The phrase “the power of advertising” is bandied about across all industries and exists in small, family-run businesses in virtually the same way as large, national, and even multi-national ones. 

These days, with the rise and takeover of the internet, e-commerce, e-mail chains and other proven-to-be-effective forms of target marketing, every business will need to consider advertising in one way or another to get ahead of the competition. Read on to understand why. 

Advertising: A Brief Examination

The sad truth is that, whether you like it or not, in the modern world you are constantly exposed to advertising—be that through e-mail marketing chains, target marketing on social media, leaflets and brochures from your local supermarket in the mail, and on billboards and the side of trucks. 

Companies both large and small and indeed, across the wide spectrum of industry, use every possible means of raising awareness of the products they sell and the services they provide—meaning that many of the visual images you are exposed to on a daily basis have a commercial intent and motivation behind them. 

The Beginnings of Commercial Advertising 

In 2019, approximately five billion dollars was spent on advertising worldwide, proving beyond a shadow of a doubt the influence and importance of marketing strategies for the growth and expansion of businesses across the globe.

In contrast, pre-1900s, advertising was much more focused on informing the reader, rather than persuading them to part with their hard-earned money, and what is more, adverts were almost exclusively localized; this is what would now be described as micro-marketing. 

Target Advertising 

Target advertising is essential and as such—especially for a print business or another similar company within the same industry—the true power behind increasing brand awareness and creating a buzz around your products is to make sure the right kind of people are aware your company exists. 

Target advertising is, on the one hand, the most powerful tool for companies and on the other, splits the general population into two different camps.

For some, the appearance of eerily similar advertisements when they are browsing online to other websites they have viewed is disturbing and they feel as if their privacy is being invaded; whereas others enjoy the more customized experience when surfing the internet.

What Can an Effective Advertising Campaign Do for Your Business?

At the heart of modern advertising campaigns lies the attempt to connect a service or product with a positive experience or feeling in whoever is reading the advert. For example, if a leading brand of candle manufacturers position their new and exciting scent of candle visually in a warm, Hygge-like living room amidst cozy rugs and plush cushions, the emotions associated with the image will make the reader aspire to that level of warmth and comfort.

Just as there are a standardized set of tropes in the world of novel and scriptwriting, so too are there images which are closely associated with feeling, sensation, experience, or the time of year. For example, when you see a peppermint candy cane, you immediately think of the holiday season or when you see a bustling, brightly lit casino in Las Vegas, fun and excitement flood your veins.