Press advertising is the most popular and effective method of publicity today. It has become the part of the culture and political life of people today. Press, also referred to as print, is an advertising media comprising all those vehicles owned by others and which can carry the advertising message in print to be read by target customers.
1. Newspapers
Newspapers are bought largely for their news values. Newspapers may be national/local daily/weekly. These are a good vehicle to pass on information about new products, current products and price-off deals. They can be used for local, national and regional market coverage.
Advantages of Newspaper Advertising Media
The advantages of merits of newspaper advertising media may be summed up as under :
1. Their coverage is high as they reach every nook and corner in a very short time.
2. They offer a lot of flexibility. According to the convenience and necessity of the advertiser, the shape, size and appeal may be frequently changed to suit the need of the advertiser.
3. High frequency enables speedy preparation and publication of advertisement.
4. It is the cheapest media of advertising as far as its cost per reader is concerned.
5. The daily newspaper have strong repetitive value as it offers an opportunity to the advertiser to repeat is message at a short interval of only one day.
6. The public response towards newspaper advertising is very quick.
7. By inserting local advertisements (in local newspapers), the effectiveness of advertising copy could be tested quite easily.
8. By inserting frequent advertisements in the newspapers, their visual appeals may be created very easily.
9. The reputation of the newspapers is available to the advertisers and their products also. Leading newspapers provide space to reputed and reliable concerns only.
10. Newspaper advertising provides geographic selectivity.
Disadvantages of Newspaper Advertising Media
The following are the disadvantages or demerits or limitations of newspaper advertising media :
1. The life of a newspaper is very short.
2. There is waste of circulation. The advertisement is carried even to those places where there is no market existing nor the possibility of creating a new market in the near future.
3. If the customers are limited in numbers, advertising in newspapers may be ineffective and costly too.
4. Visual effects may not be created in practice as the newspapers are generally printed on cheap newsprint.
5. There is lack of uniformity in advertising requirements. Lack of uniformity of publishers. requirements with respect to rates, size, type of copy and so on.
6. Newspaper advertising is less popular in undeveloped countries where the masses are illiterate ignorant and poor.
2. Magazines and Journals
Another media under press advertising media is magazines and journals. They offer selective circulation throughout the country at a cost within reasonable budget limits. These are published periodically at regular intervals, i.e., weekly, fortnightly, monthly, quarterly or annually. Magazines
and Journals are read at leisure and with care when the reader is mentally prepared to receive the advertisements. It has a long effective life.
From the advertiser.s point of view, magazines may be classified under five groups :
(i) Special Interest Magazines
(ii) Trade Magazines
(iii) Technical Magazines
(iv) Professional Magazines
(v) Regional Magazines.
Advantages of Magazines and Journals
The following are the advantages of magazines and journals as an advertising media.
1. The life of magazine is considerably longer than that of newspapers. These are kept ready for weeks and months.
2. Better reproduction of advertisement than newspapers is provided.
3. Magazines are highly selective in nature and waste of circulation is avoided.
4. Magazine advertising create prestige, reputation and an image of quality.
5. The number of readers per copy in case of magazine advertising is quite high. There is multiplicity of readership.
6. Magazines are ideals for introduction new ideas.
7. Magazine readership is usually a leisurely home readership for enjoyment relaxation, and „with guards down..
8. The printing, paper, colour combination is more attractive in case of magazine advertising than newspaper advertising.
9. Magazines reach specialised groups conveniently and effectively.
10. The cost of utilising magazines for advertising is quite low.
Disadvantages of Magazine and Journal Advertising
As compared to newspaper advertising, the magazine and journal advertising have the following disadvantages, demerits or limitations :
1. The chief demerit of magazine advertising is its low flexibility.
2. Preparation costs for magazine copy are usually rather high and sometimes exceed the cost of the space used in trade magazines.
3. The circulation is limited as compared to newspaper advertising.
4. It takes more time in printing etc. than newspaper advertising.
5. The size of magazines differs widely and hence the advertiser has to prepare the copy of advertisement according to the size of the magazine and journal.
6. Change in appeal cannot be effective quickly.
