Advertising is how a company encourages people to buy their products, services or ideas. An advertisement (or "ad" for short) is anything that draws good attention towards these things. It is usually designed by an identified sponsor, and performed through a variety of media. Ads appear on television, as well as radio, newspapers, magazines and as billboards in streets and cities. They try to get people to buy their products, by showing them the good rather than bad of their products.