Advertisements are messages paid for by those who send them and are intended to inform or influence people who receive them. In business the goal of advertising is to attract new customers by defining the target market and reaching out to them with an effective ad campaign. Also called ad, a public announcement—generally through audio, print, or video—made to promote a commodity, service, or idea through various media, including print magazines and newspapers, billboards, radio, television, direct mail, and through website.