Marketing Managers should consider a number of factors while selecting an advertising media: 1. Purpose of Advertisement 2. Cost of Advertising Media 3. Circulation of Media.
Factor # 1. Purpose of Advertisement:
The objective of specific as well as total advertising programme influences the choice of media. In planning the advertising strategy of the concern,
Marketing Managers set goal for the concern’s advertising campaign; which are:
1. One primary goal is to inform people or customers about products or services. Without knowledge of a product, people may not buy it.
2. Advertising also tries to inform people about the superiority of an company’s products or services over competitors.
3. Another goal of advertising is to make a “brand name” so familiar that it becomes a household word. This widespread familiarity of product name helps the mass distribution and selling of product.
4. Another purpose of advertising is to re-emphasize the merits of an established product or introduce a new product.
Factor # 2. Cost of Advertising Media:
Those charged with the responsibility for the advertising programme of a firm should compare the advertisement costs for the various media to the size of the audience reached.
One method of estimation of cost is based on how much it costs to reach each reader or viewer. This is calculated by the cost of advertisement divided by the size of the audience.
For TV or Radio this cost is based on cost per thousand. With a commercial of a certain length say 10 sec, 30 sec, 40 sec and 60 second slot, rates may vary according to time the advertisement is broadcast.
Magazine rates are also measured in cost per thousand the cost for a single page advertisement for each thousand circulation. Each publisher has a rate card showing the cost for advertising space in the magazine.
In the same way Newspaper rates vary for each paper. They charge according to the size of the space occupied by the advertisement and place of advertisement in the Newspaper.
Marketing manager should estimate costs and the size of the audiences and determine the relative effectiveness of the media for the company’s advertising programme.
Factor # 3. Circulation of Media:
Marketing Managers should choose media that match the geographical area (local, regional, national) where products are sold in order to get the most return for each advertising rupee. Media circulation refers to the actual number of readers, viewers or listeners in a specific area or in a particular time period of the day or night.