advertising
- 01 A2 Elementary
the act of showing or telling people about a product to make them want to buy it.
the activity or profession of producing advertisements for commercial products or services. Uncountable in this sense.
Simple“The company spends a lot of money on digital advertising to reach younger customers.”
In context“Effective advertising relies on a deep understanding of consumer psychology and the ability to communicate a brand's value proposition concisely.”
Usagefunctions as an uncountable noun when referring to the general practice.
PitfallI saw a very funny advertising on TV. I saw a very funny advertisement on TV.Use 'advertising' for the general activity or industry, but use 'advertisement' (or 'ad') for a single specific message.
- 02 B1 Intermediate
the business or profession of creating advertisements.
the commercial industry or sector responsible for creating and placing promotional content.
Simple“After finishing her degree, she found a job in advertising.”
In context“The shift toward social media has fundamentally transformed the landscape of the advertising industry over the last decade.”
Synonymsthe ad businessmarketing sector
From advertise + -ing.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.