SYBCom Sem 3 Compehension Passage 9 Advertising

 Passage 9  Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow.

 Advertising

Advertising is the business of drawing public attention to a product/ service to try and convince potential customers into buying or using that product/service. It is done to boost sales. The attention drawn must be positive; hence advertisements tend to favourably stress the key points of the product/service.

Types of advertising and advertising media

Nowadays, it is tough to go a single day without encountering advertising in all its forms. Virtually any medium can be used, which means we are likely to come across ads everywhere we go. The section below explores the most common forms of advertising.

Billboards

Billboards are large outdoor signboards on which advertisers can put up creative images of their product for the public to see. They are a common form of most advertising, typically located in high traffic areas. A billboard attempts to be as eye-catching as possible, and is located in a traffic-heavy location where passers-by can easily see the ad.

Print

 Also called 'press advertising', this describes any advert that comes in the form of printed material. Therefore ads in newspapers, magazines, journals, etc., all come under print advertising. Such advertising has the potential to reach a broad audience as the ads may appear in national or local newspapers, or may appear in popular magazines which target a large readership base. When you get the chance, compare the style of advertisements in newspapers against the style of advertisements in magazines. Are there noticeable differences?

Radio

Many advertising agencies purchase airtime from radio channels, networks or stations in order to broadcast their ads. Radio ads are audio ads, which means that people only hear about the product/service. These ads tend to be very brief, lasting a minute or so. Due to their brevity, they try to be as catchy and memorable as possible.

There are two types of radio ads.

Live reads: During a show, a radio jockey (a person who plays recorded music for listeners) will read out an advertisement or endorse (publicly support) a company, product or service.

Produced spots: The advertisement agency records their ad, and sends it to the radio station for playback.

Television

This form is considered to be the most effective form of mass-market advertising (advertising designed to appeal to many different people at once) as one commercial can reach millions of viewers. Here, just as in radio advertising, advertisers purchase airtime from TV networks and channels, so that they can insert television commercials that could be as short as a few seconds, or as long as a few minutes. cost of such advertising can be incredibly high, especially during peak broadcast hours (or 'prime time'), when people are most likely to be at home and watching television.

Celebrity endorsements

In advertising, across all mediums, celebrities or known public figures (from sports figures to politicians to musicians) may endorse or publicly show their support for a product/service. Using such figures helps bolster the company's image, making it more recognisable to the public through their heroes and icons.

Online

This refers to various forms of advertising that rely on the internet as a platform for promoting products/services. Banner ads (ads located or 'embedded' within a webpage) and pop-up ads (new web-browser windows that open or ‘pop up' in front of a previously accessed webpage) are the two most common forms of online advertising. Short video advertisements, embedded either within a webpage or within a longer video, are also very common. As opposed to the older forms of print or broadcast advertising, online advertising can be targeted at a focused or interested audience using data analytics, algorithms and tracking software, making them more efficient than traditional modes of advertising.

Questions and Answers: 

1. What is advertising?

• Advertising is the business of drawing public attention to a product or service to convince potential customers to buy or use it.

2. What is the primary function of advertising?

• The primary function of advertising is to boost sales.

3. The two main features of advertising that enable it to fulfill its primary aim are:

• Drawing positive public attention.
• Favorably stressing the key points of the product or service.

4. Skim the passage and complete the following table.

Media	Typical/Identifying Characteristics/Features
Billboards	Large outdoor signboards, eye-catching, located in high-traffic areas.
Print	Ads in newspapers, magazines, journals; reach a broad audience, varying styles between newspapers and magazines.
Radio	Audio ads, brief and catchy, includes live reads by radio jockeys or produced spots recorded by ad agencies.
Television	Most effective mass-market advertising, commercials during peak hours, expensive, reaches millions of viewers.
Online	Ads on the internet; includes banner ads, pop-up ads, and short video ads; targeted using data analytics and algorithms.
Celebrity endorsements	Involves public figures supporting a product/service, boosts company image by associating with well-known personalities.

5. Using the notes you made in the table above, write a summary of the passage on advertising in your own words.

Advertising is the business of attracting public attention to products or services to increase sales. There are several types of advertising media, each with distinct characteristics. Billboards are large, eye-catching signs in high-traffic areas. Print advertising appears in newspapers and magazines, reaching a wide audience. Radio ads are brief and rely on catchy audio, either read live by a jockey or pre-recorded. Television advertising is highly effective, reaching millions, though costly; during peak hours. Online advertising uses the internet, featuring targeted banner ads, pop-ups, and video ads. Celebrity endorsements use famous personalities to enhance a company's image and appeal to the public. Each form of advertising is designed to highlight key product features and persuade potential customers.