Potential market

The aim of every advertising effort is to carry on the ad message to the prospects economically and effectively. This crucial task rests in identification of potential market for the product in terms of the number of customers, geographic spread, income pattern, age group, tastes, likes and dislikes and the like.

If the message is to reach the people with a high income group, magazines are the best. If the local area is to be covered, newspaper and outdoor advertising are of much help. If illiterate folk is to be approached, radio, television and cinema advertising are preferred.

The nature of product

A product that is needed by all will encourage mass media like print, broadcast, telecast, outdoor and the like. A product needing demonstration warrants television and screen advertising. Industrial products find favour of print media than broadcast media. Products like cigarettes, wines and alcohols are never advertised on radio, television and screen.

The advertising objectives

Though the major objective of every company is to influence the consumer behavior favorably, the specific objectives may be to have local or regional or national coverage to popularize a product or a service or the company to create primary or secondary demand to achieve immediate or delayed action to maintain the secrets of the house.

If it wants immediate action, direct or specialty advertising fitting most.

If national coverage is needed, use television and news-paper with nationwide coverage.

The type of distribution strategy

The advertising coverage and the distribution system that the company has developed have direct correlation. Thus, there is no point in advertising a product if it is not available in these outlets where he normally buys. Similarly, the advertiser need not use national media if not supported by nationwide distribution network.

The type of selling message

It is more of the advertising requirements that decide the appropriate choice. The advertisers may be interested in appealing the prospects by colour advertisements. In that case, magazine, film, television, bill-boards, bulletin boards serve the purpose.

If the timeliness is the greater concern, one should go in for news-paper, radio, posters. If demonstration is needed there is nothing like television and screen media. If new product is to be introduced, promotional advertising is most welcome.

Competitive advertising

A shrewd advertiser is one who studies carefully the moves of his competitor or competitors as to the media selected and the pattern of expenditure portrayed. Meticulous evaluation of media strategy and  advertising budget paves way for better choice. It is because, whenever a rival spends heavily on a particular medium or media and has been successful, it is the outcome of his experience and tactics. However, blind copying should be misleading and disastrous.

Media availability

The problem of media availability is of much relevance because; all the required media may not be available at the opportune time. This is particularly true in case of media like radio and television; so is the case with screen mediums. Thus, non-availability of a medium or a media poses a new challenge to the media planners and the advertising industry. It is basically an external limit rather than the internal constraint.

The budget available

A manufacturer may have a very colourful and bold plan of advertising. He may be dreaming of advertising on a national television net-work and films. If budget does not allow, then he is to be happy with a low budget media like his news-paper and outdoor advertising.

Instead of colour print in magazine, he may be forced to go in for black and white. Thus, it is the resource constraints that decide the choice.