The following appeared as part of a campaign to sell advertising time on a local radio station to local businesses:
“The Cumquat Café began advertising on our local radio station this year and was delighted to see its business increase by 10 percent over last year’s totals. Their success shows you how you can use radio advertising to make your business more profitable.”
Discuss how well reasoned you find this argument. In your discussion be sure to analyze the line of reasoning and the use of evidence in the argument. For example, you may need to consider what questionable assumptions underlie the thinking and what alternative explanations or counterexamples might weaken the conclusion. You can also discuss what sort of evidence would strengthen or refute the argument, what changes in the argument would make it more logically sound, and what, if anything, would help you better evaluate its conclusion.
The writer is convincing when she asserts that the Cumquat Café’s use of advertising on a local radio station increased their sales by 10 percent. She cites the café’s example as proof that local businesses can advertise on the media. Yet, this assertion is flawed on several grounds. First of all, the café’s example only proves the point for one specific radio station. Perhaps a rival café also advertised on the station, but since that café does not advertise, it did not have a sales increase. Secondly, the café does not reveal what percentage of sales the radio advertisements were responsible for. In the café’s case, 10 percent is a substantial gain, but for businesses that sell products at low prices, the increase in sales will be less impressive. Finally, the café’s advertisement is not representative of how other businesses should advertise. If the café had used a coupon in the newspaper, it would have increased sales by that amount. Instead, the café advertised on the radio, which likely cost them more than a coupon would have
The writer also cites the Cumquat Café’s example as proof that local businesses can benefit from advertising. However, the statistics provided do not support this assertion. The café only advertises on a local station, eliminating any potential competitors from hearing the advertisement. A business owner, however, should advertise on stations that reach potential customers in his area, not just one station. If a business advertises on only one station, it limits its audience. Furthermore, the Cumquat Café’s advertisement did not mention the café’s hours of operation or any special promotions. Radio advertisements are not effective if listeners do not understand what the business is offering. Finally, even if the café had advertised its specials, the café did not state how many customers they gained as a result. Therefore, the café’s example does not prove that local businesses can benefit from advertising on the radio
Radio advertising is the ideal medium for businesses that sell products that are inexpensive and that service a large number of customers. Such businesses should advertise on the radio, but businesses that sell more expensive products should not. Businesses should also avoid advertising on radio stations that only reach a small geographic area. Radio advertisements are expensive, so a business that advertises on the radio should carefully monitor its results.