For as long as television has been around, it has depended on advertising as a way to make a profit and to cover the cost of the shows being aired. Conversely, television has been and is now a good medium for letting advertisers reach a large audience to promote and raise awareness of their products. With the ever-expanding number of media options available, television remains one of the most popular and cost-effective avenues for reaching the advertisers' goals.
Mass Audience
One of the basic reasons for advertising is the need to create potential new customers for a product or service. Television offers the best way to reach the greatest amount of people at one time, whether it be locally, nationally or even internationally, to keep them informed of new products, sales and special promotions.
Targeting
Given the large number of TV channels, many geared toward particular groups of people with specific interests and tastes, companies now have a number of outlets to target their advertising dollars to knowing that their ad is going to be seen by a high percentage of people likely to have an interest in and need for their product.
Price
Considering its ability to reach a greater amount of people at one time than any other media, television advertising rates remain a relative bargain, depending on the network, time of day and popularity of the program. With the help of ratings and demographic information compiled by Nielsen Media, potential advertisers can select where and when to place their spots to get the most bang for their buck. And, with HD cameras and computer technology, commercials can look professional even without a large budget.
Identity
Advertising on a particular network and/or program can help create a link in the viewers' minds between the shows and the sponsors of those shows. Choosing a show or shows to consistently place spots in allows the popularity and fan enthusiasm for that program to carry over and establish an interest in the product or service being advertised as well.
Placement
With today's DVR technology and the short attention span of many TV viewers, it is a bit harder for the sponsors to have their ads seen by potential customers. Another form of advertising becoming more commonplace is to place the product in the show itself to be seen and/or mentioned. Viewers won't fast-forward the actual program the way they do with commercials, and having the product ingrained with the narrative increases the link between the show and the product.
Other Benefits
TV advertising also allows for longer ad campaigns to develop and play out; the ads stay in the viewers' memories longer than print or Internet ads that only get a quick glance. And the visual aspect of television makes for a more instant and recognizable awareness of the product than radio can offer. Local ads can be placed between national spots to add a touch of importance and prestige for local businesses. Advertising on TV has worked for over 50 years and remains the best way to get your message out to the public.
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