Understanding Advertising: Types, Objectives, and Impact

Posted on Mar 13, 2025 in Marketing

Understanding Advertising

Advertising is a key component of marketing, specifically within promotion. It communicates a sponsor’s message to a specific audience using various media, including television, radio, print, and the internet. These media have associated costs and are impersonal yet far-reaching. The goal is to achieve predetermined objectives.

Advertising vs. Publicity

Propaganda involves spreading an idea, usually freely, while advertising is a set of activities used by a company to attract and grow its customer base.

Features of Advertising

The primary feature of advertising is communication.

The Communication Process

Communication consists of several elements:

  • Issuer: The source of the communication.
  • Coding: Defining the symbols used to communicate a message.
  • Channels: The media used.
  • Decoding: The receiver’s interpretation of the symbols used by the sender.
  • Answer: The response, which may or may not be what the issuer intended. It can be cognitive, affective, or behavioral.
  • Feedback: Assessment of the receiver’s response through market research.

Consumer Sentiment in Advertising

Consumers have different types of perceptions:

  • Perception through humor
  • Perception through everyday scenes
  • Perception through a famous person
  • Professional influence
  • Brand Image

The Influence of Ads

Advertising influences our tastes and drives purchasing decisions.

Types of Ads

  • Presentation: Highlights the product’s characteristics.
  • Qualification: Explains the product’s benefits.
  • Comparative: Compares the product to competitors.
  • Brand Presence: Emphasizes the brand or slogan.

Objectives of Advertising

  1. To transmit information, create an attitude, or induce a beneficial action for the advertiser.
  2. To promote the sale of products or services, establish relationships between merchant and consumer, and increase belief in the audience.
  3. To inform about goods or services, aiming to drive a purchase action.
  4. To influence the recipient to modify their behavior. The message acts as a stimulus, causing a psychic change in the recipient, expressed as a response.

Classification of Advertising

Advertising can be classified using different criteria. One approach is:

Haas Classification

Advertising can be grouped into three general categories:

  • Those directed to an isolated individual (press, radio, television, direct mail, gifts, etc.)
  • Those addressing a crowd (outdoor advertising, cinema, etc.)
  • Means capable of orienting toward the individual or the crowd (showcases, displays, booths, demonstrations, etc.)

Clemente Theory

This theory classifies advertising based on the elements contributing to each medium:

  • According to national perception
  • The graphic or audiovisual medium determines its expression and values to support a particular message.
  • For the duration of post-public contact
  • The nature of the medium carries with it the transience or supports retention of the message.