The impact that advertising has on individuals cannot be under-estimated. advertising is the fuel of commerce and business, without which any business or commercial enterprise would ever be successful.
Imagine a world where manufacturers produce goods which are to be sold on the market yet having no one neither informed nor aware about them?
Remember the role that advertising plays, which is that of informing, promoting,reminding and persuading.
Most of us have grown to be influenced in purchasing decisions, brand choices as well as purchasing preferences through advertising. Without advertising some of the world acclaimed brands which are so prominent in world markets today would not have been known. It is statistically reported that about 80 per cent of consumer purchases or buying is influenced by advertising and that 10 out of 20 people exposed to some kind of commercial messages will subsequently make a purchase.
Advertising has over the years been known to be an effective communication strategy which most commercial organisations believe in.
Advertising has the ability to move consumers towards business transactions and ultimately to buying through the use of emotional appeal, demand stimulation, as well as creating excitement around an idea, product or brand.
However, with the ever changing business land scape coupled with the advent of the global village concept which has tremendously contributed to increased competition, there is likely to be an increase in declining standards and in quality in the way business entities develop and execute their commercial communication campaigns or adverts.
It is not surprising for consumers today to come across advertising messages which do not correctly correspond or reflect the real value, quality, performance and functionality of some product or service. In my view there seems to be a gap in most cases between the marketing efforts in being very creative in their commercial campaigns and in the actual delivery or production processes.
In other cases we the consumers and audiences have been misled through adverts that make false claims, or by misrepresentation of facts.
Examples can be given on communication and sales promotion messages which are often not clear on hidden costs.
Also in the use of statements such as ‘Simply call this number’ or in statements such as ‘Buy one and Get one for Free’, when in the actual fact there are transferred costs to the consumer or the consumer is still buying the other product perceived or dimed to be free.
To make the problem even worse is a common practice of using cheap dramatists in adverts intended to promote relatively high market products. This observation does not, however, imply that all advertising in this country have no standards, there are exceptional cases.
Particularly when the adverts have been done by professional advertising agencies.
The problem that I have noticed with most advertisers is in their inability or unwillingness to spend on proper advertising agencies or creative hot shops. I have observed that most commercial entities would rather ‘cut corners’ or engage cheap advertising services at the expense of experts. It is also in my strong opinion that we have some marketers or individuals employed to carry out marketing functions who prioritise getting some kick-backs from advertising suppliers as a basis of awarding advertising contracts, thereby ending up with sub-standard adverts or marketing communications campaigns.
Without instigating or inciting any one, I am waiting for a time that some of the advertisers will be taken to the Small Claims Courts for grossly misleading some consumer.
Have you ever wondered why the Small Claims Courts were established? As a marketer it really makes my heart bleed when I come across some of these very questionable advertisements that I begin to wonder how on earth any organisation or business would pay any amount of money on poorly crafted commercial adverts.
As a country we really need to move with the times and depart from backward ways of doing things.
What the advertisers ought to realise is that, we are now a global village and what we do for the local market should equally be acceptable on the global stage.
The American Association of Advertising Agencies (AAAA) has one of the best guidelines for advertising standards and practice which we the Zambians can emulate.
They hold that advertising agencies must recognise an obligation, not only to their clients, but to the public, the media they employ and to each other. As a business, the advertising agency must operate within the framework of competition.
It is recognised that keen and vigorous competition, honestly conducted, is necessary to the growth and the health of American business.
However, unethical competitive agency business lead to financial waste, dilution of service, diversion of manpower, loss of prestige and tends to weaken public confidence both in advertisements and in the institution of advertising.
• Author is Consultant in Marketing, Public Relations and Customer Service. For comments write to ndhlovudennis75@gmail.com or follow me on twitter. Call: 0954 536875