ADDRESSING the members of Vidarbha Management Association (VMA) at a session on advertising held here on Sunday, Founder of MediGrace BrijSardasaid thatproductsbuild a company’s image. “Promote the company through its products, and ensure your advertising reflects the core values and differentiation thatsetyouapart,” he said. The VMA-hosted thought-provokingsession titled “Don’tPromote,Advertise!”event featured an enlightening address by Sarda who shared his insights into crafting impactful advertisements and understanding the evolving landscape of advertising. The session, moderated by Rajesh Sharma and coordinated by Dr Shabbir Zakerya, offered a deep dive into the nuances of advertising versus promotion. Brij Sarda highlighted key differences, explaining that while advertising is a targeted communication method with a specific purpose, promotion is focused on creating a buzz and maintaining brand presence in the consumer’s mindspace to drive sales.

 

Sarda also delineated the distinctions among branding,marketing, and sales, emphasizing theirindividual contributions to a company’s success. Drawing onexamples fromleadingbrands likeGoogle,BaskinRobbins, and Tommy Hilfiger, Sarda illustrated how advertising and promotion strategies differ. He noted that some brands rely on visibility in outlets and dealer promotion rather than direct advertising. He stressed the importance of defining the target audience, creating engagingcontent, andinspiring action through advertisements. For businesses in their early growth stages, he recommended promoting consumer benefits and unique selling points whilebuildingastrongcustomer basebefore allocatingsignificant budgets to advertising.

 

Heunderscored that advertising alone can sell a product only once; subsequent purchases are driven by the consumer’s experience and satisfaction. Retention, he advised, requires consistentadvertisingefforts,not one-time campaigns. He shared insightsintoeffectiveadcreation, emphasizing the significance of copywriting and visual design, encouraging immediate consumerresponse throughastrong call to action, and measuring ad effectiveness with key performance indicators.