Developing customer attention towards a particular person or thing is called ‘publicity’. In the following section, you will know the advantages and disadvantages of Publicity. However, in terms of promotion, developing customer attention towards a particular product, service or idea of an organization for free is ‘publicity’. The main objective of publicity is to secure and maintain the target customers’ perception of the organization and its offerings.

Therefore, using media time and space to communicate (in non-personal form) the administrative messages. Without paying for it, it is publicity. It also does not involve any sponsor. It focuses on developing the organization’s positive image among target customers.

Advantages of Publicity

The advantages of publicity are as follows:

1) Low Cost

The low cost associated with publicity is its strength. If the publicity message is broadcast between the evening TV news, it is comparatively less costly. The expenses incurred on publicity are continuously reducing due to the invention of web cameras, weblogs, web affiliates, convergence and other new technologies.

2) Prevents Crisis Situations

It is always advisable to keep releasing positive news about products to create and maintain the brand image. One loose day without any publicity tool modification can be terrible for unclear companies.

3) Increases Visibility

With the help of utilizing different media tools like broadcasting, print or the internet, an organization can increase its reliability in the market. Luxury and expensive products are treated as leading products by the target audience.

4) Gets Product Reviews

Getting third-party reviews about the reliability and credibility of the organization is much more effective than a review in a book, placement in popular media, or an article on service. These reviews help stimulate the sales efforts of the organization.

5) Increased Perceived Worth

Different publicity tools like articles in print media or TV and radio interviews, etc., increase the perceived worth of the organization and its products in the minds of concerned customers, buyers, dealers, and even other institutions. This is very fruitful in the case of luxury products or services developed by high-end producers.

6) Building Sales

Appropriate publicity tools increase awareness of organizational products and services and improve sales.

Disadvantages of Publicity

The major disadvantages of publicity are as follows:

1) Lack of Control

There is no control over the type of content, coverage area, or timing of the publicity tools. 

2) Community Concerns

Sometimes, publicity campaigns result in raising public issues within a particular community. This may result in a problematic situation for the organization.

3) Unpredictable

The impact of any public communication is highly unpredictable. Therefore, marketers are well prepared with some contingency planning to counteract the negative effects.

4) Biased

Publicity is unidimensional and hence is erroneous because except for reflecting the positive points, it does not mention errors and mistakes of the product, if any.

5) Negative Story

The overall publicity story may divert in a negative direction, causing the negative promotion of the organization and its products and services.

6) Repetition

Organizations cannot repeat the same type of story releases in publicity campaigns. It differs from advertising (where the same ad message can be repeated frequently) and hence needs separate but linked promotional ideas every time.