EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY!

by David Margolis, President

While numerous surveys show television to be the most influential advertising medium, this influence does not necessarily translate into increased business. According to a recent online survey of 5,000 US adults, conducted by Nielsen on behalf of the Newspaper Association of America (NAA), newspapers (in print and on the Internet) rate highest in effectiveness. In fact, the survey showed that newspapers ranked ahead of radio, Internet, and TV, when it came to advertising efficacy. When various media types were broken down into different segments, the survey revealed that the local newspaper topped the ratings, in terms of likelihood of viewers making purchases and their propensity to notice ads.

As we know all too well, TV ads are generally regarded as interruptions. If there is anything worse than being forced to view an irrelevant TV ad, it is having to watch it over and over again. As far as ads on social media sites, the NAA survey showed that they rank near the bottom of the list of “usually noticed” advertising and “likely to purchase”. Conversely, ads on social networks rank near the top for “advertising annoyance”, as readers regard the ads to be irritating and useless.

On the other hand, the advertising copy that we provide to our clients to place in local newspapers is generally regarded as relevant and trustworthy. In fact, the carefully researched articles provide consumers with the information they need to make informed decisions. Many readers cut our copy out of the newspaper and bring it to our clients, citing its content as the motivating factor behind making their visit.