Lawyer Marketing GuyLets Understand the Marketing…!

Print Media: Traditionally, print media, though an information-focused media, have a very heavy advertising component. As a general rule, newspapers and magazines format with a 1:1 advertising to information, or “editorial,” mix. (In traditionally-formatted newspapers and magazines, for every column inch of information, there is a column inch of advertising.)

As a result of this content mix, when people read newspapers and magazines, they expect to see advertising. Frequently, people read newspapers for their advertising content. Sales, movie listings, tire pricing, classifieds, and coupons are valuable and integral to the make-up of newspapers. Many travel, health, fashion, and sports magazines are purchased for their advertising content as much, or more, than for their information or entertainment content.

Advertising in print media – be it in newspapers, magazines, or yellow page directories – is often welcome; it is certainly expected. Though no publisher of note has tried it yet, industry experts have long held the position that were the advertising content to be removed from magazines and newspapers, readership would drop precipitously.

Broadcast Media: Contrast the way viewers feel about advertising in print media with the way viewers feel about advertising in broadcast media. When viewers watch television, they are doing so because they want to be entertained or, in the case of news or talk radio, informed. These viewers are decidedly not looking for advertising content.

Viewers see television and radio advertising as intrusive.

How do viewers respond to advertising in broadcast media? They hate it. Oft times, they switch channels, or get up from the sofa to take care of a quick chore. To say the least, viewers avoid advertising in broadcast media. Witness the rapid growth of commercial-free radio programming such as Web radio and XM Radio and the new generation of digital recording devices designed to edit out television advertising