File Test 9 Reading

File Test 9 Reading

A Brief History of Television Advertising

Multiple Choice

Every day the average person sees 20 minutes of commercials on television or on their computer. But how did this come about? Commercial broadcasting was originally developed as a means for companies to sell radios, where radio-manufacturing companies also owned the radio stations. But once they realized that many households were listening to their radios a significant amount of time every day, other organizations started to explore this medium as a way to get their message across to the public. If one has to choose a single event that began the era of radio broadcasting, it would probably be the radio program broadcast by station WEAF in New York City on August 28, 1922. (–––– 1 ––––) By Christmas of that year, several other major New York department stores were also running advertisements for their stores.

• One major benefit of this type of advertising is the immediate publishing of information and content that is not limited by geography or time

• A solution had to be found if this very powerful advertising medium was to continue to be financially possible for the sponsors

• This was a ten-minute advertisement for suburban apartment housing.

• Should it still be treated as radio advertising but with pictures thrown in?

• In fact, they even created entire series that were designed to sell one product or another.

Multiple Choice

By the late '20s radio advertising had advanced in a dramatic way. It was now dominated by advertising agencies who took control of the schedules by buying the available air time – those valuable minutes and hours during which they could reach the public – and selling it to their customers. They also handled the creative aspects of the commercials and programs. (–––– 2 ––––) These efforts paved the way for the birth of television advertising that took place in later decades

• One major benefit of this type of advertising is the immediate publishing of information and content that is not limited by geography or time

• A solution had to be found if this very powerful advertising medium was to continue to be financially possible for the sponsors

• This was a ten-minute advertisement for suburban apartment housing.

• Should it still be treated as radio advertising but with pictures thrown in?

• In fact, they even created entire series that were designed to sell one product or another.

Multiple Choice

Television advertising didn’t really take hold until the late 1940s. Television was totally new – offering both sound and moving pictures – and the advertising industry moved into this area cautiously because they were not sure what methods would work best to promote their clients’ products on television. (–––– 3 ––––) Or perhaps it was a case of taking an entirely new approach to reach the television audiences in a meaningful and effective manner

• One major benefit of this type of advertising is the immediate publishing of information and content that is not limited by geography or time

• A solution had to be found if this very powerful advertising medium was to continue to be financially possible for the sponsors

• This was a ten-minute advertisement for suburban apartment housing.

• Should it still be treated as radio advertising but with pictures thrown in?

• In fact, they even created entire series that were designed to sell one product or another.

After many surveys, the advertising agencies determined that the most effective way to reach consumers with a strong message would be by creating shows that featured a single product or a line of products from a single company. From this idea came the typical television shows of the 1950s, including such titles as Kraft Television Theater and Colgate Comedy Hour. As with radio, these television programs were produced by advertising agencies for their clients, rather than the studios as is normal practice today.

Multiple Choice

This practice worked very well for the clients for a while. But as television gained more popularity and there were more people watching it, the television networks were raising the costs of doing business. This pressure, connected with the cost of delivering a production through television, forced a massive change in the relationship of all the parties involved. (–––– 4 ––––)

• One major benefit of this type of advertising is the immediate publishing of information and content that is not limited by geography or time

• A solution had to be found if this very powerful advertising medium was to continue to be financially possible for the sponsors

• This was a ten-minute advertisement for suburban apartment housing.

• Should it still be treated as radio advertising but with pictures thrown in?

• In fact, they even created entire series that were designed to sell one product or another.

NBC executive Sylvester L. “Pat” Weaver came up with a solution that would work and would also be very favorable to the networks. He introduced the “magazine concept” of television advertising. In this arrangement, the sponsors would purchase blocks of time (typically one to two minutes) in a show rather than be a sponsor for an entire show. This idea would allow a variety of sponsors – up to four was the number imagined – for a show.

Like a magazine, the networks would now control the content as no one advertiser would “own” a particular show. By 1960, the magazine concept dominated television advertising, as it has ever since. Instead of relying on audience identification with a specific show, sponsors now spread their messages across the schedule in an effort to reach as many consumers as possible. Being able to reach a broader segment of the population proved to be very effective for the sponsors.

Multiple Choice

More than 30 years later, online advertising came onto the scene. (–––– 5 ––––) Another benefit is the efficiency of the advertiser’s investment. Online advertising allows for the customization of advertisements on websites. Many people find advertisements annoying, complaining that they interrupt their enjoyment of a television program, for example. But perhaps we should appreciate the long way they have come since the 1920s.

• One major benefit of this type of advertising is the immediate publishing of information and content that is not limited by geography or time

• A solution had to be found if this very powerful advertising medium was to continue to be financially possible for the sponsors

• This was a ten-minute advertisement for suburban apartment housing.

• Should it still be treated as radio advertising but with pictures thrown in?

• In fact, they even created entire series that were designed to sell one product or another.