Today, advertising in the media is by far the most effective way to persuade potential customers to choose goods and services on the market. Customer decisions to buy particular goods or services are greatly affected by the ever-flowing stream of information from the Internet, television, radio, and cinema. Researchers have proven that the influence of ads in the media is the most significant variable affecting customer choice (Callen 2008).
First, the media unconsciously becomes a tool that helps marketers influence people’s daily choices. The mechanism of this phenomenon is clear. Advertising specialists have a deep awareness of the fact that the best time to reach a potential customer is the time of relaxing and entertainment. As most people prefer having a rest and being entertained using watching television, surfing the internet, or listening to the radio, marketing experts aim to get their attention through those media means. It is clear that when an individual is in one’s bed and watches a TV show or a film, he or she will hardly decide to stop the activity due to advertisement blocks. Thus, these advertisement blocks in the media become the ‘hooks’ for catching customer interest and trust (Harvey, Herbig, Keylock, Aggarwal & Lerner 2012).
Next, the influence on people’s choices using advertising in the media is seen when marketers offer to buy objects, which are supposed to miraculously provide a person with a chance to identify oneself with a certain group of successful people. For example, so often people’s minds are subjected to the idea that if they buy a tie or a watch by a specific manufacturer, they will become a part of the business elite of the world. Also, so often women are told that buying a piece of cosmetics of a certain brand will turn them into irresistible beauties, and will inevitably result in meeting a prince charming. Being constantly bombarded by such misleading ideas in the media, people keep on buying multiple goods and services they never thought about before.
Also, the influence of advertising in the media on people’s choices is mind-blowing when it comes to using or misusing expressions by specialists such as scientists, researchers, medical doctors, dieting experts, business consultants, sports trainers, and many more (Waiguny, Nelson & Terlutter 2010; Khan 2006). Human psychology is very predictable when they hear a piece of advice from a ‘specialist’ – it is in an unconditional adhering to this piece of advice without any additional investigation. This is the tendency that marketing specialists take into account when they produce ads that are about to be placed in the media. As common people will hardly check what toothpaste is truly approved by the State Dental Association, they will believe the information pronounced by a beautiful man wearing a white coat, who says with a charming smile that the toothpaste he has in his hands is a miracle of dentistry, and is the best one can buy. However, it often happens that ‘specialists’, invited to advertize particular goods and services, are no more than models and actors, who begin their career and are ready to say anything just to be shown in the media.
Besides, advertisers use the media to influence people’s choices using appealing to commitment. The idea of being committed to a certain ideal is very often exploited by marketers, who create ads for television or radio. People are told that if they want to continue being faithful to a certain ideal, they have to buy particular items and choose particular services. Very often even stars engage in ads based on the principle of commitment. For instance, a prominent actor may say that he is grateful for his success in the brand of clothing, or cosmetics, or even a car brand. According to Evans (2010), the impact of advertising in the media based on appealing to people’s commitment to family traditions or national ideals is one of the most important concepts that can be used by marketers and will help them achieve the needed result without a fail.
Overall, the power of advertising in the media, so far as customer choice is concerned, can be characterized as limitless. The next time when someone will be about to decide between buying a certain good or a service, it is better for the person to think about what stands behind this motivation. It may well appear to be the power of advertising in the media, but not the real value of the good.
References
Callen, B 2008. Perfect phrases for sales and marketing copy: hundreds of ready-to-use phrases to capture your customer’s attention and increase your sales, McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., The United States.
Evans, D 2010. Social media marketing: the next generation of business engagement, Wiley Publishing, Inc., Canada.
Harvey, B, Herbig, T, Keylock, M, Aggarwal, R, & Lerner, N 2012, ‘Exploding the Legend of TV Advertising and Price Promotions’, Journal Of Advertising Research, vol. 52 no. 3, pp. 339-345.
Khan, M 2006, Consumer Behaviour and Advertising Management, New Age International, Daryaganj, Delhi.
Waiguny, M, Nelson, M, & Terlutter, R 2010, ‘PERSUADING PLAYFULLY? THE EFFECTS OF PERSUASION KNOWLEDGE AND POSITIVE AFFECT ON CHILDREN’S ATTITUDES, BRAND BELIEFS AND BEHAVIORS’, American Academy Of Advertising Conference Proceedings, pp. 67-70.