Benefits of advertising:

1.Information to the customer. Advertisement about new products keeps the customer informed about the new developments in the industry. They help to provide them information regarding the newly launched products. 2.Takes care of customers. Advertising takes care of customers. It helps in holding on to the loyal customer, decreasing the number of lost customers and enlisting new customers. Thus the overall effect of advertising is increase in the number of customers that will gradually become loyal to the product. 3.Improves the sale of product. Advertising facilitates a noticeable increase in the sale of the product. It thus helps reduces per unit cost of the product and help the businesses to earn profits. 4.Alters the attitudes of people. An effectual advertisement results in a swift change in the attitudes and habits of the people. 5.Direct communication. In earlier days customers believed on the opinions of retailers, when making the purchases of products. With the rapid spread of media and advertising to every nook and corner of the world, people have become aware of the various products that are available in the same category and the freebees and benefits of purchasing them. So the companies or manufacturers are able to communicate their message directly to the customers. 6.Increase employment. Advertising is a complicated task and a lot of people are involved in the making of an advertisement. Research team, design team and many other people are required to make and deliver it. So, advertisements generate employment for a lot of people. 7.Economic progress. Advertising increases sales, employment and profits. The overall effect of all this is economic progress for the nation, or more broadly for the world as a whole. 8.Religious and moral benefits. Social and religious institutions use advertising for communicating their messages like messages of patriotism, faith, compassion tolerance, and charity toward needy, messages related to health and education. These educate people and guide better behavior. Advertising through every medium offers some or the other benefits. But nowadays the most popular medium of advertisement is through television. Although the cost of advertising is quite high but the benefits in the long run balance the high cost associate to it. So, companies should concentrate on advertising as an important medium.

Advertising vs publicity:
Control

Many people have the misconception that publicity and advertising are the same things. While both publicity and advertising can play important roles in an organization's overall marketing plan, they are very different. The three primary differences between publicity and advertising are (2) control, (2) cost, and (3) credibility.

Advertising is a controlled form of communication, whereas public relations is uncontrolled. When you run an advertisement in a print publication, you purchase a specific amount of space on a page to run in a particular issue of the publication. You may even be able to specify that your ad be placed on the top left corner of the sports page. You control the content of the ad as well. With publicity, you don't dictate when, where, or if your promotional messages ever see the light of day. You can send a news release to a print publication, and the editor or journalist who receives it might see value in it and print it in the next issue. He or she might really find the information appealing and interview you for a cover story. However, your news release might just as easily end up in the garbage can, depending on its relevance, timing, or a number of other factors. Cost The control that you get with advertising doesn't come without a price. The reason that you can specify when and where your advertisement will run is that you pay for the space, airtime, or bandwidth that it occupies. You are able to control the content because you also pay to have the advertisement itself created. Some advertisements can be produced inexpensively, and others are very costly. When you are trying to generate publicity for your business through public relations efforts, the only cost is the manpower that it takes to create the documents that you send out to the news media and the costs of delivering or shipping. It is much less expensive to send a photograph and a news release to a magazine editor than it is to create a 4-color, camera-ready magazine ad. Credibility With advertising, you are able to make sure that the exact message that you want appears in the media exactly as you have specified. When consumers see an advertisement, most of them are aware that it is a paid promotion. Some consumers tend to be a little bit suspicious of advertising messages for this reason. However, when your local newspaper runs a feature article about your business as a result of a news release that you sent to the editor, consumers generally don't stop and think that the story started with a promotional message from the company. A story in the newspaper is generally considered to

be much more credible than an advertisement in the newspaper. The reason for this is the third party endorsement effect associated with having someone outside your company saying good things about it. The best marketing plans include a mixture of advertising and publicity. It's important that you understand the differences between these two forms of communication so that you can make sound decisions about the ideal mix for your organization.

Advertising is the process of letting the public know of the new product or service or of any alterations to the existing one with the main aim of offering it for sale to gain profit. Advertising can be done through all sorts of media. Publicity is informing the world about news events or ground breaking developments in the company through radio, television, magazines, pamphlets, or newspapers. The publicity is usually picked up by news or industry related media and is not a paid advertisement.

1. Paid Space or Free Coverage

Advertising: The company pays for ad space. You know exactly when that ad will air or be published. Public Relations: Your job is to get free publicity for the company. From news conferences to press releases, you're focused on getting free media exposure for the company and its products/services.

2. Creative Control Vs. No Control

Advertising: Since you're paying for the space, you have creative control on what goes into that ad. Public Relations: You have no control over how the media presents your information, if they decide to use your info at all. They're not obligated to cover your event or publish your press release just because you sent something to them.

3. Shelf Life

Advertising: Since you pay for the space, you can run your ads over and over for as long as your budget allows. An ad generally has a longer shelf life than one press release.

Public Relations: You only submit a press release about a new product once. You only submit a press release about a news conference once. The PR exposure you receive is only circulated once. An editor won't publish your same press release three or four times in their magazine.

4. Wise Consumers

Advertising: Consumers know when they're reading an advertisement they're trying to be sold a product or service. "The consumer understands that we have paid to present our selling message to him or her, and unfortunately, the consumer often views our selling message very guardedly," Paul Flowers, president of Dallas-based Flowers & Partners, Inc., said. "After all, they know we are trying to sell them."

Public Relations: When someone reads a third-party article written about your product or views coverage of your event on TV, they're seeing something you didn't pay for with ad dollars and view it differently than they do paid advertising.

"Where we can generate some sort of third-party 'endorsement' by independent media sources, we can create great credibility for our clients' products or services," Flowers said. 5. Creativity or a Nose for News

Advertising: In advertising, you get to exercise your creativity in creating new ad campaigns and materials. Public Relations: In public relations, you have to have a nose for news and be able to generate buzz through that news. You exercise your creativity, to an extent, in the way you search for new news to release to the media.

6. In-House or Out on the Town

Advertising: If you're working at an ad agency, your main contacts are your co-workers and the agency's clients. If you buy and plan ad space on behalf of the client like Media Director Barry Lowenthal does, then you'll also interact with media sales people. Public Relations: You interact with the media and develop a relationship with them. Your contact is not limited to in-house communications. You're in constant touch with your contacts at the print publications and broadcast media.

7. Target Audience or Hooked Editor

Advertising: You're looking for your target audience and advertising accordingly. You wouldn't advertise a women's TV network in a male-oriented sports magazine.

Public Relations: You must have an angle and hook editors to get them to use info for an article, to run a press release or to cover your event.

8. Limited or Unlimited Contact

Advertising: Some industry pros such as Account Executive Trey Sullivan have contact with the clients. Others like copywriters or graphic designers in the agency may not meet with the client at all. Public Relations: In public relations, you are very visible to the media. PR pros aren't always called on for the good news.

If there was an accident at your company, you may have to give a statement or on-camera interview to journalists. You may represent your company as a spokesperson at an event. Or you may work within community relations to show your company is actively involved in good work and is committed to the city and its citizens. 9. Special Events

Advertising: If your company sponsors an event, you wouldn't want to take out an ad giving yourself a pat on the back for being such a great company. This is where your PR department steps in.

Public Relations: If you're sponsoring an event, you can send out a press release and the media might pick it up. They may publish the information or cover the event.

10. Writing Style

Advertising: Buy this product! Act now! Call today! These are all things you can say in an advertisement. You want to use those buzz words to motivate people to buy your product. Public Relations: You're strictly writing in a no-nonsense news format. Any blatant commercial messages in your communications are disregarded by the media.

1. Advertising is paid form of ideas, goods and services while publicity is not paid by the sponsor. 2. Advertising comes from an identified sponsor while publicity comes from a neutral and impartial source. 3. Advertising is controllable by the organisation while publicity is not controllable because it comes from a neutral source. 4. Advertising is less credible in comparison to publicity while publicity is more credible because it comes from an impartial source.

5. Advertising is what you or your organisation says and promote about you or your organisation but publicity is what others say for you or your organisation. 6. In advertising same content is repeated by the sponsor while in publicity it is not generally possible. 7. Advertising always carries a positive message about your organisation because it is the content you pay for but publicity can be positive or negative because it comes from an impartial source. 8. In advertising you have full chance to show your creativity but in publicity creativity is limited because it comes from non paid source. 9. Advertising is targeted to the practicular audiences by the sponsor while in publicity it is not focused. 10. Most of the times in advertising social responsibility is ignored while in publicity special focus is given on social responsibility.

Steps in media planning:

Firstly, what is your target audience? All media plan cannot be formed without having your target audience. The target audience can be classified in terms of age, sex, income, education, occupation and other activities or behaviors. This details eventually helps the media planner to now understand the direction and strategically approach the media platforms that reaches the designated audience for the brand. Secondly, you need to set your media objectives and brand direction once you have your target audience, as in whats theme flow of message youre planning to use to reach and communicate with them. It is important that your objectives to be specific, measurable, results-oriented and time-bound. And yes, these goals must be in-line with your overall business and marketing objectives. In basic, how do you want the audience to see your brand? what is your brand equity? Check out my previous post on Brand Equity to measure and understand this step. Evaluate your medium of audiences. How many mode of communications do you need to reach your target audiences? Which group of audiences you need to focus and invest more? For example, Mc Donalds targets kids and adults (lunch meals) in Malaysia. As a

media planner, which would you want to invest more on? Of course in Mc Donalds case, they have have their strategic plans, just take this as an example of what I am trying to say here. Now, once you have identified and evaluate your target audiences, you have to now chose the right media platform that you would want to include in your media plan to buy later. In this case you have to see which media are suitable, and you must be able to select the main medium in order not to reach the same audience again and again. Most importantly is the value proposition. Cost effectiveness is very important in this process. What are the added value being offered to make this media selection effective in meeting its ROI? Have you studied your competitors ( brands) methods and mediums of advertising? You need not to follow what they do, especially when you have a good plan with you. But it is important for your also try to understand their strategy in order to set a counter strategy to reach your target audience, as your message not only must be a stand alone message, but a message which counters competitors offer too. With these understandings, youll be able to measure approximate budget on their advertising. Dont be afraid by the budget works. If competitor spends way higher than yours, then you have to be more strategic in your given ones. Once you have stated your budget and approved by the marketing department or client, then it is the time for your get your media scheduling done. How, When, and Which are the next questions. How youll be executing this media plan, and when each media platforms will be engaged and most importantly, which media platform are chosen with given budget, and of course.WHY is the most common question word youll be facing in this step! Create a year planner/table. List down all the chosen media platforms and plot the details on when and costing plans with payment terms to ease your media management after that. Infact, using this media schedule, youll be able to update your client on the upcoming media works, and past works too.

Limitations of dagmar :

Assessment of DAGMARThere are certain problems and limitations to DAGMAR which should be discussed. These include: Problems with the response hierarchyreliance on traditional hierarchical type response models is a problem in the original version of DAGMAR. However, the updated version of the model, DAGMAR MOD II, recognizes the need for a modified response hierarchy that is appropriate to the buying situation such as in high- versus low-involvement purchases. Problems with attitude-behavior relationshipsome criticize DAGMAR since it implies that movement through the hierarchy will lead to changes in attitudes and subsequent behavior. Problems with the assumption that attitudes are related to behavior are well documented. However, refinements in the measurement of attitudes and purchase intentions can reduce the significance of this problem. Sales objectivesproponents of sales objectives argue that communication objectives advocated by DAGMAR are a cop-out and a way of ignoring the basic goal of advertising which is to generate sales. They argue that since a communication objective is of interest only if it can be shown to be related to sales, why not simply use sales as the objective? Practicality and costsDAGMAR is criticized for being difficult to implement and practical only for big companies with large marketing and advertising research budgets who can afford to establish quantitative benchmarks and measure communication results. Inhibits creativityDAGMAR is also criticized on the grounds that it can inhibit creativity by imposing too much influence or structure on creatives. The creative department may become too concerned with passing the numbers test rather than developing great ideas that result in unique and effective advertising. Many advertising people have blamed the lack of great creative ideas and campaigns in the U.S. in recent years on an over quantification of advertising objectives. IMPORTANCE OF IMC

Integrated marketing communication is an important part of a company's overall marketing strategy. The goal of an integrated marketing communication strategy is to ensure that all communications remain consistent and convey the company's message in a way that adheres to its values, image and goals. Ensuring an integrated marketing strategy is often the responsibility of the chief marketing officer of an organization or its director of marketing communication.

Reasons

When a single person does all the marketing for an organization, it's fairly certain that all marketing communications will be consistent with each other and present the same brand image. However, at larger organizations, several different departments can be responsible for marketing messages, in addition to messages coming from sales and communications created by outside agencies. The possibility of confusion, or at least different styles of communication going out on different channels, without intent, are great without an integrated communication strategy.

Pitfalls of Not Pursuing an Integrated Marketing Communication Strategy

The pitfalls of not having an integrated marketing strategy are great. Inconsistent messages can lead to consumer confusion. They can also make the brand's image fragmented. Serious problems, such as contradictory promotions going out, are also possible.

Proliferation of Channels

The proliferation of channels for marketing, ranging from social media to email, broadcast advertising to direct mail, makes it even more important to have an integrated marketing communication strategy in place. More channels can increase the odds of an inconsistent message going out if a central directing strategy in not in place.

Organizational Communication

Consistent communication is important within an organization as well. Ensuring that all employees receive consistent messaging ensures that they can convey the right messages to customers at all times. FUNCTIONS OF AD AGENCY

Businesses, small and large, hire advertising agencies to help them promote their products, services, events and causes. Advertising agencies work with companies to create memorable campaigns that will produce maximum sales and visibility. They assist companies in determining the appropriate media to advertise in. They help companies clearly identify their target markets and focus on reaching them with well-crafted marketing messages. Account Planning

Advertising agencies typically have account planners who work as the go-between for the client and the agent. They ensure that client needs are expressed to the research and creative teams. They also work to ensure that necessary information is transferred to the client regarding creative, research, competition or any of other factor that may somehow affect how the client's product gets marketed to consumers. Account planning is where agencies start their initial interaction with clients.

Marketing Research

Advertising agencies work with companies to establish the characteristics of their target markets through marketing research. From holding focus groups to conducting surveys online and in person, advertising agencies spend a substantial amount of time researching consumers to understand what they buy and what motivates them to buy.

Market Research

Knowing the competition, what they offer and the methods they use to attract customers is key, as businesses work to promote their products and services to gain market share. Because of this, account managers at advertising agencies research the environment, identifying competitors, and researching their companies and marketing tactics. Through

market research, advertising agencies also identify political, social, technological and economic factors that may affect a client's campaign.

Creative

Advertising agencies are known for their creative output, which can include website design, advertising copy, magazine advertisements, and radio and television commercials. The creative teams take research and the clients' wants and needs as expressed by the account manager, and produce creative advertising campaigns. The medium of advertising often varies by campaign. Graphic designers, web designers, writers, editors and creative directors make up an advertising agency's creative department.

Selling Advertising Space

Advertising agencies don't just create advertising pieces for clients; they also give clients insight as to which media will be most effective for their product, service, event or cause. In the process, they work to secure advertising placements for customers either online, in print, on billboards, on television or on the radio. They negotiate terms and work to get clients the best deals to maximize their dollars and their reach. AGENT CLIENT RELATIONSHIP
When an individual or an organization employs an advertising agency to assist in undertaking promotional activities, a number of factors are involved to ensure that the agency-client relationship runs smoothly. However, for the advertiser, as the relationship develops there can be changes in attitudes toward the advertising agency. This paper analyzes the responses of 82 advertisers regarding different elements in the advertising agency-client relationship and compares them across 4 stages in the agencyclient life cycle: (a) Inception, (b) Development, (c) Maintenance, and (d) Dissolution. The results of the survey provide some implications to assist in the understanding of agencyclient relationships at different times of the life cycle.