Advertising

What is Advertising?

Bovee (1992) gave the definition of advertising as that advertising is a form non-personal communication of information usually paid for by the organisation. This form of non-personal communication is usually given in a persuasive nature about the products, services or ideas of the organisation closely linked to an identified sponsors through the various media.

Marshall McLuhan established an element that “The medium is the message”. The medium of an advertisement is the way in which it is received by consumers. This means that the medium which is used to be sent to consumers is as important as the content within the advertisement. Advertising is crucial to organisations as it allows them to ensure that consumers are aware of their products, services or events, which is why the correct mediums must be used when advertising. There are three categories that the mediums have been placed in to, these are: print, broadcasting and e-media.

This advert for Citroen C4 shows how advertising is created to be memorable and vivid within a consumers mind. The advert grabs attention and keeps it whilst the advert progresses as it is unique and individual in the design, imagery, sound and story which are all factors that add up to creating an effective advert. Even though the product itself may be viewed as a less accessible product the advert raises awareness of Citroen as an organisation and generates brand awareness.

The medium broadcasting is advertising using video or audio forms of communication. This includes mediums such as television, radio or web broadcasting. Web broadcasting has become a successful form of advertising due to the social cultures around the web. Television is seen as being more persuasive an effective than radio as imagery is used and instantly attracts consumers attention. But it all depends on the target audience and the way information is received as to whether the advertisement is successful or not.

Print media can be seen through forms such as magazines, billboards, leaflets and posters. It is a very traditional method within the advertising mediums so is commonly used by organisers as they are able to communicate the information of their product, services and events in various forms within various locations. Print media allows organisers to be select with their advertisements are placed which allows them to appeal to their specific target audience.

E-media has developed due to then many advances within technology which means that organisers are able to communicate through various forms such as websites, e-mails and pop ups. E-media has become a more popular medium when taking into account this generations increasing internet culture. This make information form organisers instantly accessible through the web via website created by the organisers or emails sent virally to consumers.

According to Clow and Baack (2004) consumers on average are subjected to at least 600 advertisements in a single day. This will have increased as the years have progressed due to the ever expanding variety of media that is used and consumers are exposed to.

Strong and Weak Theory

The strong and weak theories are the two main theories that are used to highlight how advertising works. The strong theory shows that advertising can be used to persuade consumers to purchase a product or service that they have never purchased before. It also established that if organisations continue to advertise their product consumers will continue to purchase it. An advert will be created to appeal to all of the needs of the consumer making it personally relevant to them as an individual. As well as being aesthetically pleasing to them. Many adverts will include celebrity endorsements in order to appeal to the nature of culture in such times, which is very much celebrity focused. With including these factors advertising is then meant to increase the sales of products and services of the organisations. Although consumers may not see an advertisement then want to purchase the product or service instantaneously, this is because the advertisement itself needs to be memorable and vivid to the consumer.

Whereas the weak theory established that advertising does not make consumers purchase products, services or buy into brands. It also does not emphasize the different between brands within advertising.   The theory states that advertising merely reinforces past behaviours of the consumers and enhances brand loyalty. The information that is given within weak theory advertisements is used by consumers to evaluate other products, services or brands, as well as act as a reminder that the consumer needs to purchase into a product or service.

London Fashion Weekend 

London Fashion Weekend have favoured the print medium within advertising as their market campaign has highlighted that they have features in Vogue, Marie Claire and local London publications. Alongside a leafleting campaign, billboards and posters all adding up within their marketing communication. This video shows the promotional team of last year handing out leaflets around London in order to create a word of mouth buzz. This is also what happened at this years London Fashion Weekend but no footage has been uploaded yet. They have also used the broadcasting method by advertising through Fashion TV. 

They also have targeted print media within Elle, Stylist, Vogue, Marie Claire, Harpers Bazaar, The Telegraph and local London publications. 

International Confex 

International Confex have advertised widely through the print media and e-media as their main mediums within advertising. This is the same as London Fashion Weekend which shows that these two mediums are favoured within both business to consumer and business to business events as they are effective in achieving the organisations marketing communication objectives.

International Confex have placed printed adverts and inserts in the UK's leading trade titles in order to get maximum exposure to the industry professionals. With ads and inserts being present in:

• Conference & Incentive Travel 
• Event and Meetings & Incentive Travel 
• Marketing and Executive PA
• Event Magazine 
• Conference News 

They have also had posters around London advertising International Confex with all the relevant information needed for consumers. All of these images show the posters and adverts that have been placed in advertising materials that have been selected by International Confex in order to reach their target audiences effectively. The have also used E-media within their advertising campaign by setting up a website that is available to all consumers as well as sending email advertising media to targeted consumers and potential consumers. 

Overall looking at the mediums of advertising that both London Fashion Weekend and International Confex has used through print media, e-media and broadcasting it can be seen that both have aimed their advertising at their target audiences through the way in which the advertising is printed in magazines that are either fashion related or industry related. When relating the advertising campaigns of each event to the strong and weak theory, London Fashion Weekend have used the strong theory of advertising as they are using their campaign to persuade consumers to purchase tickets to their event so therefore London Fashion Weekend have created interesting and attractive advertising to appeal to their target audiences and entice them they "HAVE" to come to this event and if they do not they will be missing out. All of this is communicated through their advertising. In having advertisements plastered over London and the location of the event it continuously keeps it in consumer's minds and acts as a subconscious form of persuasion as it is in continuous eye sight. Also by then having advertising in London publications and all fashion related magazines and publications it targets the core audiences more specifically so that they are unable to miss the advertisement of the event. 

Whereas initially from a visitors point of view International Confex appears to have the weak theory of advertising as their objectives are to create awareness of the event and get consumers to register so the advertisements that they place act as a reminder of the event and that consumers need to register. It does not make consumers want to buy or purchase into the event; it generates a form loyalty in their targeted consumers and increases it within their existing loyal consumers. International Confex is an event that consumer will either want to go to or not there isn’t much room for persuasion as the event is so specialised in the context and activities of event. But from the exhibitors at the events perspectives the strong theory applies as they are using advertising in order to sell what they have to offer and will therefore create persuasive advertising and utilize any advertising or promotional opportunities that International Confex has to offer, for example the sponsorship packages that International Confex offer to their exhibitors. This will enhance the factor of persuasion within their advertising creating the effect of purchasing by consumers. 


References

Bowdin,G. Allen, J. O'Toole, W. Harris, R. McDonnell, I. (2011) Events Management Third Edition. Great Britain. Elsevier Butterworth-Heinemann.

Masterman,G. Wood, E. (2011) Innovative marketing communication strategies for the events industry. New York. Routeledge. 


YouTube (2012) Citroen-C4 Commercial [online] Available from: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RhtGBaEOEVs [Accessed 8th March 2012]