Advertising according to wikipedia.org is defined as a marketing communication that employs an openly sponsored, non-personal message to promote or sell a product or service. source
Advertising is the lure that draws customers to your business, so finding a form of advertising that fits your business, your budget and your target clientele is key to ensure the growth of your business.
Modern forms of Advertising include:
- purchased online Ads
- Social media marketing
- Newspaper Ads
- Radio Advertising
- Television Advertising
- Public speaking
- Billboards
- Door Hangers and Fliers
- Event sponsorship
With the advent of social media, Brands can now easily reach their audience directly from its own channels via mobile platforms where people invest a lot of their attention. This is a form of persuasion as Brands with massive social media presence can easily remain in the "Consideration set" of a large of Audience who pay attention to these mobile platforms. Massive media presence makes it easier for Bad products with large media muscle to crush Good products who don't have enough media muscle. In this case, the well Being of the customer isn't often the topmost priority of such Brands, rather it's the number of products sold.
Big Brand with large financial resources also exploit the emotional side of their Audience by using a star loved by a lot of people to advertise their products. Sometimes, sexy models are also used (this has proven to be very effective). These stars and models are called "Influencers" and these guys literally tell the Audience "Buy this product, not because you need it or because it's good for you, but because I recommend it".
Corporations also constantly suggest themselves by repeatedly displaying their products everywhere. You see their beautiful, eye-catching displays on billboards when you drive or walk, in the malls when you shop, on your television, on your social media pages via sponsored social media Ads and you hear about them on sponsored radio adverts, they are almost everywhere and in the end, we sometimes buy these products "just to see what the fuss is all about"
Why this exposé?
Truth be told, the persuasive powers of advertising cannot be defeated, but it would help if, before you buy any product or service, you stop for a minute to ask yourself why you want to buy it. Is it because it meets a need/needs of yours or because you have been persuaded by whatever means to buy it.
Thanks for reading