Disadvantages of Major Media

Marketing Concepts and Strategies is a textbook utilized in several business school curricula. In their book, authors William M. Pride and O.C. Ferrell present a side-by-side comparison of major marketing media. Presented here, from the twelfth edition published by Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, 2003, are highlights from pages 470-471.

Newspaper
Newspaper ads do not allow for selection of target markets. Newspaper ads have a short life, and are crowded by a large volume of other advertisements.

Magazine
Magazines require a very long lead time meaning there is a long period between the marketer's need for advertising and any subsequent response from receivers. Magazine advertising can also be the highest cost in advertising per receiver.

Radio
Radio ads are limited to an audio message only, and like newspaper, have a short life. As many radio ads are heard during drive time, radio ads offer only limited attention of the listener.

Television
Television ads are high cost and highly perishable in that the message has a very short life. Television audience size not guaranteed and the amount of prime time is limited and expensive.

Internet
Internet advertising offers very little target selection, and precise targeting cost is high. Internet ads are subject to inappropriate ad placement, and the results can be difficult to measure. Internet advertisers must also contend with receivers concerns about security and privacy.

Inside Transit (Subways trains, inside bus, etc)
These ads do not generally reach many professionals and do not secure quick results.

Outside transit (outside of bus, top of taxicab, etc) Outside transit advertising lacks demographic selectivity, and does not have high impact.

Outdoor (billboards)
Billboards may only contain short and simple message and get very limited attention of the reader, thus, much of the advertiser's message is not conveyed. Outside advertising offers no demographic selectivity, and is criticized as a traffic hazard and blight.

By contrast, direct mail advertising has many benefits to offer. The mass media listed above result in wasted circulation, i.e. you pay for space or time for which there are no receivers and the available receivers are not interested. Direct mail on the other hand, allows for very precise targeting and very little wasted circulation. With direct mail, you can mail to interested people and have the message in their hand when they are ready to receive it.

Direct mail allows for accurate selection of target market and it can be personalized. This high selectivity and personalization is not available with other mass media. Direct mail does not suffer from the distractions surrounding other mass media messages. Distractions are called noise, and noise detracts from the clarity and accuracy of your advertising message.

Through personalization and the use of novelty, direct mail stimulates action from the receiver much more than other mass media. And finally, other mass media are very public forms of advertising. If you are concerned about your competitor's reaction to your marketing efforts, direct mail offers a hidden message that reaches only those whom you intend to receive it.

Socially Responsible Marketing

Society is a stakeholder in your business in that society is impacted by your business decisions as much as your employees and investors. In the wake of past ethics scandals and environmental disasters, it has become important for companies to consider the environment and ethics in their business decisions.

Corporate social responsibility means minimizing your company's negative effect on, and creating positive change for society. It is about balancing the need for profit with your impact on your community and environment.

Socially responsible businesses are those that go beyond mere compliance. They minimize waste through recycling, and protect the environment through the use of safe resources and the proper handling of harmful resources. They create positive change in society through community and charitable activities. Most importantly, socially responsible companies are also creating more civic-minded, responsible citizens by setting a socially responsible example for their employees.

In today’s business world, CCI founder Kay Dawson’s business philosophy is rare. She places employee welfare at the top of her priorities. Examples of her concern for her employees’ welfare include flexible hours to accommodate babysitter and school schedules, personal loans to employees having financial problems, and she has been known to set up appointments and personally drive employees to medical facilities when they need counseling or rehabilitation.

This socially responsible philosophy toward her employees also permeates her business and personal life. I sat down with Kay to ask her what kinds of things she does to be socially responsible, why she thinks it is important, what benefits she reaps, and how her philosophy has influenced her employees.

Read the complete survey at http://www.mailcci.com/csr.