What is Advertising?

Advertising is a form of marketing communication that uses various methods, mediums, and content to promote or sell a product or service to consumers.

Advertising as a marketing communication also includes print media advertising, online advertising, and promotional events.

Advertising is most often paid for by the seller of the product or service itself. The main goal of advertising is to influence people towards buying products for themselves or their use >

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Advertising is most often paid for by the seller of the product or service itself. The main goal of advertising is to influence people towards buying products for themselves or their use >

Advertisements can be direct or indirect: Direct advertising involves speaking to potential customers right away about a product or service.

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Direct advertising can be in the form of billboards, print ads (newspapers and magazines), radio commercials, television commercials, and Internet advertising (including search engines).

Most often direct advertisements are used by small businesses with smaller budgets for marketing their products.

Indirect advertising is when a company advertises its product or service through other means (usually other companies) to reach potential customers.

Indirect forms of advertising include public relations campaigns and corporate sponsorships. An example of indirect advertising is the McDonald's restaurant chain sponsoring the Olympic Games and supplying toys to children at McDonald's restaurants.

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The Olympic Committee advertises the games directly by running them on TV, providing commentary and results, but it advertises McDonald's indirectly- by showing kids enjoying their time in Olympic Village during breaks in competitions.

Another example of indirect advertising is when a company advertises its product or service through products or services provided by other companies.

The Coca-Cola Company, for example, advertises its soft drink with the slogan "It Pours" by blending ketchup into its soft drinks. The slogan has become so popular that it is now used internationally.

Although Advertising is often thought of as only involving direct advertisements, it also involves any form of marketing communication such as public relations campaigns and corporate sponsorships.