Marketing and advertising
Marketing is a term which doesn’t have a single agreed upon definition, but is used rather loosely to refer to the process of exchanging goods and services for cash or in the case of bartering, for other goods or services. Some purists insist that to be considered marketing, the process must result in a sale. In modern terms, marketing is often used interchangeably with the term advertising. Advertising however, is only one part of marketing. Advertising is the process of making the public aware of a product which is to be marketed. Advertising is usually paid and it is through a non personal means. Advertising extols the benefits of the product.
Internet marketing as a system for exchanging goods and services is a relatively recent development in the world of business. All the components of the above definition are present. The goods or services are anticipated, identified, presented, advertised, selected, transferred and accepted. At the same time the remuneration is identified, agreed upon and transferred.
In history, the market was a central location where farmers and craftsmen could bring the products for sale or trade. Marketing was then the anticipation of which products would sell, identifying the products, presenting them, and advertising them (perhaps by a handmade sign or by shouting the loudest). When a customer was drawn to the product, made a selection, paid for the product and removed it, marketing was complete.
Advertising the product in this simple scenario might consist of putting a sign on the side of the wagon or cart bringing the product to the market, displaying them more attractively, having more of the product available, or a larger physical presence might be considered advertising, using physical means to attract the customer, i.e. shouting, music, or providing samples.
In today’s business world, particularly in internet marketing and advertising, advertising doesn’t seem to play as large a role in marketing as it once did. The small business owners who are on the internet are marketing their products rather than advertising them. Using the narrow definition of advertising, few products are advertised, but many are marketed.
With the emphasis on gimmicky advertising, or heavily sexual advertising, such activities do not extol the benefits of the product, but simply call attention through name recognition to the product. This undoubtedly increases sales, because given a choice between a familiar product name and an unfamiliar one, most people will choose the name they recognize.
by Nathan.Smarty 19 years ago