Television Advertising: ITV Brings Radical Changes

The effectiveness of television advertising is a popular topic in 21st century marketing literature.This article will identify television advertising effectiveness as compared to other modes in the modern day media mix. Primary research sources have been reviewed to gain a comprehensive understanding of the state of television as an advertising medium in the new millennium. Drastic changes to the advertising industry have directly affected the use of television to promote products and services to consumers. Adaption is essential for television advertising to meet the dynamic needs that have, more recently, focused more on corporate social responsibility for the global community, the environment and personal development. One such adaption is interactive television (iTV) which is believed to be the most optimal mode for assessing consumer needs in real-time. The advertising potential to create positive cognitive experiences is phenomenal, as the mode encourages consumers to be actively involved in the advertising process. Although iTV remains television in much of its structure and target market, the mode directly challenges traditional advertising assumptions, especially those of standardized cross-cultural marketing.

There have been significantly more positive attitudes toward ads when they were viewed on iTV as compared to traditional television. It appears that iTV significantly enhances next-day recall of advertising. Many advertising representatives see the potential for a more positive engagement of a brand with a consumer by utilizing iTV formats. In a survey by Ofcom, 90% of advertising reps in the UK promoted iTV to provide companies with a marketing edge.