Advertising is the art of influencing human action and awakening of a desire to possess products and services. It is a mass persuasion activity duly sponsored by the manufacturer, retailer, or dealer for whom the advertising is done.
Following are the key features of advertising:
1. Provides Information
Advertising’s primary purpose is to provide information about products or services to the prospective buyers. The details of products such as features, uses, prices, benefits, manufacturer’s name, so on; are in the advertisements. The key message and brand name are also there. The information supplied educates and guide consumers and facilitate them to make a correct choice while buying a product.
2. Payment of Money
One of the features of advertising is to pay the money for the advertising. Advertisement appear in the newspapers, magazines, televisions, cinema screens and website search engine pages because the advertiser has purchased some time/ space to communicate information to the potential customers. The advertiser must pay money for the advertising activities. He also decides the size, slogan, etc. given in the advertisement. Advertising is always a paid form of communication and hence commercial in nature. Thus, advertising can clarify be distinguished from publicity which is not paid for by the sponsor.
3. Non-personal Presentation
Advertising is non-personal in character as against salesmanship, which is a personal or face to face communication. Here, the message is given to all and not to one specific individual. This rule is applicable to all media including the press. However, even in it, target consumers or target market can be selected for making an AD appeal.
4. Publicity
Advertising publicizes goods, services, ideas and event events. It is primarily for giving information to consumers. This information is related to the features and benefits of goods and services of different types. It offers new ideas to customers as its contents are meaningful. The aim is to make the popularize ideas and thereby promote sales. For example, an advertisement for family planning, family welfare, and life insurance is useful for placing new ideas before the people.
5. Primarily for Persuasion
Advertising aims at the persuasion of potential customers. It attracts attention towards a particular product, creates a desire to have it, and finally induces consumers to visit the market and purchase the same. It has a psychological impact on consumers. It influences their buying decisions.
6. Target Oriented
Advertising becomes effective and result-oriented when it is target oriented. A targeted advertisement intensively focuses on a specific market or particular groups of customers (like teenagers, housewives, infants, children, etc.). Here, the selection of a particular market is called a target market.
7. Art, Science and Profession
Advertising is art, science and a profession, and this is now universally accepted. It is an art as it needs creativity for raising its effectiveness. It is a science as it has its principles or rules. It is also a profession as it has a code of conduct for its members and operates within standards set by its organized bodies. In its field, AD Agencies and space brokers function as
professionals.
8. The Element of Marketing Mix
Advertising is an important part of a marketing mix. It supports the sales promotion efforts of the manufacturer. It makes a positive contribution to sales promotion provided other elements in the marketing mix are reasonably favourable. It is alone inadequate for promoting sales. Many companies now spend huge funds on advertisements and public relations.
9. Creativity
Advertising is a method of presenting a product in an artistic, attractive and agreeable manner. It is possible through the element of creativity. The creative people (professionals) introduce creativity in advertisements. Without it, the Ads won’t succeed. Therefore, creativity is called the ‘Essence of Advertising.’
