“Quintessence of Advertising- changing with the changing Times”

Leo Burnett rightly said, “I have learned that any fool can write a bad ad, but that it takes a real genius to keep his hands off a good one.” Thus, in today’s agile and competitive business environment, its not just about the product but also about the way a product is advertised and positioned in the minds of the customers that determines the fortunes and growth trajectory of an organization, enabling it to win the hearts and eyes of its customers.

Anything ranging from a product or service to a place or an idea like that of world peace by the UN or the campaign for national sanitation by Bollywood actor, Vidya Balan can be advertised. Apart from helping to boost a company’s revenues, advertising can also be effectively used to disseminate important information for the benefit of an individual, nation or the world at large. An effective advertisement needs to be a perfect blend of creativity and knowledge. It must grab the attention of potential customers and portray the products’ features in the most lucid manner, compelling the viewers to the desired action. An advertiser needs to step into the customers’ shoes and make him feel empowered.

The omnipresence of advertising activities can be traced back to the ancient civilizations. During the ancient times, oral advertising and magnificent wall or rock paintings and posters on the walls highlighting political campaigns or commercial messages were commonplace. In China, bamboo flutes used to be played to sell candies. The revolutionizing phase of widespread advertising through newspapers, television and radio followed with advancements in the capitalist economies.

Charles Darwin’s belief that it is not the strongest species that survives, nor the most intelligent one but the one that is most adaptable to change holds substantial pragmatic connotations for being a champion in one’s business sector. Being on the right path is necessary but not sufficient. Constantly changing and looking for a better path with a competitive advantage is the need of the hour. Modern organizations have embraced the same. With advancements in internet and technology, the advertising industry has witnessed a sea change. Ad agencies like WPP plc, Ogilvy & Mather, Leo Burnett and Mudra Communications have gained unprecedented prominence.

An umpteen number of trends have emerged in the discipline of advertising.

Augmented reality campaigns have become more than a big thing. It provides an enhanced view of the real world around by using computer generated graphics. The customers get to experience the product/service the way it is meant to be used even before purchasing it by providing a 3-D image of the product by using Artificial Intelligence. Katrina Kaif recently became a part of the “how do I look” campaign of lenskart.com wherein the consumers can go for online 3-D trial before making an actual purchase and can also share their look on social media to take suggestions from their friends. IKEA also helps in making the optimal purchase decisions by placing the furniture in one’s home with augmented reality. The freely available ‘IKEA Place’ app allows consumers to virtually test drive furniture and desired home goods. Statistics show that the augmented reality market size could be as high as 150 billion USD by 2020.

Omni Channel marketing also has a ubiquitous presence. Companies which were earlier online based have started coming offline. Amazon recently opened its brick and mortar store in New York. In the same way, offline companies have started entering the online space. This approach assists consumers by providing a seamless shopping experience, no matter which medium they select. The sources and quality of requisite information increase manifold. Another invaluable opportunity is using Video marketing to reach a wide and diverse consumer spectrum with the best ‘return on investment.’ It lets marketers learn about the various intricacies like the amount of content viewed in different geographical locations. It is an attractive option good for freelancers, small businesses and multinational corporations alike. Social proof, wherein people assume actions of others in an attempt to confirm and reflect the right behaviour in various situations is also becoming indispensable for establishing brand equity. Certification blue check marks on the Facebook and Instagram pages of brands, including size of customer base in their bio, endorsements by experts and celebrities on their pages are instrumental in ensuring the success of advertising campaigns. Digital advertising is surely a promising avenue. Awareness about a brand can also be increased by deploying chatbots- one to one messaging apps that use the power of computer to mimic human conversations and enhance customer relations.

It is beyond imagination how the advertising industry would shape itself in near future. One thing is sure, the industry is bound to witness tremendous growth. In Henry Ford’s words, “A man who stops advertising to save money is like a man who stops a clock to save time.” The very essence of advertising would never change: Making organizations stand tall and ensuring that they never ever fall; ensuring that the customer base grows and the products’ USP everybody knows.