This document outlines 12 different types of advertisements: demo ads, problem-solution ads, symbolic problem ads, comparison ads, exemplary story ads, benefit-causes-story ads, testimonial ads, ongoing character/celebrity ads, symbolic benefit ads, associated user imagery ads, unique personality property ads, and parody/borrowed format ads. Each type is briefly defined in one or two sentences.

1. 12 Types of Ads

2. Demo
• Many TV and internet advertisements use this
type of advertising. It is often a visual’s
demonstration of a product’s capability. There
are even TV channels solely dedicated to
advertisements that show demos of how to
use the product.

3. Show the Problem
• . This format presents the problem and then
offers a solution, which is the product or
service they are advertising.

4. Symbolize the Problem
• This form of advertising has become more
popular with the advent of computers and
digital graphics. With this type of advertising,
a symbol, analogy, or exaggerated graphic is
employed to represent the problem.

5. Comparison
• This kind of advertising is also very common.
It’s the usual ‘our brand is better than brand
x’ type of ad. The ad often claims that the
featured product is superior to those of its
competitors.

6. Exemplary Story.
• Ads of this type showcase a situation where
the product will be useful and beneficial.

7. Benefit Causes Story
• An ad like this tells a back-to-front story. It
shows a trail of events caused by using the
product.

8. Testimonial
• In ads of this type, a person gives a
testimonial of how good the product is. The
person can be any normal-looking person that
can be anyone’s neighbor or friend, or a
celebrity.

9. Ongoing characters and celebrities
• Ads of this type aim to cement a brand’s
identity into the viewer’s brain by using a
recurring character or celebrity.

10. Symbolize the Benefit
• This format presents the benefits of the
product using a symbol, analogy, or
exaggerated graphics.

11. Associated User Imagery
• Ads like this showcase the type of people it
hopes you’ll associate with the product.

12. Unique Personality Property
• These ads highlight something indigenous to
the product that will make it stand out.

13. Parody or Borrowed Format
• This type of ads parody movies, TV shows, and
sometimes, other ads.