Advertising concepts and process

The essentials

Advertising is a paid form of non-personal communication about products, services or ideas by an identified sponsor, delivered through mass media. Its aim is to inform, persuade and remind audiences. Advertising involves three main parties: the advertiser (client), the advertising agency that creates and places ads, and the media that carry them to the audience.

Key points

• AIDA model: an ad must first catch Attention, then create Interest, build Desire, and finally prompt Action (buying, calling, visiting).
• USP (Unique Selling Proposition): the single distinctive benefit that sets a product apart from competitors.
• Brand: a name, symbol or design that identifies a product; ads help build brand image and loyalty.
• Target audience: the specific group an ad is meant for, defined by age, income, location, interests and so on.
• Copy is the written text of an ad; the headline, slogan (tagline), visual and logo are its main elements.
• Process: client brief, research, creative idea, copywriting and design, media selection, release, and evaluation of results.
• In India, the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) is a self-regulatory body that handles complaints against misleading or offensive ads.

Exam tips

AIDA order questions are frequent. Also be ready to explain why advertising is called non-personal (it addresses many people through media, not one-to-one).

Common mistakes

Advertising always has an identified sponsor. If the payment and sponsor are hidden, it raises ethical concerns (see paid news and covert advertising).