Isn’t the above formula true to the phenomenon that is advertising? Across all verticals, in all mediums (print, TV, Internet) advertisements are drawing attention to products in an entertaining manner. Why so? Because entertainment sells and that’s the only form of communicating that actually impacts and is remembered by the masses.

What exactly is advertising/advertisements?

A creative genius creates a product. The product is categorised under a brand. The brand needs to sell. What do you do? Tell everyone about it. How do you do that in such a way that they are motivated to buy? Through advertising. Not just advertising, creative advertising. So, advertising is the art of creatively conveying the idea behind your product’s features to the consumers in the form of an entertaining visual, photograph, write-up, etc.

How does it impact the consumers?

A advertisement is no ordinary propaganda about your brand/product. It is a carefully thought of and cleverly devised plan of how to solve the pain point of the consumer and make the product look like the hero saving the day. Now, this is no easy task to portray in a 30-minute commercial or in a full-page print advertisement. It impacts when the product is worthy of an investment, solves a consumer’s pain point, and is of a trustworthy brand. Know that when the brand is famous consumers are more likely to purchase the product even if there isn’t a dire need for it. Consumers always form a certain affinity and unbreakable bond with a good brand.

What are the mediums in which advertisements are most effective?

Advertisements started word-of-mouth, initially. Before any other medium of communication existed, one person told another of a product they used and it would be a potential contender to be tried. Then came the print, radio, and television mediums of advertising. Although print and radio had their fair share of successes in advertising effectively, television took over on a whole new level. Advertising through video overtook all other forms, largely because it was new and much more real. Visuals of the product, possibly in use, are pivot conversion points for brands. Visuals provide a reason to believe, and therefore a reason to invest.

Now to the hullabaloo of TV advertising moving to Online Advertising…

Yes, there has been a shift but not an exodus. Gleeson writes, “As technology continues to transform all forms of marketing and social media, brands are continually trying to identify the ideal marketing mix that will translate to the best possible return on ad spend or marketing investment.”

Technology is evolving by the second. In such a technology-dependent world, our practices too need evolution. Predictions state that “digital advertisement spendings” will surpass TV adveritsements.

Why the predicted shift?

The New Yorker, in 2008, wrote of the declining print industry in the US. At the time, people had no time to read. Or rather they were much more preoccupied with the TV. People preferred watching news on TV rather than read an outdated version of the same in print. Likewise, sooner or later, the Internet caught on and TV suffered the same fate. Although TV hasn’t taken a big hit like print, the Internet is taking over the world by storm in ways unimagined by common man. No longer do you need to get home or swipe in at office to see the news on TV. All you have to do is unlock your smartphone and there you have it, the globe in your hands. Anywhere anytime you can access anything, literally.

What is feared is that TV advertising has moved to Online Advertising. Why so?

Online Advertising is…

Tailored

Google’s algorithms and trends, to name a few, are methods to determine target audience; and advertisements are concentrated only where it needs to be, unlike TV advertising which is at a disadvantage to do so. Advertisements are tailored to people’s needs by keeping track of their searches on search engine. This is where advertisers understand their pain points and solve it. Isn’t this a much easier medium?

All-Inclusive

There are more options on the Internet to advertise effectively. Web pages, blogs, email, news, and every other online portal you can think of has advertisements in some form or the other. The most viral being social media sites that have sponsored ad spaces, which look just like a normal post.

Cost Effective

Compared to advertising on TV, it is much more cheaper and effective to advertise on the Internet. Various mediums on the Internet itself don’t require an investment (if you don’t count your internet service provider’s bill). For instance a brand’s social media presence is more than important to engage and advertise to its consumers (who are in fact it’s followers). This is just a small example in the ocean that is the Internet. Even if the consumer is not following a brand’s social media account, somehow the advertisement will get to them through social media word-of-mouth (likes, tweets, shares, follows, and what not!).

Easy to Engage

Advertisers can connect with consumers real-time through polls, quizzes, contests, etc., and understand their requirements alongside advertising. This helps a brand in its research and development. There is nothing more valuable than feedback, it helps you grow.

TV advertising is slowly moving onto Online advertising, but it is just a shift. Globally, the usage of various media is different and concentrated in certain places. So it is wouldn’t do justice to conclude that a certain medium is obsolete. However, the truth that online advertising has precedence over TV advertising is manifest.