Advertising contributes to target audience knowledge and influences attitudes and purchase behavior. 

Aviation manufacturers that advertise are making an investment in long-term brand performance. Advertising has a multiplier effect – when integrated with other marketing efforts, it helps position and create a preference for the brand while building awareness with purchasers and influencers.

Advertising can take many forms, including:

• Sales promotion
• Print advertising
• Digital banner ads
• Ad specialty items
• Interactive media
• Direct mail
• Email
• Trade show displays
• Billboards
• Mobile displays
• Product videos

Advertising integrated with inbound marketing

Social media is today’s buzz factor. To jump-start social marketing efforts, aviation marketers may want to consider starting out with an advertising campaign to build awareness and seed the conversation for social media efforts. This approach has proven to be successful when introducing new products or aligning your brand with social initiatives.

Advertising as an influencer

Most aviation products are big-ticket items.  From new aircraft, to engine replacement, to the latest avionics suite, purchasers are influenced by what they read, see, and consider truthful. Aligning your brand with industry leaders through advertising in leading aviation trade publications reinforces the quality and stability of your brand.

Advertising as a competitive advantage

Advertising is probably the largest line item on the marketing budget. It also has the highest profile. Therefore what you say, how you say it, and the visual story that your advertising tells about your brand is a direct reflection on the brand promise. When advertising is used to increase share of voice (SOV), it’s a tactical advantage over the competition.

Advertising as a preference builder

Advertising builds brand trust. When prospects know something about your brand, they are predisposed to select the brand they have heard of or have had direct contact with. One could argue that a well-known brand with a loyal following can charge a premium price for their product or service than a lesser known or upstart brand.

Advertising builds market share

Advertising combined with other marketing efforts can build market share by increasing awareness levels for your brand with the target audience. Companies that maintain their advertising levels in a down economy tend to increase their market share when the economy turns around. Companies that cut their advertising in down economic cycles have to spend twice as much to regain their share of voice.

A lot of emphasis and chatter is being paid to social marketing, leading one to think that advertising is dead. Astute aviation marketers know that it’s finding the right balance of social marketing combined with outbound marketing to reach and engage their customers.