Digital has steadily increased in share over the last five years at the expense of traditional media. However, recent Harvard research reports that traditional media “is alive and well and headed for growth for the first time in a decade2.”
There are multiple reasons behind the shift. Some are related to a decline in media delivery precision due to the elimination of cookies while others are the result of an increased interest in building brand trust.
Digital clutter can lead to a negative impact on a brand. The Institute of Practitioners in Advertising (IPA) has been making the case for years that marketers obsessed with using big data to optimize media spending leads to a short-term focus on transactions versus brand value creation. Now, research clearly shows that there is so much digital advertising that consumers have become frustrated at the interruptions experienced when trying to watch a video or browse a website and close to half don’t even watch or pay attention to the ads.
To break through the clutter, brand marketers have turned to traditional media and the shift is paying dividends. Research by Ebiquity suggests that TV, Radio, Print, etc. outperform digital channels in terms of reach, attention, and engagement relative to costs.
Consumers trust traditional advertising more than digital. MarketingSherpa found that the most trusted ad formats consumers use for making purchase decisions are traditional and in this order: 82% print, 80% television, 76% direct mail, and 71% radio. Brand building is about building trust and credibility with buyers. Certainly, this research demonstrates that consumers have become jaded by the bombardment of digital advertising.
A combination of traditional and digital works best. There’s no doubt that digital media can be used in brand-building, but it needs to be used in combination with traditional media. For example, direct mail with QR codes has allowed marketers to gather important customer information and attribution data for improving campaign ROI.
In fact, for over five years, the IPA has shown that the effectiveness of traditional media is significantly improved when paired with digital. In one study, the IPA study showed campaign effectiveness increased by 20 percent when only online video was used; 40 percent when only television was used; and a significant jump to 54 percent when TV and online video were combined.
The Harvard article concludes that “When used together, traditional and digital marketing can reach more audiences, build and keep trust, and motive buying from consumers who otherwise might tune out marketing messages.” The optimum spending balance between traditional and digital depends on category according to the IPA.
So, work to rebalance media spending away from digital clutter and when you do, be confident that the traditional media you add will lead to a more emotionally engaging delivery of your brand story and longer-term impact on sales and profitability. Visit our Services page to see how the Bloodhound Group can help you determine the best media balance for your brand.
1 IPA: Media In Focus. Marketing Effectiveness in the Digital Era.
2 Why Marketers are Returning to Traditional Advertising, April 29, 2022.