Question

Summarize three advantages and three disadvantages of using radio advertising and three advantages and three disadvantages of advertising on TV.

Present three recommendations that you would make to an entrepreneur who is interested in considering TV or radio to advertise a product or service.

Answer 1

Let us first see the advantages of using radio advertising:

• One of the greatest advantage of using radio advertising is that it is cost effective. One can promote whatever they want to without paying a really high price for it. So, affordability is one major advantage of radio advertising, especially when we compare it with TV advertising.
• Another advantage of using radio advertising is the portability of the message. People have radios in their cars, inside their homes and even on their phones. So, there is a good chance that whatever a person is advertising will be heard by the audience. It has a wide coverage and can be accessed easily. One also has the liberty to choose whether they want to advertise at the national, regional or international level.
• One also has the flexibility to place their advertisement at different moments during a radio program. So, while buying an advertising package, they can choose to present the advertisement at moments where many people are tuned in.

Now, let us see some disadvantages of using radio advertising:

• One major disadvantage is that the visual cues are missing. Sometimes, people are able to better relate to an advertisement when it is accompanied with visuals. However, this is not possible in radio advertising.
• Another disadvantage is that people have divided attention while listening to the radio and are often indulged in other activities such as driving or cooking. Thus, the advertisement may not get the necessary attention.
• Time duration can also be a disadvantage as radio advertisements are usually quick and short. Thus, the details of what one is advertising cannot be told.

Having seen the advantages and disadvantages of radio advertising, let us now see the advantages and disadvantages of using TV advertising-

Advantages

• Advertising on TV can draw attention quickly as it is a combination of both auditory and visual elements. Thus, an advertisement on TV has a higher chance of making an impact as people are able to better relate to it. This is because different factors such emotions of the audience can be targeted through TV.
• Another advantage is that today virtually everyone has a television so one can reach a large audience around the country and spread their message. Also, when one sees an advertisement that they liked, they have the tendency to talk about it to other people. So, the product is advertised via word of mouth at the same time.
• People tend to watch TV when they are not indulged in anything else. So,there is a high chance that their complete attention is devoted to it. Thus, the probability of the advertisement being seen is much higher simply because people watch more TV and pay more attention when compared to the radio.

Let us now see some disadvantages of TV advertising

• A major disadvantage is that TV advertisements are costly and can leave a hole in your pocket. This is simply because of the advantages TV advertisements offer. However, these advantages come at a serious cost. It is also costly to make changes to these advertisements.
• People also have the tendency to change the channel or mute it during advertisements. So, the advertisement is totally missed and people may not see it.
• Another disadvantage is that the advertisements are not permanent like a hoarding or something in print media, so they have to be shown multiple times so that people can see it and remember it. This increases the cost as well.

My three recommendations to an entrepreneur would be:

1. Always consider your finances before deciding whether you want to advertise on the radio or the TV. Both mediums have their advantages and disadvantages and ultimately the cost of advertising can become the deciding factor. So, the entrepreneur must have his finances in order and then take their decision.
2. Always study the viewership or the average listeners at a point of time before buying your package. If you want to really make a difference, then the placement of your advertisement should be at a time when more people have the tendency to be present. Thus, the entrepreneur should keep statistics in their mind.
3. My last recommendation would be to do a proper demographic study in order to determine the target audience depending on the product they are advertising. For example, if a new gaming console is being advertised, it will have greater impact on the younger generation than the older one.