Marketing and Advertising

        What is marketing? Many people think of marketing only as selling and advertising. And no wonder-everyday we are bombarded with TV comercials, direct-mail offers, sales calls. However, selling and advertising are only the tip of the marketing iceberg.

        Today, marketing must be understood not in the old sense of making sale- “telling and selling”- but in the new sense of satisfying customer needs. If the marketer understands consumer needs; develops products that provide superior customer value; and and prices, distributes, and promotes them effectively, these products will sell easily.

        In fact, according to Peter Drucker (quotes of Peter Drucker), “The aim of marketing is to make selling unnecessary” .  This is not true and I don't agree with him. However, Philip Kotler explains better marketing and advertising. He says: 

"Selling and advertising are only part of a larger “marketing mix” a set or marketing tools that work together to satisfy customers and build strong customer relationships in order to capture value from customers in return."

        Advertising

        Advertising is a form of communication used to promote products and services of a company primarily to generate sales and secondary to create a brand identity, introduce new products and services, communicating a change in the existing product line. It also helps in communicating social messages to the masses.

Types of Advertising

There are various types of advertising which are mentioned below:

• Print Advertising: Newspapers, Magazines, Brochures, Fliers

• Broadcast advertising: Television, Radio and the Internet

• Outdoor Advertising: Billboards, Kiosks, Tradeshows and Events

• Covert Advertising: Advertising in Movies

• Public Service Advertising: Advertising for Social Cause

• Celebrity Advertising

As the name sounds, it is the advertising in open-air. In the past, much of the outdoor advertising consisted of hoardings, posters, billboards and signboards. Now there are innovations taking place every month. Today we have a range of media available e.g. transit advertising, mobile bill boards, traffic signals, bus stops, railway stations, airport, subways, phone boxes, coffee tables, traffic barriers, blimp and inflatable, packaging, materials, cups, corporate stationary, etc.

References:

Kotler, Philip; Armstrong, Gari. Principles of marketing. 2006