Commercials Vs. Word of Mouth Marketing
Advertisers and promoters go to great lengths to put their clients' products into the public eye. In spite of the billions of dollars that go into the advertising industry every year, however, word of mouth may have just as large an influence in helping consumers to determine what they buy.
Other People Are Reading
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Cost
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Word-of-mouth promotion is clearly preferable for sellers of products and services when it comes to price. A comprehensive commercial advertising campaign can run into the millions of dollars, and there is no guarantee of its success. Word of mouth, on the other hand, costs nothing. While a lot of word-of-mouth buzz is originally stimulated by commercial radio, television, Internet and magazine advertising, once it gets started, it can deliver huge results without cost. On the other hand, manufacturers of the product being talked about have no control over what is said.
Consumer Trust
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A great advantage of word-of-mouth advertising is that most people will trust something that is told to them by a friend more than they will trust an anonymous advertisement. When a friend recommends something to you, you know the source of the recommendation personally, and you know if you share the same tastes and preferences as that friend. Thus, the recommendation carries more weight in your mind than a blanket advertisement that is aimed at the general public.
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Reach
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Commercial advertising has a far greater reach than word-of-mouth, unless that word-of-mouth goes truly viral and passes through millions of people. Advertisers have far greater control over a commercial advertising campaign, and can target certain markets for maximum exposure amongst people who they think will buy their product. A commercial that is aired on national television during a popular television show can reach tens of millions of people simultaneously. It is highly unlikely that word-of-mouth would ever access this many individuals.
Consumer Empowerment
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Many consumers do not appreciate the sensation that they are being manipulated by advertisers. Ironically, advertisers who intentionally seed word-of-mouth campaigns may be more effective by manipulating consumers even more subtly. Whether intentional or incidental, word-of-mouth advertising is more effective amongst people of this persuasion, because they feel that they are acquiring their information from trusted friends rather than being told what to buy by corporations. A friend or acquaintance who alerts you to a new product gives the impression that they are doing it for your benefit, while an advertisement may leave you feeling that someone simply wants your money.
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