Why companies should invest in advertising
Part 1: What is advertising
What is the first thing you think of when you hear the word “advertising?”
A billboard?
An aggressive sales pitch?
Falsehood?
It is no surprise advertising has developed a bad reputation considering it stems from the ancient practice of propaganda, which promoted biased and misleading information to promote the agenda of governments and other institutions.
However, years of study on the theory and practice of advertising has led to the development of a legitimate and ethical industry. Principle No.1 of the American Advertising Federation’s Principles and Practices for Advertising Ethics states that professionals in the field “share a common objective of truth and high ethical standards in serving the public.”
When I think about advertising, I automatically picture the character of Don Draper from the TV show “Mad Men.”
According to Draper, “Advertising is based on one thing, happiness. And you know what happiness is? Happiness is the smell of a new car. It’s the freedom from fear. It is a billboard on the side of the road that screams reassurance that whatever you are doing is okay. You are okay.”
To some extent, Draper is correct. Advertising does provide the consumer with a degree of intrinsic value. However, as a business owner, “happiness” may not be the most comforting explanation before you decide to invest your hard earned money into advertising.
The Economic Times defines advertising as “a means of communication with the users of a product or service. Advertisements are messages paid for by those who send them and are intended to inform or influence people who receive them.”
When asked about what she thought about advertising, Jackie Joy Ho Shing, a young professional living in McAllen said, “I think of iconic brands like Nike and Amazon. It is the tactical and memorable advertising that keeps brands like these on my mind.”
The operative word in Ho Shing’s statement is “memorable.”
In today’s saturated market, a company’s success may depend solely on how well it can distinguish itself from the competition. Also, in our technologically, globalized world, you no longer just need to worry about the competitor down the street. Your business may also be competing with giant companies from around the world (like Amazon or Nike).
Advertising can help your business or product become memorable. By placing an ad, you allow your business to demonstrate how it is a better choice than the other guy.
Advertising allows your consumer to see what you have to offer. It provides the consumer with an intrinsic reassurance that buying your product or doing business with your company will make everything “okay.”
This cannot be achieved by simply posting on a social media account and placing print ads in a magazine or newspaper. It is important to employ the services of an advertising professional to help you construct and disseminate a message that is true to your brand and that will reach your target audience.
At RGVision Media, our educated and experienced staff of advertising and media professional can help you achieve these goals. Contact us today to set up a meeting and begin taking your business to the next level.
In our next issue I will discuss the importance of objectives, the different kinds of objectives, and how they will help you and your ad team develop your advertising strategy.
