Let’s face it – how many of you don’t know the difference between Advertising & Marketing? When a major smartphone brand decides to launch its next flagship handset, you can see similar advertisements being displayed over television, billboards, newspaper & social media. That’s advertising. And also, marketing. Wait a minute!
Advertising can be Marketing, but Marketing cannot be Advertising
Fact!
1. Introduction
Both advertising and marketing share the same objective – Inform consumers about new products/services. They differ in planning and execution. Many mistakenly identify advertising for marketing and vice versa.
Through this post, we want to individually define them. We also look at their types and benefits. We hope this ‘guide to marketing’ and ‘guide to advertising’, will help organizations or businesses to chalk out strategies for customer acquisition and also resolve any doubts regarding marketing and advertising. We would like to know if this guide helps you in any way. Do let us know in the comments. .
2. What is the meaning of advertising?
Meaning of advertising
Advertising is a process where an organization or company, creates communication pieces to grab audience attention. The purpose is to inform consumers and convert their interest into actual sales. The presentation of the product or idea is decided by either the company who puts the ads (short for advertisements) or an advertising firm who is employed by the respective company.
An advertising campaign is crafted around the marketing and subsequent communication objectives. It is positioned over different advertising channels. One thing to remember is that any advertising campaign must be executed through proper strategy and timing.
2.1 How to advertise?
How to advertise?
Advertising allows a company to put the word out. An advertising campaign must keep in mind the target audience – who they are, what needs does the product or service fulfill. The campaign should be a perfect blend of audio, video, text, and visuals, to send the message across.
If the majority of the target audience is on the go, billboards at strategic locations can work. If the campaign is centered towards a younger audience, social media ads help. Similarly, radio, print, and television are channels that provide their own advantages. It’s about generating a buzz, and reaching the widest audience possible.
As we mentioned above in bold, advertising is a marketing tactic. Space needs to be hired out to promote the service/product. The promotional message or ad reaches out to consumers who are convinced by the ad, to pay for the product/service.
2.2 Where to show ads to promote your business?
Advertisements can be set up at locations that garner the most attention. Some common avenues to display advertisements for business promotion are:
Digital
- Websites
- FB or Twitter posts
- Blog (like ours!)
- E-newsletters
- Videos on YouTube
Retail
- Building walls
- Intersection billboards
- Branded balloons
- Standees
- Events
- Store windows
- Kiosks at malls, airports
- Major sporting events
- Placemats on restaurants
2.3 What does an advertising message comprise of?
What is an advertising message made up of?
Advertising messages are created to persuade consumers to buy/hire your product/service. Not just B2C (business-to-consumer), even B2B (business-to-business) communication requires persuasion. An advertising message, therefore, is comprised of:
- Headline – The headline of the ad must be attention-grabbing. If the headline can convey the key message, in maybe 6 words, your ad has done its job
- Subheading – Similar to the subtitle in a book, the subheading provides clarity on the message
- Body – The bulk of the message resides in the body. The product/service benefits & features are mentioned here
- Visual – An attractive or engaging image conveys the USP of the product/service. Sometimes the image can leave a lasting impression on the viewer’s mind, which the text cannot convey
- C.T.A – Call-To-Action tells the viewer what he/she should do next to contact the ad publishing company/service. It could be a toll-free number, website URL or a contact number
2.4 Which are the different types of advertising?
Types of advertising
Every advertising type is different. To decide which advertising type is best suited, understand your target audience. Understand the audience age group, their tastes, the channel they spend their time most on, etc. The 7 popular advertising types are:
1. Print/Newspaper
Print advertising, or specifically newspaper advertising lets you reach a wider target audience. Advertisements can be either mentioned within classified listings or as display ads over an entire page.
2. Internet
Advertising over the internet is cost-effective. The majority of our target audience are connected via smartphones. Through smart and targeted advertising, you can reach out to a global audience for a marginal cost. Blogs and Search Engine Marketing (SEM) are also widely used.
3. Specialist Magazines
To ensure your ads reach a targeted audience via print, get them published-on specialist magazines. Magazines cater to a specific consumer base e.g. individuals working in trade or hospitality industry, frequent fliers, women, etc. Getting ads printed over glossy pages on a magazine will cost more as compared to newspapers. But, if your target audience can be reached through magazines, the cost is worth bearing.
4. Email, Brochures, etc.
Shooting out emailers based on a custom mailing list helps in tracking the approach. Another cost-effective way is to send out newsletters. One can add a brochure to an emailer as well. Printing leaflets or flyers is an offline approach. Inserting flyers within newspapers or dropping them through a letterbox also could do the trick.
5. Radio Ads
Radio ads can be produced in multiple languages, based on what stations your target audience listens to most. Also, knowing what time audiences tune in to that particular station helps. Unlike, an emailer or a print ad, consumers who listen to your radio ad may find it hard to retain information. As a result, radio ads need to broadcasted periodically. This, however, increases the cost.
6. Television Ads
Ads featured on television reach a mass audience. Television ads combine benefits of motion, sound, color, and sight to help persuade the viewer. However, television ads are expensive to produce. The costs for a 30-60 seconds slot depend on the channel, the program during which it will be broadcasted, etc.
7. Business Directory
Business directories are an excellent channel to publish ads. The advantage here is that consumers are looking for the right product/service. Business directories are available online as well, making the traditional Yellow Pages obsolete.
8. Outdoor Ads
Outdoor ads are of two types. Stationary ads are places over massive billboards or hoardings. Transit ads are those which are put up on taxis, buses and display vans. Billboards allow your message to be displayed in large fonts, with larger imagery. This allows the viewer to retain that information better. The content over billboards needs to be crisp and impactful.
Did You Know?
As much as 85% of videos are watched without sound
2.5 What are the advantages of advertising?
Although, the biggest advantage of advertising is outreach, there are some more which you should know about. They are:
1. Product release
Wanting to announce the release of a new product? Advertising aids in stimulating the buyer’s mind into purchasing the product
2. Sales boost
If your advertising campaigns work well, you are guaranteed new business. The increase in sales leads to an increase in production, and therefore, it also allows you to bear advertising costs.
3. Product expansion
New markets can be explored in a test advertising campaign. The data received through this test can be used to define a new target audience. This expansion can be stretched to remote regions.
4. Beating competition
Through advertising, you can gain an upper hand over your business competitors. One can also learn from what your competitor is doing, and alter the ads in any way productive.
5. Educate customers
Educating customers about new product features or even drawing their attention to existing products is done via advertising. Advertising also educates users to appreciate the quality of the product. Slowly and steadily trust is built.
6. Increased profit
Advertising influences consumers directly. This removes the possibility of any intermediary profit sharing. This allows the products to be sold at reduced prices. Also, once a consumer relates to your product, and the future product is also met with appreciation. All thanks to the effort of the primary advertising campaign.
Advertising also improves the skillset of professionals working as designers, singers, artists, cartoonists, models, videographers and musicians. Advertising agencies have established business out of making ads.
“The more informative your advertising, the more persuasive it will be…”
David Ogilvy
3. What is the meaning of marketing?
Meaning of marketing
The process of marketing involves aligning the benefits of a product/service to its intended target audience. Marketing includes sub-processes such as research, data mining, creation, and design. The end product is customer satisfaction. That same satisfied customer must follow a call-to-action (it could be hiring the service, purchasing the product, etc.)
Marketing is all about introducing a product/service within the right market, to the right audience, at the right time, at the right price. Marketing is effective if the value provided by the product/service is successfully conveyed to the customer.
3.1 What are the marketing factors?
Marketing is a business activity that has no deadline. To create a working marketing campaign, a company needs to consider the following factors.
- Identify who is your customer
- Understand market conditions
- Figure out customer needs
- List out product/service USPs
- Formulate a marketing plan
- Identify effective marketing channels
- Contact the right media/agency for promotion
- Determine the correct price
- Organize the distribution of product
- Set up a customer success team
3.2 What is the meaning of the marketing mix?
Meaning of marketing mix
A ‘marketing mix’ is a combination of controlled marketing tools, to generate the desired target audience response. Some consumers respond to imagery while others respond to a text. The Marketing mix acts as a tool in executing a marketing plan.
The marketing message must suit the environment of its intended target audience. One aspect of the marketing mix is the message, the other is the marketing tool. The marketing mix is divided into 7 groups, also known as the ‘7 Ps of marketing’.
- Product/Service – Brand name, services offered, design, quality, variety, features, packaging, etc.
- Price – Discounts, credit, payment, allowance, list price, etc.
- Place – Location, logistics, transport, assortment, coverage, channels, inventory, etc.
- Promotion – Sales agent, public relations, advertising, outbound selling, etc.
- Physical evidence – Ways of reassuring customers, such as building, website etc.
- People – Who are the individuals involved and are there any skill gaps
- Partners – The individuals that seek a partnership with service/firm
Each of the ‘marketing mix Ps’ are related. They are tied by the company’s key USP. The marketing mix and marketing tools combine to improve the product’s position within a specific market.
3.3 Which are the different types of marketing strategies?
Marketing strategies
Marketing strategies are divided into 4 main categories – Cause, Undercover, Scarcity, and Relationship.
- Cause Marketing – Here, a company’s promotional campaign aims to increase profitability but also ensures the betterment of the society. This is done by linking the product/service to a social cause.
- Undercover Marketing – A product is introduced to a customer, without exactly adopting any advertising method. It is an example of stealth marketing, wherein sales agents pose as normal individuals. They are undercover. Products are shown to a customer, with the customer unaware of any marketing motive.
- Scarcity Marketing – A scenario is created wherein a customer is made to believe that the product will be out of stock or cease distribution in a short period. This fear is generated through excellent usage of marketing mix.
- Relationship Marketing – This strategy focuses on customer retention and customer satisfaction. Short-term goals, such as individual sales, customer conversion, etc. take a back seat.
- Diversity Marketing – The coverage of attitudes, belief, views and needs, are catered to and integrated.
- Paid Marketing – These include the traditional paid marketing approaches, such as print media, TVCs etc.
3. 4 What is the difference between advertising & marketing?
Due to advertising being expensive, as compared to marketing, it is largely embraced by large corporations and mega brands.
Promotion is the most important aspect of advertising. Likewise, product, price, place, process, and promotion are major aspects of marketing.
Advertising focusses on grabbing a customer’s attention, while marketing focusses on increasing sales or gaining closure.
Advertising is a short-term process, as it mainly deals with leaving an impression in the customer’s mind. Marketing is a long-term process. It deals with constantly figuring out what steps can be taken to drive company sales forward.
“You can’t sell anything, if you can’t tell anything”
Beth Comstock
About Synapse.co…
After such a long blog post, we wouldn’t want to harp on about our services. But, for those who want to know what we do;
We are a Goa based, business communication agency that offers the best services for digital marketing, advertising, content marketing, and brand storytelling.
Our copywriters, graphic designers, and project managers provide the best services in content & digital marketing, and business communication.
Synapse’s brand design team works as per your brand guidelines to create an impactful brand identity. We work on crafting impactful brand experiences for every business.
We ensure better internal communication between you, your employees, your clients, your customers & your investors. Improve your company workforce efficiency and grow your profit margin through creative business communication.
Improve your company sales targets by designing marketing collateral that attracts your customers and clients. Increase business sales by opting for effective content & marketing strategies.
We help businesses fix communication problems between clients, prospects & employees. With our bespoke content marketing services, content creation will never be a problem.
If you want to embed business storytelling into your business’ mundane internal or external business communications, then hire us. You won’t regret it…hit the button below to get in touch with someone from our team
