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Direct Mail:
Strengths:
Selectivity-target audience based on need
Highly measurable
Ability to convey detailed messages and to deliver product sample
Weaknesses:
Low penetration
High associated costs especially for narrow demographic targets
Negative image-"junk mail"
Because 16% of Americans
relocate every year, companies in this industry are challenged to maintain
accurate databases. On average you can expect that nearly half (48%)
of all direct mail is thrown away, unopened, and only about 7% of recipients
respond.
Internet:
Strengths:
Flexibility-easily and cost-effectively updated
Highly interactive
Complements other advertising media
Weaknesses:
Limited measurement
standards
Limited to computer-oriented audience
Ad clutter from unsolicited banners can be annoying
Almost 40% of U.S.
households now have internet access. Even though average click through
rates for banner ads are low, banner ads are highly effective in raising
brand awareness.
Yellow Pages:
Strengths:
Users are
actively shopping
High awareness and usage
Time savings
Available around the clock, 24/7
Weaknesses:
Inflexibility and lack of timeliness of information due to average 15
month publication cycle
The Yellow Pages
cost effectively delivers customers who are ready to buy and enhances
the results of other advertising done by a business. Recent studies
show that directory advertising yielded a return on investment of five
to one in the top 132 headings.
Magazines:
Strengths:
Narrow target
audience
Extended shelf life
Ability to customize ads to region/individual
High reproduction quality
Weaknesses:
Long lead time limits flexibility
Limited distribution
Audience fragmentation due to increased titles and narrower markets
With the rate of
subscriptions climbing, an impressive 94% of Americans read magazines.
This medium creates a highly targeted consumer (or business base) for
the potential advertiser. Watch as more "ezines" surface on
the web.
Cable Television:
Strengths:
Product messaging
easily conveyed at a lower cost than network television
Targetability
Number of households with cable access continues to increase
Weaknesses:
Audience fragmentation
due to number of cable channel options
Ad clutter
Although 30% of
US homes do not have cable access, cable programming continues to gain
ground over network television. Basic cable is now capturing over ½
of all weekend viewing. In fact, network programming's hold on viewership
dropped from 64% to 56% in just 3 years.
Radio:
Strengths:
Targetability-stations
designed around best demographic
Quick production time; low production costs
Weaknesses:
Lack of retention
without high repetition
Creative limitation-no visuals
Ad clutter
This is the ideal
medium to reach consumers in their cars and to promote specialty products
or services that appeal to a specific audience. The key to radio is
frequency and ensuring that your message is heard often enough to be
retained.
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