ADVERTISING
Advertising involves the process wherein a message is designed so
as to promote a product, a thought, an idea or even a service. The concept of
advertising has assumed a dynamic form with the use of the various mediums of
communication. From the newspapers, magazines, posters, neon and fluorescent
signboards, billboards to the commercials on TV advertising has come a long
way. The work is formidable as it spearheads a process intended to attract,
modify, change and influence public opinion. From the local business to the
multinational firm all need to advertise.
While politicians, social organizations, government special groups
need to advertise their motto, national airlines, automobile manufacturers,
food and consumer goods manufacturers have to reach the consumer. Styles for
advertising vary. Specialist products and services are often advertised through
trade magazines and exhibitions. Handbill circulation, special offers have
become very popular.
There are still other ways of advertising. There are window
displays, display on telephone directories, transit signs on buses, rickshaws,
lamp posters, banners, etc.
Advertising, as an effective medium, uses a variety of techniques
to create effective advertisements. A basic appeal is at the heart of
advertising. Slogans and product characters are created to catch the attention
of the viewers. Most winning advertisements would encompass factual information
with emotional appeal.
The advertising industry has three major sectors.
·
The business organization who wishes to
advertise
·
The media who provide the medium for
advertising and the ad-agency which creates the ad to suit the needs of the
firm
·
The description of the process which an ad
goes through in its creation and the people who make this possible has been
described in the next section.
NATURE
OF WORK
The link, between the client who wishes to advertise and the media
where the ad appears, is the ad agency where the ad is created. Various skills
are required in the preparation of an ad-from identifying the purpose of the ad
and the clients need the identification of media, the creative inputs, to the
verbal catch phrases all needs skill and expertise. Hence the people in an ad
agency are specialists. They are the Account executive and the Account planner
in the client servicing departments, the media executives and planners who buy
space in the media and the creative executives or the copywriters and visual
producers who create the ad.
Accounts Executives
In advertising 'the account' is the client. The business of each
client with the agency is referred to as an account. An ad agency handles
assignments of a number of clients. A client's business is assigned to a team
of people from the ad agency with the Account Executive at the head of the
team. An Account Executive may be handling the business of a number of
non-competing clients at the same time. The Account
Executive supervises his team of people drawn from all departments
while planning, scheduling and executing the assignment. Before a campaign is
launched research on the client’s business methods; the product to be
advertised is made. With this background information there is a meeting of the
creative media and marketing divisions along with members of the client's team.
The objective of this meeting is to define the use of the product, and the
target users as well as other competing brands. After all the information is
assimilated the agency team prepares a draft brief with recommendations. These
are presented to the client by the Account Executive. The brief and budget are
discussed and after finalization the work begins.
The Account Executive motivates guides and coordinates the
activities so that deadlines are met and the
He spends a lot of time keeping the client updated on the
progress. The Agency's Director too has to be kept informed. This is done
directly in smaller firms but in larger firms there may be an Account Planner
or Director.
Account
Planner/Director
The Account Planner is the main planning executive who works in
partnership with the client on long term account planning. He knows what is
happening in the market place, the attitude of the consumer towards the
client's as well as the competitor's brands.
Media Executives
The main task of the media executive is to place the advertisements
where they will be seen by the right target audience keeping the budget in
mind. Hence this job requires planning, research and buying space in the press
or time for commercial radio and television.
In large agencies this task may be allocated to two or three different specialists.
There may be media planners
and media buyers. In small agencies the task may
be handled by the same person.
Media planner has access to up-to-date information about each
advertising medium. This includes the readership and circulation figures for
newspapers and magazines, viewing figures for different times of the day,
listening audience figures for commercial radio stations, etc. They are also
aware of the various locations for hoardings and bill boards.
Working on the brief from the media executive and using some or
all the above media sources, the planner creates a detailed media plan, showing
which media are to be used, when, and the costs involved in each for each
medium to maximum appeal for the target group. It is through the selection of
the right media that a good media department can save large advertisers money
as well as give credibility.
Media buyers buy advertising time space-farther agency's client.
They work closely with the media planner if the two functions are often carried
out separately. Television and newspaper advertising are expensive.
The media buyer's expertise is in negotiating the best possible
deal for the client. The commercial breaks with the most viewers are the most
expensive and so also the newspapers and magazines with the highest circulation
figures. There is severe competition for the most popular slots. Hence besides
a lot of negotiating, the job entails detailed record keeping of transactions
and calculations to ensure that a campaign stays within the stipulated budget.
Creative
Copywriter and Art Director
Copywriting and visual art work go hand in hand and this is the
work which goes on in the agency's creative department. The real ad is created
here by the creative team. Briefs from the Account Executive outlining the
target group for the advertisement and information about the product, followed
by discussions with the account planner, along with research material, and
perhaps a meeting with the client put the creative department to work.
Copywriting involves providing words which are read or heard in
advertisements. This may include slogans or jingles or detailed text for
catalogues, brochures, leaflets and journals. Copy writing also takes the form
of scripts for television and film commercial advertisement.
The essential skill of the Copywriter lies in interpreting and
understanding the mind and needs of the target audience and the characteristics
of the product. They must identify what it is that would make people want or
need the product being promoted.
The Art Director and the Copywriter together then work on an idea
that should catch the attention of the public and put the selling point of the
product across.
Many ads are discarded, reincarnated and created. The final
product is a team effort of the copywriter and art director with each having
suggested alterations to the other.
The more successful creations are then shown to the creative
director who in turn may suggest further modifications. Final drawings are then
produced and shown to the client. Once-the client accepts the concept the
layout is modified and the details filled in.
The design and copy is sent to the production team for
typesetting, photographs and drawings for printing.
CREATION OF AN ADVERTISEMENT
Agency Director
Media Buyers/Planners
Understand the needs of the client.
Director/Planner
Accounts Executive
• Studies the needs of the clients, the product and identifies
target audience
• Calls joint meetings of Accounts, media and creative departments
with the client
• Coordinates the work of all departments keeping the client
informed Creative Department
• Copywriters and Visualizers (Art Director/Artists) discuss the
form, Mode. And presentation of the ad
• Create the ad
• Consult with the Account executive and client the proposed a Media
representatives, Newspaper offices, TV channels, other medium owner’s a lot
time space for the ad.
·
Production units, Typographers,
·
Photographers, TV
·
Producers, etc., produce the ad as per
specifications advertisements or filming for television commercials.
Ad Agencies may have their production team which includes
Photographers, Printers, Typesetters, Television Producers, etc. But since the
work is very diverse most ad agencies coordinate with freelancers established
production units for the task to be completed.
WORK ENVIRONMENT
Ad Agencies are based within office settings. Accounts Executives,
Account Planners, Media Executives, Art Directors and Copywriters spend Most of
their working time in agency offices. Account Executives have to travel
extensively, visiting clients and suppliers. While staff, travel occidental to
attend meetings with clients, or visit locations during film production. Ad
Agencies are very busy places and often work is on till late hours.
PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS
People in the accounts or client servicing, i.e., the Account
Executive, Director and Planner need to be adept at negotiating. The ability to
communicate easily is vital. They face the challenge of competing in the market
with other agencies; hence need to have driven determination and tremendous
physical and mental stamina. Sensitivity to consumer behavior, trends and human
nature are important for success in advertising. They should be able to
assimilate the client’s requirements and in a lucid style prepare briefs for
other departments. The ability to get along with others and get the work
executed by all departments is specially required.
Media Executives, Planners and Buyers must enjoy working with
others in an integrated team. They should be able to interpret and absorb a
great deal of information.
Media buyers spend most of their time negotiating over the
telephone to buy space or time. Attention to detail is needed and they should
be able to keep a careful record of all transactions. Numerical ability is
needed for keeping to the budget allocated.
The creative people need a good visual ability, language/ artistic
skill. Copywriters require literary ability but an interest in commercial
success which comes from understanding what motivates the target audience is
important;
Writers must be able to work, to a strict brief, within restricted
space and in limited time. Advertising must follow legal requirements and rules
hence considerable creative self-discipline is needed. Afeeling for words,
economy of style and imagination are needed.
The Copywriter works with the art director, and the creative
director. The work can be very frustrating particularly when an idea is
rejected by the art director or amendments made by the creative director and
the client. This can often restrict the imaginative capacity of the copywriter.
The openness to stand criticism is absolutely essential.
The client servicing is generally handled by post graduates in
Business Management. The job needs business skills; hence graduates from any
stream with some training in business administration are generally preferred.
An advertising qualification too is useful. The creative people, particularly
the visualizers i.e., the Art Director and his team are selected from Art
Schools or Design Institutes.
Bachelor of Applied Art course teaches the prospective creative
artist the use of mediums like photography, graphics, and visual communication.
Courses in Mass communication are also useful. .
Media Planners and Buyers have to be acquainted with the various
mediums, price, etc.
The production people come from Art Schools and film and TV
Training Institutions. The field of advertising is open to students who have
passed from Art schools, Management Schools, Design Schools, graduates from
reputed institutes with a rich curricular record and those from advertising
courses or mass communication courses. Here you will find courses in
Advertising. Readers can refer to the relevant courses in the areas mentioned
in other relevant chapters of this book.
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