Types of Advertising – JSS3 Agricultural Science Lesson Note (First Term)

Advertising is the way a seller delivers messages about a product or service to buyers.

Behavioural objectives

By the end of the lesson, students should be able to:

1. Define advertising.
2. List the three types of advertising.
3. Define informative, competitive and persuasive advertising.
4. Give an example of each type using farm products or farm inputs.
5. Name the media used to advertise farm products.
6. Distinguish between the three types of advertising.

Why is advertising important in agriculture?

Advertising helps farmers and agro-dealers to reach buyers and sell more of their products.

• Informs buyers: people learn that a product, such as an improved seed, exists.
• Increases sales: more buyers know where to find the product, so more of it is sold.
• Helps buyers choose: a buyer can compare products before spending money.
• Builds a name: buyers begin to recognise and trust a farm or brand.
• Introduces new products: new feeds, vaccines, tools and crop varieties become known.

What are the types of advertising?

There are three types of advertising: informative, competitive and persuasive.

1. Informative advertising: tells people about a new product.
2. Competitive advertising: shows that a product is better than others.
3. Persuasive advertising: tries to make consumers buy.

What is informative advertising?

Informative advertising is the delivery of advertising messages through mass media to inform a target market about the benefits offered by a new product or innovation.

• Purpose: to make people aware of a new product.
• Content: states what the product is, what it does and where to buy it.
• Best time to use: when a product is just entering the market.
• Example: a radio announcement of a new improved maize seed that matures early.
• Example: a poster telling farmers that a new poultry vaccine is now on sale.

What is competitive advertising?

Competitive advertising is a promotional technique in which an advertiser claims that his or her product is better than competing products, by direct or indirect comparison.

• Purpose: to win buyers away from rival products.
• Direct comparison: the advert names or points to the rival product.
• Indirect comparison: the advert says its product is “the best” without naming any rival.
• Best time to use: when many sellers offer similar products.
• Example: a fertiliser seller claims that his fertiliser gives a higher yield than other fertilisers.
• Example: a feed mill says its feed makes broilers reach market weight faster than other feeds.

What is persuasive advertising?

Persuasive advertising is a type of product promotion that attempts to influence a consumer to buy a particular good or service.

• Purpose: to move the buyer to act and make a purchase.
• Method: appeals to the buyer’s needs, wants or feelings.
• Common tools: catchy slogans, discounts, free samples and repeated messages.
• Best time to use: when buyers already know the product but have not yet bought it.
• Example: “Buy two bags of feed and get one kilogram of supplement free.”
• Example: a jingle that urges farmers to buy a particular brand of cassava stem or seed.

What is the difference between the three types of advertising?

What media are used to advertise farm products?

Advertising media are the channels through which an advertising message reaches buyers.

• Radio: reaches many rural farmers, often in local languages.
• Television: shows the product and how it works.
• Newspapers and magazines: carry printed adverts and farming articles.
• Posters and billboards: display the product name and slogan in public places.
• Handbills and leaflets: are given out at markets and agricultural shows.
• Social media and text messages: reach buyers on their phones.
• Agricultural shows and demonstrations: let buyers see and test the product.

What makes a good advertisement?

A good advertisement is clear, truthful and able to reach the right buyers.

• Truthful: it makes no false claims about the product.
• Clear: the message is simple and easy to understand.
• Targeted: it reaches the buyers who need the product.
• Affordable: its cost is small compared with the extra sales it brings.
• Memorable: a short slogan or name stays in the mind.

Evaluation

1. Define advertising.
2. Name the three types of advertising.
3. What is informative advertising?
4. Explain competitive advertising and give one farm example.
5. What does persuasive advertising try to do?

Assignment

Write the definition of each of the three types of advertising in your notebook, and give one example of each from farm products.