What is the Media Problem?

The prime function of the advertising appropriation is of course to act as a profit reservoir into which money may be pumped in good times and from which money may be tapped in hard times. However, a useful by‐product of the advertising appropriation can be increased sales of the company's products and much effort is expended towards this by‐product. It has been established reasonably clearly in the last few years that the major contribution towards the effectiveness of the advertising appropriation lies in the content of the advertisements. Nevertheless, since such large sums of money are involved, improvements in the way in which it is spent are worth making. This paper addresses the technicalities of the most important element in this latter process and suggests that current practice may not be the best possible practice.