This article throws light upon the ten main types of advertising media. The types are: 1. Newspaper Advertising 2. Television Advertising 3. Radio Advertising 4. Magazine Advertising 5. Direct Mail Advertising 6. Transportation Advertising 7. Outdoor Advertising 8. Speciality Advertising 9. Personal Selling 10. Sales Promotion.
Type # 1. Newspaper Advertising:
The major advantage in advertising in Newspapers is that it covers a wide selected geographical market and broad coverage can sell a product in that specific area. Newspaper advertisement is also flexible and timely, which can be changed as and when desired. Now-a-days Newspapers are the chief means of advertising.
Type # 2. Television Advertising:
The chief advantage of this is that the advertising message can be delivered and the product can be demonstrated to all at the same time.
Television advertising may be classed as a network, spot or local advertisement. Network advertising is directed toward large audiences covering a wide territory. Message can go to nationwide market at one time via network advertising and the cost of each message per listener is low since television reaches such a large potential audience.
Type # 3. Radio Advertising:
Advertising by means of radio gives the advantage of selecting the territory and audience to which the message is to be directed. It is also cheaper than TV advertising.
Type # 4. Magazine Advertising:
Today the large number of magazines is published which represents an important advertising medium. These are published weekly or fortnightly or monthly. A magazine advertisement has larger life than a Newspaper which is read and described daily.
A magazine is retained for a longer period and is usually read in a more leisurely manner. However a disadvantage is that since the printing of a magazine is much more complex than that of a Newspaper, most advertisements have to be placed well in advance of the time they finally reach the reader.
Type # 5. Direct Mail Advertising:
Direct mail advertising is advantageous, if an advertiser desires to get a wide coverage for his products. The circulars announcing a grocer’s specials, the catalogue announcing a summer or winter sale of goods or a letter offering a special purchase are examples of Direct-mail Advertising.
There are two major advantages of this method:
(a) The message can be directed to specific customers and thus it is selective.
(b) It can be spread over a wide territory.
Since this method is cheaper and quicker, a larger number of small and medium size concerns also use it.
Type # 6. Transportation Advertising:
A variety of advertising messages are displayed on the different forms of public transports such as city buses, taxi cabs, tampoos, trucks, 3-wheelers etc. This types of advertising message is best suited to the big cities and towns where many people can notice the advertisement while going to and from work.
Type # 7. Outdoor Advertising:
Since a reader usually sees the message for only a matter of seconds, hence outdoor advertisements should be simple and to the point. These are used for products that are used frequently, are well known and whose message can be flashed quickly to the individual.
These messages are printed on bill-boards, painted signs or displayed on electric poles etc. Since the message should be short, the advertiser’s trade mark, a slogan or a visualisation of the package is usually presented.
Type # 8. Speciality Advertising:
Every year some advertisers have their names and messages printed on wide variety of useful goods, specially at the time of “Deepawali festival” and “New Year” beginning. These goods are then distributed to the specific market segment chosen by the advertiser.
Such advertising is called “Specially Advertising”. Some examples of specially advertising are; Hand bags, Pens, Ashtrays, Bottle caps, Key rings, Phone book covers, T- shirts, calendars, Bill folds etc.
Type # 9. Personal Selling:
Personal selling is an important part of marketing strategy. Personal selling is the means by which customers are reached on a face to face basis. To be effective, sales persons must have good knowledge of the products they sell and of the policies of their company. They should also gather information about actual customers.
Type # 10. Sales Promotion:
In addition to advertising and personal selling, sales promotion represents another important means of creating an awareness of products “Sales Promotion” refers to those marketing activities, other than personal selling, advertising and publicity that stimulates consumers purchasing and dealer effectiveness such as displays, shows and exhibitions, premiums, contest, trading, coupons etc.