Advertising is one of the most visible activities of business. By inviting people to try their products, companies risk public criticism and attack if their advertising displeases or offends the audience or if their products don’t measure up to the advertised promise. Proponents of advertising say it’s therefore safer to buy advertised products because, when a company’s name and reputation are on the line, it tries harder to fulfill its promises (especially when it lists product benefits).
John O’Toole, the late chair of Foote, Cone & Belding and president of the American Association of Advertising Agencies, pointed out that many critics attack advertising because it isn’t something else. Advertising isn’t journalism, education, or entertainment—although it often performs the tasks of all three. To go back to Albert Lasker’s original definition, advertising is salesmanship in print (or in today’s parlance, in the paid space and time of mass media). As a means of communication, advertising shares certain traits of journalism, education, and entertainment, but it shouldn’t be judged by those standards. Sponsors advertise because they hope it will help them sell some product, service, or idea
Depending on the type of product, marketers need to either educate or remind consumers about product benefits and features. Traditionally, companies with established product lines need to have a promotional message that reminds consumers about why they should buy or continue to buy certain