Business advertising

ADVERTISING ON UK MEDIA
There are many options for advertising your brand, product or service within the UK advertising marketplace.
Below is a list of the various media options available to you.
Television
Radio
National Press
Local and Regional Press
Magazines
Cinema
Posters
Within each of the above media there are even more options available to you. However within this article I wanted to take this opportunity to take you through these various traditional media services, and impart my knowledge.
The reason behind this is I am in the process of building a new client portfolio and would like to offer my services to those of you who are interested in promoting your products or services in the Uk, but are not sure of where to start.
Let me also state that I do not intend to make this too technical, and intend only to make available to you the topline information to give you an outline understanding of what can be achieved.
Television
I have written an article on the early days of planning and buying Uk TV advertising which you can read by clicking here.
One of the most important and interesting changes in Uk TV advertising in the past decade, is the launch of Satellite and Digital TV channels in the UK. Which at the end of the day has basically reduced the entry cost level onto TV for many advertisers, it has also created many more viewing and buying options.
The choice and selection of TV channels are now in the region of 200+, but what does this mean ?
Basically it means no matter how big or small your budget is, there will be an opportunity to promote your brand or service on TV.
Let me take you through the various options available.
ITV
Can be purchased on a regional basis, and within various regions this can even be broken down into macro regions, making ITV more affordable than you may of envisaged.
Also ITV has a number of national satellite channels ie ITV2,3 ,4.
Within the ITV1 natoinal and even the satellite channels airtime can be purchased across a number of time bands :
Coffee Time (early morning pre-noon)
Daytime (1200-16.30)
Pre-Peak (16.30-18.00)
Peak (18.00-22.00)
Late off Peak (22.00-)
NB:These time bands are a rough guide for all stations.
So as an example if you have a brand that is targetted against adults 50+, they can be reached by promoting your product or service during pre-noon and 16.30-18.00 (which is a prime time slot for this age group).
Of course dependent on your target market there will be various different time bands and options for reaching your potential customers.
BREAKFAST TV
Is generally between 06.00-09.30 and is operated on a national and macro regional basis by GMTV, also CH4 operate a breakfast service.
Here again dependent on your target market these are ideal for reaching houswives and houswives with kids.
You will note that GMTV carries quite a large number of toy advertisers.
CH4
Similar to ITV though tends to be younger, however is available nationally and by macro regions.
CH4 also operate their own satellite stations +4 etc, which again offer a wide range of opportunities for reaching your target market (or as I say potential customers).
CH5
Available on a national basis.
Satelite/Digital Tv
The options available to you on these stations are huge, so rather than go into too much detail I will be brief. There are channels covering virtually every subject you can think off, from holidays, history, sport etc.
It should be noted though that satellite tv channels can only be purchased on a national basis, though the entry levels will be lower than launching an ITV1 campaign.
I should also make you aware though that ITV1 audience levels will also be higher than the satellite channels.
COMMENTS
It was my intention to keep the above information brief and just to give you a feel of what is available. The skill in understanding this marketplace background is where I come in with over 30 years of background and direct contacts with the media owners.
The research audience data in the UK is highly sophisticated and this can be discussed, should you be interested in advertising on TV,
Before I move on here is a list of the TV comercial sizes that can be purchased :
10', 20', 30', 40' and 60' seconds. (the average Uk TV commercial is 30 seconds).
RADIO
'The theatre of the mind' as I call it or as known in the industry.
Commercial radio in the Uk can be purchased locally or on a national basis. The flexibility of radio is the benifit of immediate call to action and can be used in any combination with other media or stand alone.
Local radio can be very cheap and a great way to promote any product or service, and add frequency to any campaign.
NATIONAL PRESS
Who said national press was dead, national press still attracts millions of readers day in day out.
The main uk titles are:
Sun and News of the world
Daily/ Sunday Mirror
Daily/ Sunday Mail
Daily/ Sunday Express
Daily/ Sunday Telegraph
Daily/ Sunday Times
Daily/ Independont on Sunday
Daily/ Sunday Star
FT
(there are other titles)
The various titles above reach a wide range of demographics, and can be planned to reach your target market using an array of sizes in colour or black and white. Lets not forget they also carry a wide variety of supplements which cover many topics ie Fashion, Food and Drink, Motoring etc.
LOCAL and REGIONAL PRESS
You will find thousands of these titles throughout the Uk, from free sheets to paid for titles.
They cover virtually every town and city in the UK.
They tend to cover just local news and events, and carry local classified advertising.
A great combination with local radio.
However if you are launching a product or service nationally and using local/regional press, you should compare the cost of a local/regional press campaign with national press. As sometimes you will find the national press option more cost-effective.
MAGAZINES
There are too many glossy magazines to list here, however there are many available within the Uk. Covering every topic and lifestyle you can think of.
From 'Cosmopolitan', 'Homes and Garden' to 'Fish friers Gazette' yes really.
The opportunities for reaching your potential customers (target market) can certainly be achieved with good planning and buying.
Within the glossy titles you can purchase (as an example) 1/4pages, 1/2pages, pages and double page spreads etc.
The key to getting it right is knowing your budget level and creative treatment and finally your target market.
Once this is set it's just a matter of good planning and negotiating on your behalf.
It should also be noted that many of these titles also carry classified advertising.
CINEMA
Cinema is an exellent media opportunity for exposing your brand or service to the younger end of the market ie 15-25 year olds. Using longer commercials which add great impact.
Cinema can be purchased in many packages from a particular genre to locations throughout the UK.
POSTERS
Or outdoor as we like to call it in the media. This covers a wide range of media options:
Static posters Buses Taxis Mobile posters London underground Railway advertising Bus stop advertising Store advertising Airports Ferry ports
It varies quite a lot and the opportunities are vast.
The key to any outdoor poster advertising in creative copy. By this I mean if you are placing a static poster wherever it may be, the copy must be short and concise, as your creative message has to be seen and understood quickly and easily, as passers by only have a shorttime frame to take onboard your message.
With locations such as bus stops railway stations and inparticular the underground stations it is possible to impart more copy as your potential viewer has more time to read your advertising copy.
The larger outdoor static sites are an exellent way for promoting your branding proposition.
With store posters being ideal to reach your potential customers at their point of purchase
Outdoor media opportunities can be found throughout the Uk, from high streets to airports.