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REVIEW QUESTIONS
12-4. Explain how newspapers vary based on frequency of publication, format and
size, and circulation.
Most newspapers are published either daily or weekly. Daily newspapers are usually
Newspapers typically are available in two sizes. The first, called the tabloid, consists
of five or six columns, each of which is about 2 inches wide and has a length of
The word circulation refers to the number of copies a newspaper sells and is the
primary way newspapers’ reach is measured and compared with the reach of other
media. A few newspapers have a national circulation. Some newspapers try to reach
12-5. Explain how newspaper readership is determined and measured, and how
readership differs from circulation?
Newspapers measure their audiences to assess their performance and spot growth
opportunities. They also use readership data to attract advertisers who want to reach
their readers. Newspapers obtain objective measures of newspaper circulation and
readership by subscribing to one or both of the following auditing companies, the
12-6. What are the advantages of magazine advertising?
Most American adults read at least one magazine per month, and they spend more
time with magazines that with other print media. Color and quality of reproduction
are the biggest strengths of magazines. They allow the advertiser’s products and
brand image to be presented in a format superior to the quality of newspapers. People
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12-7. What is the greatest advantage of using outdoor advertising? Directory
advertising?
Outdoor advertisinghas the advantage of being a high-impact medium offering
larger-than-life visuals, on a hard-to-ignore structure. It is valued as a directional
medium because it tells someone how to find a business establishment. It can also
Because people have taken the initiative to look for a business or service, the listing is
reaching an audience already in need of something. Therefore, directory advertising
12-8. How can radio be used most effectively, and what are the advantages and
limitations of advertising on radio?
To maximize the impact of a radio spot, timing is critical and depends upon
understanding when the target audience is most likely to be responsive. For example,
restaurants run spots before meals; auto dealerships run spots on Friday and Saturday,
The advantages of radio are that it ishighly targeted and inexpensive. Although radio
may not be a primary medium for most businesses, it does have excellent reminder
and reinforcement capability and is great about building frequency through repetition,
particularly if the message can be delivered through a jingle. It’s a great tool for
One problem for radio is that it plays in the background for many of our activities.
Although the radio is on, the multitasking listener may not really be listening to or
12-9. How can television be used most effectively, and what are the advantages and
limitations of advertising on television?
A media buyer must be thoroughly familiar with all of the various television options,
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participations, and spot announcements through their affiliates. In turn, local affiliates
allow local sponsorships, spot announcements, and national spots. Cable systems
Advantages:Because of its mass appeal and wide reach, television advertising is the most
cost-effective way to deliver a mass media message to a large audience. Television also has a buzz
factor with viewers talking with friends about their favorite programs. In addition, television
Limitations: The commercial breaks between programs can be difficult time slots for
advertisers because there is a great deal of clutter from competing commercials,
station breaks, and public service announcements. Wasted reach, or communication
directed at an audience that may not fit the advertiser’s target market, is another
problem. In addition, viewers may become disinterested and zip (fast forward) or zap
12-10. What are trailers and how are they used as an advertising form?
Movie theaters, particularly the large chain theaters, sell time at the beginning of their
film showings for commercials, called trailers, which are movie previews. Most of
12-11. How can movie advertising be used most effectively, and what are its
advantages and limitations?
Movie advertising can be targeted to a certain extent by the nature of the film and the
rating, such as G or PG. Some films, such as The Five Year Engagement, drew an
audience that was heavily female, while other action films, such as Dredd 3D, draws
Advantages:Movie trailers are one of the fastest growing types of advertising because
of advances in digital technology.Trailers are valued by advertisers because they play
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Limitations:The captive audience dimension is also the biggest disadvantage of movie
trailers because people who have paid $6-$15for a ticket resent the intrusion. They
12-12. What is a website, and how does it differ from other forms of advertising?
A website is a collection of Web pages, images, videos or other digital assets that is
hosted on one or several Web server(s), usually accessible via the Internet, cell phone
12-13. Define and describe a banner ad. Some experts say the effectiveness of
banner ads is declining. Why would that be?
Small ads on other Web pages that lure visitors to switch pages are called banner ads.
Visitors can click on them to move to the advertised website. Banners have become
commonplace on websites, so they are not as engaging as they once were. And, as
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
12-14.You are the media planner for an agency handling a small chain of upscale
furniture outlets in a medium-sized metro market that concentrates most of its advertising
in the Sunday supplement of the local newspaper. The client also schedules display ads in
the daily editions for special sales. Six months ago a new, high-style metropolitan
magazine approached you about advertising for your client. You deferred a decision by
saying you’d see what reader acceptance would be. Now the magazine has shown some
steady increases. If you were to include magazines on the ad schedule, you’d have to
reduce the newspaper media somewhat. What would be your recommendation to the
furniture store owner?
The decision to switch some of the newspaper budget to the new magazine can come
only after assessing the situation a little more. The upscale magazine is a better
editorial match for the upscale store environment. Is the magazine circulation
duplicating newspaper readership or is it exposing new audiences to the furniture
store? If media objectives are to build reach, the magazine would have to be
contacting new viewers, but if media goals are to build frequency, then the magazine
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12-15.You are a sales rep working for a college newspaper that has an online version.
How would you attract advertising? One of your colleagues says there is no market for
online advertising for the paper, but you think the paper is missing an opportunity.
Consider the following questions in deciding whether online advertising for the paper
makes sense: What companies would you recommend to contact? How can Internet sites
like your online newspaper entice companies to advertise on them? What competitive
advantage, if any, would Web advertising for your paper provide?
The Internet as an advertising medium is very viable as an additional channel of
communication that will continue to have a place in the media mix. Internet sites can
attract advertisers with reasonable rates and assistance in creating an effective ad,
Interactivity is the strongest advantage of Internet advertising and tends to be the
most misused or unused aspect of the medium. Advertisers are still exploring ways to
Through research we know that young people use the Internet extensively and in fact
are willing to try new associated technologies. As a sales rep, you need to appeal to
Newspapers have been pioneers in Internet advertising. As the text tells us, bigger
12-16. You are a major agency media director who has just finished a presentation to a
prospective client in convenience food marketing where you recommend increasing the
use of local radio and television advertising in spot markets. During the Q-and-A period,
a client representative says: “We know that network television viewers’ loyalty is nothing
like it was ten or even five years ago because so many people now turn to cable, VCRs,
and the Web. There are smaller audiences per program each year, yet television time costs
continue to rise. Do you still believe we should consider commercial television as a
primary medium for our company’s advertising?” Another member of the client team
questions whether broadcast is effective given the clutter on both radio and television
with long commercial pods. “Why shouldn’t we decrease our use of broadcast
advertising?” How would you answer? Develop an argument in support of either
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increasing or decreasing the use of broadcast advertising for this client.
Everything the representative said is true, but they are not reasons to abandon
commercial network and network affiliate advertising. Commercial television is still a
mass medium that has the power of impact and the ability to deliver mass audiences,
TAKE-HOME PROJECTS
12-17. Portfolio Project: You have been asked by the director of your school’s student
union to make a chart of all the traditional media serving your market to use in promoting
the center’s 50th anniversary events. Develop a profile for each medium giving the key
characteristics, such as type of programming (for broadcast), the type of audience
reached, the products commonly advertised, and the appropriateness of this medium as an
advertising vehicle for the center’s special celebration. At the end of your media analysis,
identify the top three that you would recommend and explain why.
Information needed to prepare the chart can be readily obtained from the various
chapters in the textbook that discuss media. In order to prepare an effective analysis
you must consider the dynamics of each media. Review the audience selectivity,
12-18. Mini-Case Analysis: Aflac has been an award-winning campaign for years. How
important do you think the “voice of the brand” is? Why not have multiple quacking
ducks? Explain how its media use has contributed to its success. In particular, describe
how the media mix has evolved. If you were a member of the team planning the next
year’s campaign, what other media might be useful?
The duck has a voice that is essential to the brand awareness. When the duck’s voice
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was silenced, the company and agency moved with lightning speed to restore it with a
multiplatform communication effort, asking America to “answer the duck’s call” at
A combination of traditional (TV and print) and new media (Aflac website) was used
to first develop awareness of the brand and then move the consumer toward brand
comprehension. Television is still Aflac’s dominant medium, however this traditional
media and interactive digital media have become inexorably intertwined and critical
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