I “retired” from local television in 1996. At that time, the three local network affiliates’ 6:00 pm newscasts had a combined audience of nearly 200,000 adults 18+. Today, according to Nielsen, that audience has dropped about 25% over 10 years. Not all programs or newscasts have dropped to that degree. If you buy a commercial on all three local TV stations at the same time today, you would reach about 150,000 adults.
How does that stack up? Well, people get pretty excited about having a message at an Iow
a football game. Thousands of dollars are spent every weekend trying to touch fans at a game. Only about 70,000 people (of all ages) attend a game, and the number is really lower if you take out all the ‘drinking impaired’ people.
With one commercial on three TV stations you would hit twice as many people as at one football game — and I believe with more impact.
Traditional media still has a lot of kinetic power and branding ability: When Apple wants to sell a new Nano it uses television and a very catchy ad. Try creating a brand icon only using your Web site, Facebook page or Twitter. Internet and social media outlets are building, but the real power today is not in the hype, it’s in the facts. Yes, busy yourself with social media, but don’t stop marketing with what works. Traditional media has not signed off.
I agree with you completely. You aren’t yet able to put all of your eggs in one basket. Social Media goes hand-n-hand with traditional media. SM hasn’t built a strong enough foundation to solely advertise or create awareness on without the help of traditional media, though, it will definitely become more powerful than what it already is. The use of traditional media is a way to reach to the masses and in turn guide the viewer to SM/online for more of a targeted, intimate approach. For instance, take Twelpforce from Bestbuy, using mass traditional media to guide the viewer to their customer service on twitter.
Thanks for the post
@EricUngs
Eric: Thanks for the comment. I think you put it well. The two can work together and will be effective. Some in social media want you to rush to the gold strike: some will find gold, but many will find some empty pans. Again, thanks. Mark
The thing about SM is marketers can’t control it or the message. The users do. (See Mark Earles’ deep-think piece on it: http://www.ipa.co.uk/DisplayContent.aspx?id=6102) So SM alters the traditional marketing paradigm just as much as it undermines traditional media business model. The trick is to maximize all avenues that work now and position yourself to succeed as traditional models drop out.
Annette: Thank you for the comment. It’s always been a media mix that works the best. Unfortuantley many want a one-solution answer. I beleive if many business just left their marketing to one media (social media or TV) they would find the spigot turns off pretty fast. Does anyone have an idea on what the best mix is and at what ratios? For example: 50% TV; 25% Newspaper; and 25% Social Media. What sounds right?