Forms of Advertising
Advertising dates at least to ancient Egypt when papyrus was used to post wall bills, according to marketing expert Leonard Mogul. The citizens of Pompeii posted graffiti including political and sales advertisements that people can still read today on excavated walls. However, modern advertisers are more sophisticated and pervasive. Modern marketers use dozens of advertising methods, from line ads in your newspaper to car wraps and even tattooed messages on human beings.
Other People Are Reading
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Print Media
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Newspapers, magazines and other printed periodicals pay a huge percentage of their expenses by bringing in advertising revenue. Mass-printed media may include line ads in a classified section, larger display ads, "advertorial" content consisting of informative articles provided and paid for by an advertiser, and even editorial content based around information provided by advertisers (though most newspaper policies forbid the last practice). Print media also includes fliers and direct-mail marketing.
Broadcast Media and Internet
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Electronic information dissemination led to radio and television advertising, both mass-market forms of ads. Both these types of ads target large segments of a population. While print ad prices depend on where the ad falls in a publication, broadcast advertisement pricing is based on demographics and time slot.
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Internet Advertising
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On the Internet, commercial content can be targeted to very small groups of people, or broadcast widely. Advertisement forms can be video, audio, line advertisements included in editorial content or even the focus of an entire blog.
Outdoor Advertising
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Outdoor advertising includes billboards, signs on taxis and buses, information on company vehicles and semi-trucks and even car wraps that turn an entire automobile into an advertising vehicle. Electronic billboards can even be remotely programmed.
Unique Advertising
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Unique advertising includes just about anything designed more to capture news headlines than bring awareness of a product to general consumers (for example, paying people to have logos tattooed on their bodies). Advertisers who can identify trends and know how to publicize them are best placed to identify unique advertising possibilities.
Sponsorship Advertising
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Sponsorship advertising identifies your business as socially concerned and involved in the community. In this form of advertising, you're paying cash or in-kind goods or services in exchange for a nonprofit or community organization identifying you as a sponsor. This can be high profile; the Kroger Company, for instance, provides the rose garland for the winner of the Kentucky Derby, while McDonald's is closely associated with Ronald McDonald House Charities. However, it can be as inexpensive and low profile as providing shirts for local youth and adult teams with your logo on them, or giving in-kind support to local charities for which they thank you in their newsletters and events.
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References
- University of Tennessee Center for Profitable Agriculture: Keys to Success - Management, Goal Setting, and Advertising
- Small Town Marketing.com: Six Types of Advertising And How To Use Them
- MSNBC Media Biz: Tattoo Ads Turn People Into 'Walking Billboards'
- Special Olympics: Sponsors - Support Continues Even After National Games
Resources
- Photo Credit manufacturer of lamp for advertisement image by TekinT from Fotolia.com
