Why Commercial Advertising is the Best Advertising

Commercial advertising. It's the most lucrative advertising there is. Most people think it costs a fortune, but the truth is, it really doesn't. Cable television has created a far more affordable market for commercial programming. Imagine if you could get a commercial of your company or product on television for as little as four dollars per thirty second spot. Would you do it? Or do you not understand why commercial advertising is the most effective form of advertising in the world today?

There are print ads, direct mailers, flyers, billboards, radio ads, emails and many other forms of marketing. It's everywhere. Face it, we're surrounded by advertorial messages daily. They all have their advantages and disadvantages but the one that seems to come out of top in every study is commercial advertising. Why is that? Let's think about it for a second.

Commercials are interactive. They speak to us on many levels. They attract us visually, and can connect to us on a personal level. A billboard or print ad may have a nice picture or a moving image but it doesn't speak to me. Ever try to sell funeral services to someone? A photo of a grieving family and a lovely coffin with a knowledgeable staff is great, but what about a commercial where an everyday person just like me or you stands there and just talks to the camera (to you) about how such and such funeral home was there when their father died and helped them when they didn't think they could walk another step without falling down. I connect to that. I feel for that person in their time of need and I link their good experience in such a terrible time to a good company. So, if I'm ever faced with that situation I'll remember that commercial and how that woman had such a great experience and I'll go there too.

Most people are visual learners. Radio ads are great because you can catch on to jingles, catchphrases and songs, but you have no visual to connect it with. Commercials can connect the auditory selling point to the actual product so when you see the product in the marketplace you instantly remember the auditory component.

Commercials reach an enormous audience. Millions upon millions of people can be reached in a single effort versus the posting of hundreds of billboards or mass mailing of brochures, flyers and coupons. Don't have enough time in a commercial to get all the information across? Not a problem. Provide a phone number or website for the consumer to visit to answer their questions. It's easy, just insert some text at the bottom of the screen and there you have it. Everything you need to advertise your product in one little package. Have a problem with not being able to reach a wide consumer base in terms of age, education, race, income or gender? Again, not a problem. People from every demographic watch television. They understand television. Let's face it, not everyone in the country is literate. Not everyone speaks English. Commercials, being a visual, auditory and emotional package, speak to everyone. Can you say that about a print ad? How about a radio spot? Let me answer that for you. No! Commercials can now also be broadcast on websites, sent in emails and used in interactive media CDs and DVDS. Commercials are by far the most effective form of advertising for most businesses.