(UNIT 4) LAST MIN REVISION

SYLLABUS:

Unit-4.Research in Advertising, Planning. Execution,  Copy research, Market research, Ethical aspects of advertising, advertising and Pressure groups, Emerging trends.

Research in Advertising

• Research in advertising means collecting information to make better advertisements.

• It helps to know about the target audience, market trends, competition, and ad effectiveness.

• Research is done before, during, and after the ad campaign.

Example:
Before launching the Jio mobile network, Reliance Industries did deep research about internet usage patterns in India.

Planning in Advertising

• Planning means setting clear goals for the ad campaign — what to say, whom to say it to, and how.

• It involves understanding the product, the market, and the customer.

• Includes budget setting, media choice, creative direction.

Example:
Amul plans its campaigns around daily news, which is why their ads are always timely and relatable.

Execution in Advertising

• Execution is the action stage — where ideas are turned into real advertisements.

• It includes designing layouts, filming commercials, recording radio ads, publishing banners, etc.

• Good execution ensures the creative idea looks good in the final product.

Example:
The Zomato "Delivery under 10 minutes" TV ad was carefully executed to show speed and trust.

Copy Research

• Copy research means testing the advertisement content (headline, text, visuals, slogans) before it goes live.

• It checks whether people like the ad, understand it, and remember it.

• Pre-testing helps avoid mistakes and improve effectiveness.

Example:
Before releasing their “Share a Coke” campaign in India, Coca-Cola tested the idea with Indian names like "Raj", "Aditi", "Arjun" on bottles.

Market Research

• Market research is about studying the market: what customers want, what competitors offer, and what gaps exist.

• Helps brands to decide pricing, promotion, distribution strategies.

• Market research can be surveys, focus groups, interviews, or observing consumer behavior.

Example:
Maruti Suzuki used market research to understand that Indian families prefer affordable, fuel-efficient cars like the Alto.

Ethical Aspects of Advertising

• Ethics in advertising means being honest, truthful, and responsible.

• Avoids false claims, hurting religious feelings, promoting harmful products.

• Laws like the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) guidelines protect consumers.

Examples of Ethical Issues:

• Fair & Lovely (now Glow & Lovely) was criticized for promoting fairness as beauty.

• Horlicks once faced flak for exaggerated claims about children's growth.

Advertising and Pressure Groups

• Pressure groups are organized groups that influence advertising decisions.

• They protest against ads that are sexist, vulgar, misleading, or culturally insensitive.

• They push companies to change or stop certain ads.

Examples in India:

• Tanishq's 2020 ad showing an interfaith marriage was pulled down after protests from pressure groups.

• Patanjali ads have also faced complaints about exaggerated health claims.

Emerging Trends in Advertising

1. Digital Advertising Boom:

   • More ads are seen on Instagram, YouTube, Facebook than on TV.

   • Example: Cred App ads with celebrities like Rahul Dravid ("Indiranagar ka Gunda") went viral online.

2. Influencer Marketing:

   • Brands collaborate with social media influencers.

   • Example: Mamaearth uses Instagram beauty influencers to promote skincare products.

3. Personalized Advertising:

   • Ads are tailored to individual interests using data.

   • Example: Amazon shows product ads based on your past searches.

4. Sustainability Focus:

   • Ads now promote eco-friendly values.

   • Example: Tata Motors EV ads focus on electric cars to support environment-friendly driving.

5. Interactive and AR/VR Ads:

   • Augmented Reality (AR) experiences are used.

   • Example: Lenskart offers virtual try-ons through their app.

6. Purpose-driven Advertising:

   • Ads promote social causes along with products.

   • Example: Surf Excel's "Daag Ache Hain" links dirt with positive values like kindness and helping.

Conclusion

Advertising today is not just about selling products; it involves deep research, careful planning, ethical responsibility, and adapting to new trends. Indian brands like Amul, Tata, and Zomato are good examples of companies using smart research, ethical practices, and emerging technologies to succeed in modern advertising.