An analysis of each element of this American definition follows

Any form:
Advertising may be in any form of presentation. It may be assign, a symbol, an illustration, an ad message in a magazine or newspaper, a commercial on the radio or on television, a circular a sketch or a message on a billboard or a poster. Any form of presentation, which an advertiser imagines will fulfill the requirements of an ad, can be employed.
Non-person: This phrase excludes any form of personal selling, which is usually done on a person-to-person basis or on a people-to-people basis. If it is a person-to-person presentation, it is not advertising.
Goods, Services, Ideas for action:
It is well known that advertisements are employed to communicate information about products and services. Most definitions neglect the use of advertising to promote ideas. The Posts and Telegraph Department advertising to promote the use of the PIN Code for faster delivery of letters is an example of selling an idea for action. The Income-Tax Department advertising to persuade the income-tax payers to pay their taxes before the due date to avoid default is another case of the application of advertising to ideas involving action.