Advertising. Advertising permeates almost all facets of modern life

Advertising permeates almost all facets of modern life. Whenever we

scan a newspaper, look at a magazine, listen to the radio, watch a TV

program, open our mail, or walk down a city street, the chances are that

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we will be exposed to commercial messages. It is virtually impossible for

anyone to escape contact with some of advertising.

The range of advice furnished us by advertisers is almost unlimited.

Consider for a moment the ways in which advertisers tell people how to

live. Commercial messages tell us:

1. What to eat – “the bread that’s better for you because it’s eight

hours fresher”.

2. What to wear – “easy-care fabrics that need no ironing”.

3. How to care for our bodies – “with the deodorant (soap, tooth-

paste, shaving lotion) that keeps you fresh all day”.

4. Where to shop – “at the shopping center that’s fun for the whole

family”.

5. What to drive – “the automobile with style”.

6. Where to take our vacations – “in a fun-filled paradise for the

whole family”.

7. And how to get there – “on the airline that’s ready when you are”.

8. Where to put our money – at the bank that cares about you”.

9. How to provide for our retirement – “with the savings plan that

lets you retire at the age of 55”.

10. And even where to be buried – “where perpetual care is guar-

anteed”.

Advertising is very important to society. It pays for a large part of our

recreation and entertainment, lowers the cost of our newspapers and

magazines, enables us to view free TV shows, and probably encourages

most of us to work harder to buy things we didn’t know we needed until

they were advertised. Advertising is controversial. It is criticized exten-

sively.

Advertising is also important to the communication goals of a com-

pany. As the old saying goes, “Doing business without advertising is like

winking at someone in the dark. You know what you are doing, but no-

body else does”. However, in the marketing of most products advertising

does not constitute the entire promotional program, but is simply part of

the overall effort to sell the product. It is important, then, for marketing

management to decide the specific role advertising should pay.

For example, although companies advertise large computers and

related equipment extensively, the advertisements alone cannot be ex-

pected to make the sale. For one thing, a substantial amount of money

is involved. For another, there a host of technical and financial matters

that must be resolved to the prospect’s satisfaction before an order will

be placed. In this example, advertising is expected to make a prospect

aware of his or her needs and to make the prospective customer recep-

tive to a visit by the manufacturer’s sales representative. In other words

a company often uses advertising to make buyers aware of a product and

receptive to a detailed face-to-face presentation of it. Even in the case of

many convenience goods, advertising must be supplemented by point of

sale displays and other sales promotion devices.

1. Speak on commercial messages given in the text. If you can add

some of yours.

2. Why is advertising very important for society?

3. Why does the author say that advertising is controversial?

4. What is the role of advertising according to the text?

5. Is advertising a significant pert of the total promotional mix?

Text 3

Read the text and speak on different ways of advertising.