Survival of Print Media in Electronic Era

Survival of Print Media in Electronic Era 

Introduction

•  Marshell Mcluhan, a Canadian scholar, had predicted the death of print media by the end of 20th century. Unfortunately for him, he was proved wrong.
•  Even with the emergence of Electronic Media, in the form of Radio and T.V., Print media has been able to hold its own in the world of Media and Advertising.
•  For years Print media was the only media available in India. At that time options were limited and print was single most dominant option.
• After 1991, with the growing options in media, the value of print as a medium started to re-emerge significantly. Print utilized technology to their advantage by bringing in glossy printing, innovations in print, multiple editions and geographical flexibility. All of this contributed in print media being dominant again.
• This to a large extent changed in the 21st century with coming of electronic media in the form of T.V. and Internet.
•  Will print media be able to survive and fight back or will the new and improved electronic media act as a silent killer? These are some of the questions that we will try to attempt and throw light as we move along.

Question 1

Identify the threats that have come to play against the print media in recent times and make an assessment of the advantages of new media in terms of impact and audience acceptance. 

Do you see any immediate danger of the print media going obsolete?    

Threats

• Never take the readers for granted, it is a challenge to retain the    readers.
• Literacy is a requirement.
• Newspaper can no longer attract readers by headlining the latest spot news when was compared to breaking news. 24 hour news channels are major threats.
• Print medium reaches out to only 35% for adults whereas the overall adult literacy rate is 65%.
• The share of advertisements revenue if Indian print media has shrunk from 75% to 46% in last ten years.
• Visuals have a bigger impact.
• Electronic media has coverage throughout the country unlike print media

Advantages of Electronic Media

1. In medium like T.V./Radio literacy rate is not required to understand message.

2. 24 hours news channel attract wider audience and have a greater impact.

3. T.V. ads are more exciting to watch and read than the newspaper ads.

4. Print is the power of languages words whereas T.V. speaks in action which are indeed louder than words.

5. New media has an unpredicted impact on education. Information in the remotest corner of the world can be gathered at the 

click of mouse.

6. Electronic medium is a more powerful medium of

expression and it has a wide range of

coverage throughout the country.    

PRINT OBSOLETE?

• Indian newspaper industry turnover is expected to touch
• 13500 crores.
• 231 million copies are circulated all over the country,
• published in 16 languages.
• Print media accounts for 48% of the 132000 crores
• advertising industry.

There is a huge growth potential as print medium reaches 35% of adults whereas overall adult literacy rate is 65%

                                                                  Print is here to stay

1.For encouraging growth of print media, the government has recently allowed FDI’s upto 26% in Indian entities.

2. New media will have an effect on the sales of the print but it can never substitute print.

3. Print is more than just than medium. Newspaper reading is routine, custom, tradition and an age old habit.

4. Newspapers are evolving and becoming dynamic to cater to each and every indivisual area.

                                   Question 2   

Discuss how the print industry has been able to survive by bringing about far-reaching changes content as well as overall images. Can the print media continue to exist without being reduced to entertainment journals or advertisement handouts? 

Major changes in the content of the newspaper

1.More and more newspapers are now being written in Indian languages.

2. It caters to everyone with news from politics to health, fashions, lifestyle, sports, business etc.

3. It is a source of information as well as a source of infotainment.

4. Major changes have come about in writing patterns.

5. Introduction of more and more supplements.     

Changes in the ‘Feel’ and ‘Look’ of the paper

1.Introduction of the colored pages.

2.Reduction in the size of the newspaper.

3.Quality of production.

4.Segmentation of every area.

5.Better look and better presentation.

6.Introduction of online newspapers.

Entertainment Journals

1.Delhi Times

2.Times Ascent

3.What’s Hot?

4.Sunday Magazine

5.Young World

 

Advertisements handouts

1.Pamphlets- coaching classes etc.

2.Offers at different chain stores.

3.Advertising in the newspapers. 

Question 3

 Does the newspaper(as well as other forms of print media) enjoy any significant strength to convey advertising messages than by Radio or TV? 

Examine this aspect with total perspective about he relevant issues.  

Print Advertising

1. Depends on space (area, width and length) which in turn decides the cost of an advertisement.

2. Print advertisements is able to accommodate. 

Advantages of Print Media

• Flexible/portable- one can carry it around everywhere.
• Comprehensive knowledge of the product and the message is direct in print.
• Informative advertising, especially to educated people. 
• For eg, spreading awareness about polio, leprosy, aids etc. 
• Good local market coverage. For eg, sales at ebony or a website.
• It is still the dignitaries preference.

•    Broad acceptance and high believability. Daily newspaper reach over      231 million people according to NRS 2006.
• High geographic to high demographic selectivity, credibility and prestige.
• Low cost production as compared to TV advertisements.
• Full control and one can dramatise message specially in brochures.

Disadvantages of Print Media

1. Not as interactive as TV advertisements.

2. Poor reproduction quality in newspapers.

3. Indirect advertising. For eg, massage parlour, phone friendship.

4. Does not work for illiterates as the overall adult literacy rate in the country 

stands at 

65%.

Electronic Advertising

1. New media works on time duration.

2. The biggest challenge is to clearly 

convey the message regarding the 

product within a restricted time frame. 

3. It is costlier form of advertising 

compared to print advertisements. For eg, 

an advertisement can cost upto 5 lacks 

during peak time.

Advantages of Electronic Media

vAppealing to the senses, combines sound 

and motion

vHigh attention and entertaining

vBeneficial for a new advertiser

vRetainable, for eg, hutch, happy dent, 

fevicol

vHigh revenue. 

Disadvantages of 

Electronic Media

ØSky rocketing price of products

ØCluster of advertisements

ØNumber of TV advertisements 

increased from 86000 to 

260000

ØTime constraint

ØIndirect advertising

Conclusion

•According the presentation, it 

would be fair to say that Print and

 Electronic Media are equally 

important to the world of 

advertising.

•Thus, in the current scenario of 

advertising and media it would 

not be fair to sat that the “Pen is 

still Mightier” nor would it be 

fair to say that “Electronic Media is 

Mightier”

•But yes with the advent of 

Electronic Media, Print media h

as lost its aura of omnipotence and 

it has lost a big chunk of 

revenue as well.

•Even with these changes the two

 are actually on a level playing 

field.

HUMOUR IN ADVERTISING

WHAT IS HUMOUR ?
J J J

vHumour is the tendency of particular cognitive experiences to provoke laughter and provide amusement.

vPeople of all ages and cultures respond to humour.

vPeople in their stress full schedules need some moments which ease down their hectic journey of life.

vHumour not only bring smile on face but make people forget their tension and stressed routines.

HUMOUR IN ADVERTISING

üHumor in advertising is a delicate method of attracting a viewer's/listener's attention to the client's product.

üMany of the most memorable ad campaigns around tend to be funny.

üAdvertisers use this strategy to attract customers to their product.

üAudiences like to be entertained, but not pitched.

üPeople will pay more attention to a humorous commercial than a factual or serious one, opening themselves up to be influenced.

üThe key to funny advertising is assuring the humor is appropriate to both product and customer.

üThe balance between funny and obnoxious can often be delicate; and a marketer must be certain the positive effects outweigh the negative before an advertisement can be introduced. 

Humor Appeals in Advertising:  When Do They Work?

Humor works by:

qAiding exposure: Blocking zapping and zipping. Preventing consumers from avoiding the commercial by switching channels (zapping) or avoiding the commercial by fast-forwarding while watching a prerecorded program (zipping).

qHolding attention: Getting people to listen to or watch the ad (rather than shift their attention to something else);

qHelping memory: Making people remember the ad by the joke.

qGratification: Adds to the enjoyment people derive from the use of media. It leaves a pleasant feeling by having amused the consumer, and this pleasant feeling rubs off on the brand.

qMultiplier effect: Repeated self-rehearsal. People like to tell jokes and talk about funny commercials; doing so further helps memorizing.

Humor works best when:

Consumers already have a positive attitude toward the brand. (With initially negative consumer attitudes, humor might work only if it is self-deprecating.)

The product is light, low in involvement.

The product is not upscale, and gravitas is not the brand’s aspired positioning.

The product pokes fun at itself (rather than at other brands or other people);

The joke and brand message are integrated. For example, in an airline ad, a man comes home with flowers for his wife and begins to undress (to bare briefs) even as he walks toward the interior of the house, only to discover his in-laws waiting. The airline was promoting its cheap fares! (Had this ad had been for a company selling flowers, the humor would have stood unconnected with the message.)

Humor can backfire when:

ØThe ad makes fun of a specific group; and

ØIt is in bad taste, relative to the sophistication or culture of the audience.

TYPES OF HUMOUR IN ADVERTISING

1.Using a comedian: Here instead of building humour in the advertising one can use a comedian actor to promote the brand. One's choice of comedian has to match the values of the brand. One of the most memorable advertisements that have used a comedian well has been Charlie Chaplin for Cherry Blossom shoe polish. The most recent one in this space using an Indian comedian which has been noticeable and successful is Domino's Pizza which has plugged in Paresh Raval very cleverly.

2.      Capitalizing on the current topics : Use the current hot topic in all walks of life which is funny, sticky, memorable and controversial. Amul Butter has been doing these for several years. The advertising deployed has been very humorous and are always based on the current topics with a tongue-in-cheek approach. People never get fatigued watching the Amul ads. People eagerly wait for what Amul Butter outdoor campaigns by constantly looking at the prime hoarding points where Amul butter is visible.

3.      Strong idea based humour: Here the strong creative idea is carefully blended with subtle humour. The case in example is Fevicol. The powerful idea with humour helps in beating the clutter. Centre Shock electric gum is another good example where a strong advertising idea (Idea sprung up from the product) with the help of humour helped in translating into a great piece of campaign. Saint Goblin glass is another wonderful example of how humour has been used subtly. The restaurant advertisement (where the water is thrown) created by the company is so refreshing that one never gets bored of viewing it.

Using the right type humour in advertising will be determined by clearly defining your objectives and positioning of your product. This, supported with a strong idea will further help you to create good advertising which can be sticky and memorable for a long time.

Humour will help if it is relevant: Mostly humour is used in products which is low in investment and which has high impulse purchase. (Candy, beer and mosquito repellents). One cannot totally generalize this, as consumer durable products have also used humour effectively. Humour may not work in category like condoms, sanitary napkins as these products need to explain the benefits of the product more clearly.Similarly cars and diamonds may also not use humour as the decision process to purchase is long.

10 dos and don'ts as guidelines while using humor in direct Advertising

1. Don't over-analyze a humorous idea. It's funny, or it's not. As Mark Twain said, "Trying to figure out why something is funny is like dissecting a frog. You'll come up with answers, but the frog always dies."

2. Don't use humor for its own sake. Make it relevant to your objective.

3. Don't use humor to deceive or tell a lie. It's a scientific fact that humor intensifies positive physical and psychological reactions; deceit will undermine these good feelings and supplant them with anger and resentment.

4. Do use humor to entertain. People love to be entertained. (What do you do in your free time?)

5. Do use humor to be thought-provoking, but not offensive.

6. Do test humorous concepts, not techniques. Slapstick, irony and word play are techniques, but what is the idea you want to convey?

7. Do let your reader/listener/viewer experience the joy of "getting it." You'll make a friend.

8. Do engage the imagination of your customers. Theirs may be even bigger than yours.

9. Do the homework on your customer, and I don't necessarily mean formal research. A renowned copywriter from the early days of advertising called research "putting on my hat and going out to talk to people." Humor comes from knowing your audience inside-out.

10. Don't forget that rules are meant to be broken. The best humor comes from the edge.

J J In Brief…  J J

v  First, people like funny things. They relax and pay attention when they know you have a sense of humor. It puts them in a good mood, and it creates a more comfortable atmosphere and a more positive image for your company. It makes you easy to approach, and easy to remember.

vAdvertising humor works best with established and commonly purchased products. Humor in advertising works for business services, familiar items, and products we all know. But corporate image and industrial advertising are serious business. Unknown, risky, expensive, or sensitive products are not normally suited to the lighter touch of advertising humor.

vAdvertising humor also needs to be well suited to its audience. If your customers don’t get the joke, then the joke will be on you. A sophisticated audience will understand your irony, satire, and puns, but a young audience may only understand slapstick comedy or a silly cartoon caricature. Inside jokes can be effective if the recipient understands that it was done for them, but nobody else will get it.

v  And advertising humor has a relatively short life. The first time we see it we may laugh out loud. But after a while, although we still may smile at the joke, it’s not so funny any more. Funny ads need to be replaced periodically.

Q 1.  Can it be true that people are  so preoccupied with the humour that the very purpose of ad gets lost ?

Thou sometimes it happens  that an advertisement may lose its purpose but the foremost priority of an advertisement is product establishment. If an advertisement is successful enough  for establishing a product , the message automatically became  a keen factor  in the viewers mind regarding the advertise product or service.

Moreover, if people like that particular advertisement they will surely discuss about the content with some one. This will not only hype the advertisement but will also promote the product.

But if an advertisement fails its establishing a product or in its content shown that will surely lose its purpose..

Q.2. Some of the studies reveal that humorous ads were no more effective than straight ads and impact negatively on results. Justify?

Humorous ads are generally attention grabbing and holds a viewer’s interest, so in our opinion humorous advertisements are today's demand. We can also justify it by checking a hectic schedule from a running human life. Today each one of us is engaged in a professional and skilled life, where we already get involved in a point to point discussion environment. So an advertisement with a straight discussion about its product will not relax the accelerated mind of today’s population . They wants something which relax their mind and give them a little bit smile. So humorous ads are much more proffered so as to get a feeling of infotainment.. 

 Q.3 Examine the impact of humorous ads vis-a- vis a normal ads and suggest how to plan the use of humour 

effectively ?

ØA humorous advertisement is more attention grabbing and resultant to effective conveying of message. The humorous ads leave much more impact on their viewers. Also, these humourous ads are demanded much by the viewers as they lighten their mood.

But it should kept in mind that the content should stick nearby the product

ØForced humor can be dangerous

ØOne should convey the message in such a way that it is always recall by the viewer in comparison to various other running ads.