Marketing Management, Millenium Edition - epiheirimatikotita.gr

Another reason for review is the continuous emergence of new media, such as advertorialsand infomercials. Advertorials are print ads that offer editorial content andare difficult to distinguish from newspaper or magazine contents; infomercials are TVcommercials that appear to be 30-minute TV shows but are advertisements for products.Advertisers have substantially increased their spending on outdoor media overthe last decade. Outdoor advertising provides an excellent way to reach important localconsumer segments. Cable television now reaches a majority of U.S. householdsand produces billions of dollars in advertising revenue a year. Cable systems make iteasier to reach select groups.Another promising new media site is the store itself. In addition to using olderpromotional vehicles, such as displays and special price tags, some supermarkets areselling space on their floors for company logos, experimenting with talking shelves,and introducing “videocarts,” which contain a computerized screen that carriesconsumer-benefit information (“cauliflower is rich in vitamin C”) and advertiser promotions(“20¢ off on White Star Tuna this week”).Ads also appear in best-selling paperback books, sports arenas, movie theaters, andmovie videotapes. Written material such as annual reports, data sheets, catalogs, andnewsletters increasingly carry ads. Many companies that send out monthly bills areincluding advertising inserts. Some companies mail audiotapes or videotapes that advertisetheir products to prospects. Here are some other emerging media:■■■Digital magazines (or digizines): With names like Trouble & Attitude, Word, andLaunch, the latest magazines are not on the newsstand but are available on theInternet. Digizines are much cheaper to start up and operate than are print magazines.Starting a glossy publication for men aged 18 to 34 today would requireat least $10 million, whereas digizine start-up costs are between $200,000 and$500,000. Still to be worked out, however, is how to price them or earn moneythrough selling advertising.Interactive TV: Combined computer, telephone, and TV hookups have now madeit possible for people to participate in two-way communication with programs orinformation services via their television sets. Whereas home shopping networksallow customers to call in their orders, interactive TV allows consumers to use acomputer keyboard to communicate directly with sellers on their TV screen. Sofar interactive TV technology is only in the testing phase.Fax on demand: Used most by business marketers, fax-on-demand technology allowsbusinesses to store information in a fax technology program. Customerswho need information call a toll-free number, and the fax program automatically589