Why we study advertising

This is our take on why we should study advertising. Using key points from the assignment our group decided to create a small ad on advertising. We used popular music and bits from other ads and songs to keep our viewers entertained, which is a technique advertisers use to get their message across, according to our reading.


Before we show our ad in class we plan to run the following poster and magazine ad campaign to generate interest and create a buzz:

 POSTER AD 1:

 POSTER AD 2:

POSTER AD 3:

Here is the summary of the handout which we got the key points for ad from:

Why do we study advertising?

Summary and Paraphrasing of the Handout

Advertising plays four primary roles in business and society: marketing, communication, economic and societal roles.

Marketing is the way used by businesses to satisfy a consumer’s wants and needs by providing goods and services. A business can be selling goods (cars), services (insurance) or an idea (save electricity).  Products can be classified by their category, for instance Toyota is in the car category. The group of customers that a business caters to is known as the target market. Marketers also develop brands, which is basically the mark of distinction between two similar products in the market (e.g. Pepsi brand and Coca Cola).  Marketing tools include the product, the place it is being sold, the price it is sold for and the methods used in its promotion. These are the Four P’s of marketing, and Advertising is a part of Promotion.

Advertising is a form of communication between a customer and the business about the product which they sell. Advertising provides information, entertainment gets attention and tries to sell a company’s product. Advertising plays a role in branding and gives a product an image beside its facts. Advertising reaches large audiences, introduces new products and helps build awareness as well as making existing product users loyal to the brand. It reminds people to use the brand, it makes them believe they made the right choice in buying the brand and persuades them to buy. Advertising can create a positive images and ideas and beliefs about a brand.

 Advertising plays an economic role because it can generate sales. Advertising can create demand for a product using either a hard-sell approach which means advertisers persuade customers to buy by using reasons such as a good price, good value, good product or a soft-sell approach where ads just build an image that touches the emotions of consumers.  The hard sell approach in advertising is provides rational economical reasons to purchase. The soft sell is used to ensure a consumer will remain loyal to the brand even if prices change.

The social role played by advertising includes providing information about new and improved products and letting us know the latest trends in fashion and products. It provides an educational role, helps us set us ideals and images and gives us ways to identify and express ourselves by providing alternative styles for us to choose from.