If I say “advertising”, you probably think of ads and brands trying to sell you something. And yes, in essence it is that: paying for space in the media to convince you that you need that product that, until five minutes ago, you didn’t even know existed.
What is advertising?
The advertising It is a key tool within the marketing which involves the acquisition of spaces in different media to promote a product, service or brand. Its main purpose is connecting with the target audience and motivate them to make a purchase.
However, this definition falls short, since the advertising it is not limited to just driving sales. Its reach goes much further.
According to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), the term advertising It has several meanings. It not only refers to the dissemination of commercial messages, but is also a field of study within social communication. This discipline not only analyses the techniques used in advertising, but also his impact on culture and social dynamics.
Therefore, professionals in the advertising They are constantly observing the social trends and behaviors. Its objective is to ensure that the advertisements generate a connection with the consumer, using elements such as colors and cultural references to achieve greater identification.
Furthermore, the advertising acts as a mirror of society in each historical moment, reflecting its values and customs. However, there is debate about whether advertising is simply representing reality or if, on the contrary, actively influences the construction of behaviors and ways of thinking.
What makes advertising so powerful?
Let’s get to the point: the advertising It’s not just a series of ads trying to sell you something. Behind every campaign there are three key elements that make it work:
🔹 Language → It is not just about showing a product, but about as you communicate it. A good ad speaks the same language as its audience, whether through humor, emotion or a catchy phrase that stays spinning in your head.
🔹 Strategy → It’s not enough to have a brilliant message if no one sees it. Advertising ensures that it reaches the right people at the right time, whether through social networks, television or those banners that seem to follow you all over the web.
🔹 Segmentation → Although an advertisement does not seek to impact everyone, yes you must reach your ideal audience and generate a lasting effect. It’s like making gossip go viral, but with planning and clear objectives.
In summary, advertising is not magic (although sometimes it seems like it). It is the perfect balance between message, distribution and impact.
Types of Advertising
Offline or traditional advertising
Although many say that the traditional advertising is on its last legs, in reality it is still a key player in certain contexts. Because? Because some methods still work wonders, especially when done well.
TV and Radio Advertisements
Yes, television is still alive! Although expensive, TV ads are a shape brutal to reach large audiences with images, sounds and everything necessary to capture attention. Radio, on the other hand, is more affordable and perfect for those times when people are in the car or working. Don’t underestimate the power of a good radio ad!
Print advertising (magazines, newspapers, brochures)
Who said that newspapers and magazines are they dead? They are still a great way to reach local and super segmented audiences. And you mark fits a specific audience, this is the place to be. And let’s not forget the leaflets, which are still some champions in direct distribution.
Billboards (outdoor advertising)
Nothing like a giant fence in the middle of a highway so they can see you millions of people a day. Of course, the message must be short, impactful and memorable, because the drivers They don’t have time to read novels. The digital billboards They are also wonderful: you can change the message in the blink of an eye eyes.
Events and Sponsorships
This is where brands can do magic. Engage in events or sponsor causes that resonate with your values is a great way to connect directly with your audience. Furthermore, these tangible experiences make people remember your brand long after the event ends.
Direct Mail: Yes, physical mail still works!
Direct mail is basically send promotional material to your doorstep, but not just anything. Here we talk about personalized letters, catalogues, brochures and even free samples, everything tailor-made for your target audience. And the best thing: you can mix it with digital strategies such as QR codes to create an experience that connects the physical world with the online one. It’s a great way to be precise and relevant with your message. And everything goes directly into the hands of your potential customers!
In short: although digital advertising is the queen of the moment, traditional advertising continues to cause war, and when used wisely, can be as effective as ever.
Online or digital advertising
The online advertising It is more diversified than a gum store! There are as many forms and platforms as you can imagine, but here I leave you the main (and the most common) so you don’t get lost in the sea of options:
Affiliate Marketing
Affiliate marketing is like a “payment by results”. The advertiser only pays if there is sales (yes, only if the affiliate achieves it). The affiliates are the digital commercials, promoting products or services on their platforms, and they charge commission for each sale. It’s like having sellers without having to hire anyone!
Native Advertising
Native advertising it’s not about interrupt the user with annoying ads, but to offer them content that really serves them. It is usually used in blogs and focuses on topics that interest readers. With techniques like THIS y email marketing, the content adapts to the phase in which the customer is in their purchasing journey. Like a kind of “camouflaged advertising”, but super useful.
Search Engine Advertising (SEM)
THE which is the same, pay to be in the first results of Google. You place your ad with a title, a striking description and a call to action, and bets on keywords that will bring users to your site. If you do it right, your brand will be the first they see. Boom, visibility! And you can always hire a Google Ads agency to help you achieve your goal.
Mobile Advertising
Ads were only adapted to mobile phones, but now it is much more. Mobile is king! Brands send text messages with links to products so that users have no excuse not to buy. Advertising in the palm of your hand!
Email Marketing
Promotional emails flood our inboxes, and many of them we ignore (or send to spam). Brands are fine-tuning this technique and introducing irresistible promotions to make you want to open them. If they succeed, you’re one step closer to buying
Advertising on Social Networks: ¿Instagram, Twitter, Facebook?
They are ad heaven! Thanks to large number of users, brands pay for what your posts reach more people. But there are also “social ads”, which are ads created directly within the network, with a more organic and attractive touch. You can find this type of advertising in our Meta Ads agency.
Retargeting o Remarketing
Has it ever happened to you that you search for something, and then You start seeing ads for it everywhere.? That’s him retargeting. It’s as if the brand I followed you all over the web after you showed interest in their products. Full persuasion!
Display
here come the ads with images or videos that are published in any internet site. They are placed in specific spaces so you can see them while you browse, like those digital banners that get in your way.
Online Videos
Nor we just talk about the ads on YouTube, but also of collaborations with YouTubers or own content. With the right strategy, you can create a content so attractive that it ranks well in search engines and attracts direct traffic. A perfect combo of SEO and good content!
So, if you want to get into it world of online advertising, now you have a full picture. But be careful! That not all formats are suitable for everything, you have to know what best suits what you are looking for.
Advertising Objectives
The advertisingIn the end, it has three main missions: remind, persuade and inform. It’s like him advertising restaurant menu, where each dish is served in different moments and with different ingredients, depending on what you are looking for. AND look like, the key here is that the communication objective go hand in hand with what company really needs.
Now, let’s talk about those three advertising objectives:
Inform
When a brand needs to tell you something important, but without detours, there comes the informative advertising! It’s like that friend who sends you a direct text message: “Hey, we have a new product! And a discount too, take advantage of it!” This type of advertising focuses on share accurate data, like the benefits of a product, promotions or schedule changes. Generally, it is more common at the beginning of a product, when you are presenting something new, and they need everyone knows it exists.
Persuade
Do you remember those campaigns that make you say “I have to buy that now!”? Is persuasive advertising. Here the aim is to get the consumer take action: buy, register, or even fill out a form. It’s like a friend insisting that you buy something because, according to him, it’s the best thing that’s going to happen to you! Persuasive advertising has a clear and direct message, usually with a very obvious call to action (“Buy now!”). Furthermore, it can be intermittent (on special dates like Black Friday) the continues (like those long campaigns that seek sales over time).
Remember
This is the objective that comes into play when the brand wants to stay in your head. You know, that advertisement that appears over and over again so you don’t forget that their product exists. The goal is simple: when you are in the store, choose their product and not the competition’s. The top of mind is what you are looking for: to be the first brand you think of when you mention a category (example: Coca-Cola when we talk about soft drinks).
In short, advertising is like friend who talks to you so you don’t forget something important, convince you to do something and, if necessary, give you a push so you don’t let it go. It all depends on what the brand needs!
More Effective Advertising Strategies
Select the right advertising strategy for your business It’s not like choosing which pizza order on a Friday night (although it also has its science). There are several factors you should consider, and it’s not all “Do I spend everything on Instagram Ads?” Here are some key points:
Know your target audience
Firstly: who is your audience? If you are selling something for teenagers who spend the day on TikTok. Well now you know where to go. But if your ideal clients are rather those who prefer paper newspaper, and they don’t understand what it is “Instagram Stories” then probably social networks They are not your best bet. Know well who you are talking to It is the first step in choosing where to do it.
Define your objectives
What do you want to achieve with your advertising? Do you want everyone to know your mark what really buy something? The answer to this question changes everything. If you want to increase the brand recognition, you can still do mass ad campaigns; If what you are interested in is generating leads the direct sales, you should still look at other options punctual. Know what you really want is key.
Available budget
Yes, money. It always appears when you least want it. The strategies They vary depending on what you can invest. If you have a huge budget, go for it television! If you are rather one of those who save every cent, perhaps the social media marketing or the email marketing are more suitable. Don’t spend everything in one campaign if it’s not what you business needs.
Competition and market
Have a look at what your competition is doing. If you see that everyone is investing in something, it may be the right path… or maybe it is so crowded don’t even try. For example, if everyone is in Facebook Ads, you might want to try something different to stand out. Or, if everyone is pulling influencer marketing, why not take advantage of that be?
Internal capabilities
Lastly, look at what you have in a home. If you have a creative team what he has a great time doing videos the graphics, the social networks o to video advertising They could be your comfort zone. If your sales team It is the heart of the business, the email marketing It could be the perfect way to accompany them in their work. In the end, a successful strategy depends on what resources you have at your disposal and how you can take advantage of them.
In short, it is not about choosing the strategy most popular, but the one that best suits your business, the resources and, above all, to your public.
Differences between Advertising and Marketing
Marketing He is the one in charge of everything big: build company image, understand the public, research the market and plan how to grow in the long term. Think of marketing as the “strategist” who has a plan for the future.
Advertising is the one who does noise and attracts attention. It focuses on sell something fast: put the product or service in front of consumers and get them to act. It is like the “executor” who follows the marketing plan and makes everything look pretty and tempting, hence the importance of advertising.
Key differences:
- Aim: marketing focuses on long term goals, how to make people trust your brand. The advertising search quick results, such as selling products or getting people to click on an ad.
- Scope: marketing It is broader. It covers everything: the product, the price, how to reach people and how to sell it. The advertising only deals with promote the product or service.
- Job: marketing does research and planning, while the advertising takes those ideas and turns them into ads, videos, social media posts, etc.
- Relationship: marketing sets the rules of the game, and advertising play the game. Without marketing, advertising would not have a clear plan, and without advertising, marketing would not reach the public.
In short, the marketing plans, and the advertising makes people aware of those plans. Together, they are a winning team.
Impact of Advertising on Consumers
The advertising It has an impressive power to influence our purchasing decisions, and it does so in such a subtle way that sometimes we don’t even realize it! It’s not just about showing products, but about creating a need in us. Imagine that an advertisement tells you that you need that product to be happy, and suddenly it seems to you indispensable.
Furthermore, they rely on influencers, those people who follow thousands or millions of people, and their recommendation makes more than one end up buying what they say. How are they credible for your community, influence It is much stronger.
But they are not only the influencers, the colors and the music, they also play a very important role. For example, the red It is used in fast food restaurants because it awakens the appetite and generates that feeling of urgency, like when you see a “limited offer!”
And the music in advertisements is key to generating emotions that are associated with the product, making us remember the mark much more easily.
The brands They also know how to play with our emotions through the storytelling, creating a history that is associated with the product so that we see it as something indispensable to achieve happiness or success. And, if that were not enough, the trick of phrases like “Limited offer!” generates a sense of urgency that makes us feel like we need to buy the product before it runs out.
In the end, the advertising It influences us more than we think.
