Media decisions

Major media types are below

Print media is a form of mass communication that includes printed materials like books,
newspapers, magazines, and newsletters. Some characteristics of print media include:
 Tangibility: Print media is physical and can be held, touched, and smelled. This
physical experience can create a stronger emotional connection between the audience
and the brand.
 Visual appeal: Print media often uses visual design elements like layout, typography,
and graphics.
 Longevity: Printed materials can be preserved and accessed for a long time.
 Portability: Print media can be easily carried and read anywhere without the need for
electronic devices or internet connectivity.
 Credibility: Print media is considered legitimate and credible. A credible or reliable
source is one where you can trust the information that the source provides. You can
rely on the information provided within the source because the person, publisher, or
institution that is providing this information is a credible source.
 Cost: Print media can be more expensive than other types of media.
 Planning: Print media requires a lot of planning.

Outdoor media has several characteristics, including:

 High penetration rate: Outdoor media is everywhere, from shopping malls to streets,
and people are constantly exposed to it.
 Large audience: Outdoor media can reach a large audience with eye-catching visuals.
 Cost-effective: Outdoor media is a cost-effective way to reach a large audience
compared to digital advertising.
 Creative flexibility: Advertisers can use creative flexibility to reach their targeted
audience.
 Brand awareness: Outdoor media can help build brand awareness by constantly
exposing people to the brand.
 Brand uniformity: Outdoor media can be more effective when it uses the corporate
colours of the advertised company.
 Junior bulletins: Junior bulletins are smaller than bulletins and can be placed in busy
areas and along highways.

Transit media, or advertising on public transportation, has several characteristics, including:

Because passengers have fewer distractions while riding public transit, they are more likely to
notice and remember ads.
 Frequency
Regular commuters are repeatedly exposed to transit ads, which can increase brand recall and
engagement.
 Targeted reach
Ads can be targeted to specific routes and locations to reach a relevant audience.
 Diverse formats
Transit media ads can appear in a variety of formats, including vehicle wraps, digital screens,
interior cards, and station posters.
 Creativity
To stand out and avoid boredom, transit ads should be creative and relevant, using humour,
emotion, or surprise to capture the audience's attention.
 Camera technology
Advanced camera technology can capture and analyse crowd movement, providing
information such as the number of people and demographics.

Digital media has many characteristics, including:

 Flexibility
Digital media is easy to copy, share, and edit, and can be quickly created and reused.
 Low cost
Digital media is less expensive to create and produce than analogy media.
 Interactivity
Interactivity is a key characteristic of social media, and affects how users interact with each
other and consume media.
 Virtual reality
Virtual reality (VR) is a completely digital world that users can interact with using a headset
and sensors.
 Mass media
Digital media is a form of mass media that includes the internet and electrical energy to
produce and distribute content. 0
  Networking
Social media and digital marketing are centred around networking, which can be used to
connect with clients, potential candidates, and companies.
 Audience targeting
Digital advertising uses targeting to reach the right audience with the right ‘/message at the
right time.
 Collective intelligence
Social media can be used to harness collective intelligence from a group of diverse
individuals.
 Educational content
Digital learning assets, such as content or media made available on a personal device, can
enhance teaching and learning.

 Captive audience
, including vehicle wraps, digital screens, interior cards, and station posters.
Broadcast media has many characteristics, including:
 Immediacy
Television can capture events as they happen, providing a real-time connection to the world.
 Communication
Broadcast media combines sight, sound, and direct communication to reach a large audience.
 Investigative skills
Broadcasters need to be able to get to the bottom of a story, ask the right questions, and get
relevant information.
 Research
Broadcast journalism relies on extensive research and attention to detail.
 Audio-visual
Broadcast media is a powerful audio-visual medium that stimulates multiple sensory
receptors.
 Production
Broadcast media production involves the skills and knowledge to direct, produce, and operate
complex video and audio events.
 Linear
Radio is a linear medium that presents a single, uninterrupted thread of content to the
listener.

Internet Advertising Advantages and Disadvantages

There are more than four billion internet users all over the world. This gives a huge boost to
internet advertising. People look for products by using search engines, following their
favorite brands in social media, and subscribing to their campaigns via email and push
notifications. Advertising opportunities are enormous, but using them correctly is not that
easy
Advantages of internet advertising
 Easy global coverage. Nowadays, people have a habit of searching for information
about products and services via search engines like Google, Bing, and others. Internet
advertising is a way to demonstrate your offers in front of over 4 billion web users
around the globe. You can easily target the entire world via the Internet.
 Affordable for any budget. According to Seriously Simple Marketing, the minimum
cost to reach an audience of 2,000 is three times cheaper than traditional advertising
methods, so any company from a small family business to a huge enterprise can
utilize online ads and get the most out of their financial resources.
 Drives traffic to a website. The more visitors you get to the site, the more potential
customers you have, which will result in increased sales. Internet advertising aims to
attract users’ attention and send them to your website. The offers displayed in the
digital ads should arouse curiosity and give people a good reason for clicking through
your site.
 Allows targeting. Unlike traditional marketing media that advertises to everyone
without filtering, internet advertising tailors the message to a specifically targeted
audience — people who are most likely to convert into customers. For instance, a
travel equipment company may use social media ads for advertising to users who are
keen on travel, encouraging likes and shares.
 Enables retargeting. Internet advertisements are a way to say, “hey, looks like a
couple of days ago you checked out this toaster. I’ve got a marvelous one for you
here!” If many prospects visit your household appliances online store without buying
anything, remind them about your brand with banner ads displayed on websites they
browse.
 It allows you to create various touchpoints with your audience. Internet
advertising helps you to appear in the right place at the right time to communicate
with your audience. If you own a small bakery, use socials like Instagram and
Pinterest to demonstrate the products. To share news, and build long-lasting
relationships with your audience, reinforce them with email marketing. By mixing
different types of digital advertising wisely, you can show that your company is
always present and ready to be of service.
  It is measurable. Unlike offline marketing, where the cost and effectiveness are
somewhat approximate, you can precisely track the return on your efforts and internet
marketing efficiency with web analytics platforms like Google Analytics.
Disadvantages of internet advertising
The main challenges associated with advertising online include fierce competition, the cost of
mistakes, complicated analytics, and ad blindness. Let’s have a closer look.
 High competition. Of course, this depends on your niche, but if you haven't invented
something new, you'll have to compete for clients' attention. This market is
oversaturated, especially for eCommerce businesses, so you need to put your
customers' needs upfront and regularly improve your product to make it competitive.
 Mistakes are expensive. Targeting wrong people, selecting highly competitive
keywords, and leaving your ad campaign running after turning it off are the most
common mistakes that can cost you a fortune. To eliminate these mistakes, you need
either a top specialist or a lot of experience. Both variants require investments.
 Complicated analytics. To analyze the performance of your ads, you need a third-
party platform like Google Analytics and some experience to interpret the results
correctly. Medium-sized enterprises and big brands have analysts to make the ads
more targeted and effective.
 Ad blindness. This term is related to banner blindness. Users see advertising almost
every time they open a web page. For this reason, they simply ignore banners without
even noticing them. To fight this, make sure that your banners target the right people
who need your offer.
What is the difference between advertising and marketing?
Advertising is part of marketing. To make it clear, let’s define both terms.
Marketing — a process of promoting your products to the target audience. It includes market
research, identifying your buyer persona, and analysis. It involves activities that bring your
offer to clients.
Advertising — one of those activities that helps spread the word about your brand.
Advertising is one marketing element. Others include public relations, sales promotion, direct
selling, personal selling.

Olay – 33 (2012)
Olay specializes in anti-ageing skincare, something they wanted to shout about in this radio
ad. The ad starts by listing out all of the things accomplished by a woman called Maria. The
achievements are listed in order of Maria’s age, moving up through the years until Maria
turns 33. It’s then that the interesting part kicks in…
I won’t spoil it for you. Just have a listen.
Media choice and factors influencing media
Media choice refers to the process of selecting a medium (such as television, radio, social
media, print, etc.) to communicate a message or consume content. This decision is
influenced by a range of factors depending on the purpose of communication, audience,
message content, and technical or practical limitations.

Factors Influencing Media Choice

1. Target Audience:

Demographics (age, gender, income, education): Different demographics prefer

different media. For example, older adults may prefer newspapers or television, while
younger people lean towards social media and streaming services.

Geography: Regional preferences can affect media choice. Radio may be more effective
in rural areas, while digital media is more prevalent in urban regions.

Media Habits: Audiences consume media differently (e.g., some prefer short videos,
others long-form content), influencing the choice of platform.

Example: A fashion brand targeting young adults may choose Instagram or TikTok
because of their high engagement among users in that age group.

2. Message Content:

Type of Information: Complex, detailed messages may require print or online articles,
while brief, impactful messages (e.g., promotions) may work best with social media.

Emotional Appeal: TV or video content is often chosen when an emotional connection is

needed because of its visual and auditory power.
Formality: Business or formal messages may rely on emails or newsletters, while more
casual communication might occur through social media.

Example: A technical whitepaper might be shared through email marketing or posted

on a company website for a professional audience, while a product launch could be
announced with a TV commercial.

3. Reach and Accessibility:

Mass Reach: Television, radio, or digital platforms can reach a large audience quickly,
making them useful for public announcements or mass marketing campaigns.

Cost and Accessibility: The cost of using a particular medium is important. TV ads, for
instance, are expensive but provide high visibility, while social media ads may be more
budget-friendly but could require ongoing management.

Example: A political campaign may choose national TV or radio stations to address a

broad audience, while a local business might opt for Facebook ads due to affordability
and local targeting.

4. Medium Characteristics:

Interactivity: Social media and websites allow for interaction (likes, shares, comments),
which can enhance engagement. TV and print, however, are more passive.

Content Format: Some media are better suited for particular formats (e.g., audio for
radio, text for print, or video for YouTube). The nature of the message often dictates the
best medium.
Example: A customer service company may use a chatbot on their website to answer
frequent questions in real-time, whereas a law firm might prefer to convey complex
legal advice via written reports or newsletters.

5. Timeliness:

Urgency: Media with fast turnaround times (e.g., social media, online news, SMS) are
ideal for breaking news or urgent messages. In contrast, print media have longer
production cycles.

Shelf Life: Print and web content can have a longer lifespan compared to TV or radio,
which may be important for certain types of content.

Example: During a crisis, a company may use social media or SMS to quickly update
customers, while a detailed press release might follow in print and on their website.

6. User Preferences and Behavior:

Convenience: Media that are convenient to access (e.g., mobile-friendly websites,

podcasts) may be favored over those that are less convenient.

Engagement: If users are more likely to engage or share content on certain platforms,
those media will be prioritized.

Example: A podcast host may choose to promote content on Twitter where users are
likely to engage with and retweet content, amplifying reach.