Advertising – JSS3 Business Studies Lesson Note (First Term)

Advertising is the means of bringing new and old products in the market to the knowledge of consumers.

• Purpose: it informs members of the public about the goods available in the market.
• Advertiser: the producer or seller who pays for the advert.
• Consumer: the person who buys and uses the product.
• Medium: the channel used to carry the advert, such as radio or newspaper. The plural is media.
• Brand name: the name that identifies a product, such as OMO.

Behavioural objectives

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

1. define advertising and state its functions;
2. list and describe the media of advertising;
3. state the forms of advertising;
4. state the advantages and disadvantages of advertising;
5. state the ethics of advertising.

What are the functions of advertising?

The functions of advertising are to inform, educate and persuade the public so that the sales of a product increase.

1. Information: it provides information about the goods in the market.
2. Education: it enlightens members of the public about the usefulness of the products.
3. Awareness: it creates awareness of products in the minds of buyers.
4. Sales promotion: it helps the producer to promote the sales of the products.
5. Direction: it directs potential consumers to where they can easily get the product.
6. Brand publicity: it helps in publicising brand names.

What are the media of advertising?

There are nine common media of advertising: newspaper, television, radio, window display, cinema, billboard, sales van, posters and leaflets, and magazines and journals.

Electronic media

• Television: an audio-visual medium. People can see the image of the product and learn about its usefulness.
• Radio: very common in Nigeria. It is an audio means of advertising. Almost everybody can afford to buy a radio.
• Cinema: the advert can be screened before a film show or at an interval during a film show.
• Mobile cinema: some companies or people move from one place to another and show pictures of real products.

Print media

• Newspaper: newspapers are usually published daily, e.g. The Sun, The Punch, Alaroye, Nigerian Tribune.
• Magazines and journals: directed at a particular group of people. They are printed weekly, fortnightly or monthly.
• Cost of magazines: they are more expensive than newspapers because they are usually printed in colour.
• Posters: they carry the description, location, address, quality and other information about the products. They are used in open-air places, e.g. gates and markets.
• Leaflets: they carry the same kind of information as posters. They are distributed in the market, from house to house, or in a public arena.

Outdoor and display media

• Billboard: mounted on solid structures at junctions, roundabouts and stadiums to display important information.
• Window display: goods are displayed through the shop window to attract potential buyers.
• Sales van: a motor van equipped with radio and loudspeakers. Sales representatives use it to transmit messages about the products to buyers.

How do the media compare?

What should an advertiser consider when choosing a medium?

• Cost: the medium must fit the money the advertiser can spend.
• Target buyers: the medium must reach the people who will buy the product.
• Type of product: a product that must be seen, such as clothes, suits television or window display.
• Coverage: the medium should reach as many of the intended buyers as possible.

What are the forms of advertising?

There are five forms of advertising: informative, persuasive, competitive, direct and indirect advertising.

• Informative advertising: it informs members of the public about newly available goods in the market.
• Persuasive advertising: it appeals to customers to patronise a particular product, e.g. buy multi-active OMO instead of other detergents.
• Competitive advertising: it encourages customers to buy a product of a particular brand. Similar products may be available.
• Direct advertising: it is focused on a particular group of people, e.g. students, graduates and workers.
• Indirect advertising: it focuses on everybody.

What is the difference between informative and persuasive advertising?

Informative advertising tells people that a product exists. Persuasive advertising pushes people to choose one product over others.

What are the advantages of advertising?

The advantages of advertising are the benefits it gives to producers, consumers and workers.

• Higher sales: it helps to increase the sales of goods.
• Mass production: it may lead to mass production.
• Awareness: it creates awareness in the minds of customers.
• Employment: it provides job opportunities for people.
• Choice: it helps people to choose from the available products.

What are the disadvantages of advertising?

The disadvantages of advertising are the problems it can cause for sellers and buyers.

• Confusion: it sometimes creates confusion in the minds of customers.
• Waste: it may be wasteful if it is not well handled.
• High cost: the cost may be too high.
• Loss of profit: it may lead to a loss of the company’s profit.

What are the ethics of advertising?

The ethics of advertising are the moral rules that guide advertisers on what is right to say and show.

• Truthfulness: the advert must not make false claims about the product.
• Human dignity: the advert must respect each person and must not insult or look down on anyone.
• Social responsibility: the advert must respect the society and its values and must not harm the public.

Evaluation

1. Describe some media for advertising.
2. State four functions of advertising.
3. Explain informative advertising and persuasive advertising.
4. State three disadvantages of advertising.

Assignment

State four advantages of advertising and the three ethics of advertising.