Audience Analysis and Medium Justification

The article’s target group consists of company owners in the United States who hire individuals to work in their establishments. The editorial would target business owners who are opposed to raising the minimum wage as well as owners who do not realize the benefits of increasing their base wages. For example, some business owners are opposed to increasing the minimum wage due to labor cost issues. As a result, they will be the main target demographic. In terms of demographics, the target audience would be all company owners aged 18 and over, with a higher-than-average salary. The article does not target a specific sector or company owners from a particular occupation but will address business people from all industries and backgrounds. The editorial will try to tell corporate owners about the positive impact of raising the minimum wage, and to persuade them to increase their base pay based on the evidence provided and the arguments presented.

The decision to use a magazine as a medium for communicating with business owners is because it offers many advantages compared to other forms of media. For instance, the fact that it provides unlimited exposure makes it a suitable medium for company owners (O’Guinn et al. 268). Unlike other types of media such as television or radio, where advertisement time is scheduled, the target audience will have potential exposure to the magazine ad nearly any occasion. Most business owners are either busy with running their enterprises or looking for other investment opportunities; hence they are not always there to keep tabs on all ads in televisions or their smartphones. However, they can view a magazine left on their workplace or home table repeatedly at their discretion without missing anything (O’Guinn et al. 268). The magazine will also give business owners the opportunity to read and comprehend the information and evidence put across regarding minimum wage at their leisure given that it is not limited. As a result, they are more likely to make informed decisions.

Using the magazine as a medium for persuading the audience is effective as allows for a high level of target marketing (Hatten 358). Magazines let the advertiser market his or her message to only the consumers he or she chooses. Also, business magazines enable the researcher to personalize the content of the articles such that they meet the needs of the specific readership. For instance, in this case, I can tailor the entire magazine based on the profile and expectations of the business owners. Magazines are a more personal method of connecting with the readership based on their interests (O’Guinn et al. 268). With such specialization and adaptability, I can reach my specific audience easily. Furthermore, magazines also offer position flexibility and creative opportunities (O’Guinn et al. 268). Advertisers are at liberty to decide where to place the advertisement in the publication. Furthermore, the medium offers the flexibility to choose the size of the ad and the formatting styles to apply to the announcement. In this manner, an advertiser can ensure that his or her commercial is visible and legible. For instance, to provide high visibility, I decided to place my article on the cover of the magazine. Also, the ad occupies a full page and is produced in a font size and style that is quite visible to enhance text readability.

The key to a successful advertisement is engagement, which is, capturing the reader’s attention through eye-catching content before persuading them to agree with one’s line of argument. Print media are usually considered credible sources, and as such, the audience is likely to take time going through the content (Sailam 37). It is for this reason that using the magazine in convincing business owners to raise minimum wages. Besides, considering that the magazine does not have many distractions, for instance, pop ads, the readers will show full concentration for the message. Therefore, magazines offer a higher capacity for the audience to dig deeper into the content, thereby increasing understanding. Lastly, magazines present the possibility for additional exposure to the message (Hatten 358). A reader may give or donate the publication to another person after reading it increasing the readership, thereby marketing the ad message further.

The organization of a magazine advertisement is crucial in enhancing its effectiveness. For starters, the decision to place the article in the business section was to make it consistent with the target audience (O’Guinn et al. 268). The first paragraph of the article then clarified the specific problem while recognizing the target audience as part of the solution, therefore, making them want to read through other parts. Also, the article was organized in a manner that each paragraph addressed a single justification for increasing minimum wage, with the first statement introducing the argument. In this way, it would encourage the reader to read through other paragraphs. Also, the decision to use visual images was guided by the notion that it would grab the attention of business owners and ensure they focus their concentration on the advertisement message.

Works Cited

Hatten, Timothy. Small Business Management: Entrepreneurship and Beyond. Cengage Learning, 2015.

O’Guinn, Thomas, et al. Advertising and Integrated Brand Promotion. 7th ed., Cengage Learning, 2014.

Sailam, Krish. Old School Simple: A simple guide for small business owners struggling to keep up with the pace of technology. Krish Sailam, 2013.