Characteristics Used to Describe the Target Audience - Essay Example

Develop a media plan Course Name Professor’s Name Institutional Affiliation City and State Where Institution is Located Date 11. The following are the characteristics used to describe the target audience i) Demographics- The target audience demographic profile include such factors as age, gender, marital status, nationality, education, occupation and income. ii) Psychographic profile- this includes such factors as activities and interests, opinion and values, attitude and lifestyle of the target audience. iii) Social and cultural factors- these include such factors as the social and cultural factors of the target audience. iv) Behavioural characteristics- the behavioural profile of the target audience may include such factors as the benefits that the audience seeks for, the loyalty status of the buyer, the readiness stage of buyer and the target audience user status. V) Existing product usage of the target audience. 12. Principles and characteristics of various media types i) Television The television is a relatively old advertising media that is hailed for its ability to grab attention and create appeal through a combination of pictures, sound and motion. However, to achieve success, the media requires observing several principles including development of a clear concept, determining a target audience, making an impression and scheduling the spot. However, it is preferred for it ability to attract large audience with many audience being influenced by television. ii) Radio The radio is hailed as a high cover or high frequency medium operating for twenty four hours and is one of the oldest advertising media. Radio advertising is local in most cases though it also covers national and international fronts. Most radio stations will use many geographically distinct stations in broadcasting simultaneously. The main characteristics of radio advertising include its ability to reach a large audience with many people spending a substantial large amount of time listening to the radio every day. The radio is also a medium that is virtually anywhere. As stated above, it can reach specific demographics and hence advertisers can tailor make the adverts for such demographics. iii) Print publications These include such things as newspapers, magazines and special use publications. They are mainly intended to offer advertising opportunities at all geographic levels. They could be used for targeting specific niche or specialized interest areas and hence they are narrowly targeted when compared to broadcast media. They also offer an opportunity for advertisers to present their messages using high quality imagery with touch and scent offering. Their main advantage however is their ability to target local markets with special issue publications being very selective as they focus on extremely narrow topics. iv) Direct mail It is an advertising method that uses postal and related delivery services in shipping advertising materials to physical address of targeted customers. The method is the most effective when designed in such a way that it appears to be special to the target customer. This may be done by including a message recipient’s name on the address label. The method is very cost effective if mailings contain printed material due to the cot associated with printing high volume since most of the printing cost will be realized when a printing machine is initially set up to run a print job. However, the overall cost impression for direct mail could be very high since a large number of customers may discard the mailing before reading. However, when well-targeted, direct mails are very effective promotional tool. v) Internet advertising Internet advertising is considered the fastest growing advertising media with companies increasingly using resources for internet advertising. The increased budgets being used for internet advertising is attributed to internet’s ability to narrowly target an advertising message as well as track user response to the message advertised. The internet as an advertising media also offers a wide range of advertising options as messages are delivered through social media, website or through email. vi) Signs and billboards This is an advertising method that communicates the marketer’s message by placing advertising in geographically identified areas with an aim of catching the customer’s attention. These include the use of billboards that are located in high traffic areas. The billboards are of many sizes and are aimed at attracting interest of people that travel in the areas they are placed. They are considered effective advertising method for communicating simple ideas on display every day of the year and with electronic billboards, the message can be remotely updated whenever need arises. 13. Viral campaigns can be defined as the advertising campaigns or marketing strategy that is aimed at spreading information and opinions on a service or a product from person to person through the use of conventional means that include online social media such as the internet and the email. In other words it is an advertising technique making use of preexisting social networking services as well as other technology in trying to produce increases in brand awareness and achieving other marketing objectives including sale of products via self-replicating viral processes in a similar way to how viruses or computer viruses spread. This could be through the word of mouth or through enhancement by the mobile networks and internet network effects. 14. Guerrilla marketing- this is a marketing strategy where a firm will use surprise and unconventional interactions in a bid to promote a service or a product. It is different from traditional marketing strategies since it often makes reliance on personal interaction and of smaller budget. The strategy focuses on smaller groups of promoters who are responsible for getting the word out in certain location as opposed to relying on widespread media campaigns. 15. How legislation affect the design of the document and content i) Anti-discrimination legislation –the anti-discrimination legislation prohibits various kinds of discrimination. This includes discrimination on the basis of age, discrimination on the basis of disability, race and sex. The human rights commission act on the other hand prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, political opinion, national extraction, social origin, age, medical record, criminal record, marital or relationship status, impairment, mental, intellectual or psychiatric disability, physical disability, nationality, sexual orientation or trade union activity. Thus, in designing the document, I will have to ensure that it observes all the provisions of anti-discrimination laws. Thus, I will have to ensure that the document does not promote any form of discrimination both in its design and its contents as I try to get the message across to the target audience. ii) Ethical principles- the design and contents of the document must observe all the laid down ethical principles. The law requires that such a document observes a number of ethical principles including applying the principles of moral order, morally good advertising, it must not be manipulative, exploitative, motivation and corrupting methods of persuasion. The contents and the design of the document will therefore have to respect truthfulness never directly intending to deceive or distorting truth through implication of things that withhold relevant facts. The design and content of the document would have to respect the dignity of each human person while respecting social responsibilities. In other words, the need to apply ethical principles will greatly affect the design and the contents of the document I prepare. iii) Consumer protection laws –consumer protection laws require that regardless of the media used, the adverts have to be truthful, not misleading and if possible backed with scientific evidence. As such, I would have to ensure that in designing the document, both the design and contents are truthful with any claims made in the document being truthful. I would have to avoid any misleading claims thus respecting the target audience right to receiving accurate and truthful information about the product or services in question. This would ensure that the document obeys all the provisions of consumer protection laws whether it regards to the documents deign or to its contents. iv) Fair trading laws- in this regard, I would have to ensure that I observe all the provisions of fair trading laws as far as the document’s design as well as contents are concerned. This would involve ensuring that the final document’s design and contents do not exaggerate bout the product or service quality and price. I would ensure the document is not misleading on the various aspect of the product or service including nature, characteristics, nature and suitability among other product or service aspects. The document would also avoid bait advertising in a bid to ensure that the information therein observes the fair trading laws as much as possible. v) Privacy laws –the privacy laws has various provisions on privacy especially as far as it relates to information and consumer privacy. As such, in designing the document, I would endeavor to ensure that I adhere to these provisions. This will be by ensuring that the document does not interfere with privacy of information and consumer privacy as far as its design and contents are concerned. Thus, the document will only reveal what is necessary and what is legally right to reveal while not hiding important information to the target audience. vi) Copyright –in designing the document, I will ensure that I do not interfere with any other party’s copyrights as provided for by the copyright law. This will mean undertaking a detailed research to ensure that no component of the document has been registered as a copyright by any other party. This will ensure that I am not involved in any legal issues to do with infringing with others’ copyright. In the same way, I will ensure that everything peculiar with the document is registered as copyright to ensure that it is not copied. If I am to use anything that has been registered as a copyright whether in design or contents of the document, I would ensure I have the necessary authorization from the copyright owners as required by the law. References: Jack, T2015, Principles of marketing, London, Rutledge. Read More