What is informative advertising? Informative ads are a great way to get your message across. A lot of people don’t know what informative advertising is and how it can help their business. Good informative ads teach potential customers about the benefits of your product or service while also providing them with actionable information they need in order to make an informed decision about purchasing from you.
What is Informative Advertising?
Informative advertising is a marketing communication that has the objective of provision of information about a good or service. In other words, it provides the consumer with generalized information on different aspects, such as product features and availability.
The key aim is to provide useful and factual information in order for consumers to make an informed decision when making a purchase.
Informative Advertising must comply with all the rules set out by The Competition & Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC). It is not promotional or persuasive in nature, meaning that the information provided should be unbiased and accurate. If this is not the case, then it would fall under False or Misleading Advertising.
What are the types of informative advertising?
Informative advertising is a form of commercial speech which under the right circumstances qualifies as free speech and therefore cannot be made illegal.
There are three types of informative advertising:
- Consumer-oriented ads, which contain product information and promote the benefits of the product.
- Issue-oriented ads, which are intended to influence the opinion of the target audience on important public issues. A recent example is the wave of advertisements on the issue of illegal immigration, one side of which is made by an alliance of Latino interest groups and the other by a coalition of five national organizations, including the Federation for American Immigration Reform.
- Issue-oriented ads made up of factual reports and comments on public issues, presented during a program in which the material would be appropriate.
Informative advertising is also called “commercial speech.” The Supreme Court has defined commercial speech as “expression related solely to the economic interests of the speaker and its audience.”
Advantages of Informative Advertising
Informative Advertising puts the power in the hands of the consumer, by providing them with data on products they are interested in. It helps consumers make informed decisions, which is beneficial for all parties involved.
The following are some key benefits of Informative Advertising:
- Increases efficiency by helping consumers find what they’re looking for.
- Provides consumers with useful information that can help them make informed decisions.
- Can be used to promote new products or services, as it is viewed as non-promotional and unbiased by the consumer.
Disadvantages of Informative Advertising
Informative Advertising does have a number of disadvantages, which include the following:
- Can be expensive to produce.
- The information must be accurate and unbiased.
- The objective is to inform the consumer, not persuade them. If this is not the case, then it would fall under False or Misleading Advertising.
Although, these disadvantages are quite minimal compared to the advantages.
Example of Informative Advertising
Informative Advertising usually takes the form of visual advertisements or print ads. It can also be found on billboards, radio, and online.
The following are some examples of Informative Advertisements:
An ad that identifies a product as being Irish is an example of informative advertising.
An advertisement that shows the feature of a product is an example of an informative advertisement.
An ad that shows the prices of products is also an example of informative advertising.
How to Create an Informative Ad
The following are some key steps in creating an Informative Ad:
Find out what information the consumer needs to make their decision.
Identify who your target audience is and how you can reach them (Facebook, newspaper, radio).
Distill all of this information into a brief that can be conveyed visually or via text.
Create an Informative Ad that provides the information in a concise and informative way.
F.A.Q about informative ads
Why do businesses use informative advertising?
Businesses can use informative advertising as a way of informing and educating consumers on the variety of products they offer.
Goods and services are often seen as commodities and consumers choose to buy the cheapest version of a product. In order to compete, businesses need to convince consumers that their product is worth the higher price.
What is an example of informative advertising?
The following is an example of Informative Advertising:
“The Bar at 44 is offering 2-4-1 on all house cocktails every Monday night, from 5 pm to 8 pm. Find us at The Garage on Parnell Street.”
This Ad provides information about the promotion being run by “The Bar at 44”, telling consumers when the offer is available and where they can find the bar.
It does not attempt to persuade or convince consumers, so it complies with all The Competition & Consumer Protection Commission’s rules.
Example of False or Misleading Advertising
False or Misleading Advertising is a marketing communication that has the objective of persuading or convincing the consumer to buy a good or service. It is misleading and can be unfair to other traders, as it gives consumers an incorrect understanding of products and services
The majority of businesses use False or Misleading Advertising, especially those who are selling low-cost products.
The following is an example of False or Misleading Advertising:
“Wash your car with these new, advanced cleaning products for only €5!”
This statement suggests that consumers can get their car washed at this price, however, the disclaimer suggests that “Offer valid for first five customers.” This means that the cost of the actual car wash will be more than €5 and therefore is not as informative as it first seems.
Informative advertising is a type of marketing that gives you information about the product or service. It’s important to provide this valuable content because consumers are more likely to purchase products if they know what it does and how it will benefit them. Use these informative ads as inspiration for your own digital strategy!
