Class XII Mass Media Studies - Comprehensive Notes

Advertising Concept and Process

• Product Definition and R&D:     - When a product is launched, the Research and Development [R & D] section of an organization defines its identity.     - This includes the form, specifications, conditions, look, appearance, and packaging for physical products.     - USP (Unique Selling Point): The R & D section determines the specific feature that makes the product stand out from competitors.

• Market Testing:     - Prototypes are tested by blanking out the product name and showing various color schemes or appearances to different groups.     - Responses are often analyzed by psychologists and sociologists to determine the most successful packaging and look.

• Industrial vs. Consumer Advertising:     - Consumer Products: These are typically marketed to the general public.     - Industrial Products/Services: These involve one manufacturer serving the specific needs of another. The process begins with identifying customer needs through extensive research at their workplace.     - For technical gadgets, advertising emphasizes technical specifications, range of functions, improvements over existing systems, and tangible benefits presented attractively.

• Market Research Projections:     - Research provides a socio-economic profile of targeted buyers.     - It determines the product's positioning and selling strategy.

• Formal Definition of Advertising: Advertising is a comprehensively planned and launched effort to give a product a personality or identity through audio-visual language.

Product Sectors and Targeted Buyers

• Automotive:     - Economy brands (e.g., Nano) priced at approximately $1.25\,\text{lakhs}$.     - Hatchbacks priced between $2.50\,\text{lakhs}$ and $7\,\text{lakhs}$.     - Sedans ranging from $5\,\text{lakhs}$ to several millions.     - Premium brands and a large two-wheeler segment (scooters/motorcycles).

• Beverages:     - Divided into alcoholic and non-alcoholic. In India, advertising of alcoholic products is prohibited.     - Includes global, national, and regional brands for aerated drinks and extracts.

• Cellular Products:     - Prices range from $Rs.\,1,200$ (functional) to $Rs.\,35,000$ (multi-utility).

• Clothing:     - Coexistence of global, national, and regional brands.     - High end features fashion house products; low end features local brands.

• Computers and Electronics:     - Range includes desktops, laptops, i-pads, and standard audio/video gadgets (tape recorders, CD/DVD players, transistors).

• Entertainment:     - Films, music concerts, plays, and live events.

• Financial:     - Banking, investments, and insurance. Innovation is critical due to high competition.

• Food and Snacks:     - Ranging from staples (aata, rice) to luxuries (chocolates).     - Key targets are housewives and children.

• Health Related:     - Medicines, nutritional supplements, and exercise gadgets.

• Home Appliances:     - White goods like refrigerators, washing machines, and cooking appliances (microwaves, food processors).

• ISP and Search Engines:     - Global search engines and local ISPs. Media like YouTube and Facebook serve as both products and advertising vehicles.

• Personal Care and Fast Food:     - Hygiene products (toothpaste, soaps) and luxury cosmetics.     - Fast food chains (Global and National) and coffee shops.

Defining and Segmenting the Market

• The Identification Process:     - Features: Characteristics that come with the product (e.g., a stain remover liquid).     - Benefits: The advantage to the customer (e.g., saving money by avoiding professional laundry).

• Risks of Broad Targeting:     - Message dilution: The message may not reach the target group effectively.     - Cost inefficiency: Broad campaigns often lack focus and exceed promotional budgets.

• Market Segmentation Categories:     - Geographic: Urban vs. rural structures. Climate-sensitive products (e.g., room heaters marketed in areas with severe winters, not in Maharashtra or Goa).     - Demographic: Factors include age, race, religion, gender, income level, family size, occupation, education, and marital status.     - Behaviouristic: Based on buying habits, brand loyalty, or peer pressure.     - Psychographic: Based on status, desire for enhanced appearance, or feeling rich (common for luxury items).

Functions and Types of Advertising

• Major Functions:     - Introducing new products.     - Distinguishing a product from competitors.     - Creating brand identity and loyalty.     - Expanding sales and creating new demand.

• Prominent Media:     - Print: Newspapers, magazines, brochures, fliers.     - OOH (Out of Home): Billboards, kiosks, tradeshows.     - Broadcast: Radio, TV.     - Digital: Internet, mobile, social media.

• Specific Forms of Advertising:     - Institutional: Promotes the company's image rather than a specific product, often aligning with social causes.     - Public Service (PSA): Focuses on social awareness and changing wrong practices.     - Advocacy: Influences public opinion on economic, political, or social issues (e.g., electoral reforms).     - Comparative: Compares brands directly or indirectly. The FTC (USA) claims it assists rational purchase decisions.     - Cooperative: Two businesses share advertising costs (e.g., a soft drink brand advertising on a local grocery store's sign).     - Point-of-Purchase (POP): Designed for impulsive buying at the payment point (e.g., LCD displays in retail stores).     - Cross-Promotion: Two or more businesses team up to reach a broader population (e.g., the Egyptian restaurant and American coffee shop case study).

• Specialty Advertising (Merchandise): Putting logos on items like caps, glassware, and keychains.

• Covert Advertising: Embedding products in entertainment (e.g., Aston Martin in James Bond films).

The Filmmaking Process

• Principal Stages:     1. Pre-shooting: Includes writing, budgeting, casting, and scheduling.     2. Shooting Stage: Executing the plan on location or in a studio.     3. Post-shooting Stage: Lab processing, editing, and sound synchronization.

• Budget Basics:     - Above-the-Line Costs: Principal creative elements (story, script, producer, director, lead performers).     - Below-the-Line Costs: Crew, secondary cast, travel, insurance, and post-production.     - Contingency: Extra allowance, usually at least $10\%$, to cover unexpected expenses.

• Shooting Ratio: The ratio of finished film length to the length of total footage shot.     - Satyajit Ray: $1:3$ to $1:4$.     - Apocalypse Now (Coppola): $1:97$ (nearly $200\,hours$ of footage for a $153\,minute$ film).     - The Hurt Locker (Bigelow): $1:100$.     - Mughal-e-Azam: Cost approximately $Rs.\,1.5\,crores$ ($38.29\,crores$ in modern terms).

• Post-Production Elements:     - Rushes/Dailies: Developed takes screened daily for evaluation.     - Rough Cut: Preliminary assembly of shots to tell the story economically.     - Final Cut: The finished version with sound and titles.     - Answer Print: A positive print used to grade color and light levels.     - Sync Sound: Dialogues recorded during shooting (e.g., Lagaan, Swades).

Television and Radio Production

• TV Production Types:     - Live: Instant telecasts (e.g., IPL matches) using online editors and multiple camera angles.     - Non-Live: Scripted shows (e.g., daily soaps) involving extensive filming and post-production.

• TV Production Personnel:     - Producer: Concept launcher and team leader.     - Technical Director (TD): Operates the video switcher in the control room.     - Lighting Director (LD): Designs the lighting plan.     - Floor Manager: Coordinates activities on the set.

• Radio Formats:     - Spoken Word: News bulletins (AIR summaries for $5-15\,minutes$), talks, plays, and features.     - Music: DJ programs and countdown shows.

• Radio Scripting Principles:     - Written for the ear, not the eye.     - Use the "KISS" formula: Keep It Simple and Straightforward.     - Focus on imagery and personal conversation style.

Print Media and Daily Journalism

• Newspaper Departments:     - Editorial: Gathering and processing news; design and layout.     - Commercial: Advertising and marketing.     - Management: Policy making and administration.     - Technical: Printing and production.     - Distribution: Circulation and retail delivery.

• Editorial Cycle:     - Morning: News meeting to discuss ideas.     - Afternoon: Tracking stories, editing copies, and receiving marketing data.     - Evening ($6\,PM - 9:30\,PM$): Page making and sealing the city edition.     - Night: Printing for distribution by $4\,AM$.

• The Sub-Editor: Often called the "lifeguard" or "private detective" of the office. They judge reporter accuracy, write headlines, and ensure the credibility of the paper.

Internet and Digital Media Production

• Website Components:     - URL (Uniform Resource Locator): Consists of Protocol (e.g., HTTP), Domain, Path, and File.     - Static Content: Remains constant unless manually updated (HTML).     - Dynamic Content: Content adapts based on user interaction (PHP, ASP, JavaScript).

• Web Design Tools:     - Markup Languages: HTML, XHTML, XML.     - Style Sheets: CSS, XSL.     - Encoding: XML is a set of rules for electronic encoding, emphasizing simplicity and Unicode support.     - Compression: JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group) offers lossy compression, typically at a $10:1$ ratio.

• Conceptualization: Creating a positioning statement of $15-25\,words$ that is keyword-rich to establish identity quickly.

Creative Contributions of Key People

• Film Writer: Creates the script through stages of synopsis and treatment. Must understand theatricality and story principles.

• Director: The "true author" of the film; responsible for artistic vision and managing the crew/budget.

• Producer: Conceptualizes and finances the project. Handles legal, administrative, and promotional duties across the production.

• Cinematographer (DoP): Artist-technician responsible for the visual look, framing, and lighting. Subrata Mitra (for Satyajit Ray) is a noted historical example.

• Music Composer: In India, music directors often focus on creating song tunes. Notable Indian example: S.D. Burman.

• Internet Conceptualizer: Brainstorms elements to ensure the website is "an inch wide and a mile deep," focusing on narrow topics for better ranking.

• Content Writer: Specializes in search ability (keywords) and relevance for engagement and conversion.

Questions & Discussion

• 1. What are the differences between the job of a reporter and a sub-editor?   - Response: A reporter is an "out-of-doors" individual covering a specific "beat" to gather primary information. They often receive bylines. A sub-editor is a "deskman" who works behind the scenes to proofread, check accuracy, and provide headlines, serving as the final gatekeeper for credibility.

• 2. Describe the relationship between information and democracy according to Walter Lipmann.   - Response: Lipmann argued that for democracy to function, the average voter must be well-informed to make good choices. He expressed concern in $1922$ that newspapers and early radio were insufficient systems for educating the masses.

• 3. What are the three megatrends Majid Tehranian identifies for the $21st$ century?   - Response: The three trends are Globalization, Regionalization, and Democratization, with the latter currently lagging behind the first two.

• 4. Discuss the scope of Direct Mailing in context of advertising.   - Response: Direct mail offers the highest level of selectivity and response rates. It is effective for small businesses because it is low-cost and allows results to be easily measured, though it risks being viewed as "junk mail."