Media options
Advantages and disadvantages of television as an advertising media
Advantages
Disadvantages
Potentially high impact
High production costs
Capable of delivering mass
audiences
Viewer receptivity being challenged
Relatively low cost per thousand
Short life of messages
Growing opportunities for targeting
Relatively low cost per person reached via
TV
• cost per thousand (CPM) – a measure of media
efficiency
• calculated on basis of cost of buying media space and
number of people viewing or reading that media
CPM = cost of ad space (absolute cost) x 1000
circulation/viewers/listeners
• e.g. if a company buys a 30-second slot with RTE for
€9,000 and expects 500,000 viewers to be exposed to
the ad, the CPM is calculated as follows:
€9000 x 1000 = €18
500,000
Advantages and disadvantages of radio as an advertising media
Advantages
Disadvantages
Relatively inexpensive
High levels of noise and clutter
Selective
Short life of a radio advertisement
Offers geographic segmentation
Widespread access to radio
Radio
relatively inexpensive (production and time)
– 30-second slots – local radio e.g. €12.69 with
Tipperary Mid West FM; €160 for 96/103 FM in
Cork.
– national radio – RTE1, 2FM, Lyric FM and Today
FM charge up to €1,714 for a prime-time slot
(Source: MAPS Directory, 2002)
Measuring radio audiences
• listenership is monitored and measured
through the JNLR (Joint National Listenership
Research) programme
• comprises representatives of RTE,
representatives of the IRTC (The
Independent Radio and Television
Commission), the IAPI (The Institute for
Advertising Practitioners in Ireland and the
AAI (The Association of Advertisers in Ireland)
Advantages and disadvantages of newspapers as an advertising media
Advantages
Disadvantages
Readers can read newspapers at their
own pace
Short shelf life
Allows advertisers to pursue national,
regional and lifestyle segmentation
High levels of clutter and noise
Relatively low cost per thousand
Concerns about print quality
Can lend credibility to the advertiser
As a purely visual media, it can be
difficult to capture the reader's
attention
Multiple readership
Theme of ads can be very current
Enables advertiser to convey a lot of
information
Advantages and disadvantages of magazines as an advertising media
Advantages
Disadvantages
The range of magazines available
offers segmentation opportunities
Long lead-times
Long shelf-life
High levels of clutter
Scope for creativity
Excellent print quality
Multiple readership
Suited to the carriage of sales
promotions
Often read for their advertising
Magazine/newspaper
circulation
• ‘The number of individuals who receive a
publication through either subscription or store
purchase.’ (Belch & Belch, 1999)
• primary circulation – committed to publication
because they buy it
• secondary readership
• ABC (Audit Bureau of Circulations)
• JNRR (Joint National Readership Research)
Outdoor media
• billboards
• public transport
• mobile billboards
Advantages and disadvantages of outdoor advertising
Advantages
Disadvantages
Wide coverage in specific areas
High levels of wastage
Ability to make an impact
Over-exposure of audience to
advertisements during a campaign
High levels of repetition
Short exposure time
Increasingly difficult to obtain
planning permission for sites
Ambient advertising
• ‘Makes the message become part of the
surrounding environment in which the
consumer operates.’ (Blythe, 2000)
 tickets
 petrol nozzles
 supermarket trolleys
 transport vehicles – a single advertiser can cover an
entire double decker bus with a message. Known as a
full wrap.
 employees’ cars
 doors of public toilets
 carrier bags
 aerial vehicles