TV Advertising Of the three major types of advertising television, print and direct mail TV is by far the most costly and effective method. Research shows that TV advertisers spent a total of $29.5 billion in 1992. With these vast sums being spent, advertisers must carefully evaluate advertising costs, consumer exposure opportunities, and consumer buying strategies. The United States spends more on advertising than any other nation. The top three industries who advertise are automobile manufacturers ($3.6 billion in 1992), retailers ($2.9 billion) and the food industry ($1.78 billion). Part of the cost of advertising includes hiring agencies to produce the kind of commercials that will appeal to the consumer. These agencies determine when, how, and where to place their client s ads to reach the most people. Advertisement agencies also research to find out the most effective times to reach certain audiences (evaluate exposure opportunities). For instance, children are targeted on Saturday mornings with toy ads and fun eating places (Chuck-E-Cheese, McDonalds, etc.) Day time hours, which primarily include soap operas and talk shows, target women audiences by advertising cosmetic and hygiene products. Prime time hours target a much larger audience with more general advertisements. Agencies also know that for effective advertising, they must consider consumer s buying strategies. It is said that ads are used to encourage people to buy things they do not really need or want, often by causing negative feelings such as guilt, anxiety or fears of inferiority. There are commercials showing beautiful people who have used anti-aging products, vitalizing shampoos and slimming products encouraging the average consumer to purchase these hoping for the same results. In conclusion, industries need to carefully weigh their advertising efforts by evaluating advertising costs, consumer exposure opportunities, and consumer buying strategies to make the most out of their promotional dollars. Consumers, on the other hand, need to take some of the ads they see on TV with a grain of salt, knowing that those products probably won t transform them into those beautiful, perfect people.