The function of advertising is to inform and influence people's behaviour, as the general goal of advertising is to increase sales.
The major media used for advertising are newspapers, television, direct mail,magazines, and radio. Each has strengths and weaknesses. Let us now examine the advantages and limitations of the various media.
Newspapers
The typical newspaper circulates in a limited and well-defined area, and this offers advantages to the advertiser interested in geographical selectivity.Since almost everyone reads the newspaper, an intense coverage of the local market can. be obtained. Newspapers offer great flexibilitybecause ads can be inserted or removed withonly a few days' notice;this makes it feasibleto feature prices in most newspaper ads. Circulation costs are low, and because most metropolitan areas have daily newspapers, messages can be presented frequently. But there are several significant limitationsto newspaper ads. The paper has a short life - nothing is quite so stale as old news - so it is not likely that advertising will have much influence beyond the day of publication. Newspapers are hastily read, most studies indicate that the average reader spends between 20 and 30 minutes on the paper. Therefore, a message has to make an impression quickly pr not at all. Finally, newspapers, being printed on pulp paper,do not have the quality of reproductionand colour that can be achieved in magazine ads. This can be a disadvantagefor some car and ~ food ads where the illustration has an important role to play.