Each form of media has different requirements...
Banner advertisements on websites work best if the message is simple and can be boiled down to three or four words.
Banner advertisements on websites work best if the message is simple and can be boiled down to three or four words.
Billboard messages usually work best as a memorable picture with very few words.
The image of the company, its products and its advertisements must suit the media in which it advertises. It is better to advertise a washing powder on television and not on radio – you need to be able to see that Persil washes whiter.
Adverts come in different shapes, sizes and forms...
Billboards
Billboards are large print adverts often seen by the side of the road near traffic lights or where cars are forced to slow down. They can be huge, covering the side of a building. They often advertise high value products like cars, iPods, etc. The government also use this form of advertising to deliver public service messages such as health campaigns against smoking or in support of healthy eating.
Ads in Magazines and Newspapers
These adverts come in different sizes and the publishers charge different rates depending on their location i.e. which page and also how big they are. Magazines and newspapers actually use adverts to pay for the editorial - the writing and articles in their magazines, in addition to the circulation sales income which is the money they receive from selling each copy.
Whole and half page ads are called display ads. There are often smaller box shaped ads towards the back pages of magazines. These are called classified ads and due to their position and size are considerably cheaper. Classified ads are also used on the internet and in newspapers to help companies sell products.
Leaflets and Inserts
Leaflets and other media artefacts are often placed inside newspapers and magazines. This is particularly the case with Sunday papers and magazines / subscription magazines that are wrapped in plastic. This wrapping is partly protective but principally to contain the many bits of advertising materials that lurk loose within.Whole and half page ads are called display ads. There are often smaller box shaped ads towards the back pages of magazines. These are called classified ads and due to their position and size are considerably cheaper. Classified ads are also used on the internet and in newspapers to help companies sell products.
Leaflets and Inserts
TV Ads
TV adverts are only allowed on certain channels: ITV, C4 and satellite channels. The BBC does not need to advertise because it sources its funding from licensing in the form the TV Licence that every television owner should possess.
TV ads are short, usually about 30 seconds, and are interspersed between programmes. As with print adverts the location, length and timing or scheduling of a tv ad affects how much it costs to broadcast. Adverts in prime time viewing slots can be exorbitantly expensive.
See http://www.adcracker.com/index.htm
ads come in different types - some are more obvious than others. Local and commercial radio stations will have very classic ad slots in their schedules to advertise local services, restaurants, clubs, etc.
These are often accompanied by a jingle or catchy tune. Other ads are more subtle such as interviews with authors and film celebrities in which they 'plug' or draw attention to their wares.
It would be interesting to find out if music producers can pay radio DJs and radio stations to give their artists and tracks more air time and exposure than others...
Radio Ads
Radio
Youtube, MySpace and Facebook.
You will also have heard about and probably seen all sorts of 'phishing' emails advertising to solve your money worries if you release your bank details.
Mobiles are now being targeted with advertising too. Text messages, emails are also efficient methods of targeting audiences with new sales pitches.
Film Trailers & Advertising
Film trailers are shown to audiences just before a film begins. The advertising companies use this static audience, waiting to watch their chosen film, to advertise existing and future releases.
This is called a 'captive audience' and increases the likelihood that an advert and the product in the advert will be seen by the target audience. This form of advertising allows niche products to be advertised to a select audience.
This is not necessarily an effective form of advertising because the audience is aware of this sale strategy. The audience still has a choice to decide whether to pay attention and investigate the product further.
Internet Advertising & New Media Forms
This is probably the most sophisticated and technologically advanced form of advertising. It ranges from still ads to dynamic Flash roll-over banner ads on web pages.
Pop-up adds are common place and internet browsers now have anti-popup features to prevent their audiences being bombarded by unwanted ads.
Viral ads are also prevalent on the internet - these are subversive ads which spread from INBOX to INBOX and appear on moving image archive sites like
Merchandising
Merchandising is where there is an existing brand and product, let's say a Pop Band, and they use the value of their brand to sell additional products such as t-shirts, mugs, clothing lines, dolls by putting their brand name and logos on the products.
