John Philip Jones and Mary Baumgartner Jones has jointly written a book Advertising at the Cross Roads. It seeks to answer the question — ‘Is advertising a strong force?’ The Europeans think advertising is not a prime mover, but reinforces collective sales stimuli. The US practitioners think it is better to make noise — be louder and more intrusive than the rest.

Currently, advertising for low-involvement products is untargeted and is broadcast. It seeks buyers. On the other hand, advertising for high-involvement products is targeted and is narrowcast. Buyers welcome the information carried in these ads. Agencies have to do both these.

Indian advertising is shifting in favour of high-involvement products, and narrowcast media. Low-involvement advertising will continue, but it will be a subsidiary component of the big picture.