Television advertising
is a widely popular advertising medium for a variety of reasons. For instance, advertisers can select the time of day they want their ads to run. They can also pick the networks where they want their ads shown. Television advertising is also popular because of the visual nature of it and because it is personal. Still, there some disadvantages for TV ads, including costs and media clutter. Overall, it is a still a strong and popular advertising medium.
Time of Day
One characteristic of advertising that this medium has that many others do not is the ability to change according to the time of day. Television advertisements are different depending on what time of day it is. For example, there might be more television ads directed toward younger audiences between the hours of 2 p.m. and 5 p.m., because it is a time when many children are out of school and watching TV. Advertisers can buy ad time on TV depending on the type of audiences they want to reach, according to the time of day that audience typically watches TV.
Different Networks
Now that cable television is more popular than ever, we have the option to watch hundreds of different networks. These networks appeal to very distinct audiences. For example, channels like Nickelodeon and Disney primarily appeal to kids, while Oxygen and Lifetime often appeal to women. If a company has a product for a very specific audience, they can chose to advertise on a network that appeals to that audience.
Strengths
Television advertising has unique strengths that other vehicles do not. TV ads have the capability of using strong visual appeals and the ability to demonstrate how a product works. Also, the tone for television is generally more personal, which is helpful in gaining the attention of consumers.
Weaknesses
Like all media, television advertising has its weaknesses. One major problem for TV advertising is that it is the most expensive form of traditional advertising. Production costs and the costs of buying network time factors into the high cost of TV advertising. High costs often times prevent smaller companies from using TV as a vehicle for advertising. Another problem with TV advertising is the fact that there are so many commercials, viewers can sometimes see them as clutter and ignore the message.
Future Problems
TV advertising is starting to face a major problem with the growing popularity of digital video recorders (DVRs). With DVRs, viewers can tape their favorite shows and then watch them later on their own time, while skipping through the ads. As these devices become more widely used, TV advertising must deal with the consequences.
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