Media planners make their choice among media categories by considering the fol-
lowing variables:■ Target-audience media habits:For example, radio and television are the most effec-
tive media for reaching teenagers.
■ Product:Women’s dresses are best shown in color magazines, and Polaroid cam-
eras are best demonstrated on television. Media types have different potentials
for demonstration, visualization, explanation, believability, and color.
■ Message:A message announcing a major sale tomorrow will require radio, TV, or
newspaper. A message containing a great deal of technical data might require
specialized magazines or mailings.
■ Cost:Television is very expensive, whereas newspaper advertising is relatively in-
expensive. What counts is the cost-per-thousand exposures.Ideas about media impact and cost must be reexamined periodically. For a long
time, television was dominant in the media mix. Then researchers began to notice
television’s reduced effectiveness, which was due to increased commercial clutter (ad-
vertisers beamed shorter and more numerous commercials at the audience), increased
“zipping and zapping” of commercials, and lower viewing owing to the growth in ca-
ble TV and VCRs. Furthermore, television advertising costs rose faster than other me-
dia costs. Several companies found that a combination of print ads and television
commercials often did a better job than television commercials alone.part five
Managing and
Delivering Marketing(^588) Programs
Profiles of Major Media Types
TABLE 5.7
Medium