Above-the-Line advertising is a term collectively used for advertising tools through which products are promoted with advertising activities that essentially offer a wider reach and broadly targeted en-masse.

The major focus of ATL communication is to build the brand and to have a mass appeal about the product. Typical channels of ATL marketing include:

  • Television
  • Radio
  • Newspapers / print
  • Cinema / Theatres (product placements)
  • Out of home media

All these media are together termed as mass media.

For instance, a toothpaste brand will focus on above-the-line marketing to gain a wider reach since the product is used regularly in each and every household. Thus the FMCG sector relies heavily rely on above-the-line marketing mediums.