INTRODUCTION

In advertising the term media refers to communication vehicles

such as newspapers, magazines, radio, television, billboards, direct
mail, and internet. Advertisers use media to convey commercial
message to their target audience, and the media depends to the
different degrees on advertising revenues to cover their cost of
their operations.
The media usually classified into either mass or niche
media. Newspapers, television, radio, and magazines consider
mass media because they deliver messages to a widespread,
anonymous audience. There were 1,483 daily U.S newspapers in
2000, with total circulation of 47.2 million on weekdays and 59.9
million on Sundays. In September 2001, the five largest
newspapers were USA Today.
Advertising media such as cable television and direct mail
are often viewed as “niche” media because they reach a narrowly
defined audience with unique demographic characteristics or
special interests. The internet has emerged as medium for
marketing and advertising since 1994. the internet is different from
conventional advertising media in several respects. First it can
serves as not only a communication channel but also a transaction
and distribution channel. Consumer can get information and make
purchases.
Media of Advertising

An advertising medium is the means to deliver the

advertising message. The advertiser is to go in for right message
carrier or a set of carriers keeping in mind the cost, efficacy and
specialties of the media.
There are number of media open to the advertiser to select
and get benefited. Broadly, these media can be grouped into four
categories, as under.

A. INDOOR ADVERTISING MEDIA

1. Press Media
2. Radio Media
3. Television Media
4. Film Media
5. Video Media

B. OUTDOOR ADVERTISING MEDIA

1. Posters
2. Painted Displays
3. Traveling Displays
4. Electric Signs
5. Sky-Writing

C. DIRECTIVE ADVERTISING MEDIA

1. Envelop Enclosures
2. Book-Lets and Catalogues
3. Broad Sides
4. Sales Letters
5. Gift-novelties
6. Store-publications
7. Package inserts
D. DISPLAY ADVERTISING MEDIA
1. Displays
2. Showrooms and Show-cases
3. Exhibitions
 INDOOR MEDIA

Indoor advertising means the use of those vehicles by the

advertisers that carry the message right in the houses or indoors of
the audiences. These vehicles are newspapers, magazines, radio,
tele-vision, and video film. Here, the message reaches the audience
indoors when it is in cosy and receptive atmosphere because house
is the resting place and relaxation.

1. PRESS MEDIA

(i). NEWSPAPER

It is really hard to imagine life without newspaper. It is as a

good cup of tea in the morning or even more important than tea
to start the day. Newspaper is the one that gives news-views
ideas-interpretations-opinions-comments and explanations
regarding the social, economic, political, educational, moral,
cultural, ecological developments and the like. It entertains and
enlightens, of all the media, newspaper is considered as the
backbone of advertising programme as it has continued to
remain the most powerful massage carrier. Of the total space, 45
percent goes to advertisements in form or the other and rest for
texture matter.
The newspapers are classified on the bases of coverage,
frequency, and language. Here coverage means geographical
and subject coverage. On the basis of area – a newspaper can be
national, regional and local. In India, national newspapers are :
Times of India, Hindu, Indian Express, Economic Times,
Financial Express, the Statesman, The Indian Post to illustrate a
few. Regional papers are: in Maharashtra, these are Bombay
Samachar, Hitwadi, Loksatta, Nagpur Times, and
Janmabhoomi. In Karnataka, these are- Prjvani, Udya-vani, and
Samyukta Karnataka. The papers covering economic subjects
are: Economic Times, Financial Express, Employment Bulletin,
 Profit, and Money. Non economic papers are: Screen, all other
papers. On the basis of frequency, these newspapers are –
Dailies and bi-weeklies. Some leading papers have two editions
on every day –morning and evening. This is normally seen in
cosmopolies of India and other advanced nations.

(ii). MAGAZINES

Like newspapers, magazines are one of the oldest media of

advertising. Magazines are the periodicals published weekly, fort-
nightly, monthly, quarterly and annually. These are with the
editorial approach appealing to specific classes of consumers of the
readers. They cover a wide variety of topics providing light leisure
reading in easy chairs.
These magazines may be classified into two broad
categories as special and general. The examples of special
magazines are – Film-fare, Star and Style, Femina, Eve’s
Weekly,Health care,Architect, Dentist, Executive, Banker,
Industrial Times, Business India, Promotion which cater to the
needs of a selected group.
At the present, there are 6,550 weeklies, 450 fortnightlies,
8,040 monthlies, 560 quarterlies and 12,230 annuals totaling to a
staggering figure of 27,830. among the weeklies “Kumudam” has
the highest circulation of 8,76,000 of copies: in case of
fortnightlies “India- Today” has a circulation of 3,96,000copies; in
case of monthlies reader’s digest has the highest circulation of
3,86,000 copies.
 2. RADIO MEDIA

Radio advertising can be aptly called as “word of mouth”

advertising on a whole-sale scale which was welcomed in 1920. it
is a different mass medium as it appeals to ears than eyes through
sound. As a new-comer then has a colorful history of 75 years. At
the prime of its youth –that is – during and after World War II, it
reached its climax. In spite of its very strong competitor namely,
television, still it is a vital medium of advertiser considers the use
radio as an advertising medium and he is keenly interested in the
facilities provided for broad-casting and receiving his advertising
message. Though radio was the medium for cultural programmes
and news, with the rapid industrialization, it went commercial and
today when we are the “broad –casting” we man “commercial
broad-casting”.
In India, Radio broadcasting started in 1927 with two
privately owned transmitted at Bombay and Calcutta. The
government took them over in 1930 and started operating under the
name, Indian Broadcasting Service. Air’s network, consisted of six
radio station in 1947. Commercial broadcasting started only from
1st November 1967 from Bombay, Nagpur, and Pune on pilot
schemes basis.
The radio broadcasting is of two types namely “F.M.” and
“A.M.”. That is “Frequency Modulation” and “Amplitude
Modulation” “F.M.” broadcasting has an edge over “A.M.”
Broadcasting in that it is static free and its signals are received with
greater fidelity, as a result the sound is too clear, in case of “A.M.”,
the wave length varies in size and frequency remains constant. On
the other hand, in case of “F.M.”, the size of wave remains
constant while frequency varies. In India, it was tried in the year
1986 with 4 stations all over the country. The following tables give
the details up-to-date.
3. TELEVISION MEDIA

Radio regined as a powerful medium over a period of 50

years from 1920s to 1970s. Its supremacy was slashed by the
arrival of the greatest and latest rival namely; television by 1950s
in America and its impact was so deep that with a decade it was
spread over to European countries, Canada, Australia and Japan.
It is the gift of the current century. In India television was first
commissioned in 1959 and commercially telecasting started only
in 1976. it is 29 years old. It is the youngest, glamorous and
highly specialized as it provides scientific synchronization of
sound, light, motion, colour and immediancy that no other
medium does except film. Colour transmission started in 1982 on
the eve of ASIAD-82. it is state owned and controlled and is
known as ‘Doordarshan’. The telecasting systems based on
coverage are of two types namely, V.H.F., and U.H.F. V.H.F.
means Very High Frequency band spectrum. U.H.F. implies Ultra
High Frequency band spectrum. The latest one is C.A.T.V. which
means Community antenna Television system. Now it is better
known as Cable Television.
In order to face and contain the challenges of satellite
TV companies of multinational like CNNN,ATN, STAR and
national companies like ZEE, ‘M’, ‘V’,’U’, The Doordarshan has
started regional programmes of variety and versatility through
INSAT I D and INSAT II A.
 4. FILM MEDIA

Film advertising is yet another medium of publicity

characterized by sound, motion, colour, vision and timeliness. It is
like a television run on the enlarged screen for a large audience.
This audio-visual medium has a wide range starting from an
ordinary slide presentation to the ad films screening. Screen
publicity is liked by people of all ages, sexes, professions, political
affiliation, cultural heritage and income groups because of its
magic of life-size presentation of theme.
‘Slide’ is the protected glass piece covering
advertising message. It is the outcome of photographic engraving.
Once the slides are ready – may be black and white or colour- are
distributed to the theaters for exhibition. Slides have limited use to
the advertiser. It is still that presents a very limited message. It is
best suited to retail- local advertising. That is why, launcherers,
tailors drycleaners, coaching classes, grocers, florists, Hair
dressers, beauty parlours do use these. Another variation is films.
‘In theatre films are of three types namely, a ‘film-let’, a ‘solus’
and a‘mgazine’. A ‘film-let’, is a flash, short in length, running
approximately over 15 seconds. It is silent and is in colour. ‘solus’
film is one that lasts for 120 to 300 seconds having sound track and
may be black and white or colour. A ‘magazine’ type of film is a
short one reeler lasting up to 300 seconds combining advertisement
entertainment.
In India, there are about 6000 cinema town with 15,000
cinema houses with an average capacity of 1000 seats. In addition
to these permanent theatres, there about 3,000 touring theatres with
an average capacity of 450 seats.
5. VIDEO MEDIA

Of late, video advertising has captured the sizeable part of

increasing budget of small and medium sized companies on a
very large scale and some large companies to a limited extent.
If we take video –visual advertising as a medium, 80% of
small and medium firms and only 20% of large sized firms
have accepted it as the most economical and effective vehicle.
In India video-medium intruded in 1970s and each set was
costing around Rs. 45,000 and the castes were to be imported.
Today, the scene has changed. A video is available at half the
original price and cassettes are available in plenty as Indian
companies took lead particularly under the programmes of
foreign collaboration with world knowned producers. To start
with a video cassette of 180 C contained 5 minutes of ad time
but now it has gone upto 15 minutes. Major ads of full screen
are continuously imposed adds covering 1/8 of the screen to
1/4th of the screen at the bottom continuously. In some cases
30% of the screen from bottom is preoccupied with ads thus
film coverage and causing irritation and intrusion. It is liked by
the advertisers as it is the most cost efficient medium. Thus a
10 second’s spot on network program a slot costs Rs. 70,000,
to Rs. 1, 25,000 while on video it works as low as Rs. 6,000 to
7,000. The per 1,000 viewers cost of 30 seconds spot works
out Rs.5.50 to Rs.6.50 as compared to Rs. 12 to Rs. 14 on
cinema and Rs. 16 to 20 on television. That is per head cost is
paise 0.60 to 0.65 as against paise 1.10 to 1.25 in case of
cinema and paise 1.50 to 1.190 in case of television.
 OUTDOOR ADVERTISING MEDIA

Outdoor advertising is the only one of its kind that has been
carried for ages. It was the earliest media from the time
immemorial to- date that has not lost its originality. This ‘position’
or ‘Moral’ or ‘Indirect’ advertising is one which is clothed with
people who move out of doors. It is the media to reach the people
when they are out of door or traveling than when they are in the
homes or offices.

POSTERS

A poster is a sheet of paper pasted on a wooden or card or

metal board depicting the advertising message. Poster is the
Single Largest form of outdoor media accounting for 75 per
cent of this media. A poster can be standardized non-
standardized as to size. The most commonly accepted wooden
or card or metal board is of12 feet to 3 inches high by 24 feet 6
inches long. On these standardized specially erected boards,
poster of different sizes are pasted of different sizes are pasted.
These sizes are: 1. ’24 feet poster’ (8’-8”x19’ -7”). The
remaining area of the board is a margin of blank Paper. 2, ’30
sheet poster’ (9’ -7” x 21’ -7”). The rest of board is a margin of
blank paper.
PRINTED DISPLAYS

Painted displays are painted bulletins and wall paintings. A

painted bulletin is nothing but a metal sheet of rectangular shape
of standard size, errrected at heights to command the visibility
from a distance. It is larger and elaborate form of outdoor
advertising these structures have a pre –fabricated steel facing
with a standardized border trim. The most common size of
bulletin board is 14 feet; though the actual sizes vary depending
on the space availablility painted bulletins are illuminated for
the night traffic. These bulletins board have enlarged cut –outs
such as package or a trade – mark displayed in brilliant lights,
extending beyond the board itself. These dimensional structures
made of Styrofoam are getting common to keep the message
moving with the moving population.

To make these bulletins really attractive to serve the

purpose, the same care is to be taken as in case of posters. The
rentals are based on a period of one year than on the basis of
monthly. The strength of painted displays lies in attractive
display of sales message, durability, and flexibility. The
weaknesses are –high cost and dead investment.
 z

ELECTRICAL SIGNS

Electrical signs are more popularly known as spectacular signs.

Spectaculars are non-standardized and large permanent signs
that make use of elaborate lights and action effects. Spectaculars
are the most conspicuous vehicle of the outdoor media designed
and placed to attract the largest number of passers-by
particularly during night time. They are built of steel beams
metal sheets, plastic using bright and flash lights, animation
movies, neon signs and colour. Latest techniques of painting
and lighting are combined to provide special kind of
illuminative effects. The rentals are for a period of 5 to 10 years
at a stretch.
The strength of these spectaculars is evident in their
dynamic and lively presentation of the message
providing an atmosphere of wonderland and
permanence. The limitations are- high cost involving
dead investment and of operation. It needs a
commanding height where sky-scrapers are most suited.
 TRAVELLING DISPLAYS

Travelling displays refer to the transit advertising. It stands for all

types of advertising signs or displays used in trains, busses, cars,
trams, autos and other such transportations vehicles and the
terminals or the stations from which they operate.

There are three basic types of transit advertising namely:

1. Car-cards
2. Outside displays
3. station posters

‘Car-cards’ are the advertisements placed inside the vehicles may

be a bus, train, car, taxi, tram or an auto. The most standard sizes
are : 11” *14” or 21”* 28” or 42”*56” or 63”*84”, depending on
the nature of the vehicle and the requirements of the advertiser,
‘Outside Displays’ are the signs posted or painted on the outside of
the vehicles-may be a bus, tram, car, taxi or an auto. These may be
sides – backs and fronts of the vehicles. The ‘station posters’ are
the posters and printed bulletins of different sizes placed inside and
outside the bus-train and airport terminals.
SKY- WRITING

Advertising industry has not spared even the sky from its away.
Air advertising has caught fancy of advertisers. Sky- writing is
the kind of publicity where message is spread in the sky in one
form or the other. Smoke writing is one where the pilot takes his
plane to a height of 12,000 to 14,000 feet to write the message
by smoke. For him the sky becomes the slate for crayon writing
as in case of a child. The message visible from a distance of 50
to 60 kilometers. During night time, same procedure may be
followed to illuminate the message, instead of the thick smoke.
The other forms of sky-writing are–sky balloons, giant kites and
search-lights.

These being novel, unusual and distinct, attract the attention

of prospects easily. A medium that is novel costs a lot. Further,
the message spread is of very short duration. It involves good
deal of investment.
 DIRECTIVE ADVERTISING MEDIA

Direct advertising is one of the oldest methods of reaching the

consumer or a prospect. There is lot of confusion with the
phrases. Direct advertising is very comprehensive phrase
covering all forms of printed advertising delivered directly to
the prospective customers, instead of indirect distribution like
newspapers or the magazines. The printed matter is the
automobiles, struck under the wind screen of an automobile,
handed over at the retail counters or may be sent through post. It
is direct mail advertising if it reaches by mail alone. Mail order
advertising is face to face selling method.

ENVELOP ENCLOSURES

The phrase ‘envelops enclosure’ is quite likely to mislead us. By

‘enclosure’ normally we mean a paper enclosed or attached or
tagged to the main letter. Here, it stands for the bunch of papers
itself which is posted separately. It may be circular, or a stuffer
or a folder. A ‘circular’ is a sheet of paper or sheets of paper,
printed on one or both the sides, featuring the products in colour
or black and white with illustrations. They give detailed
information amplifying the buyers’ needs. They list products
specifications, emphasize product features. They are versatile
inexpensive and handy. They are most popular form of
enclosures because, they are very effective in producing
immediate sales as are most popular form of enclosure because
they are very effective in producing immediate sales as they cut
sufficiently in large size to enable the advertiser to tell the facts
of one or more products.
BOOK LETS

Book let is a very small book consisting of not more than 8-10
pages fastened with staples or glue to allow it to open as a book. A
book let is usually mailed in an envelop. It is designed for a
thorough reading and study with the intension of keeping it for the
future reference. It contains use full information answering the
questions of intending buyers about product features and product
stories. The advertiser has no limit on length, colour illustrations
and hence cost. The point worth remembering here is that it gives
details about limited number of products.

CATALOGUES

Catalogue is quite similar to the book-let in physical make-up,

except that it is much larger and presents wider range of
products of the business house. It is more substantial in cobering
sales literature and can be kept much longer as refrence book. In
addition to the details of product information catalogues are
known as giving prices and other conditions of purchase. The
differences between presented. It is costlier than book-let and is
normally used as a reference material than mere browsing
through.
BROAD –SIDES

Broad- side is a large size advertising folder. The striking

features are its superior or jumbo size typographical and
illustrative display. The usual size are: 17”*22” or 19* 25” or
even 25” * 28”. These are called as ‘spectaculars in print’
because they are excellent attention getters. They make possible
huge illustration, bold headlines and maximum of copy, to
narrate a pictorial story of the product or the product range.
These are normally mailed to wholesalers and retailers than the
customers.

SALES LETTERS

Letters or the sales letter is the silent ambassador of the firm

speaking about the company products and consumer
satisfaction.a sales letter sells first the name of the company
then the product or the services. The siccess of a sales letter is
banking heavily on its convincing, appealing and impelling
capacity. Tone of the stationery, the style of writing and theme
of the letter are quite important. These sales letters are
structured on skelton of A-I-D-A principle. That is series of
letterare written to complete the the process of arresting the
attention, generating interest, developing desires and actuating
the action on the part of the recipient.
GIFT NOVELTIES

Gift advertising or specially adverting is the medium that employs

useful articles known as advertising specialties or the gift novelties
that are printed with the name and address and the sales message of
the advertiser. These are presented to selected audience free of cost
or obligation. These act as good will or reminders gifts. The
advertiser hopes strongly that the receipt is likely to be influent
favorably to buy in future as he is reminder of the company every
time he or she looks at the gifts there are countless such items that
can be presented.

STORE PUBLICATIONS

A store publication is house organ or bulletin is the magazine or

a miscellany published by the company mainly for the purpose of
promoting good will and moulding the public opinion, though it
has the tinge of sales expansion these house organs are freely
distributed to the dealers, customers and the employees. The
success of any house organ depends on the factors like – format;
get up, internal layout, color combination, language, stuff and the
style. House organ to very victorious must be separately design for
the customers on one hand and dealer, agents, employee, on the
other as interests differ widely.
 DISPLAY ADVERTISING

Displaying merchandise is not a new idea. It has been there from

the time immemorial. What has changes over the passage of time is
its style, the made of displaying. The heart of display is its selling
idea design to generate purchase. The dictionary meaning of the
word display is arranging something for a view in this context, it is
the systematic arrangements of sample of saleable products to
catch the imagination and notices of the people. Displays
demonstrate directly about the product or project by them rather
than telling and selling points in directly.

DISPLAYS

Displays can be of several types like window-counter- wall-shelf-

overhead-corner-floor-jumble. Here, only two types which are
prominent are discussed namely, ‘window’ and ‘counter’.

1. WINDOW DISPLAY

The term window or exterior display implies the showing of goods

in the windows of the shop it is a window showmanship. The usual
function of a window of a house is to allow the inmates to see what
is happening outside not that the outsider are to peep in house of
others. Window of a shop or a store is the front part of the shop or
the sides of the shop which are used to display the merchandise.
Conversely, here the out sider are to peep in deliberately window
are the dimensions of the shop and constitute the first impression
that the retail establishment can make on the prospector the
passersby.
2. COUNTER DISPLAY

In the goods old past, advertisers thought that window display

was sufficient to attract the prospectus and once the prospectus
get in. the actual sale could be affected by the counter salesman.
However it is now realized that counter or interior display is
important as or even more important than the window display
cretes interest after interacting the prospectus. it is the term of
the counter display to convert interest into desire into action
counter display to all the arrangement that is made in the sale
hall of the shop.
 SHOWROOMS AND SHOWCASES

In cases of consumer durable and industrial goods it almost

inevitable pre purchase demonstration is also expected to
accommodate these consumer needs, showrooms and show
cases are used on grand scale bye the advertisers.

1. SHOW-ROOM

A show-room is specially designed room or room-cum-office,

rented or owned, located in the prominent place of the sales
territory used mainly for display, demonstration and after-sale
services. Practically all the industrial and consumer durable
manufacturing houses have their show-rooms in all the
important cities of the country. A show-room becomes the hub
of activities of explaining the product features and the merits,
demonstrating and after sale services particularly repairs and
maintenance.

2. SHOW-CASES

A ‘Show-Case is a glass box’ glazed case, cabinet with glass

doors or panes or a glass cup-board used to display the products
in an artistic way. These are normally kept in prominent places
of railway stations, airports, bus terminals, and cinema houses
specially rented fronts of buildings, city squares, parks, post
offices and market places. Show-cases are essential adjuncts of
retail business. These show-cases are lavishly designed, brightly
and colorfully illuminated and the products are dressed in a
novel way to attract the attention of passersby.
EXHIBITIONS

Though the people do use these two terms namely,’

exhibition’ and ‘trade fair’ inter- changeably, there is difference
between the two. ‘Exhibition’ is in effect, a congregation of show
–rooms of different manufacturers under a single roof. It is a huge
gathering of manufacturers for the purpose of displaying,
demonstrating and booking orders for their latest products.
Exhibitions are normally organized by trade association and
chambers of commerce. Of late government is taking keen
interested in these. The theme of exhibition is to attract dealers and
consumers towards the latest products in the line by providing
detailed information and demonstration. These can be inter state,
or inter- national. The examples of this kind are: Motor trade
Exhibition of U.S.A of 1968, All India Machine Tools Exhibition
of 1986.