NEED FOR AN ADVERTISING AGENCY

NEED FOR AN ADVERTISING AGENCY

Manufacturers cannot look after all the promotional activities especially under the principle of specialization. Organizations with adequate financial resources set up a separate department for this purpose. Such an arrangement would be beyond the reach of medium or small scale producers. These would hire some specialized people. Advertising is one such field where manufacturers have two options to conduct their advertising for themselves or to hand over the job to a specialist. Advertising Agency undertakes the specialized job of advertising for and on behalf of others. It has specialized skills and experience that a manufacturer cannot duplicate except at a considerable expense. Even large firms have started depending on advertising agencies because these ‘in the market ‘. Advertising is a complicated affair and it success primarily depends upon constant advertisement research and media research, etc. Most of the present day advertising is done by advertising agencies. No manufacturer in fact, is prevented from advertising himself, without the aid of an outside agency.

SELECTION OF ADVERTISING AGENCY:

The selection of an advertising agency is not an easy task. The advertiser decides to

use an agency to secure additional talent to help him plan and carry out an advertising

Programmed. The problem of selection is one of the evaluating the skills and capacities of an agency. There is no standard yardstick to measure the efficiency of such an agency.

The following points should be considered while choosing an advertising agency.

(i) Financial soundness

(ii) General reputation.

(iii) Facilities and abilities available.

(iv)  Size and abilities available

(v)  Size and adequacy of the staff.

(vi)  Basis of remuneration.

(vii) Relationship they maintain with advertiser.

(viii) Products advertised.

(ix) Availability

(x) Relation with media – owners.

Whatever be the basis of the selection, the relationship between the advertiser and the

agency should be cordial after an agency is selected. The success of an advertising

programme depends much on the mutual trust, confidence and understanding between

the two. The advertising agency should not be mere’ yes man’ of the advertiser. It

should be capable of giving him objective advice.

SERVICES OF AN ADVERTISING AGENCY

The services of an advertising agency in general can be summarized as follows:

1. It makes the advertisements pleasant and serves the purpose.

2. It can get the advertisements published at the appropriate times.

3. It can help the advertiser in the preparation of the advertising budget.

4. It can free the advertiser from the botheration of contacting the media owners of all types as and when necessary.

5. It can do market research for the advertiser at a lesser cost.

6. It can also help the advertiser in designing the trade mark, packages and labels and wrappers for the goods to be sold. It can do all types of jobs connected with the printing work.

7. It can do sales promotion work.

8. It can design window displays and arrange for a systematic change in the arrangement of the things in the windows from time to time.

ADVANTAGES OF THE ADVERTISING AGENCY:

1. For small advertisers – It is more profitable to use services of an agency than to keep a separate publicity department.

2. Expert Advice – Being a specialized agency it could offer expert advice.

3. Obtaining space on easy terms – Because of the close association with media owners it can obtain space at competitive rates.

4. Employment – An advertising agency provides employment opportunities to artists and similar skilled people.

5. Other Help – Besides advertising agency offers help in other marketing activities such as marketing research, test marketing, etc., members belonging to a profession such as Solicitors, Advocates, Physicians, Auditors and the like are not allowed to advertise due to custom and professional etiquette and in accordance with the rules and regulations.

R.Yuvarani

M.Phil, Scholar, Department of Commerce,

Periyar University, Salem-11