Advertising sometimes overwhelms the senses in its effort to deliver information.
Famous ad man David Ogilvy once said astutely, "I do not regard advertising as entertainment or an art form, but as a medium of information." Whatever else advertising is trying to do, whether with words or pictures, its purpose always is to impart information. The information isn't always about a product or service, though. Advertising serves everything from politics to social consciousness to get across a message.
A common perception of advertising is related to solicitation, or encouraging consumers to purchase the goods and services of a company or organization. Advertising can be found in the form of print advertisements in newspapers and magazines, billboards, telephone directories, fliers, and mailers, or in electronic media such as the Internet, radio, and television. This type of advertising typically promotes a particular product or service, introduces a new offering, or promotes a sale or upcoming event.
Marketing and promotional efforts use advertising as a vehicle to move forward the agenda or image of a person, group, organization or event. For example, a music concert promoter may use advertising as a method for elevating the image of his client and his upcoming music tour. A promotion in this sense is a form of advertising that does not always urge consumers to make an immediate purchase, but compels them to become more interested in and invested in the subject of the ads.
Advertising campaigns designed to raise awareness employ many of the same principals of solicitation advertising. These advertising messages are not trying to sell the consumer something, but are working to make them aware of an issue. Examples include approaches used by nonprofit and community organizations to inform the public about issues such as shortages in blood banks, pollution in cities, or the importance of particular medical screenings.
Advertising is frequently used as a vehicle for educating and informing the public about various issues. For example, the advertising campaign of a road safety coalition might focus on the potential consequences of driving without a seatbelt by providing statistical information and disturbing images. Political campaigns also use education and information in advertising by promoting voting records, stands on issues, and credentials for office.
Advertising can be used to criticize or put down competition. Consider billboards that denounce the actions of a county commissioner up for re-election, or fliers that provide voters with detailed accounting of wasteful government spending. In this instance, the individual or organization purchasing advertising is not trying to sell a product or raise awareness of an issue, but is looking for an effective way to create negative publicity for another entity in order to gain an advantage.
McQuerrey, Lisa. "What Best Explains the Purpose of Advertising?" Small Business - Chron.com, http://smallbusiness.chron.com/explains-purpose-advertising-36432.html. Accessed 19 April 2019.