mainos

Mainos is the Finnish term for an advertisement or promotional message. It denotes paid communications created by a sponsor to inform, persuade, or remind an audience about products, services, brands, or ideas. A mainos can appear in many forms, including print ads, radio and TV spots, outdoor displays, and online campaigns delivered via websites, apps, social media, and video platforms. The aim is to reach a defined audience and influence attitudes or behavior.

In everyday Finnish usage, mainos refers to a single advertisement or to advertising as a category. The term is used alongside related concepts such as mainostaminen (advertising) and markkinointi (marketing). Etymologically it is a native Finnish word that has come to denote paid promotional content.

Advertising is governed by consumer protection laws and industry codes in Finland and the EU. The Mainonnan neuvosto (Advertising Ethics Council) handles complaints about advertising ethics and truthfulness. National agencies enforce rules against deceptive claims and protect data privacy in targeted ads, with further EU-level rules such as the Unfair Commercial Practices Directive.

Digital mainokset include display ads, search engine marketing, video ads, social media advertising, and programmatic buying, as well as influencer partnerships. Traditional channels cover print, radio, television, and outdoor advertising. Effectiveness is commonly measured by reach and frequency, impressions, click-through rate, and cost per thousand impressions (CPM).