From birth to death and in some cases, even be on death, marketers are very interested in your buying habits. Not to influence or change practices but to better speak to and receive feedback from you. You are no longer an individual or person; you are a group with shared interests concerns or situations. To producers of goods and services, you are a targeted market.Business operating in the advertising sector, part of the service sector, defines targeted markets as audiences with matching demographics and has traditionally designed advertising campaigns to reach large audiences, whiles used small but well-defined test groups to gather feedback. Unfortunately this type of feedback gathering is not used to affect the product but to strength the campaign.
Technological advancements are forcing changes in business communications and producers are insisting, though their advertising agencies, on feedback for as many end-users or consumers as possible, not to determining which type of media (Television, Radio or Print) to channel their advertising massages, but to improve their products. Electronic screens with more than one way communication access (Cell phones and Computers) are now available in many lifestyles allowing marketers to question and solicit feedback, therefore increasing the size of the test group expediently and at the same time, building a database of interest and buying patterns.
Marketers generally use artist creations to capture a particular targeted market’s attention and then merge their message. This theme is then designed to match the medium that will carry the advertisement. So it is the medium that matters. Traditional media (Television, Radio and Print) all surround advertisements with programs or articles seeking your attention but you cannot easily respond (buy, book or get more information) while mediums that allow more than one way communication will allow you to buy, book or get more information. Further, these responsive medium allow you to ask for whatever you want.
Push verse pull advertising. If an advertisement reaches your consciousness, this message is pushed at you but if you have a particular interest and ask for information, the answer will be a pulled message. A mix of push and pull messages are necessary to give effect to most transactions, generally push advertisements are used to build name recognition and brand confidence, while pull advertisements are used to direct a transaction.
Hence, if you are interested in travelling to a holiday destination and pull up a list of several competing airlines’ advertisements, all allowing you to book, buy and print your ticket at your convenience. The airline you will travel with is the one that has pushed advertisements at you to invoke recognition and trust. Even in the retail trade sector, where goods have to be physically transported, push advertisements strategies, such as a SMS message to your cell phone purporting to have the best price for a particular item, are being used to target you.
Conventional advertisements are here to stay.
Rationale
T.A.J & Associates Company Limited uses this occasion to comment on topics that have been covered, both academically and by the mainstream media, to add its opinion and point out investment opportunity, not to invoke any social action.
