4. Advertising Analysis

Advertising Analysis: Major Types of Advertisement

Merriam-Webster defines advertising as "the action of calling something to the attention of the public especially by paid announcements.” Advertisements are everywhere around us, whether we notice them or not. There are so many different types of advertisements, but when it comes down to it, there are 4 main types that cover all the subtypes. 

The first type of advertising is “display advertising” which includes billboards and tangible signs. Since the invention of the internet, display advertising has evolved and now includes those annoying banners that pop up on websites, or even when you google something and advertised websites appear before the unpaid searches. In summary, these advertisements just give viewers a simple idea of the product or service using text, images, or video clips. 

ex. of display advertising 

Video advertising is another style of advertisement. In the new age of technology, these have become exceedingly popular. Video advertising gives a more in-depth view of the product or service compared to regular display advertisements. Online streaming services have taken advantage of video advertisements to make money. They are easy to slip in between breaks where a show would normally have commercial breaks. Hulu is known for being super affordable, as long as you are okay with watching ads. Within the past few years, Snapchat has added video ads between stories. 

Another type of advertising is mobile. These types of ads could include either of the two mentioned types above, but they only take place on mobile devices. Instagram is really good at utilizing mobile ads. When scrolling through your feed, it is common to see a post that says “sponsored” or “advertisement.” Mobile ads can also be found when playing games. Some games require players to watch ads to gain points. They can also be SMS text messages from businesses or brands. I actually just got a text writing this from Verizon, letting me know I could get $700 off a new phone. 

ex. of mobile advertising 

The last major type of advertising is native advertising. These types of ads are blended into content and are seen as “non-disruptive.” As opposed to pop-up ads or videos that interrupt what you are viewing. These could include product placement, influencer advertisements, and even content recommendations found at the bottom of a page. Native advertising is probably the most important of the 4 because it doesn’t annoy customers away. Brands would use influencers to endorse their products. 

A couple of years back, it became a huge discussion on whether influencers would have to disclose when they are being paid for a product. Consumers were bothered by influencers endorsing products and not mentioning that they were getting paid for the promotion. It's different to see a post about a product that an influencer actually uses. The problem was resolved by requiring influencers to use the #ad or #sponsored to make it known that the post was a paid endorsement.

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Advertisement is important, which is why we see it everywhere. I know I only covered 4 different types of advertisements, but there are so many more. They all can cross over with each other. From an advertiser's perspective, it is crucial to know which kind is appropriate for different situations.