Aydın Tiryaki (2026)

Is the advertising expenditure of private companies merely a commercial choice? For companies that have reached a certain size and sphere of influence, the answer is “No.” For companies that utilize public concessions or act as market makers, a “Rational Weighted” advertising distribution model based on customer preferences is an inevitable necessity.

In our first article, we discussed how the advertising budgets of public institutions should be distributed based on the principle of “equal citizenship.” However, the vast majority of the media economy and social perception is held by the private sector. The general consensus is that a private company can “advertise wherever it wants with its own money.”

However, if a company reaches millions of subscribers, utilizes public frequencies, or manages the basic needs of households, that company is no longer just a commercial enterprise, but a “social actor.” At this point, the distribution of advertising budgets must move away from the “sole discretion of the boss” to a model based on the “will of the customer base.”

Scope: Not Everyone, But “Power Centers”

The model we propose does not cover the local shopkeeper or Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs). In terms of commercial freedom and entrepreneurial spirit, these businesses must be exempt. The model focuses on two groups that we can define as “Private Enterprises with Public Characteristics”:

1. Users of Public Concessions: Telecommunications (GSM) and Energy companies that provide services using the state’s frequencies, licenses, and infrastructure.
2. Market Makers: Banks, Chain Markets, and Major Durable Goods Brands that exceed a certain threshold of turnover, customer count, or market share.

These giant structures feed on the diversity of society; therefore, they must observe this diversity when distributing their resources.

The Method: “Rational Weight” (The Compressed Voting Model)

The “1 Person = 1 Vote” principle of the public sector does not fully fit the capital structure of the private sector. Here, our proposal is the “Rational Weight System,” which blends commercial realism with democratic participation.

In this system, a customer’s depth with the company (spending volume, subscription duration, deposit size) increases their influence on advertising preferences. However, this increase is not unlimited; with a “Ceiling Score” (Cap) application, a single wealthy customer is prevented from dominating the entire system.

• Example: If a standard bank customer’s preference score is “1”, a depositor with millions is not valued at “1000”, but is capped at “10” or “20”. Thus, while the influence of the major customer is acknowledged, the voice of the masses is not drowned out.

Sectoral Implementation Scenarios

1. The Telecommunications Sector (Mandatory Distribution): GSM operators are based on a “Captive Subscription” system and use frequencies that are public property. Therefore, they are obliged to demonstrate a fully democratic approach in the distribution of advertising budgets. A subscriber should be able to say via the operator’s app, “Transfer my share to the local press” or “Support media group X,” and the operator should be legally obliged to distribute its budget in this ratio.

2. Durable Goods (Participation Integrated with Warranty): When a refrigerator or washing machine is purchased, the customer begins a 10-year relationship with the brand. Our proposal is to turn the “Warranty Activation” process into a festival of democracy. When the customer logs into the system to activate the product’s warranty, they should be asked: “Where would you like to see the advertising share allocated from the revenue of this product?” Thus, the customer feels that the brand entering their home respects their worldview or the media they follow. This is the pinnacle of “Brand Loyalty.”

Legal Framework: “The Principle of Non-Ignorability”

This system cannot be left solely to the “goodwill” of companies. Regulatory authorities (such as Competition Authorities or Banking/Telecom Regulators) must add the following clause to license conditions: “Companies with a market share exceeding X% are obliged to distribute at least 30% of their advertising budgets in accordance with customer preferences collected via digital channels.”

Conclusion: Commercial Peace and Sustainability

For the private sector, this model is not a “burden,” but a major “Strategic Opportunity.”

1. Liberation from Pressure: Companies can protect their commercial neutrality against “Don’t advertise there” pressures from political or commercial focuses by saying, “It is not in our hands; our customers want it this way.”
2. Broadening the Base: Advertising budgets will revitalize the sector by being distributed not just to a few large media holdings, but to thousands of different media outlets (local press, thematic publications, digital content creators) preferred by customers.

Brands that see their customers not just as “wallets” but as “stakeholders” will be the winners of the future. When democracy is kept alive not only at the ballot box but also at the supermarket checkout and on the bill payment screen, the market will find its true balance.

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A Note on Methods and Tools: All observations, ideas, and solution proposals in this study are the author’s own. AI was utilized as an information source for researching and compiling relevant topics strictly based on the author’s inquiries, requests, and directions; additionally, it provided writing assistance during the drafting process. (The research-based compilation and English writing process of this text were supported by AI as a specialized assistant.)