Different Types of Commercial Advertising

Advertising comes in many forms, and understanding the different types of commercial advertising is key for any brand looking to grow. Over the years, advertising has evolved significantly – today’s most popular strategies are online-based, yet the fundamental need for advertising remains as strong as ever. From traditional media like radio and TV ads to modern approaches like influencer marketing and user-generated content (UGC), advertisers have more channels than ever to reach their audience. In fact, the rise of social media has created entirely new ad formats: micro-influencers and content creators now produce sponsored posts that often rival classic commercials in impact. A recent study even found that 77% of consumers prefer content from social media influencers over traditional scripted ads – a testament to the trust and authenticity these new channels provide. Below, we’ll explore all these different types of commercial advertising, highlighting how each works and why it matters in today’s e-commerce and digital marketing landscape.

What Are the Different Types of Commercial Advertising?

The term “commercial advertising” covers a broad range of channels. Traditional examples include radio advertisements, TV commercials, and print ads, while digital-era methods include internet ads (banner, video, text formats) and even product placement in entertainment content. In recent years, influencer marketing – brands partnering with popular social media creators – has also become a powerful form of commercial advertising. Below, we break down the most common types of commercial advertising and how each one works.

Influencer Marketing (Social Media Creators)

Influencer marketing involves collaborating with individuals who have an engaged following on social media – from big-name celebrities to micro-influencers with niche audiences. These creators promote a brand’s product or service through authentic content, such as reviews, unboxing videos, or lifestyle posts. The appeal of this format is the perceived authenticity and peer recommendation; audiences tend to trust influencers’ opinions far more than traditional ads. Influencer campaigns often produce valuable user-generated content (UGC) that brands can repost and repurpose across their own channels. They can also be cost-effective – many micro-influencers are happy to be compensated with free products or modest fees, making this strategy accessible even to startups and Amazon sellers.

Some key advantages of influencer advertising include:

• • Authenticity & Trust: Influencer content feels more genuine and relatable, as if a friend is making a recommendation. Studies show 77% of social media users prefer influencer posts over scripted brand advertisements.

     

  • High Engagement: Micro-influencers often see higher engagement rates (likes, comments, shares) than huge celebrity accounts. For example, one analysis found that micro-influencers’ campaign engagement can be around 60% greater than that of more popular influencers.

     

  • Cost Effectiveness: Instead of paying large sums for a single ad spot or celebrity endorsement, brands can partner with dozens of micro-influencers for the cost of free product samples. In one case, a company noted that rather than spending $500–$1,000 on one big influencer post, sending free products to smaller creators yielded lots of content and higher engagement in return.

     

  • UGC Content Creation: Every influencer collaboration typically generates photos, videos, and testimonials that the brand can reuse in its marketing. This UGC supplies social proof and fresh creative assets for social media, websites, and even future ad campaigns.

     

  • Targeted Reach: Influencers cultivate specific niches – whether it’s fitness enthusiasts, tech gadget lovers, or eco-conscious moms – so brands can advertise to a highly relevant audience. This targeted approach often leads to more meaningful engagement and conversions.

For example, Stack Influence is a micro-influencer marketing platform that helps brands (including Amazon marketplace sellers) run product-seeding campaigns with everyday content creators. Platforms like this make it easy to find vetted influencers and manage campaigns at scale, generating valuable UGC and driving high-quality traffic for e-commerce businesses. In today’s digital landscape, influencer marketing has become one of the fastest-growing and most impactful types of commercial advertising.

Online Advertising (Digital Ads)

Online advertising (also known as internet or digital advertising) is one of the most prevalent forms of marketing today. It encompasses everything from search engine ads to banners and video ads on websites, social media promotions, and more – and it now makes up the majority of advertisers’ budgets (digital channels accounted for nearly 70% of total ad spend in 2024). Businesses of all sizes use online ads to reach targeted audiences across the globe with precision.

Common types of online advertising include:

• • Banner Ads: Image-based ads that appear on webpages, typically at the top or sides. Banner ads can be static or animated, and are a staple of internet advertising for driving brand awareness (for example, the rectangular display ads you see on news sites).

     

  • Pop-up Ads: Advertisements that “pop up” in front of website content. These ads demand immediate attention by overlaying the page – and while they can be intrusive, they are sometimes considered even more effective at grabbing eyeballs than standard banner or video ads.

     

  • Search Ads: Text ads that appear alongside search engine results (like Google Ads). Search advertising lets brands target specific keywords so their link shows up when users search those terms, making it great for capturing high-intent customers.

     

  • Social Media Ads: Paid advertisements on social platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, or TikTok. These can appear as sponsored posts in users’ feeds, stories, or video streams. Social media ads offer advanced targeting options (by demographics, interests, etc.) and interactive formats (carousel ads, shoppable posts) to engage users.

     

  • Online Video Ads: Short video commercials that play before or during streaming video content (for instance, the ads before a YouTube video or in a Hulu stream). These are usually brief (often 6 to 30 seconds) and can be skippable or non-skippable. Video ads combine the storytelling of TV commercials with the targeting of digital, and they are a fast-growing segment of online advertising.

One big advantage of online advertising is the ability to measure performance in real time – advertisers can track clicks, views, conversions, and adjust campaigns quickly. Online ads also support e-commerce directly by allowing instant click-through to product pages, which is why they’re indispensable for many modern businesses.

Radio and Audio Advertising

Radio advertising is one of the oldest forms of commercial advertising, dating back to the early 20th century. Radio ads are typically short audio commercials that air between songs or talk segments on broadcast radio. Companies can also sponsor segments or have radio hosts deliver live ad reads during their shows. This format is quite adaptable and often more affordable than producing video or TV ads, which makes it accessible for small businesses. Despite being traditional, radio can still reach audiences wherever they are – in the car, at work, or on the go.

In the digital age, audio advertising has expanded beyond AM/FM radio. Podcast advertising has become highly popular, with hosts weaving sponsored messages into their episodes for devoted listeners. Music streaming platforms (like Spotify’s free tier or Pandora) also play audio ads between songs. These modern audio ads work on a similar principle to radio commercials, but they allow more precise targeting (by genre, listener demographics, or listening behavior). Whether via classic radio or streaming audio, the key is that the message reaches listeners through sound. A catchy jingle, memorable slogan, or trusted host’s voice can stick in a listener’s mind even without visuals.

Television Advertising (TV Commercials)

Television commercials – those 15 to 60-second spots that run during TV programming – have long been a flagship format for advertisers. TV advertising includes not only the traditional commercials we see between shows, but also subtler forms like product placement (where a brand’s product is featured within a show or movie scene). Television offers the ability to reach a massive audience, but it comes at a high price: airing a TV ad can be very costly depending on the network and viewership (prime-time slots or big events like the Super Bowl command premium prices).

Producing a TV commercial also typically requires a larger budget for filming, actors, and editing compared to other ad types. However, the impact can be big – a memorable TV ad can dramatically boost brand recognition. Even in the age of digital media, TV remains influential, especially for reaching older demographics and during live events (sports, award shows) that draw large simultaneous audiences. Moreover, with the rise of streaming television (OTT platforms), many brands are now running ads on streaming services to capture “cord-cutters.” These streaming TV ads are often targeted like digital ads but resemble traditional TV commercials in format. In summary, television advertising can deliver broad reach and strong storytelling opportunities, but it requires significant investment and isn’t always feasible for smaller brands.

Print Advertising

Print advertising refers to ads in physical printed media, primarily newspapers, magazines, and other publications, as well as materials like brochures and flyers. Print ads can be text, images, or both – for example, a full-page color ad in a magazine or a small classified ad in a local newspaper. Costs for print advertising vary widely. Buying a glossy full-page in a national magazine or a prime spot in a high-circulation newspaper can be expensive, whereas printing a stack of flyers or a local newsletter ad is much cheaper. Prices often depend on the publication’s readership and the size/position of the ad.

One challenge with print media is declining circulation in the digital age, as many consumers now get news online. However, print ads can still be effective for reaching certain audiences (for instance, local newspaper readers or niche magazine subscribers) and for providing a tangible, lasting message. Many businesses use print ads to complement their digital marketing – such as a mailer or magazine ad that reinforces an online campaign. From coupon inserts to direct mail postcards to billboard posters (a form of print/out-of-home advertising), this traditional medium persists as a way to get a message in front of people in the physical world.

What Are the Three Types of Commercials?

Aside from the delivery channels above, commercials can also be categorized by their creative approach or purpose. In the advertising world, there are three common types or styles of commercials:

Image/Topical Commercials

One approach is the image commercial, sometimes called a topical commercial. This type of advertisement is designed to instill a positive image of the brand in the viewer’s mind rather than focus on specific product features. An image or topical commercial might highlight the company’s values, reputation, or mission – for example, emphasizing high product quality, exceptional customer service, or commitment to social causes. The idea is to associate the brand with certain favorable characteristics in the long run (health, happiness, safety, innovation, etc.) and build trust in the business. These ads often have a storytelling or inspirational tone and aim to boost overall brand confidence among the target audience.

Testimonial/Performance Proof Commercials

Another effective format is the testimonial commercial, which provides proof of a product’s performance through real user experiences. These ads feature customers (or actors portraying customers) testifying about their satisfaction with the product – for instance, showing before-and-after results or enthusiastic endorsements. The best testimonial commercials feel unscripted and authentic, because people tend to believe genuine consumer feedback more than polished sales pitches. By showcasing happy customers and tangible results, these commercials demonstrate the brand’s effectiveness to viewers. The goal is to provide evidence (“proof”) that convinces potential buyers the product lives up to its claims, thereby increasing trust, improving sales, and raising brand credibility.

Comparison Commercials

The third style is the comparison commercial. In a comparison ad, the brand explicitly or implicitly compares its product to a competitor’s product to highlight why the former is better. These advertisements often point out the advantages of the advertised product and the shortcomings of the competing option. A classic example might be a side-by-side test (e.g. one detergent vs. another) or a direct slogan like “Brand X beats Brand Y.” Comparison commercials frequently use a convincing tone – sometimes even featuring an influential spokesperson or an influencer figure to deliver the message persuasively. This approach works best when the differences can be clearly demonstrated and when the person presenting the comparison is trusted by the audience. When done well, comparison ads can sway consumers who are on the fence by directly showing why one brand outperforms another.

Conclusion to Different Types of Commercial Advertising

As we’ve seen, the different types of commercial advertising range from traditional formats like radio, TV, and print to modern digital and influencer-driven strategies. Each channel has its own strengths: a radio jingle might reach commuters on their drive to work, while a micro-influencer’s post on Instagram might inspire a niche audience to try a new product. Smart marketers often combine multiple advertising types to maximize their reach – for example, running online ads to complement a TV campaign, or using influencer-created UGC in their social media ads.

The key is to choose the advertising channels that best align with your target audience and marketing goals. In today’s world, a small e-commerce brand might find more value in a targeted influencer marketing campaign, whereas a large consumer goods company might still invest heavily in television commercials. Ultimately, all these different types of commercial advertising share the same aim: to get the right message in front of the right people. With a mix of creativity and the proper channel strategy, businesses can tap into each format’s potential to boost their brand and drive results.