The word advertising comes form the latin word "advertere meaning” to turn the minds of towards". Some of the definitions given by various authors are: According to William J. Stanton, "Advertising consists of all the activities involved in presenting to an audience a non-personal, sponsor-identified, paid-for message about a product or organization."
According to American Marketing Association "advertising is any paid form of non-personal presentation and promotion of ideas, goods and services by an identified sponsor". Advertising is used for communicating business information to the present and prospective customers. It usually provides information about the advertising firm, its product qualities, place of availability of its products, etc. Advertisement is indispensable for both the sellers and the buyers. However, it is more important for the sellers. In the modern age of large scale production, producers cannot think of pushing sale of their products without advertising them. Advertisement supplements personal selling to a great extent. Advertising has acquired great importance in the modern world where tough competition in the market and fast changes in technology, we find fashion and taste in the customers.
Definitions of Advertising
1. American Marketing Association has defined advertising as “any paid form of non-personal presentation of ideas, goods and services by an indentified sponsor”.
2. According to Webstar, “Advertising is to give public notice or to announce publicity”.
3. According to Gardner, “Advertising is the means of mass selling that has grown up parallel with and has been made necessary to mass production”.
Features of Advertising
1. Communication : Advertising is means of mass communication reaching the masses. It is a non-personal communication because it is addressed to masses.
2. Information : Advertising informs the buyers about the benefits they would get when they purchase a particular product. However, the information given should be complete and true.
3. Persuasion : The advertiser expects to create a favourable attitude which will lead to favourable actions. Any advertising process attempts at converting the prospects into customers. It is thus an indirect salesmanship and essentially a persuasion technique.
4. Profit Maximisation : True advertising does not attempt at maximising profits by increasing the cost but by promoting the sales. This way It won.t lead to increase the price of the product. Thus, it has a higher sales approach rather than the higher-cost approach.
5. Non-Personal Presentation : Salesmanship is personal selling whereas advertising is non-personal in character. Advertising is not meant for anyone individual but for all. There is absence of
personal appeal in advertising.
6. Identified Sponsor : A sponsor may be an individual or a firm who pays for the advertisement. The name of reputed company may increase sale or products. The product gets good market because of its identity with the reputed corporate body.
7. Consumer Choice : Advertising facilitates consumer choice. It enables consumers to purchase goods as per their budget requirement and choice. Right choice makes consumer happy and satisfied.
8. Art, Science and Profession : Advertising is an art because it represents a field of creativity. Advertising is a science because it has a body of organised knowledge. Advertising is profession is now treated as a profession with its professional bodies and code of conduct for members.
9. Element of Marking Mix : Advertising is an important element of promotion mix. Advertising has proved to be of great utility to sell goods and services. Large manufactures spend crores of rupees on advertising.
10. Element of Creativity : A good advertising campaign involves lot of creativity and imagination. When the message of the advertiser matches the expectations of consumers, such creativity makes way for successful campaign.
