Interview methods and practices

Advertising - Interview

INTERVIEW: THE PRIMARY INFLUENCES on ADVERTISING

Than you for agreeing to participate in this interview under the condition of anonymity. I was hoping to solicit your opinion and the benefit of your experience in the advertising industry with respect to the economic, social, and legal considerations associated with modern advertising and marketing strategies.

You're very welcome. You know what they say about "opinions," but I'll be happy to share mine.

What would you consider to be the greatest influence on modern advertising in terms of economic factors?

Well, as I'm sure you're aware, this country is in the midst of something of an economic recession with the cost of living increasing much faster than salaries and disposable income. To advertisers that means really establishing messages that will still be effective even in an economic climate where consumers are much more careful about how they spend their limited resources.

Q: Does the price of gas factor in as well?

A: Certainly. The vast majority of consumer goods arrive at their ultimate retail destination by interstate trucking. As gas prices, especially diesel fuel, increases, so does the cost of transporting everything from asparagus to xylophones. The additional cost to shippers and manufacturers are naturally passed along to the consumer and explain the recent increase in food prices, for example.

Q: How would you characterize the influence of contemporary social factors on today's advertisers?

A: Well, modern society is very different from the one in which traditional advertisers cut their teeth years ago. The explosion of technology like the Internet and the incorporation of technology into the daily life of consumers is probably the most significant social factor for advertisers because it presents so many new ways of reaching the consumer with a message.

Q: Is globalization an important factor as well?

A: Absolutely. Previously, we crafted messages with only one major market in mind; namely, the continental United States. Nowadays, advertisers are acutely aware that whatever we put out in this part of the world is almost instantly transmitted to and viewed in distant regions. Furthermore, because if this, we have seen a shift in the focus of many advertisers to image-heavy content instead of language-based messages, precisely because images transcend many language barriers and are, therefore, much more readily understood elsewhere (Belch & Belch 1998).

Q: What other advertising strategies do consider to be directly related to either economic or social factors, or both?

A: Well, the economic recession hits big companies including advertisers also. In general, cutting overhead and expenses has always been sound business practice but in the current economic climate, producing the greatest bang for the buck is more important than ever before. One strategy that we have seen more and more actually preceded the current economic recession is product placement instead of traditional advertisement in commercials (Howard 2005). This may be one of the most effective innovations in our industry since the shift in the 1960s from word-heavy advertising to memorable visual images (Ogilvy 1983).

Q: The Internet and other visual media must factor into that shift as well.

A: Absolutely. The modern advertiser is learning not to focus exclusively on traditional modes of message transmission and product branding like television and billboards. The phenomenon of things like YouTube demonstrate the value of creating imagery that captures the audience's imagination and interest. In fact, future advertisers may eventually question the value of spending so much money on commercials and even product placement when it is possible to reach huge audiences on the Internet, essentially, for free.

Q: The way that the Napster and its competitors changed the music recording industry?

A: Exactly.

Q: What about legal considerations for advertisers?

A: That's another thing about the modern advertising environment. We definitely have to anticipate potential liability issues as well as possible legislative changes. For example, I'm sure you're aware of the attention that obesity has been getting recently, especially in connection with the fast food eating habits of Americans. There have even been cases in court over supposedly deceptive advertising said to have caused consumers to overindulge. Advertisers must be able to envision the worst case scenarios associated with marketing strategies from a legal perspective in addition to other traditional considerations.