Advertising is all around us these days. It can be seen on TV and in the subway, on the windows of vehicles and on dumpsters. It seems that any places and surfaces act as means of advertising distribution. However, it is not. Of course, distributors of goods and many manufacturers try to use every opportunity to announce their products. However, there are strict restrictions on such activities. In our article, we will talk about the classification of the main means of advertising distribution and give a detailed description of them.
Basic information
In accordance with the law "On Advertising" this concept is defined as follows: it is a non-personal paid form of dealing with consumers in order to present and promote goods and services. At the same time, it should be clear from the message on whose behalf it comes. An advertising message is considered a public offer, that is, the conditions specified in it must be available to all people. Since you can promote different goods and services for anytarget audiences, there are many channels and means of advertising distribution. Their use is governed by law and the specifics of the message. Advertising is one of the marketing tools. Its distinctive characteristics are:
- Public nature. Advertising always refers to certain average groups of people, united by socio-demographic or behavioral characteristics.
- Anonymity. The advertising message, although created for a specific group of people, is not aimed at a specific person.
- Unidirectional. Advertising does not imply feedback from the consumer, the response to it should be in the form of a given action, for example, the purchase of a product that is offered.
- Expressive and convincing. Advertising should evoke an emotional response, because it needs to stand out from many other offers. In addition, it must achieve the goal, that is, to convince a person of the advantages and merits of the product.
- Mediation. An advertising message is always associated with the means of distribution, depends on them.
Classification
Before characterizing the main means of advertising distribution, it is necessary to determine its types, since they require different forms of presentation of messages. Traditionally, advertising is classified according to the goals it pursues. In this perspective, the following types of it are distinguished:
- Exhorting.
- Informative.
- Reminiscent.
- Imaging.
There is also the practice of differentiating types depending on the type of advertiser. In this perspective, advertising is highlighted:
- Commercial. Pursues the goal of selling goods or services.
- Social. Aimed at promoting any ideas, charities, certain behaviors.
Means of social media distribution may differ from commercial media.
There is also a classification depending on the location of the ad or offer. In this perspective, advertising can be like this:
- Printed (such as booklets).
- Outdoor.
- Television.
- On the radio.
- In the press.
- On the Internet.
- Hidden.
- Custom.
There is another practice of dividing advertising into:
- ATL (outdoor, television and so on, i.e. direct media).
- BTL. This is hidden advertising (events, promotions, non-standard methods).
Let's talk about them in more detail.
Functions
It is necessary to choose ways, forms and means of advertising distribution, based on the goal that it pursues. Traditionally, several of its basic functions are distinguished:
- Information. This is the most important function of advertising, allowing it to inform target audiences about new products and services, about changes in their properties, about the possibilities of their application, about points of sale.
- Exhortation. For a consumer to purchase a product,it is necessary to convince him of the advantages of the purchase. Advertising should gradually form in target audiences ideas about the merits of the product, its qualities and properties.
- Reminder about a product or service. During those periods when the manufacturer has nothing to add about his product, he must maintain a level of awareness about it. This is necessary so that the buyer, in case of need, remembers a certain brand and buys the product.
- Positioning. This function is associated with the formation in the consumer's perception of a certain image of the product. It is important for the seller to fix the set of distinctive characteristics of the product in the memory of a potential buyer.
- Imaging. To retain loyal consumers, as well as to form a favorable attitude towards the product, advertising should periodically talk about its merits and benefits.
In addition, advertising performs economic, educational, social, even educational and entertainment functions.
Concept of advertising media
Marketing messages must reach the consumer in order to accomplish the tasks assigned to them. At the same time, marketers must find such channels of information that are most likely to be in demand by the target audience.
The success of communication depends on how competently the channels for distributing messages are chosen, whether the format of the appeal corresponds to the means of distribution. Traditionally, they mean platforms for posting information. All modern advertising media have their ownAdvantages and disadvantages. However, the methods of presenting information are constantly changing, improving, applying new technologies in order to better convey information to consumers.
Types of advertising media and channels
Traditional classification is based on the leading placement sites. In this case, allocate outdoor, television, souvenir, print, radio advertising, as well as messages about goods and services in the press and on the Internet. In addition, in the classification of the main means of advertising distribution, there are types:
- Straight.
- Hidden.
- ATL (the one above the line).
- BTL (the one below the line).
ATL - these are classic channels of direct impact, that is, the consumer understands that he has an advertising message in front of him, and treats it accordingly. This group includes 5 traditional media channels: outdoor information (posters, billboards, etc.), press, television, radio and the Internet.
BTL is covert communication. The consumer often does not immediately understand that in front of him is an advertisement. This group includes souvenir advertising, merchandising, event marketing, ambient advertising, advertisements at points of sale, in cinemas, at airports, product placement, and so on.
Press
This is a classic advertising medium. Magazines and newspapers are the most traditional and conservative channel for transmitting information. Despite the fact that today the press is gradually losing its former positions, it is stillin demand, therefore it is used as a tool for advertising distribution. There are target groups - people who continue to read newspapers and magazines. They include the older generation. For these people, reading newspapers is a longstanding habit.
The rural population can also be included here. Citizens living in villages and towns read the regional press, as it remains the main source of information about local life.
Professionals from different fields also often continue to read specialized periodicals.
Glossy magazines also remain in demand among their readers and are not going to give up under the pressure of the Internet.
The advantage of press advertising is that a person can read it for as long as they want, so this channel is suitable for advertising complex products, such as banking products. Also, advertising in reputable magazines is prestigious. Therefore, luxury brands do not stop using this channel. Another advantage of press advertising is its relative cheapness and high targeting.
The downside of this channel is that not all target audiences can be influenced with its help, for example, young people today practically do not read the press. In addition, advertisements, for example, in a newspaper, run for a short period of time. To increase it, you need to repeat your offer from number to number.
This is another classic channel for the distribution of advertising information. The main means of distributing printed advertising are catalogues, booklets, leaflets,calendars, notebooks, posters, posters, postcards. The advantages of this channel are its low cost, long service life of the message, the positive attitude of consumers who often perceive the printed product as a gift (many manufacturers present a calendar or notebook as a souvenir), the ability to transmit a large amount of complex information in the form of diagrams, drawings, large texts. The disadvantages are a small audience coverage, the impact is only on the visual channel for obtaining information.
Outdoor advertising
This is one of the most efficient communication channels. This includes signs, pillars, billboards, streamers, city formats, prismatrons, LED screens, firewalls, as well as advertising on transport, on street furniture, on balloons.
The listed means of distribution of outdoor advertising have the following advantages:
- High geographic selectivity - you can influence people in close proximity to the advertised store.
- 24/7 action.
- Long message life.
- Relatively low cost.
The disadvantages of outdoor advertising are:
- Short-term contact (a person in a split second must understand what is being offered to him, what is the essence of the message). This makes the message difficult to understand and remember.
- Negative attitude of people, as advertising distracts drivers, disfigures the urban environment.
However, non-standard formsfeeds (street furniture, unusual designs, outdoor TV) overcome these shortcomings quite successfully.
Internet
Today, the main means of advertising distribution are localized in the worldwide electronic network. This is due to the fact that the Internet is increasingly penetrating people's lives. The main types of online advertising are:
- Sites.
- Banners.
- E-mail newsletters.
- Targeted and contextual advertising.
- Social networks.
This channel has a number of significant advantages. This is a fairly cheap means of disseminating information, it has a very high targeting ability, that is, the exact choice of the target audience, the use of almost all forms of information perception: visual, auditory. Online advertising has high flexibility and efficiency, its results can be very accurately evaluated.
The disadvantages of this tool are as follows:
- Not all audiences are reachable online.
- Increasing advertising noise.
- Possibility of blocking advertising messages by users or search engines.
- Negative public perception of intrusive offers.
Phones
Modern classification of advertising distribution means can no longer do without highlighting another type of distribution of offers of goods and services. We are talking about mobile phones and their applications. These innovations have not gone unnoticed.marketers.
The main methods of mobile advertising are sending messages, displaying banners, information in applications. The advantages of this channel are the instantaneous delivery of messages, their personal nature, the accuracy of measurements of the effects obtained, the relatively low cost, and interactivity (the consumer can perform a targeted action immediately after receiving the news or somehow respond to the message).
The main disadvantage of this means of distributing advertising information is the limited audience, people over 35 years old do not yet use the different capabilities of mobile devices.
Television
If we characterize the types and means of advertising distribution, then television will occupy one of the leading places among them. Today, the Internet is actively pushing it aside, but it has not yet been able to defeat it. People continue to actively watch TV shows and movies. This applies to audiences of all ages and categories.
The main formats of television advertising are clips, screensavers, announcements, sponsorship of programs and various headings, TV reports, news stories, films. The advantages of this channel are a wide coverage of target audiences, the ability to influence several channels of information perception, the popularity of programs, and the low cost of contact with one viewer.
The disadvantages of television advertising are:
- Her high price (to use this channel, you need to shoot a commercial, and it costs quite a lot).
- Citizens' perception is too negative (people change channels or walk away from the TV during commercials).
- Short message.
- High cost per minute of air.
Television is an excellent means of distributing social advertising. Note that the state sets certain quotas for posting such information.
Radio commercials
Listing the main means of advertising distribution, it is impossible not to mention the radio. This medium's formats include commercials, intros, jingles, announcements, reports and news stories, radio broadcasts, and feature and program sponsorships.
Every year the audience of radio stations only increases, people listen to the radio while traveling in cars, which means they also consume advertising. The advantages of such information presentation are:
- Its speed and flexibility (you can submit an announcement a day before the broadcast).
- Wide coverage.
- Good level of selectivity (radio stations today are increasingly targeting narrow speci alty audiences).
- Relatively low cost.
The main disadvantages of radio advertising are:
- Short duration of contact.
- Influence only on the auditory channel of information perception.
- Negative listener attitudes (people may switch the radio station during promotional information).
Also, the perception of the radio as a sound background is also a disadvantage. People often don't listen to what broadcasters tell them.
POS announcements
When describing the types and means of advertising distribution, do not forget about providing the necessary information at points of sale. This is a very effective tool for influencing consumers, as well as stimulating the sale of products and services. Its main formats are:
- POS materials. These are various means of designing a point of sale of goods: branded shelves, branded racks and refrigerators, displays, coin boxes, shelf talkers, flags, dummies, price tags. All this helps to distinguish the product from competitors and attract the attention of the consumer.
- Internal advertising. These are posters, commercials on in-store television and radio, posters.
- Laying out and packing goods.
- Individual seller advice.
The advantages of this channel are the loy alty of consumers to this type of advertising, low cost, high performance - the consumer, having seen information about the product, can immediately buy it.
The disadvantages of POS ads are growing advertising noise, hard-to-calculate efficiency.
Souvenirs
Another non-traditional means of advertising distribution is souvenirs. Mugs, baseball caps, t-shirts, calendars, pens, diaries, key chains, badges are just a small standard set of products that can be used for promotional purposes.
The advantage of this channel is the high loy alty of the target audience: the person receiving the souvenir perceives it as a gift. Therefore, he has positive emotions,which he transfers to the goods.
Today, creating interesting souvenirs is a whole advertising industry. To please partners or consumers, you can come up with exclusive things that the recipients will appreciate. Such items will remind them of the company and its product for a long time.
The main disadvantages of souvenirs as advertising distribution channels are their high cost (in general) and small coverage of target audiences. Also, the downside is that it is almost impossible to evaluate the effectiveness of such information presentation.
Public advertising
Today there are incredibly many all kinds of offers to buy something. Consumers develop various mechanisms to avoid contact with such information. In this regard, a phenomenon appeared - hidden advertising. Some believe that this is the 25th frame, which was sensational at the time. In modern literature, you can read a lot of information about the hidden means of advertising and their characteristics. According to experts, this species includes:
- Product placement (things, products, etc. used in films and TV shows by actors and presenters).
- Native advertising.
- Product information in blogs, reviews and comments.
The advantage of this type of advertising is its imperceptible influence on the consumer, who should not be aware that they are trying to sell something to him. However, this method of disseminating information also has disadvantages. This is:
- Difficultpredictable result.
- Small and inaccurate coverage of target audiences.
- High contact cost.
- The difficulty of creating an advertising message that can subtly influence the consumer.
Advantages and disadvantages of different channels
Producers and distributors of goods and services should choose the means of advertising distribution based on knowledge of the characteristics of each channel. Traditionally, the assessment of his informing begins with determining the price of the contact. This is one of the most important indicators by which the advantages or disadvantages of the carrier are evaluated. It is known that television advertising is an expensive channel. This is its main disadvantage.
Assessing the advantages and disadvantages of advertising distribution means, one should correlate their capabilities with the goals set. So, if the task is to quickly inform the general public about the opening of a new store, then outdoor advertising will be an ideal channel. And if you need to tell target audiences about the features of a new banking service, then you can’t find a better channel than the Internet and the press. Therefore, it is possible to talk about the possibilities and limitations of the means of distribution and placement of advertising only in relation to a specific situation.
Planning advertising campaigns
To effectively influence consumers, it is not enough to place one advertising message somewhere. It is necessary to carefully consider communication, formulate an accurate message and choose the right channels of contact with target audiences. Method selection activitiesdistribution of advertising information is called media planning.
It includes several main stages. At the initial stage, it is necessary to determine the goals of communication. This can be information, demand formation, fixing in the memory and perception of the consumer the image of the product and elements of its corporate identity, a reminder of the product, brand, the formation of a positive image, and so on.
The next step is to determine the target audience. A product or brand may have a fairly wide range of consumers, but for a separate advertising campaign, one or two of the most profitable segments at the moment are selected.
Next, an advertising offer relevant to this audience is formulated. Then the procedure for choosing the means of advertising distribution begins - this is one of the most important stages of media planning. It is necessary to use channels that will allow the most complete coverage of target audiences.
Next, we calculate metrics such as the reach and contact frequency needed to determine the duration of the advertising campaign and budget it.
Media buying and media selling
There are two main types of professional activity in working with media platforms - media buying and media selling. In the first case, this is the purchase of sites in the means of advertising distribution. Electronic means of advertising carry out this activity on the basis of program support, and on television or radio this work is performed by managers. They usually buy publishing opportunities in bulk to sell them later.retail advertisers. However, there are buyers who work on the side of individual large advertisers.
Mediaselling is the reverse process. It consists in selling advertising platforms to buyers. Usually sellers are looking for buyers for 100% filling of advertising channels. Media buying and media selling are based on a system of discounts and package offers. It's the art of compromise.
What the law says
Advertising is a complex process that is regulated by the Law on Advertising. It stipulates a list of goods, the submission of information about which is limited. For example, alcoholic beverages and tobacco products may not be advertised in the media.
Also regulated are the volumes of advertising in the means of its distribution. This is especially true for television and radio. The site owner cannot fill the entire channel with advertising information, unless it is a specific publication intended for submitting announcements about goods and services. By law, the owners of all information sites must allocate space for social advertising.
