Advertising: Images, Industry and Audience - Essay Example

? Advertising: Images, Industry and Audience Journalism, Mass Media and Communication Introduction Advertisement, as defined by Julian (2002), is a form of communication specifically used to persuade or encourage people to continue performing an action or change to a new action. An audience can be readers, viewers and/or listeners. Two types of advertisements exist, commercial and non-commercial advertisements. According to Altstiel and Grow (2006), commercial advertisements aim at driving consumer behaviors with respect to some commercial offerings. Non-commercial advertisements, on the other hand, concentrate on persuading or motivating an audience towards a social cause or an idea. Nevertheless, the two advertisements types focus on reassuring employees, shareholders, or generally, an audience, that a product, an action, or an ideology is viable. The objective is fulfilled through three important processes, which are informing, educating and motivating. During the three processes, advertisements catch attention of people by creating a unique awareness about a product or an idea. As observed by Felton (2006), success of an advertisement depends on its design and communication method it uses. Rodgers and Thorson (2012) incorporate the concept of marketing mix while discussing types of advertisement. Marketing mix, as a key component of an advertisement, consists of four P’s; Product, Price, Place and Promotion. In other words, while designing an advertisement, it is imperative to link a product with promotional strategies, price and a place where an advertisement is done (Altstiel and Grow, 2005). Even though the two types of advertisements use similar principles, certain differences, however, exist. This paper, in effect, compares two types of advertisements. Specifically, the paper compares an advertisement for a commercial product and a promotion by non-profitable charity group. Differences To clearly compare commercial and non-commercial adverts, this paper uses Apple Company, as a commercial organization and Octopus Holdings Limited. In promoting its products, Apple Company has effectively used various aspects of advertisement to increase its net profit. Octopus Holdings Limited, which has both commercial and non-commercial subsidiaries, has similarly used various advertisement principles to educate and persuade the public. Non-commercial subsidiaries of the company are based in Hong Kong. All discussions in this paper are based on advertisement done by these two companies. According to Felton (2006), comparison of the two types of advertisements is done by analyzing various components of an advertisement. Some key evaluation areas include aim of an ad, methodology or persuasive techniques used, advertisement budget and target demographics among others. In this paper, the two types of advertisement are compared using these components. Purpose of the Two Adverts Core difference between adverts for commercial product and an ad done by a charity group is evident in the purposes of the adverts. Advertising a commercial product aims at selling a product for monetary compensation, while adverts by non-commercial charity groups educate the public (Altstiel and Grow, 2009). In other words, the former advert is used to generate sales and revenue, while the latter advert gives people an opportunity to take an immediate action on an acquired knowledge. Advertisements for a commercial product aim at increasing consumption of the product. In some cases, the promotion involves generating increased use of services related to the product. This procedure involves informing an audience frequently about a product’s name or repeatedly displaying the product to an audience. While using ‘branding’ as a weapon, ads for commercial products associate admirable qualities with a specific product they promote. Since increasing consumption of a product forms the basis of commercial advertisement, promoting a company’s product calls for clear specification of an audience. On the other hand, an advertisement done by a non-profitable charity group aims at remodeling or transforming minds of an audience towards certain ideologies, perceptions, or ideas. That is, non-commercial advertisements rely mostly on free modes of persuasion. This distinction between the two advertisement methods is backed up by Drewniany and Jewler (2007). Therefore, advertising a commercial product aims at improving consumption of products or ideas, while a non-profit generating advertisement aims at persuading its audience. Advertisement Theory Promoting a commercial product is pegged on hierarchal effects model and means-end theories. Conversely, non-profit oriented advertisement applies leverage points model to persuade its audience. According to James (2012), advertisement theories include hierarchy of effects model, means-end theory, leverage points theory and visual and verbal images theory. Effects model clarifies steps a consumer follows before acquiring a product being advertised. Means-end theory compares state of a consumer before and after consuming an advertised product. Leverage points model links a product’s benefits and personal values of a consumer. Images theory, on the other hand, assesses how advertisement images control behaviors, actions, or thoughts of an audience. An ad for a company’s product employs effects model because the promotion is designed such that a consumer is attracted to a product at every acquisition step. Designing procedures, according to Baron and Sissors (2010), include creating awareness in an individual, knowledge change, developing liking and changing preference list and product acquisition steps. Increasing consumption of a product, therefore, involves applying proper ad tools and techniques at each of these steps. In the conviction and purchasing step, commercial adverts include means, messages, or images that lead a consumer to a preferred end state. While persuading an audience, non-profit charity group ads, in contrast, frequently apply leverage points model than other advertisement theories. As explained by Clow and Baack (2007), persuasive advertisements are built on a supposition that an individual considers his/her personal values before being persuaded to take a specific action. Therefore, while profitable adverts consider steps a consumer undergoes before purchasing a product, non-profit adverts assesses how advertisement messages relate with personal values. Kelley et al. (2010) adds that companies sometimes consider personal values while promoting their products and/or services. The consideration is, nevertheless, not pronounced in profit oriented ads. Methodology As persuasive techniques, promotions for commercial product are built on six principles, while non-profit ads by a charity group are built on three principles (Nash, 2000). The six principles of commercial products include demographic positioning, dramatic conflict, emotion, big exaggerations, interesting characters and promise benefits. On the other hand, the three principles of non-profit generating ads include creating awareness, education and motivation. In demographic positioning, promoting a product involves specifying an audience a company is trying to reach. This specification can be in terms of age, wealth, education level, gender, or ethnicity. Dramatic conflict, as a principle of commercial advertisement, involves using a company’s product to solve dramatic conflicts included in an advertisement. Emotionally, promoting a commercial product involves designing an advert such that an emotional response is created in an audience. Cook, (2001) asserts that strength of emotional response an advert directly influences an individual’s decision to acquire an advertised product. As another methodological technique, promoting a commercial product incorporates big exaggerations. Large exaggerations are not only viewed as comedic elements in an advertisement, but also as attention grabbers. Exaggerations normally accompany visual element of a commercial advertisement. As another persuasive technique, promotion of a commercial product uses interesting characters, who are celebrities, to convince an audience.. Funny characters not only make an audience get interested in viewing the ad, but also compel the audience to acquire an item being advertised. Using promise benefits, as a persuasive technique, involves promising consumers about benefits of consuming a product or service being advertised. Commercial companies use promises such as assistance in physical ailment, a lifetime guarantee, getting more friends, or an easier life. Rodgers and Thorson (2012) observe that commercial companies use specific benefits that targets particular audience rather than general audience. Repeated and proper use of these principles results to increased consumption of a commercial product. Adverts by non-commercial charity groups create awareness and use educative and motivational strategies while sharing information with their audience. For instance, while promoting information related to a health issue, non-commercial ads give comprehensive information about the disease, likely effects and treatment options. The three principles not only result to sharing of information, but also lead to further spread of the message contained in an advert. Shari (2003), however, clarify that as non-commercial charity groups sell their idea or concept, no monetary compensations are expected. Therefore, non-commercial charity groups use their motivational strategies to draw their advertisement funds from individuals or willing donor groups. Conversely, commercial companies use their persuasive techniques to increase the purchase of their products. Advertisement Budget Advertisements for commercial product and for a non-profitable charity group are also different in terms of ad budget. Commercial product adverts are relatively expensive than adverts for a non-profit oriented group. According to Shari (2003), several factors influence an advert budget in both commercial and non-commercial adverts. Some of these factors include purpose of an advert, source of advertisement funds, persuasive techniques and marketing methods. Under purpose, commercial organizations are ready and willing to exhaust all its resources to ensure that an advertisement increases its overall net profit. A significant proportion of resources are, thus, used in promoting commercial products. On the contrary, non-commercial groups focus on changing activity habits, improving public attitude and popularizing a social cause. These objectives do not have heavy financial impacts. Source of advertisement funds, as a determinant of an advertisement budget, is related to persuasive techniques of an advert. In commercial ads, funds are generated by consumers, while charity groups generate their funds from donors and sponsors. Because the latter group depends on willingness of donors to sponsor their programs, the groups, as a strategy, do not develop an expensive advertisement budget. On the other hand, promoting a commercial product is built on a ‘give and take’ principle. That is, high revenue is collected when detailed and comprehensive advertisement is used. Therefore, in relation to persuasive techniques, expensive techniques are used in promoting commercial products than promotions done by non-commercial charity groups. Also, marketing methods and means of reaching a targeted audience are expensive in advertisements for commercial products than in non-commercial products. Target Demographics Adverts for commercial products and non-commercial products or services are different in their target demographics. As supported by Haley et al. (2011), promotions by commercial companies target specific audiences. In contrast, non-commercial adverts generally target all individuals. Examples of issues promoted by non-profit oriented groups include issues related to health, poverty, hunger and generally, economic growth. Specifications in commercial ads can be in terms of age, level of education, religion and economic levels among others. Because of the specifications, timing forms important component of commercial advertisements to ensure that a target audience is available when an advert is aired. Differences Even though significant differences exist between adverts for commercial products and adverts done by non-commercial groups, Haley et al. (2011), however, observes that certain similarities do exist. The similarities are evident in semiotics used by the two adverts, advertisement approaches used, visual and use of images and cultural effects of advertisement. Louw (2001) also adds that the two adverts face similar criticisms. Semiotics Both adverts for commercial products and promotions by charity groups apply semiotic concepts while communicating to their audiences. Semiotics, as defined by Mick (1986), is the study and interpretation of how signs are used in an advertisement. Both commercial and non-commercial adverts have hidden meanings on logos, brand names, print advertisements and package designs. Kaiser and Song (2009) assert that semiotics in the two advertisements are interpreted at two different levels; surface level and underlying level. Surface level involves creative use of signs to create a personality or an image for a product. The signs include words, fonts, images, colors, or slogans. Underlying level assessment, on the other hand, entails examining hidden meanings of an entire advertisement. The latter analysis, therefore, include interpreting a combination of colors, words, images, slogans and images. As concepts in semiotics, both adverts for commercial and non-commercial products have a ‘signifier’ and a ‘signified.’ Signifier entails detailed characteristics of a product, while signified incorporates mental concepts in an advert. A mental concept of an advert, thus, reveals hidden meanings of an advertisement. Use of Gender as a Semiotic Feature In both adverts for commercial and non-commercial product or service, semiotics of gender significantly influences how advertisement signs are interpreted (Owolabi, 2005). Based on gender roles in advertisement, individuals are influenced in three different ways. As an influence, certain stimuli characteristics boost or decrease elaboration of an advertisement message. For instance, a product or a message can be perceived as either feminine or masculine. Characteristics of an individual, as a second factor, affect attentions given to an advertisement. For instance, non-traditional or traditional gender role orientation influences perceptions an audience has towards a product or service being advertisement (Koc, 2002). Situational factors, collectively, also influences elaboration of a message in an advertisement. As part of gender issues, both advertisements consider how men and women process information (Koc, 2002). According to Owolabi (2005), both advertisements use heuristic devices, methods, strategies, or procedures to process information. Women, in contrast, process information comprehensively. In other words, if a targeted group is men, both adverts avail apparent cues for message interpretation. Conversely, if targeted individuals are females, both adverts incorporate more creative, imagery-laced and associative interpretations. Criticism Both adverts face similar criticisms. Cook (2001) explains that both commercial and non-commercial advertisements create false image about a product. False value created in a product forces people to acquire products they do not need or which are harmful. In other words, the two advertisements overexploit desires of consumers by manipulating their needs. This acquisition is harmful, especially when an advert does not highlight any negative consequence of an item or any product being promoted. Both advertisements are also criticized on social effects they have. In both cases, using internet as an advertisement method has resulted to accumulation of unsolicited e-mails and various forms of spam on internet users’ accounts. The effect is not only a nuisance to users of internet service, but also a financial burden to internet service providers. Louw (2001) also adds that in both adverts, there is inversion of public spaces, such as schools and other public facilities. Advertisement Images and Culture Both adverts for commercial products and non-commercial products or services modify cultural beliefs of a group of individuals. Through proper use of verbal and visual images, both advertisements control behaviors, thoughts and actions of viewers. Repeated use of these images, consequently, alters societal beliefs. With time, these repetitions become associated with various attributes that modify an individual’s evaluation of different cultural objects. Therefore, advertisements form values and beliefs of viewers through media portrayals. Conclusion Advertisement involves publicizing a product, an event, or an idea. Both commercial and non-commercial advertisements encourage people to continue using or buying an item or an idea being promoted. Differences between ads for commercial products and advertisements done by non-commercial lobby groups are evident in purposes of the two types of adverts, advertisement theories and techniques applied in each case, advertisement budget, target demographics. On the other hand, similarities in the two adverts are pronounced in advertisement semiotics, criticisms of each ad, cultural effects of the ads and gender roles in an advertisement. Reference List Altstiel, T and Grow, J., (2006). Advertising strategy: Creative tactics from the outside/in. 2nd Edition. CA: Sage Publication Inc. Altstiel, T. and Grow, J., (2005). Advertising strategy: Creative tactics from the outside/in. Sage Publications, Inc. Altstiel, T. and Grow, J., (2009). Advertising creative: Strategy, copy and design. 2nd Edition. Sage Publications, Inc. Baron, R. and Sissors, J., (2010). Advertising media planning. 7th Edition. McGraw-Hill Press. Clow, K and Baack, D., (2007). 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Made you look - How advertising works and why you should know. Toronto: Annick Press. Read More