ADVERTISEMENTS
An advertisement is a paid promotional tool backed by an identified sponsor to call public
attention to an offering or a brand. An advertisement is a public announcement made
through a popular medium like newspapers, magazines, television, radio, and the cinema.
An advertisement may be displayed on a placard as well. It is non-personal, oral, or visual
message regarding a product, a service, or an idea.
Purpose An advertisement attracts immediate attention of the public. It is a very potent tool
for promoting sales or services. It is used to influence the minds, tastes and even motives of
the masses. Remember, an advertisement is a play of words. It must be very attractive to
catch the eye of the reader.
If you advertise something such as a product, an event, or a job, you tell people about it
online, in newspapers, on television, or on posters in order to encourage them to buy the
product, go to the event, or apply for the job.
▪ The players can advertise baked beans, but not rugby boots.
▪ The property was being advertised for sale in America.
▪ Religious groups are currently not allowed to advertise on television.
If you advertise for someone to do something for you, for example to work for you or share
your accommodation, you announce it online, in a newspaper, on television, or on a notice
board.
▪ We advertised for staff in a local newspaper.
▪ I shall advertise for someone to go with me.
If someone or something advertises a particular quality, they show it in their appearance or
behavior.
▪ His hard sinewy body advertised his ruthlessness of purpose.
If you do not advertise the fact that something is the case, you try not to let other people
know about it.
▪ There is no need to advertise the fact that you are a single woman.
▪ I didn't want to advertise the fact that he hadn't driven me to the airport.
▪ To present or praise (goods, a service, etc.) to the public, esp in order to encourage
sales
▪ To make (something, such as a vacancy, article for sale, etc.) publicly known, as to
possible applicants, buyers, etc. to advertise a job.
An advertisement is a powerful tool to promote products and services. It is meant to attract
the attention of a target group. An advertisement is sent in public domain by print media or
electronic media. Advertisements drafted for print media are published in newspapers,
magazines, and periodicals.
An advertisement for the classified columns in a newspaper should be brief as the price to be
paid for the advertisement very much depends on the space taken.
The following points should be kept in mind while writing an advertisement:
• Give a heading to the advertisement.
• Full sentences are not written. The message is conveyed in brief phrases.
• No punctuation except for full stops is used.
• Draw a box around the advertisement.
To make something known generally or in public, especially in order to sell it:
• We advertised our car in the local newspaper.
• He advertises his services on the company notice board.
• I'm going to advertise for (= put a notice in the newspaper, local shop, etc., asking for)
someone to clean my house.
• There's no harm in applying for other jobs, but if I were you, I wouldn't advertise the
fact (= make it generally known) at work.
Other advertisements in leaflets, or other spaces in a newspaper, can be written in full
sentences using proper punctuation.
TYPES OF ADVERTISEMENT
▪ Broadcast Advertisements
▪ Print Advertisements
▪ Outdoor Advertisements
▪ Product Or Brand Integration
▪ Digital Advertisements
▪ Classified advertisements
▪ Display or commercial advertisements
1. Broadcast Advertisements:
Broadcast advertisements are mass marketing tools that use broadcast mediums like TV and
radio to spread the advertising message to a wider audience.
These ads rely more on visual communication and hence can target everyone with access to
such mediums irrespective of their literacy level.
2. Print Advertisements:
Print advertisement is a mass advertisement strategy that uses hard copy printed mediums
like newspapers, magazines, brochures, flyers, etc., to communicate the advertisement
message to the customers.
It is one of the oldest advertisement types that majorly target and cater to a literate audience.
3. Outdoor Advertisements:
Outdoor advertisements or out-of-home advertisements are ads that reach customers out of
their homes. They use mediums like billboards, buses, taxis, or street elements.
Outdoor advertisements can be digital or traditional, but all of them are targeted to a
geographically oriented target audience.
4. Product Or Brand Integration:
It involves brand or product placement in entertainment media like TV shows, OTT series,
YouTube videos, etc., where the brand is interwoven within the script without looking salesy.
Instead of being interruptive advertisements, these ads form the script or a part of the
entertainment media and communicate the message in a better-scripted manner.
5. Digital Advertisements:
Digital advertisements are technology-powered advertisements that use online or digital paid
channels to communicate the marketing message to the target audience. Such ads appear
online or on digital channels like websites, search engines, social media platforms, mobile
apps, and other digital channels.
6. Classified advertisements:
These are printed under various categories such as situation vacant, situation wanted
property for sale, matrimonial, and lost & found etc. These are very brief, occupy less space
and are economical. These are written in a simple and concise language using short phrases
and words. Articles and conjunctions are avoided, and prepositions are rarely used. Every
advertisement must contain contact no. or address or both. Complete sentences are not
written in classified advertisements.
7. Display or commercial advertisements:
These advertisements are written for promotion/sale of products. They can be of any size or
colour and contain a lot of illustrations, sketches, drawings, etc. Different fonts can be used
to make them attractive. These occupy more space and so cost more to be printed in the
newspaper
Objectives of Advertisements
Advertisements can be released with numerous objectives depending upon the type of
business, marketing campaign, campaign requirements, etc. However, these objectives can
be categorised into three prominent objectives –
• To Inform about the brand or offering and increase the brand awareness and brand
exposure in the target market.
• To Persuade the customers to perform a specific task like buy or try a product or
provide some information.
• To Remind and reinforce the brand message and reassure the target audience about
the brand vision.
Besides these three main objectives, advertisements also focus on
• Building brand: One of the objectives of advertisements is to let the world know about
the brand and build brand equity.
• Increasing sales: It aims to fulfil the short-term sales goal of the business.
• Creating demand: Advertisements aim to create both short-term and long-term
demand for the brand and its offerings.
• Engaging with the target audience: Advertisements try to develop relationships with
the target audience.
• Expanding customer base: Attracting new customers and expanding the existing
customer base is one of the important objectives of advertisements.
• Changing customers’ attitudes: Sometimes, advertisements are important to
influence and change customers’ attitudes towards the brand or offerings.
Importance Of Advertisement
Advertisements are important for both the business and the customers.
For The businesses:
• They help differentiate the product: Advertisements aim to position the brand and
offering uniquely in the customers’ minds. This eventually results in differentiating the
offering from the competition.
• They lead to sales: Advertisements increase brand awareness and result in more sales
as more and more people enter the brand’s sales funnel.
• They create awareness: Advertisements increase brand awareness and brand
exposure and inform the target audience about the offering.
• They increase the brand’s goodwill: Advertisements reiterate the brand’s mission and
vision and increase its goodwill among the target customers.
• They help build a favorable brand image: Smart advertising help develop a favourable
brand image that aligns with the brand identity and helps the business achieve
marketing objectives sooner.
For The customers:
• They increased awareness: Advertisements inform the customers about the available
products in the market and help them choose the best product that would solve their
problems or satisfy their needs.
• They make decision-making convenient: Advertisements communicate the brand
message along with the benefits of the brand and offerings. This makes the customer
decision-making process easy as the customers get to know what suits their
requirements and budget better.
• They ensure better quality: Advertisements include numerous said and unsaid
promises that the advertiser must fulfil to sustain in the market. This ensures quality
as a brand wouldn’t want to waste money on false promises.
SAMPLE
➢ You are looking for a secondhand car. Draft an advertisement for the classified column of
a newspaper, specifying your requirements in 50 words. You are Sumit /Sunita of A-40,
Vinod Enclave Delhi.
Ans.
Wanted
Wanted second hand car in good condition should be no more than three years old.
Medium sedan with mileage less than zone lakh kms, preferably owner driven without
accidents. Honda, Hyndia, Tata, Ford, Toyota preferred. Documents should be in order.
Please contact: Sumta, A40, Vinod Enclave Delhi.
➢ You are the General Manager of a leading company. You need a Chartered Accountant for
your office. Draft an advertisement in not more than 50 words to be published in the
Times of India, New Delhi, under the classified columns.
Ans.
WANTED
Wanted a chartered accountant for a leading manufacturing company. The applicant
should have certification for practising as a chartered accountant. Experience in a similar
company is desirable but not essential. The applicant should send their application with
their CV and photograph to the Manager, HRD, Eicher Manufacturers, F 16, Connaught
Place, latest by 20 August 20XX.
➢ Abha/Abhay has a very good knowledge of all the tourist attractions in Delhi. (S)He wants
to work as a Tourist Guide. Draft a suitable advertisement for publication in the classified
columns of a local daily.
Ans.
AVAILABLE
History graduate fluent in English, French and Spanish seeks employment with good
private tour operators. Excellent communication skills and ability to handle groups up to
50 people. Familiar with Delhi monument buts. Contact Abhay Verma 9848XXXXXX. email:
abhay@[Link].
➢ You are Suyashi/Utkarsh, living at M-48, Wajirpur, Delhi. You want to sell off your mobile
phone. Draft an advertisement for the classified columns of a national daily giving its
details and the price expected.
Ans.
FOR SALE
Samsung mobile of Galaxy Series dual sim, dual camera, Android in good condition. Owner
wishes to sell earliest as is where is basis. Minimum acceptable price 8000. Only cash will
be accepted. Interested buyers. Contact: Suyashi, M-48, Wazirpur Delhi, Fix prior
appointment calling 8432XXXXXX
More examples:
• They advertise clothes 'for the fuller figure'.
• It is most expensive to advertise at peak viewing times.
• The concert was well enough advertised but ticket sales were poor.
• Teaching posts are advertised in Tuesday's edition of the paper.
• The market for those dreadful compilation records you see advertised on TV is just
another of life's great mysteries.