A definition of advertising

"Without advertising, a terrible thing happens . . . ," says one of those little ads building a good name for the activity. There is a pause, and then: "Nothing."

Can advertising be that important? To those with something to sell, it can be. To those who merely want to buy, advertising can bring about an informed decision. It can also hoodwink the buyer.

Just what is it, this force so many people have such strong feelings about?

All basic advertising textbooks wrestle with the term, some approaching it from the marketing point of view, others from the communications (or creative) point of view. Most have given up on the "salesmanship in print" definition, if for no other reason than that it ignores the electronic media-and commercials. The newer definitions are accurate enough, but often they fail to separate advertising from pamphleteering and even editorial writing. The following definition' is as good as any: advertising is "communication of a message through a paid medium with the intention to influence people to purchase a product or service or to understand and accept an idea or concept."

People sometimes confuse advertising with publicity and public relations. Advertising differs from them in that it usually involves the buying of space or time. Publicity and public relations depend upon being noticedby the media and being incorporated into regular news and editorial columns or programs. The space and time they get, in that sense, is free.