Relation of Advertising to Marketing
In the marketing process, a productÆs target audience is analyzed, and strategies are developed for reaching that audience. A productÆs features and packaging are generally tailored to appeal to its target audience, and the marketing mix is precisely formulated to strike the ôsweet spotö that will encourage the target audience to buy the product. Marketing can involve a number of ways to convince the consumer to buy, such as direct selling, promotions, publicity, and literature, but advertising is the keynote of the marketing process. It is the primary way that products are marketed, probably because it reaches the most people with the least intervention on the part of the seller. It has been defined as ôthe means of providing the most persuasive possible selling message to the right prospects at the lowest possible costö (ôPromotionùAdvertising: Introductionö). With advertising, the consumer is not only made aware of a product but is apprised of its functions, quality, and advantages over competing products. At the same time, subliminal psychological suggestion or overt persuasion is applied to convince the consumer to buy.
Advertising is the most valuable method of promoting a product, because it is more likely to go ôunder the radarö of the consumerÆs defenses. Whereas direct selling, promotions, and publicity make the consumer aware that he is being marketed to, advertising often does not. Advertising can come in the guise of entertainment, as in humorous commercials; useful information, as in commercials that provide how-to instructions such as recipes, interesting facts, or craft projects in conjunction with information about their product; or skits that draw the reader into an imaginary scenario in which he can see himself using the product. Because of its ability to look and feel like something other than what it is, advertising can have a potent effect on the co...