• Newspapers are the best bet if you are trying to inform a mass audience about a short-term sale or special price offer for a product or service. Newspaper readers are used to looking through the paper for specials. In some papers certain days are dedicated to certain categories. Advertising a category item on a category day will optimize the number of readers you reach even though your competition from other manufacturers or suppliers in your industry will be increased.

• Radio is a second best bet for price advertising. The effectiveness will be increased if your product or service has consumer recognition in your market. Radio advertising costs more than newspaper advertising, however, and it is more difficult to convey price information in this format without overwhelming the listener.

• Television is too expensive for price advertising. Unless you are mixing
a price advertising message with an image-building ad, don't consider this medium.

• Direct mail is a real wild card. In order to make this advertising medium cost effective for a “price” announcement, you will need to narrow your target audience.

• Magazines don't offer immediate access to an audience. This may undermine the legitimacy of a special pricing offer, especially if the sale is for a limited period of time. Consumers don't expect price advertising in magazines and are less likely to respond to such ads than if they see them in a newspaper.

• Outdoor and transit displays aren't good for price advertising. Many of the objections that can be raised for using magazines as announcement vehicles for product or service sales can be applied here as well.