an emotional response in customers, which then is linked to the product being advertised, making it attractive through transference
BANDWAGON
The bandwagon technique sells a product or service by convincing the customer that others are using it and they should join the crowd. Other bandwagon advertisements suggest that the customer will be left out if they do not buy what's being sold. These ads often employ "glittering generalities," words linked to highly valued ideas or concepts that evoke instant approval, which may or may not relate to the subject of the advertisement. "America loves..." connects patriotism with a product, creating an automatic positive response.
PROMOTIONS
Coupons, sweepstakes, games with prizes and gifts with purchases create excitement, and participation encourages customers to build a relationship with the sponsoring product or service. The attraction of getting something "free" or earning "rewards" makes promotions successful. Limited-time offers and entry deadlines add urgency to this advertising technique's call to action.
WHAT IS THE MOST COMMON CRITICISM OF ADVERTISING?
UNETHICAL
The ethics of adverting campaigns often comes into question, particularly when consumers are urged to make unneeded purchases or are given false and misleading information. According to the Communications Council, for example, placing a price on an ad that really belongs on an inferior product is both unethical and illegal. Relying on racial or gender stereotypes is another unethical practice the council eschews. Tiny, illegible print can’t overcome patently false claims made in the larger advertising print, such as in the case of the Humira ad run by Abbott Labs in 2009. In that case, the unethical advertising resulted in a $70 million fine for the drug manufacturer, according to CBS News.
EXAGGERATED
Advertising that exaggerates the differences between your product and your competitors’ products often is criticized as false and misleading. It sometimes disparages competition unfairly in an effort to woo consumers. Customers often become disenchanted with negative ads, which then can backfire on the originator of the exaggerated claims.
OFFENSIVE
Advertising critics often point to the use of sex and sexual innuendos as offensive and unnecessary. Some advertising campaigns draw protests from area churches, women groups or parenting associations, such as the Calvin Klein commercials in the 1970s that featured a teenage Brooke Shields. Critics called the ads pornographic and exploitative. Boycotts and legal actions may follow offensive advertising that ultimately can lead to even more exposure for your brand. For example, the clothing retailer Benetton received extensive coverage and criticism of its so-called “unhate” campaign in 2011 when it featured President Obama kissing Hugo Chavez, a Venezuelan leader.
MATERIALISTIC
Another strong criticism of advertising is that it corrupts society by promoting materialism. Proponents of social responsibility accuse advertisers of taking advantage of the free enterprise system to exploit various populations with unethical, misleading and offensive advertising. The result, they say, is a less informed and less caring population of consumers. According to the American Educational Foundation, critics claim that ads play on peoples’ emotions with promises of social acceptance and sex appeal, causing them to make purchases they can’t really afford and don’t need. Advertisers can’t force consumers to buy something they don’t need, but enough effective advertising can increase consumer wants and desires.