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Audience and Purpose
This paper is intended to provide anyone interested in gaining a deeper knowledge of
advertising with a clear understanding of the term advert and the role it plays in the process of
advertising. The information presented here will be clear and easily comprehensible. Therefore,
obtaining a full grasp of the information in this paper will not require of the audience any special
skills or previous knowledge of the topic.
Definition and History
Advertising is the business of using promotional strategies to draw public attention to
various goods and services that are performed through a variety of media (newspaper, magazine,
television, radio, internet, etc.). Most times in advertising, the promotional strategy used by
advertisers involves promoting a company’s advert in an effort to gain consumer support (in the
form of a purchase) for a particular product. An advert is the personal message a company sends
its customers in order to provide them with an understanding of what they are buying and why
they should buy from that particular company.
In ancient times, the most popular form of advertising was through word of mouth.
Commercial messages however, have been dated as far back as the ruins of Pompeii where
political campaign displays and other commercial messages were found. It wasn’t until the
economic expansion that tock place during the 19th century that classified ads became popular.
Classified ads later led to the development of mail-order advertising (Catalogs) and in 1943
Volney Palmer established the first advertising company in Philadelphia.
The scientific
approach to creative advertising that is used today was a product of the 60s and since then the
process has continued to grow and advance.
Expansion Techniques/Examples
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As stated above, an advert is the message that a company wants to send out to its
customers. This message, if administered honestly and fairly can be used in what is called a
comparative advertisement. In a comparative advertisement, an advert is used to identify, either
plainly or by implication, a product that serves as a competitor for their goods and services. This
type of an advert is only allowed if it is not misleading and meets certain conditions, some of
which include the following:

It compares goods/services on a like-for-like basis

It objectively compares representative features for products (including price)

It doesn’t create confusion in marketing for the other competitors (i.e. competing
trademarks, trade names, or goods and services)

It doesn’t exploit the reputation of a trademark or name for a competitor or the place of
origin for that product

It doesn’t represent goods/services as imitations or replicas of a particular good or service
with a protected trademark or name.
An example of a comparative advertisement with the proper use of an advert is seen in
the Quiznos commercials where they are comparing the new Quiznos prime rib cheesesteak sub
to the cheese stake sub from Subway. In these ads, the advert used does not create a misleading
argument about Subway, but instead uses Subway to make a fair comparison about the amount of
meat provided in each sub.
Whenever an advert is used to deceive consumers in a way that affects their economic
decisions or if it is likely to harm a competitor it creates what is known as a misleading
advertisement. The most common example of these types of advertisements is seen in the
campaign ads used during political elections that are often used to spread negative propaganda
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about a political opponent. Often times the information in these ads is exaggerated or misleading
and paints a picture that depicts a candidates opponent in a way that is meant to make he or she
look dishonest or unreliable while at the same time making themselves seem like the trustworthy
candidate.
This can be seen today in the ad campaigns for such political candidates as
Republican Michael Steele and Democrat Ben Cardin.
Adverts can also be used in advertisements that are not comparative in nature. One such
example can be found in the recent ads for the Dove campaign. In Dove’s current campaign, the
advert it uses is “Campaign for Real Beauty.” Dove uses this advert to send the message to
customers that contradicts the messages that are sent by many other beauty/health products that
real beauty is dependent on wearing the right type of makeup, having the right size body, and
being wrinkle free. In Dove’s campaign, they are sending the message that real beauty comes
from within and goes deeper than simply what is on the outside. In sending this message, Dove is
providing its customers with a clear understanding of their message and what is most important
to them.
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Definition Paper
The Advert in Advertising
By: Cathryna Brown
Submitted to: Linda Harris, English 393
October 17, 2006
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