The method or means adopted to communicate the message of an advertisement is known as the medium of advertising. In other words, medium is the vehicle of carrier of advertising message to the target customers or prospects. Thus, newspaper is the medium of advertising because it carries messages in print about products and services. Similarly, radio is another medium of advertising to broadcast and communicate advertisements to the listeners. Advertisements through television carry the message about products and services to viewers. Posters, handbills, cinema slides, outdoor display of goods etc., are also used for advertising purposes. These are all media of advertising. The basic purpose of using the media is to bring products and services to the notice of potential customers.
Media advertising provides useful support to personal selling. Salesman and traders find it easier to impress potential customers about the usefulness or quality of products when the prospective buyers are already informed about the same through advertisements. Thus, media advertising may be regarded as complementary to personal selling.
Types/ Kinds of Media
A variety of media are used for advertising purposes. The use of media not only facilitates communication of the sponsored message to the largest possible number of consumers but also enables repetition of the message as often as may be necessary. This helps to reinforce the effect of advertising as well as to remind and sustain the customer’s interest in a product or service.
Different type of media differs as regards geographical coverage, the type of customers that medium can reach, nature of appeal to customers, cost involved etc. Use of particular type of media makes it possible to convey information in as much detail as required by adjusting the size of the message to space or time. For example press media (Newspapers and Magazines) may be used on payment of charges for as much as much space as needed, or radio and television may be used for advertising a product on the basis of time to be devoted. Of course, the cost of using larger space or longer time is naturally more.
On the basis of the distinguishing features, the media may be divided into the following categories.
1. Indoor Advertising Media
(a) Broad Casting Media
- Television
- Radio
(b) Press Media
- Newspaper
- Magazines & Journals
2. Outdoor Advertising Media
- Electric Signs
- Posters
- Traveling displays
- Sky Writing
- Painted displays
3. Direct Advertising Media
- Envelop enclosure
Folders
Circulars
Staffers - Sales Letters
- Gift Novelties
- Package inserts
- Booklets and Catalogs
- Broad sides
- Store publications
4. Miscellaneous Advertising
- Counter display
- Window display
- Exhibitions
- Showrooms
5. Special Media: It is usual practice now with the manufacturers to provide free of cost various articles of low value to the existing and prospective customers such as diaries, calendars, ball pens, match boxes, key rings etc. These are called advertising specialties. These are given to consumer as gifts. The name and address of the advertiser, his phone number, and a short sales message are imprinted on these items. As these are consumer’s items, they will always remind the consumers about the advertisers.