Advertising, Explained: What Does Advertising Mean?
When you hear ‘advertising,’ what pops into your head?
Tube station adverts? Pop-up ads on mobile sites? Don Draper sipping Canadian Club?
In an era where the average person sees around 5,000 adverts per day, this marketing strategy is impossible to ignore. It’s also extremely effective—when done right!
As the first stop in our How to Explain Marketing campaign, let’s look at the age-old classic: Advertising.
What Is Advertising, Really?
Advertising is paid messaging used to promote a product, service, or idea.
Unlike other types of marketing (e.g., public relations, or organic content), advertising involves paying to get your message in front of a specific audience.
While you may traditionally think of advertising as TV commercials or print ads, today it spans a much broader spectrum, including digital formats like search engine ads, social media promotions, and influencer collaborations.
That’s right. Next time you’re scrolling through Instagram, look for paid promotions. Your favourite influencers are likely paid to show off those products.
Why Bother With Advertising?
Advertising is a big topic, and it might seem overwhelming to a small business owner. But it’s worth investing in, as it puts your brand in front of the right people at the right time.
Professional marketers don’t just draft up an advert and hope for the best. They research and strategise to ensure your advertising resonates with your ideal audience. The best ads build awareness, drive sales, and keep you competitive.
Even the best products need visibility. Think of Coca-Cola and the big car manufacturers. They’re already household names, but they still pump out glossy adverts.
Without advertising, you risk being invisible, no matter how great your products and services are.
Advertising in the Digital Age
We touched on the new era of advertising earlier, but it bears repeating as print and TV ads aren’t the only places to focus these days.
Over 2.64 billion people shop online, so skipping digital advertising is like shooting yourself in the foot.
Types of digital advertising include:
- Search engine adverts
- Social media adverts (e.g., Facebook ads)
- Influencer paid partnerships
- Video adverts (e.g., before/after YouTube videos)
All of these should be considered, but don’t neglect TV, print, radio, posters, and billboards. When properly targeted, they can still be effective.
The Secret Ingredients Behind Great Advertising
So, you want to create an advertisement campaign. Where should you start?
Great advertising isn’t just about flashy visuals or clever slogans (although these pack a punch). It’s first built on strategy.
Effective advertising starts with audience research, understanding who you’re speaking to and what matters to them. Marketers then use psychology and storytelling to create emotional connections and memorable messages.
Not only that, but every campaign has clear objectives, whether that’s raising awareness of your brand, converting to a product, or simply building customer loyalty.
Success isn’t left to guesswork or how sleek an advert looks!
Data is key. Marketers measure metrics like clicks, impressions, conversions, and ROI to refine campaigns and ensure that every pound spent works harder.
Summing It All Up
Advertising is all about showing off your product or service to a target audience for engagement, interest, and sales. From Google adverts to stop-you-in-your-tracks billboards, it’s a crucial part of any marketing strategy.
Get your business out there today. Re:View Creative delivers creative solutions across advertising, direct mail, and digital marketing.
See our services now or contact us to begin the conversation.
