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Marketing vocabulary · Advertising & Promotion

Above the line

Meaning in marketing, with examples

/əˌbʌv ðə ˈlaɪn/phraseAdvanced term

In marketing, above the line means: Describes advertising through mass media such as TV, radio, newspapers, cinema and outdoor, aimed at a large and broad audience.

In Turkish: ATL, ana akım medya reklamları, kitle iletişim reklamcılığı

How it is used

Usually shortened to ATL and contrasted with BTL (below the line). It takes hyphens before a noun: above-the-line advertising. Turkish agencies use “ATL” very often. Campaigns that combine both are called through the line (TTL).

Example sentences

  1. Most of the budget goes above the line, mainly on TV and outdoor.

  2. Above-the-line advertising builds awareness, but its direct effect on sales is harder to measure.

Common collocations

  • above-the-line advertising
  • ATL campaign
  • ATL and BTL
  • through the line
  • below the lineDescribes marketing that targets specific groups more directly, such as in-store promotions, events, sampling, direct mail and sponsorship, rather than mass media.
  • advertisingPaid messages in media such as TV, radio, websites, newspapers or billboards that promote a product, service or brand; also the industry that creates them.
  • commercialAn advertisement broadcast on television, radio or online video, usually lasting from a few seconds to about a minute.
  • billboardA very large outdoor board for advertisements, usually beside roads, on buildings or in busy public places; digital billboards show moving or changing ads.
  • media planningChoosing the best mix of media, such as TV, radio, outdoor, print and digital, and deciding when and how often an ad should appear within a budget.

More terms: Advertising & Promotion

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