Budget
When
considering advertising as a marketing communication method, companies
need to balance the cost of advertising–both of producing the
advertising pieces and buying placement - against the total budget for
the IMC program. The selection
and scheduling of media have a huge impact on
budget: advertising that targets a mass audience is generally more
expensive than advertising that targets a local or niche audience. It is
important for marketers to consider
the contribution advertising will make to the
whole. Although advertising is generally one of the more expensive parts
of the promotion mix, it may be a worthwhile investment if it
contributes substantially to the reach and effectiveness
of the whole program. Alternatively, some
marketers spend very little on advertising because they find other
methods are more productive and cost-effective for reaching their target
segments.