Marketing And Media: The Effect Of Marketing On Public Opinion - Essay Example

Marketing And Media: The Effect Of Marketing On Public Opinion Introduction Marketing is an endeavor, which entails publicizing the goods and services produced by a business organization. Business enterprises employ the use of the mass media in marketing. This helps in attracting a wide section of the public since the media has a significantly large coverage. The use of mass media to conduct marketing has a remarkable impact on the opinion of the public. In marketing, the media play a significant role in shaping the public view of the goods or services, which a business advertises. This paper will examine the impact of marketing on public opinion. In a special way, the paper will explore how the use of media in marketing affects public opinion and perception. The use of media in marketing and the influence on public opinion and perception While conducting marketing, business enterprises aim at achieving a number of goals, which will help in the long run success of the enterprise. One of the goals of marketing includes familiarizing the public with the business and the products of the enterprise. In addition, marketing aims at encouraging consumers to adopt the products of the enterprise, promoting the positive image of the business enterprise, its services, as well as products. In many instances, businesses adopt the use of the media as the best way to convey information to the public regarding their products. With the use of media in marketing, businesses can create advertisements that target certain segments of the markets and have broad reach (Pride 42). The various forms of media used in marketing include the internet, radio, and television. With the advent of the internet, electronic marketing has gained popularity; many businesses have adopted electronic marketing as a way of conveying information to their consumers. Electronic marketers can even use forms of media such as phones in conveying information to the public. Electronic marketing can be credited for its flexibility and cost effectiveness. As a result, it can reach many consumers with minimal costs as compared to other forms of advertisements. Another example of media used in marketing includes talking ads, which may be mounted on public places such as bus stations. Moreover, marketers can feature ads in front of films and create video brochures to convey information to the public (Corner, Schlesinger & Silverstone 33). Social networks and other interactive web developments have altered the way people interact through the internet, as well as their perceptions. As a result, companies and brands have changed their interactions with the target audiences. The optimization of social media allows businesses to capitalize on large communities of people. This becomes possible through bringing the marketing strategies of an enterprise into a realm where the brand can be discussed; this way, a business succeeds in influencing the opinion regarding their products and services. Social media give an opportunity for the brands of an organization to be human. This is because social media platforms make it practical for companies to have personal relationships with their customers (Pride 44). Since social media allows customers to give their response on a company’s products, businesses can have the chance to know the perceptions of their customers on their products. This enhances adequate customer support; the business can also be able to develop its products to the specifications of the customers. Through the use of media in marketing, marketers have the chance to communicate with potential consumers and peers. Moreover, the media personalize the brands of a business enterprise, making it possible for the business to spread their messages in a conversational and relaxed way (Pride 45). With many people in the modern world using the social media, businesses have a perfect opportunity to influence the opinion of the public regarding their products. Organizations employ the use of social media to attract users who might not know about the services or products offered by a company. Through the media, consumers can be able to know the products that the company produces and distributed to its customers. Moreover, marketing and advertising through social media makes an organization look real to the consumers of its products. This is because social media marketing allows the organization to share its personality with the consumers (Evans 54). The marketing opportunity represented and provided by social media surpasses the traditional use of middlemen in marketing; moreover, it provides an opportunity to connect businesses directly with their potential customers. This explains why all forms of businesses (small or large) explore the use of social media marketing. When social media marketing came into being, businesses were not certain about the benefits of using it. Later on, businesses realized that social media would stay for long; consequently, many enterprises adopted the use of social media. The increasing number of internet users makes social media marketing a reality. Through company blogs, websites, and social networks, customers can access products and services that a company offers (Evans 55). The use of social media in marketing has seen the replacement of organizational cause with a social cause; companies seek to use online platforms in engaging with their audience. The phenomenon of social media has become mind blogging owing to the pace at which it grows and it exploration in the modern world. Marketing in the realm of social media has enabled companies to gain trust and goodwill from the consumers. Through social media networking, accountability and communication among consumers and sellers becomes a reality. Global companies have utilized the media to advertise new products, which they want to introduce to the market. The use of other media platforms such as television and films in marketing also plays an essential role in shaping the opinion of the public. Through the picture adverts, the public can judge whether to purchase a product or not. Advertisements that feature products as effective in performing their roles attract the attention of the public. As a result, people tend to prefer those products whose advertisement depicts them as quality products. People tend to prefer products that have appealing presentation in the media. Colorfully advertised products are more likely to attract consumers than products whose advertisement does not appear to be lively (Sterne 64). Advertisements through forms of media such as TV influence the opinion of the public as it tells the audience about the product, services, or business. Through the television, it can be possible to show the audience how the products of the business work. Moreover, the potential customers can know how the packaging of the company’s products and what to look for while buying. As a result, it will be possible to influence the purchasing behavior of consumers. Consequently, business organizations can succeed in converting potential buyers into customers who will buy the products. The advent of interactive television has made marketing an easy endeavor for businesses. The possibilities availed by interactive television enable businesses to interact with their customers (Corner, Schlesinger & Silverstone 35). Through the advertisements on interactive TV, which has interactive buttons on the advert, the customer gets the opportunity to interact directly with the business and purchase products. This form of advertisement offers marketers with the opportunity to direct customers to an interactive TV website. Interactive TV allows customers to access content, which has the full control of the business. Moreover, they do not have to view the competitor’s products; therefore, they feel more secure to purchase products and services offered by the business. As a form of marketing, interactive TV influences the opinion of the public and attracts customers to the products offered by the organization (Sterne 65). A company’s public relations coupled with the use of the media plays a significant role in influencing the opinion of the public regarding the products, which the company produces and distributes. Most of the activities of public relations revolve around reaching customers, especially through the media. The ultimate aim is to influence how people react to situations and perceive the products of the company. Therefore, the use of media in public relations can be regarded as a significant contributor in the company’s marketing strategy. Public relations through the media together with advertising influences how the company looks in the market and to the general public. A business should send out press releases on ethical marketing and handle the PR. This plays a significant role in shaping the opinion of the public on its products (McCombs 19). The media can be regarded as the most powerful tool in influencing public opinion, especially in the contemporary world. As a source of education and information, the media shape the daily choices of people in their lives. Consequently, people change their perception, thinking, as well as ways of doing things. The advancement in technology and the high competition in the media industry have seen the rise and spread of media stations in almost all places. As a result, villages and remote places can access adverts placed in televisions and other media forms. This serves to create a positive image for the company, making the consumers become interested in the products advertised (Corner, Schlesinger & Silverstone 38). Forms of media such as magazines and newspapers offer marketers an opportunity to present their products attractively. This attracts the attention of readers, especially those who may be interested in the products of a company. The print media offers a unique form of advertisement, which may feature how the products are used. In addition, advertising through the print media may provide customers with the location of the business. As a result, the customers gain trust in the company and the products it offers. The opinion of the public will be influenced when the public realizes that there is some truth in the products offered by a company. Furthermore, the print media can offer directions on how to order the products or services (Corner, Schlesinger & Silverstone 39). Through the use of media in marketing, the organization can influence the opinion of the public since the media avails transparency. The information regarding products advertised in the media tends to be truthful; there is no room for the organization to provide false information. This stems from the fact that providing false information would have an impact on the reputation of the organization. The presentation of the adverts portrayed on the media changes the opinion of the public, especially if they never had a taste for the products. This serves to attract the public to purchase the products of the company since the adverts in the media make the products look excellent (McCombs 24). Integrating social media in the marketing efforts of a business enables the business to develop a model, which enhances greater reach of the customers. Through the use of social media, the business can know their target markets. As a result, the organization can develop ways to inspire the customers as well as their ways of thinking. Based on the feedback received from the customers, the business can know the areas of weakness in the products it advertises. The opinion of the public will be based on how they react to the goods and services, which the organization deals with in the market. Knowing the feedback of the customer plays a significant role in meeting their goals and product specification. The public will always give feedback on the way it perceives the product and what needs to be done in making the products look much better (McCombs 26). The use social media in marketing provides effective tactics, which keep the customers hooked to the business and its products. The compelling messages displayed in the media during advertisements convince the customers that the products offered by the business are the best. Most adverts feature content, which is relevant to the product that the company markets. Most businesses advertise through their websites by providing offers, which the customers cannot refuse. People may even notify their friends of a product they saw being advertised on the television or the internet. This way, the customers influence one another to purchase the products. In addition, the media can portray the variety of goods and services offered by an organization. This will change the perception of the public towards the company. People will be more attracted to the organization since it provides them with various products, which may be of various sizes and prices (Sterne 69). Conclusion The media contribute significantly to the shaping of public opinion, especially in marketing. Marketers have realized the significant role played by the social media and other media forms in marketing. As such, they have resulted to the use of social networking tools in marketing products and services. The attractiveness of the products as presented in the media serves to attract consumers and influence the opinion of the public regarding a certain product. Thus, organizations should continually use the media in marketing since the media plays a crucial role in influencing the opinion of the public. Works cited Corner, John, Schlesinger, Philip & Silverstone, Roger. International Media Research: A Critical Survey. London: Routledge, 1998. Print. Evans, Dave. Social Media Marketing: An Hour a Day. New York: John Wiley & Sons, 2012. Print. McCombs, Maxwell. Setting the Agenda: The Mass Media and Public Opinion. New York: Polity Press, 2004. Print. Pride, William. Marketing. London: Cengage Learning, 2011. Print. Sterne, Jim. Social Media Metrics: How to Measure and Optimize Your Marketing Investment. New York: John Wiley & Sons, 2010. Print. Read More