An advertisement is a print ad designed to look like editorial content, often containing information about new products or services. It is paid advertising, but appears objective and can attract consumers who prefer information over images. Some publications contain only advertising content, and while some carry disclaimers, readers are expected to know the difference.
A term that combines the words “editorial” and “advertisement,” an advertisement refers to a type of print advertisement designed to resemble editorial content. An advertisement is written in the form of an objective opinion editorial and may resemble news about a product or service. Like any other form of advertising, an advertisement is a paid placement in a magazine, newspaper, or other print publication, but it’s a less obvious form of advertising than traditional ads.
Advertisements often contain information about a new product or technological advances in existing services. An advertisement is written similar to a press release and often contains scientific research statistics, consumer trends, or other authoritative information. While it may seem like an objective opinion, an advertisement is actually paid advertising. There may or may not be a disclaimer printed with the ad telling readers it is advertising.
A concept popularized by Mobile Oil’s revised marketing strategies in the early 1970s, classified ads have proven to be an effective means of marketing a company or product. Just like product placement, an advertisement is a non-obvious form of advertising that can attract the attention of the consumer audience as they believe they are learning useful information that can guide them to a consumer decision rather than being blatantly sold a product or service. Although an advertisement appears objective, there is no negativity because it is paid advertising, making it non-objective.
Advertisements work well for products and services where information sells better than images. Products and services often advertised include dietary supplements, cosmetic procedures, sporting goods, training programs and travel agencies.
In a print publication where an advertisement appears, there are typically subtle differences between the advertisement and the remaining content. Sometimes they can be identified by their appearance because they are printed in a different font or on different paper than the rest of the publication. Sometimes, depending on the type of publication, an advertiser may appear as a single insert rather than being printed directly in the publication as a copy.
While many advertisements carry disclaimers in the fine print, there are some publications that contain strictly advertising content – especially in the travel industry. Many people consider it less ethical, but companies generally expect readers to know the difference between genuine news and advertising.
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