10 Types of Advertising with Examples
In a world where we are constantly bombarded with messages, pop-ups and emails, advertising plays a key role in shaping customer decisions and driving brand growth. The industry is worth billions of dollars and is popular among all sectors of the economy. Be it creative billboards, small food franchises or large MNCs, advertising is booming in todays’ landscape.
With so many advertising avenues available, understanding the major types can help marketers and businesses choose the right mix for their goals. In this blog, we are going to discover 10 types of advertising, along with examples and practice use cases to help you understand the nitty-gritty of the industry.
Print Advertising
One of the oldest forms of advertising is print. This promotional method allows businesses and individuals to print about their brand in print mediums like newspapers, magazines, brochures, pamphlets, flyers and more.
Despite the continuous boom in digital advertising, print advertising is ideal to target a niche or a local group. MarketingSherpa revealed in their 2022 study that 70% of newspaper readers pay attention to print publications.
Digital Advertising
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Online platforms have become an ubiquitous space for advertising. Businesses are using various platforms like Google, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube and others to promote their brand; its services to their target audience. Moreover, with digital advertisements, companies can also target specific demographics, measure real-time progress and launch campaigns for better engagement.
Everytime you see Amazon or mCaffeine ads popping up on your feed, that’s digital advertising. Digital advertising is suitable for e-commerce, tech products and service-based businesses.
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Social Media Advertising
Almost similar to digital advertising but social media advertising allows businesses to communicate with their target audience in a more authentic way. Businesses use social media platforms like Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, WhatsApp and more to drive engagement with innovative storytelling and product showcases.
Social Media Advertising is an ideal medium for building communities, engaging with GenZ and Millennials and launching campaigns to get maximum exposure. Social Media Advertising is often used by fashion studios, fitness centers and lifestyle brands.
Did you know? Instagram ads have a 10X higher engagement rate as compared to Facebook.
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Another popular type is the OOH Outdoor Advertising. OOH Advertising includes using billboards, transit ads and posters to promote a brand or a business. Be it Netflix India’s witty billboard campaigns or LG promoting their new air conditioner, that’s OOH outdoor advertising.
OOH Outdoor Advertising is excellent to get maximum customer attention, especially targeting the high-footfall areas. Prime locations for high visibility are airports, highways, expressways and metro stations. Statistics has it that OOH delivers $5.97 ROI for every $1 spent on ads.
Read Also: What is Influencer Advertising? Trends, Platforms & Campaign Ideas
Online Search Advertising
People on an average spend around 3.5 hours of their day online. This explains why businesses are turning to online advertising. Online Search Advertising often uses Search Engine Optimization (SEO) to bid on keywords so as to increase their ad visibility.
An example of Online Search Advertising is when some searches ‘Best Advertising Schools in Delhi NCR,’ an ad from AAFT or Pearl might appear on the top of the results, marked as ‘Sponsored.’ That’s online search advertising.
Pay-Per-Click (PPC) Advertising
PPC Advertising is another broader category under which online search advertising falls. PPC includes any digital ad model where advertisers pay only when a user clicks on their ad. Ads displayed on Google, Bing, Facebook, Instagram and Amazon include PPC.
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PPC is ideal for fast-paced campaigns where measurable ROI is essential. This type of advertising is great for flash sales, service sign ups, seasonal promotions and app installs. Around 65% of SMEs run PPC campaigns to highlight their accessibility and popularity.
Over-the-top (OTT) Advertising
OTT Advertising is the one that appears on streaming platforms like Netflix, Amazon Prime, JioHotstar, SonyLiv among others. These advertisements are related to the upcoming shows and movies and are shown in between episodes or during the video content.
For instance, a 15 second ad shown after every over during a cricket match is OTT advertising. India has around 500 million OTT users and the industry is expected to grow at 14% CAGR in the coming years.
Direct Mail Advertising
This is a traditional form of advertising where catalogs, postcards, letters and coupons are sent directly to the customer’s mailbox. Direct Mail Advertising is excellent for hyper-personalized, local, B2C outreach and is commonly popular in sectors like real estate, insurance, healthcare and retail.
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Direct Mail Advertising has a response rate of 4.9% higher than email, which is just 1% only. An example of direct mail advertising is a local grocery store sending out discount flyers for weekends or an insurance company advertising a new update in their policies.
Native Advertising
Native ads match the look and feel of the media format in which they appear. These ads can take forms like sponsored ads, videos and social media posts. The user is at the heart of native ads. Their seamless integration into the platform’s content makes them less intrusive and more attractive to users, who don’t perceive them as traditional advertisements. By delivering valuable and relevant content, these ads effectively engage users without disturbing their browsing experience.
Recent reports by Outbrain revealed that native ads drive 10x higher CTRs compared to traditional ads.
Email Advertising
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This type of advertising uses promotional messages sent to users via email. Email advertising involves using newsletters to limited-time offers and abandoned cart reminders. Email Advertising is highly effective for generating leads, increasing customer base and boosting engagement through personalized messages. This type of advertising is usually used by online platforms, SaaS and B2B brands.
Conclusion
Now that you know different advertising types, finding the right strategy can be challenging. Be it traditional, print, digital or influencer advertising, every technique has its own purpose, uniqueness and strategy.
In today’s landscape where customer attention is the real currency, advertising can amplify your message and leave a lasting impact. So, if you got a knack in creating campaigns that WOW – understanding the advertising landscape might be your first step to make bold moves in the market.

Meha Yadav is a skilled content writer with 4 years of experience, specializing in creating impactful content across various niches including journalism, fashion, hospitality, data science and more. Her expertise lies in crafting stories that engage readers and drive results, making her an invaluable asset in the world of digital communication.