“PRINT MEDIA” – It’s Merits & Demerits

Print media has been the number one advertising method for centuries – yet
no new media has been able to challenge the still-rising popularity of print
media among its consumers as well as among wise advertisers and
marketers. The main reason for this is that print media is one of the most
trusted ways of communication and one of the cheapest ways to reach a
broad audience fast.

One of the most popular and growing industries is the print media and the reason
being the fact that it is one of the easiest ways to reach targeted customers by
advertisers and marketers. These advertisers and businessmen make the most of
all forms of print media like magazines, newspaper, leaflets etc. If you want to know
more about print media, then read this article as we bring to you the advantages
and disadvantages of print media here. Read on to find out what are they.

Print Media has been the main advertising strategy for quite a long time – yet no
new media has had the option to challenge the as yet rising popularity of print
media among its consumers just as among insightful advertisers and marketers.
The principle justification is that print media is quite possibly the most trusted
method of communication and probably the cheapest approach to contact an
expansive audience quickly.
Be that as it may, with digital media marketing turning into the new pattern in
marketing, numerous marketers neglect print media. No, marketers and
advertisers ought not to neglect the power of print media in any event, during this
digital age.
That is the issue here, we are trying to cover in our blogpost!
For startups and established organizations, digital presence is the way to brand
promotion, marketing, lead generation, conversion to develop the customer base.
Like the traditional strategies for marketing and promotion, the advertisements
print media and electronic media elevate your brand among corporates, public
events, and meetings.
"INCREDIBLE DESIGNS SPEAK, SELL QUICKLY & BRING YOU REVENUE!"
Therefore, today in this blog post, we are going to tell you about the importance of
print media and advertising.
Let's start by giving a brief -

Introduction to Print Media!

Basically, there are different types of elements of Print Media available in the
market. The advertisement with print media depends on the strategy you choose to
move in further for your business purposes.
"Hoardings, Brochures, Business Cards, Logos, Posters, Magazines, Catalogs,
Newsletters, Ads, Banners, News Papers, Corporate Presentations, and White Papers
are the important elements of print media."
Everywhere in the world, the printing media is getting a stronghold despite its
advantages and disadvantages because it works on a serious note. It has started
churning updated news in the print medium.
This both helps the daily circulation of the news and extends the news to each part
of the country. Print media is a way for publishing any kind of printing form.
That's why the importance of print media advertising is more!

What is An Effective Print Media Strategy?

While we are living in an inexorably digital world, print media is as yet an
amazingly significant piece of the marketing blend.
Investing in print media can assist businesses with stretching out their scope to
likely customers, acquire openness and draw in their intended interest groups with
crusades.
All things considered, proactive communication in business depends on the
connection you do with your guests, leads, and audiences.
Print media join data, your association's trust, customer/client needs, your offers
and services styled in brilliant colors, and appealing design plans.

How Design Serves the Advertisement with Print Media?

CONTENT + DESIGN activate your audience's response. Composing intuitive one-
of-a-kind communication in crisp persuading unparalleled plans can be testing.
However, for us, it's an easy task!

However, with digital media marketing becoming the new trend in

marketing, many marketers forget print media. But marketers and
advertisers should not overlook the power of print media even during this
digital age.

Because;

 18-to 23-year-olds find it easier to read print media over digital

content (Source, Relevence.com)
 34% of consumers trust print advertisements more than they trust
search engine ads
 Even the zen gens read 9.1 magazines per week

Let’s dive in.

Even if you haven't heard it before, your parents, grandparents and great-
grandparents have: “Print's time is up.” But as a small business owner, you
have to be more than impressed by the staying power of print media; you
have to be convinced that it will deliver a return on your investment. Before
your marketing team embarks on a price-cost analysis of newspaper and
magazine ads, brochures or direct mail, consider the primary advantages
and drawbacks of this resilient force.

Print Media's Staying Power

Back in the 1920s, the naysayers said that print media was finished with
the very beginnings of radio, when Americans began to gather around the
radio for entertainment. They repeated the death knell in the 1950s, when
television topped the allure of radio, with its combined sound and moving
pictures. And, at the turn from the 20th to the 21st century, many were
sounding the call that the internet would be the death knell of TV, as the
internet transformed the way people gather information. But here it is,
nearly 100 years after the first obituary was written. Print media is not only
alive and well, but many people would say, that it has been reinvigorated by
competition from online sources and social media.

What is Print Media?

Any print publication pushed out for mass communication is known as
Print media. Print media includes newspapers, magazines, leaflets, flyers,
anything physically printed on paper comes under print media.

Let’s have a look at what are the advantages and disadvantages of print
media.

Advantages and disadvantages of print media

 Appeal to visual learners
    Best for local targeting
    Still gives a higher ROI than digital ads
    Enable more visibility to small businesses
    Produce loyal customer base
    Reach multiple generations
    Flexible to establish credible trust
    Immensely powerful to craft a message
    No, follow back interruptions

Viewed as credible: Research variously shows that print's credibility stems

from a favorable impression formed by the very nature of the printed word,
as well as by the “halo effect,” or the spillover prestige enjoyed by the
publication in which an ad appears. This is not to say that consumers view
all print ads as credible all of the time; the content of the ad has significant
influence. But overall, consumers view print media as more believable and
trustworthy than radio, TV and the internet.
Ability to craft a message with staying power: Write a one-quarter-, half-
or full-page ad. Create a full-page or a half-page brochure. Or, send mailers
the size of a postcard or a large envelope. Except for your own website, no
other medium allows you the “luxury” to create a message that consumers
can read, save and then return to later, if they so choose. Media research
also has long suggested that print media benefits from “double dipping” or
the “pass-along effect” – the propensity of readers to pass along a media
piece to others. This phenomenon can make cost analyses difficult, but at
least they will skew in your favor.

High recall value: Because they are able to easily recall an ad, consumers
are likely to take action – i.e., respond to an ad – after they see it. In fact, a
few other dynamics may be at play here, too. Whereas people surfing the
web are notoriously impatient – prone to ditch a website if it doesn't fully
load in a few seconds – print ads by their nature inspire a more leisurely
approach.

No Interruptions Here

Print media also benefits from not being a form of “interruption marketing,”
or a brazen interruption that occurs while the consumer is trying to digest
information. Rather, he can read a newspaper or magazine ad, thumb
through a brochure or make notes on a direct mail piece on his terms and
because he wants to spend time doing so. TV commercials are a form of
interruption marketing; so are banner ads on the web. (The popularity of ad
blockers ought to tell small business owners plenty about how consumers
view such intrusions.)

Advantages
 Flashy magazines are always popular among consumers and are often
read by them for a particular period of time in a month. The monthly
magazines are the best way to bring attention to any advertisements.

 Print media is an easy medium to spread awareness or advertise to

any particular geographical area. Like, a local newspaper is the best
way to spread the news about any local event of the place.

 Some forms of the print media have huge and trusted followers. This
is definitely a great boost to attract readership.

 Print media allows you to choose your own space for advertisement,
thus, you can manage your budget and expenses while planning for
the advertisement.

Appeal to visual learners

Flashy images in magazines get the attention of many magazine readers.
Thus if you have a killer ad design, the results are always promising. 

Still gives a higher ROI than digital ads

There is a high tendency for print media to keep at homes and re-read and
shared. Newspapers and magazines at the doctor’s office, the library or
public places, have a long shelf life which increases your ad’s exposure.
Following gives print ads higher chances to stick than digital ads which
forget instantly. 

Loyal customer base

Print media has a large loyal customer base that buys the publication on a
weekly or monthly basis for months, maybe even for years. Thus you are
assured of massive exposure for your advertisement with print media.

Flexible
Print media advertising comes with many options. From features, full-page
ads to small ad listings it gives you the flexibility in selecting the type of ad
to fit your requirements and budget.

Establish trust
Researches show that print media is one of the most trusted media outlets
out there. Since people purchase from those who they trust, advertising on
print media can attract you more sales than any other media outlets.

Reach multiple generations

Consumers of newspapers and magazines can range from teens, young
adults to senior citizens, enabling you to target a wide range of audience
easily. 

Best for local targeting

If you are a local business or an organization, it’s the best way to spread
your message or promote your business. You can easily hand out leaflets in
public areas and get your ads to publish on local newspapers to spread
awareness among the local community.

Disadvantages
First, let me say I love print journalism, and I love to read books,
newspapers and magazines; plus, as a media historian, I’m a collector of old
publications. I regard old magazines and newspapers as cultural artifacts,
worthy of preservation. But that said, the main disadvantage of print these
days is it’s not instantaneous. That is, it can take you to an event, but it
can’t take you there in real time. Print journalism has always excelled at
giving readers something to think about; giving them explanations and
analysis of what occurred; providing excellent writing from reporters and
columnists; and offering some outstanding photojournalism. A daily
newspaper or a weekly magazine gives readers an opportunity to reflect back
upon events that occurred, whether a few hours ago or a few days ago. And
print often gives you the depth and the multiple perspectives you might not
get elsewhere.

But we live in a visual culture, and we live in a 24/7 connected world.

People want to see the event as it is happening. Many do not want to read
about it; they want to watch. They have come to expect instant reaction from
commentators or experts. They also want to be able to react to the stories as
viewers. Print still matters for those who want to read an in-depth report
(and keep in mind that not everyone is a good reader, nor does everyone
today have the patience to read a long article). In fact, hard-copy
newspapers and magazines, increasingly, are only read by older people, who
remember them as part of their routine as they were growing up.

Today’s audience doesn’t want to wait; they want information NOW. In

addition, they want to interact with others who are getting the information—
whether by chatting on social media or by emailing a note to a reporter or
blogging about a story. And given changing tastes (and changing
demographics), many newspapers and magazines have moved to publishing
online (some have even abandoned the hard copy edition). Thus, to sum up:
some of the disadvantages of print are that it’s not instant, it’s not visual,
it’s not perceived as important by young people, it requires being a good
reader, and it can’t be interacted with in real time the way a story on social
media can be.

If you are targeting the global audience, then this is not the medium you
should go for. Instead, the internet has a much wider reach than print
media in this.

Placing an advertisement in print media requires a lot of planning and time.

In this case, you are faced with flexibility problem, particularly when you
work in tight deadlines.

In fact, there are many limitations when it comes to targeting your audience
as the particular newspaper may not be available to the audience all the
time. On the other hand, a person can get access to the internet from
anywhere and everywhere.

Besides, most of the time, your advertisement might get lost among all other
ads and editorials. Plus, the lifespan of newspaper and magazines is very
short as people have a tendency to throw them or keep them aside after one
day of reading.
There are both advantages and disadvantages for print media. We have to
keep all these in mind and make the right planning to make the optimum
use of print media.

 Not for a global audience

    Requires multiple exposures
    Requires a lot of planning
    Competition for attention is fierce
    Hard to target a specific audience
    Higher cost
    Requires longer lead times

 If you are targeting the global audience, then this is not the medium
you should go for. Instead, the internet has a much wider reach than
print media in this.

 Placing an advertisement in print media requires a lot of planning and

time. In this case, you are faced with flexibility problem, particularly
when you work in tight deadlines.

 In fact, there are many limitations when it comes to targeting your

audience as the particular newspaper may not be available to the
audience all the time. On the other hand, a person can get access to
the internet from anywhere and everywhere.

 Besides, most of the time, your advertisement might get lost among all
other ads and editorials. Plus, the lifespan of newspaper and
magazines is very short as people have a tendency to throw them or
keep them aside after one day of reading.

There are both advantages and disadvantages for print media. We have to
keep all these in mind and make the right planning to make the optimum
use of print media.

Competition for attention is fierce: Research shows that Americans now

engage with seven different types of information sources each day – from
print, TV and radio to online videos – while spending one of every four
minutes on a social media platform. Rather than fight this trend, savvy
business owners work to ensure that their media mix covers all the
opportunities available to them.

Print media requires longer lead times: The immediacy of social media has
cast a brighter light on the meaning of the word “long.” Even if it's not
particularly well done, an ad can be written and posted on a social media
platform within minutes. Competition has helped shorten lead times, but
print ads must be written, produced and distributed. Knowing this, small
business owners should plan accordingly, designating print media for
messages that are less time-conscious in nature and are less likely to
change at a moment's notice.

Print media requires multiple exposures: Consumers need to see an ad

several times before they will take action. Marketing professionals call these
exposures “touches.” This is why print ad buys are usually made in bundles
– for multiple exposures. Print media can quickly add up to be a costly
proposition for the small business owner, which is why it's imperative to
select the different media carefully, so that you increase the chance of a
return.

Not for a global audience

Print media is not the best method to get the word out about your business
if you are targeting a global audience as it’s very rare to find print
publications that read globally.

Requires a lot of planning

Getting published on print media is quite a process. You will have to plan
your ad, write an ad copy, hire someone to design it for you and submit the
ad copy to the publication and process the payment. The process can be
time-consuming and complex.

Hard to target a specific audience

With print media, it’s hard to target specific audiences. For example,
targeting people who want to buy a camera is not possible with print media
like weekly newspapers.

Might not stand out

There’s always a chance that your ad to get disappear among other ads as
print media publish a lot of advisement per edition even if you pay for a full-
page advertisement.  

Higher cost
Getting published on print media can be highly expensive

Proceed Cautiously with Media Selection

Since your hard-earned money is at stake, proceed carefully with newspaper
advertising. Industry reports from Pew Research Centre reveal a mixed bag,
with weekday circulation for U.S. dailies – including both print and digital
versions – falling 8 percent in 2016. This marked the 28th straight year of
declines. At the same time, some but not all major newspapers, reported
that digital subscriptions are soaring – a bright spot for the industry.

But advertising revenue continues to fall, hitting $18 billion in 2016 – about
one third of what it was only 10 years ago. This makes it clear that small
business owners should insist on seeing current circulation figures for the
paper (or papers) in which they seek to advertise. These figures could vary
widely among papers, even within the same circulation area.

Does Print Still Work in Advertising?

Ask any major company back in the golden age of newspapers and print
media if print advertising was effective, and your question would likely be
answered with a strange look. Now that alternative forms of advertising have
come to the forefront, the question is appropriate. The answer, however,
isn’t black and white.

Decline

There’s little question that the number of readers of print media has
declined, due to advancement in technology. Many magazines, for example,
experienced negative subscriber growth in the second quarter of 2010,
according to Media Bistro. With a plethora of free content available for
people on the Internet, readers of newspapers and magazines have chosen to
seek out other ways of finding information. While the decline of print media
doesn’t indicate a death blow to print advertising, it certainly means that
print advertisements won’t have as large of an impact as they did prior to
the popularity of the Internet.

Available Information

Print media is being phased out in favor of alternative media sources, such
as TV and the Internet. According to the Pew Project for Excellence in
Journalism in 2010, newspapers ranked just ahead of radio as a source of
news. It was the first time that people went to the Internet to find news more
than reading newspapers. That data obviously has negative implications for
print advertising, especially if the trend continues.

Targeting

Whether print media advertising will work for your business is largely
dictated by the audience you’re trying to reach. Young consumers who grew
up without exposure to print media are obviously less likely to read
newspapers than the older generation who grew up with print media. Taking
out an ad for a technology product in a newspaper, for example, is likely to
be less effective than taking out the same ad on a technology website.
Advertising in magazines makes it easier to reach your targeted audience
because you have the option of choosing magazines that target your
audience.

Cost

While print advertising isn’t dead and is still effective -- depending on your
business -- it is more costly than other forms of advertising. Lou Dubois
of Inc.com explains that print advertising is often thousands of dollars more
expensive than online advertising. While you may spend upwards of $50,000
for an ad in a well-circulated magazine, you’ll likely pay a fraction of that to
run the same type of ad on a website that attracts similar traffic.

Impact on the Consumer

One advantage that print advertising has over other avenues of advertising
is that print advertisements often make more of an impact on the reader.
Take the Internet for example. Because readers of Internet content see so
much information in a short amount of time, they become used to seeing the
ads. People effectively become ad blind and often disregard the
advertisements. That’s not the case with print advertising. Researches at
Penn State University conducted a test in 1998 to gauge whether online
advertisements or print advertisements were more memorable. The
researchers concluded that print ads stuck with readers far more than
online ads.

Print Media & Advertising Advantages

The alarming claims of the impending death of print media advertising were
not only greatly exaggerated – they were dead wrong. Print media advertising
isn't just hanging on, either. Now that digital advertising has been around
long enough to be evaluated, it's clear that the advantages of print media are
many. But the best use of print advertising isn't when it's a substitute for
other media. When print is combined with other advertising media, it shows
its real strength.

Print Media Advertising Drives Memory

Research has shown that people read more slowly when reading on paper
than online. This is a big benefit of print media, because slower reading
allows you to gain deeper understanding. Apparently, just holding the paper
is a tactile exercise that helps the brain form connections that increase
memory. Print provides a more focused way of reading too, because
newspapers and magazines are laid out intentionally for readability.

Can you imagine a character from the article you're reading suddenly
running around all over your page, covering what you were reading? That's
the intentional distraction of online reading, but it's still a distraction. Ads
move and cover the copy you were reading; new ads pop up, and some copy
scrolls across the top or bottom of the page to get your attention.

Print Offers Unparalleled Flexibility

Whether you're looking for a way to reach local shoppers, dads in Chicago,
female golfers or foodies, print gives you ways to easily target your audience.
You can even decide to reach out to them on Thursdays in the food section
of the paper or on Sunday's sports pages, as well as a wide variety of
magazines targeted to specific interests.

If you need to make changes to a print ad, it's not the major undertaking it
is with other advertising media, either. Television and radio require
reshooting and rerecording at least part of the spots, which involves not only
cost but possible scheduling conflicts with actors who have moved on to
other projects.

Print Ads Have Staying Power

Unlike internet advertising that readers often must click on to read, or social
media advertising that comes and goes, print media advertising stays where
it's put. Years from now, when you leaf through your saved magazines for
the articles you liked, you'll still see those ads.

The staying power of print gives print advertisers an aura of strength and
solidity. People view print advertisers as more trustworthy than those in
digital formats, who seem fleeting. Print media advertising looks richer and,
somehow, more believable than online ads. This perception may change as
younger users, for whom online ads are the norm, become the majority of
consumers.

Print Builds Awareness

All types of advertising require repeat placement to be effective. But, while

TV and online campaigns show diminished awareness of an advertiser or
brand after running four times, awareness continues to grow with the
frequency of print ads. Print media advertising increases brand loyalty and
purchase decisions far more than online ads do.

A Place for Every Budget

While TV is out of reach for many advertisers, and radio isn't always
recommended, advertisers at all budget levels can find a good print option.
Advertising of any kind is not cheap, but even the local boutique can afford
to advertise in the local paper, which is a good fit for reaching the majority
of its customers.
Combine Media for Greatest Impact  

Look at any print ad's closing paragraph, and you're likely to see a redirect
to a website for more information or a special offer. That's because print is
exceptionally good at driving readers to wherever you want them to go. Every
advertising medium has its benefits. For maximum impact, your marketing
campaign should be an integrated one that makes use of different types of
media, each reinforcing versions of your message.

TV ads have been proven to achieve twice as many results when paired with
print than when paired with online ads only. Combining all three is even
more effective. With a multimedia approach, you not only reach people who
prefer one medium over another; you also increase awareness and, in the
long run, increase and maintain brand loyalty.

Advantages & Disadvantages of Traditional Marketing

There they sit, on opposite sides of a room, eyeing each other with a
quixotic mix of suspicion, resentment but also a little envy.

Each takes a turn extolling their respective virtues. This show of self-
promotion could take a while, for there are many virtues to cite. The
subliminal message – enthusiastic but slightly desperate -- has electrified
the room: “Pick me! I'm much better than the alternative before you.”

Each is impatient for the other to finish because then it’s their turn to cite
the drawbacks that the opponent has “conveniently” forgotten to mention.
This show of criticism could take a while, too, because drawbacks have a
way of making any comparison look preferable.

This contest doesn't feature human beings, but if traditional and “modern”
or digital marketing were personified, they would almost certainly take on
some of these very human qualities. As a small business owner, you may
have seen this personification manifest itself in your marketing team, with
some people lobbying you to invest in traditional marketing while others
make the case for digital marketing.

As you may have heard, entrepreneurs often hew to traditional marketing

methods. Since they enjoy long and storied track records, these methods
are familiar to consumers. They also appear more manageable than the
sometimes frenzied domain of digital media. So it's no wonder you may be
lining up on this side of the room. Besides, among your fellow small
business owners, you'll have plenty of company.

But following the pack is seldom the right course of action, especially
because both marketing methods will require a significant investment of
your time, resources and money. This is why it behooves you to take a step
back from the fray and evaluate:
  What is traditional marketing? What are the advantages of traditional
marketing? What are the drawbacks of traditional marketing strategies?*
How do traditional marketing and modern marketing differ?

What Is Traditional Marketing?

You wouldn't be the first small business owner to use the words
“marketing” and “advertising” interchangeably. But you really shouldn't.
Your marketing team may not correct you, but think of marketing as
including all the activities you must marshal to promote and sell your
product or service; advertising is just one of these activities, and you must
always pay for it. There is no such thing as “free advertising”; this is a
misnomer. (If your team makes this faux pas, regain the upper hand by
reminding them that they are referring to publicity, which will cost you
staff time to produce but not to place.)

Defining traditional marketing methods depends on how far back in history

you choose to go. Ancient Egyptians used papyrus to make posters to sell
products and promote candidates, but the methods that bear closer
resemblance to those recognized today were spawned by the Industrial
Revolution, which lasted from the mid-19 th century to the early 20th century
in the United States.

Consumers wanted to hear – and producers were eager to tell them – how
such revolutionary goods and services such as the telephone, radio, car,
airplane and a new energy source known as electricity could transform
their lives. By the 1940s, “the goal soon became to persuade consumers
the goods and services provided by one company were better than those of
another company offering the same thing,” the History Cooperative says.

This traditional concept of marketing endures, as do four marketing

methods that arguably remain as popular as the automobile:

 Print (especially newspapers and magazines). Broadcast (especially radio

and TV, which featured their first commercials in 1920 and 1941,
respectively). Direct mail (with one of the earliest and most beloved examples
being the Sears catalog, whose debut issue was mailed to consumers in
1888).* Telephone (which, over time, came to be known as telemarketing).

“Because (marketing) encompasses so many different strategies, nearly

every company selling a product or service uses one or more types of
traditional marketing as part of an overall advertising strategy,” Marketing-
Schools.org says.

What Are the Advantages of Traditional Marketing?

There is good reason small business owners rely on traditional marketing:

When it's created and executed well, it can produce results. The reasons
have as much to do with the benefits the mediums offer as the sheer
number of people who continue to gravitate to them:

 Print: Numerous communication studies have underscored the influence of

the printed word. At their best (and depending on the source), newspapers
and magazines are viewed as trustworthy and credible, often engendering
intense loyalty among longtime readers. Print also offers the advantages of
providing a targeted audience at an affordable price. And magazines can
enjoy a long “shelf life.”* The tradition lives on: Daily newspaper
circulation remained impressive in 2017, hitting 31 million for weekdays and
24 million for Sundays. But these numbers are still down double digits from
the year before as readers continue to be lured online. As the Pew Research
Center says, “Americans express a clear preference for getting their news on
a screen, though which screen that is varies. TV remains the dominant
screen, followed by digital.” Meanwhile, when it comes to magazines, “We
read more, read longer and subscribe more often to print than digital,” the
Freeport Press says, noting that 41 percent of adults regularly read one or
two magazines while 33 percent read three or more.
 Broadcast: The ability to reach a large audience has long been the primary
advantage of TV and radio. But attaining such reach can be elusive for many
small business owners, who often cannot afford TV and radio spots. Local
programming can be less expensive, but lower viewership numbers help
explain why.
 The tradition lives on: A record number of U.S. households – 119.6 million
– included TV sets during the 2017-18 viewing season, though the number
of “pay TV” households continues to decline, Statista says. Radio,
meanwhile, “is the third most powerful medium in the United States,”
trailing only TV and social media.
 Direct mail: Marketers “in the know” also know that studies repeatedly
show that people like going through direct mail and depend on it to make
purchase decisions. Studies also suggest that such “hard copy marketing” is
easy for people to process and recall. It helps that they may spend more time
reviewing direct mail (enjoying the ability to turn it over in their hands, often
at the end of the day) than online messages.* The tradition lives
on: Between 80 and 90 percent of all direct mail gets opened every day in
America (far outpacing the 20-to-30-percent open rate of emails), Small Biz
Trends reports. Even millennials consider direct mail to be helpful in guiding
their purchase decisions.
 Telephone: As a means of communication, the telephone has arguably
undergone more of a transformation than any other medium. (Doesn't even
the reference to “telephone” sounds quaint compared to “cell phone” and
“smartphone”?) It didn't take long for an invention that revolutionized
communication between two or more people in the 20th century to become a
favored tool of sales people and telemarketers. But just when consumers got
the hang of “don't call me lists,” Apple released its first smartphone in 2007,
with Samsung following in 2009. More than a way to hold a conversation,
the phone has become a ubiquitous form of modern life, with people using it
to communicate, read news, shop, research, organize their day, socialize,
gossip and play games.
 The tradition lives on: Americans love their phones, with 95 percent of
them owning a cell phone and 77 percent pocketing a smartphone, the Pew
Research Center says. It's easy to take these numbers in stride, until you
consider that only 35 percent of Americans owned a smartphone in 2011.
As you assess these attributes, Forbes answers its own question in an
article entitled, “Is Traditional Marketing Still Alive?”:

 “Traditional marketing still works for businesses of all sizes. These strategies
can be reliable ways of keeping your business in the public eye and
generating new business without breaking the bank. Just make sure you
have a compelling USP (unique selling proposition) and offer and target the
right customers. And put it all together in a marketing plan that you and
your team can follow.”

What Are the Drawbacks of Traditional Marketing?

That marketing plan might well address some of the drawbacks of

traditional marketing:

 Print can be difficult to measure – a considerable handicap if your

marketing team is pushing you to quantify the return on your marketing
investment (ROI). Just because people subscribe to a newspaper or
magazine doesn't mean they actually read it. Circulation should never be
confused with actual readership, which has always been vexing for
publishers to quantify in meaningful terms.
 Broadcast can be expensive, if not out of the financial reach of many small
business owners. And since it is designed to reach “the masses,” it doesn't
target consumers the way many business owners believe is crucial to their
success.
 Direct mail has historically produced a relatively low response rate –
generally between 2 and 5 percent. But these are usually reliable and
consistent numbers that can be bolstered by careful execution. For example,
be certain that you're working with an up-to-date mailing list, emphasize
benefits rather than features, highlight a compelling offer and develop a
recurring campaign in which consumers receive multiple direct mail pieces
from you. You will probably be disappointed if you expect a single direct mail
piece to be a “one-shot wonder.”
 Telephone marketing may be inexpensive, but just try getting even a small
percentage of those cell phone owners to answer a call from a number they
don't recognize. And the number of landlines has dropped commensurately
with the growth of cell phones. In fact, the AARP reports that in 2017, the
“wireless only” rate for “those ages 18 to 24 was 64.2 percent; for those 35 to
44 it was 63.9 percent; for those 45 to 64 it was 47.1 percent; and for those
65 and older it was 23.9 percent.”

How Are Traditional Marketing and Modern Marketing Different?

As you attempt to come full circle in your review of modern marketing

management, people will probably tell you that traditional and digital
marketing are either worlds apart or are more similar than you may think.
This can be somewhat maddening, especially if you don't have a marketing
background to guide you. But since you do possess a “common sense
background,” you're certainly qualified to decide for yourself just how
different or alike the two methods are.
Begin with knowing that the Digital Marketer defines digital marketing as:

 “The act of promoting and selling products and services by leveraging online
marketing tactics such as social media marketing, search engine marketing
and email marketing.”

You may already employ some of these examples of contemporary

marketing, but you should still brace yourself for a surprise: The same
source says that “when you get down to it, digital marketing is simply
marketing.”

 “Rule No. 1 in marketing is to make the right offer at the right time and in
the right place. Today, your customers are online: hanging out in social
media, staying updated on news sites and blogs and searching online when
they have a need.”

Although you owe it to yourself and your business to learn about digital
marketing in much greater detail, know now that it offers some distinct
advantages over traditional marketing, including that it is:

 Linked closely with social media, where most adults spend some time
perusing news and information every day.* Very targetable, allowing you to
zero in on customers based on more than their demographic qualities but
also the more elusive psychographics (such as hobbies and lifestyle habits).
 Surprisingly cost-effective, exposing many people to your products or
services for a fraction of the cost of some forms of traditional
marketing.* Highly measurable, thanks to digital marketing analytics that
can measure a marketing campaign in real time.
 Adaptable since this real-time assessment can allow you to make
adjustments quickly.* Leavening in nature, meaning that digital marketing
can level the playing field against bigger and better-funded competitors.

One marketing company can anticipate your next question: What is the
right mix of traditional and digital marketing for your business? Bear Fox
Marketing says:

 “It depends on your business and your goals. Be wise and remember to avoid
limiting yourself to one marketing channel. Seek help from experts. Test and
optimize your plan so that you can develop the best marketing allocation for
your business.”

Then you should be ready – not only to market your business but to referee
any face-off between traditional and digital marketing that may erupt on
your clock.

Print Media Characteristics

In this digital era, it's hard to imagine that people still read newspapers.
Yet, certain characteristics of print media, such as its credibility and
tangible nature, make it appealing to consumers. MarketingSherpa reports
that 82 percent of Americans trust print ads, while only 25 percent trust
online pop-ups, according to the PR Newswire. If you're an entrepreneur,
research the features and advantages of print media before spending your
marketing budget.

Is Print Media Still Relevant?

Print media is not dead. Many consumers still prefer newspapers and
magazines over digital content. Print communications tend to elicit
stronger emotions and stand apart from other types of media. The response
rates from catalog mailings, for example, increased by 170 percent between
2004 and 2018, according to the Harvard Business Review  (HBR). People
enjoy the feeling of holding a newspaper in their hands or browsing
catalogs filled with vivid images.

If you were asked to describe print media, you would probably think of
newspapers, brochures, leaflets and magazines. However, print media is
more than that – it's an entire industry that encompasses any form of mass
written communication, from journals and books to direct mail. Print
advertising, on the other hand, is a form of marketing that uses printed
communications to increase sales and brand awareness. Popular brands,
such as Lexus, Nivea and KFC, are known for their creative print ads.

Nearly 60 percent of newspaper subscribers prefer print media, reports

the American Press Institute. Some consumers have more trust in print
publications, while others appreciate the beautiful photos and graphics in
magazines. Nostalgia and other factors, such as digital eyestrain, further
contribute to the popularity of print media.

As Forbes notes, print communications hold value for businesses that use

direct marketing, sell luxury products, or come in direct contact with
customers. Modern technologies, such as augmented reality, can add an
element of interactivity to print ads. Forbes suggests using both digital and
print media as part of your marketing strategy.

Key Characteristics of Print Media

One of the main characteristics of print media is its credibility. Today's

consumers are exposed to hundreds of ads, emails and "clickbait"
headlines whenever they go online. Think about how many times you have
stumbled over articles that failed to answer your questions or provide any
useful insights. Print publications, on the other hand, are perceived as
credible and legitimate. The articles published in newspapers, for instance,
typically go through a systematic editorial process to ensure their
accuracy.

A February 2019 survey by Two Sides reports that 65 percent of

consumers find printed magazines most enjoyable. More than 50 percent of
respondents said they prefer printed newspapers. As HBR points out,
catalogs and other print publications enhance consumers' ability to
visualize what they see on paper. From a marketing perspective, print
advertising may improve the consumer experience and drive sales by
increasing product vividness.

Another characteristic of print media is mass circulation. The Los Angeles

Times, for example, has about 1.4 million daily readers and 2.5 million
readers on Sundays, reports One World Media . The Wall Street Journal
and other popular newspapers sell millions of copies nationwide.

The same goes for magazines, which are released weekly, biweekly or
monthly and provide in-depth coverage of current events. This allows
readers to get the information they need when they need it. There is no
paywall or subscription fee, as happens with many digital magazines and
news magazines.

Last, print media is tangible. Consumers can hold a book, magazine or

leaflet in their hands and feel the scent of ink and paper. Many of them
collect print publications so they can read them over and over. Digital
content, on the other hand, is volatile and has a short life span. The
articles and photos published online are deleted eventually, no matter how
good they are.

The Advantages & Disadvantages of Billboards As an

Advertisement Tool
If you've taken a long road trip across a barren countryside, their sudden
and imposing presence may have stirred you from a peaceful half-slumber:
“Stop at Aunt Millie's for the world's best blueberry pancakes” or “Turn left
at the next exit and bag some of Uncle Bob's beef burgers.” In metropolitan
areas, and especially near airports, they tend to be more clustered
together. This is for good reason: Traffic tends to back up near airports,
giving passersby more time to read them.

They're billboards, and while they dominate these roadside scenes, they
quickly fade from the minds of many small business owners who consider
other mediums to display marketing messages. If marketing were a family,
then a billboard would be the brash, distant cousin – the boisterous one
you don't see very often but who enters a room and promptly sets out to
grab all the attention.

While billboards have your attention, you may be wondering:

 What are the advantages of billboards?* What are the disadvantages of

billboards?
 Are billboards effective?* Should I use billboard advertisements?
What Is a Billboard?

Essentially, billboards are large posters – a medium that people have used
to advertise products and services since the time of the ancient Egyptians.
And make no mistake: Billboards are a form of advertising – versus public
relations or promotion – because you must pay for the message on display.

“A billboard or bulletin is a large outdoor advertising space that is meant to

target and attract the attention of pedestrians and motorists in the
surrounding area,” says Digital Media. Today's billboards attract attention
via several formats:

 So-called “static” billboards bear the greatest resemblance to their ancient

ancestors, with printed vinyl stretched over a base of wood or
aluminum. Billboard extensions add a three-dimensional element to an
otherwise flattened image, with an add-on piece or cutout designed to
enhance the billboard's visibility. Digital billboards provide even greater
creative freedom. They “are essentially large computer screens that can be
programmed to display messages in a range of innovative ways,” B Media
Group says. “Things can be as simple as switching between images
periodically so that multiple advertisers can cut costs by sharing a single
billboard, or they can get more complex by utilizing animation and real-time
updates.”

What Are the Advantages of a Billboard Advertisement?

B Media Group maintains that “digital billboards have brought this

advertising tool into the 21st century.” Whether or not you agree with this
assertion, there is no doubt that billboards afford some distinctive
advantages as a marketing tool. Some are obvious – billboards are:

 Huge, and therefore inherently attention-getting (the objective of all forms of

advertising). Best at displaying simple, straightforward messages that most
consumers can easily decipher. Capable of reaching a large and diverse
audience, because they are usually placed in locations where they are most
likely to be seen. In this way, billboards provide a small business owner with
maximum exposure.* Adept at fulfilling consumers' need for multiple
“touches” – a marketing term that speaks to the number of exposures a
consumer must have with a business before responding to a call for action.
This applies especially to motorists who see the same billboards every day on
their way to work. Such repetition can deliver value, both in increasing
awareness and spurring action.

Other potential advantages of billboard advertising make sense – at least

under the right circumstances. Consider that billboards:

 May capture one of the few “captive” audiences left in an ad-happy society.
Consumers can zoom through commercials on TV, click off ads on the
internet and walk out of the room when a radio ad fails to engage them. But
they have to keep their eyes on the road, especially if they're the driver.
  Can spawn an almost immediate increase in sales. This is why the “Aunt
Millies” and “Uncle Bobs” of the world – businesses located on highways with
quick turn-offs – rely on this advertising medium.
 Allow for more geographically targeted marketing than perhaps any other
form of advertising. You may not know who is viewing the message, but you
know exactly where they are when they read it. And if you cater to a limited
service area, billboards could fit your marketing goals to a T.
 Deliver a low cost per impression. Even an expensive billboard can deliver a
low cost per impression if a large number of people see it.

Digital billboards offer several other benefits, namely the ability to:

 Feature a moving (as opposed to static) image. Display different messages

at different times of the day. If Aunt Millie's kitchen is still open after
breakfast, a billboard could advertise her lunchtime specials. And if she's
open for dinner, it could attempt to lure people with her evening fare. Stream
content from a business's website or social media platform in real time,
bringing a compelling symmetry to a marketing campaign.

What Are the Disadvantages of a Billboard Advertisement?

Like that brash, boisterous cousin, billboards can excel at making their
presence known. But everyone knows that not all attention is positive or
engenders a favorable response. Beyond the sighs and “tune-out factor”
that all advertising can elicit from weary consumers, billboards present
some drawbacks. They:

 Are stationary objects that require consumers to rely on their recall ability.
In this way, they are markedly different from online ads, which consumers
can revisit time and again, and print advertising that consumers can read at
their leisure and return to later.* Provide people with precious little
information. In fact, depending on who you consult, it’s recommended that
“billboard type” be confined to no more than 10 words. Such a pithy
message might not be enough to buoy sales from consumers who crave
information. On the other hand, it could be enough to plant a seed or make
an impression, similar to some carmaker billboards that feature a single
adjective.
 Offer an extremely brief, if not fleeting, exposure time to absorb the
information. But again, depending on the message, speed could be part of
the allure.* Usually are a short-term advertising tool, unless you make a
commitment to change the message on a monthly basis.
 Make it impossible to target a specific group of people (the flip-side of
reaching that large and diverse audience). If your business caters to a
specific demographic – say, professional males between the ages of 25 and
45 – billboards provide no guarantee whatsoever that your message will
reach them. However, if your business serves a more expansive demographic
– or you decide the reach of billboards is worth the cost – you may be willing
to overlook this drawback.
 Can become casualties of the outdoor elements, right along with the
message they contain. Even a billboard you deem affordable could end up
being a waste of money and creative time if a long streak of heavy weather
strikes your area. But precipitation isn’t the only cause of visibility
 problems. So are 18-wheelers and other large vehicles that may obstruct
motorists’ vision at the precise moment they approach your billboard.

Are Billboards Effective?

By now, you've probably already decided whether a billboard should be

part of your next marketing campaign. But it's still worth fortifying your
gut instinct with at least some feedback about how effective billboards are
as an advertising medium.

The short answer: Billboards can deliver results, under the right
circumstances. Two reports in particular underscore some key takeaways.
For example, B Media Group notes that the average American spends 48
minutes per day driving – ample time for some of them to view billboards –
and reveals that:

 58 percent learned about an interesting event – the same percentage that

learned about a restaurant they later visited. 56 percent saw something
humorous they shared with others. 50 percent learned about a store they
later visited.* 44 percent were reminded to listen to a particular radio
station.

Interestingly, 28 percent of these “billboard watchers” said they noted a

website address, and 26 percent noted a phone number. These numbers
strongly suggest that people were prepared to follow up on a billboard
message, despite being occupied with the task of driving.

To media watchers, this finding reinforces what they've known all along
about the benefits of billboard advertising – and all forms of advertising:
Consumers need those multiple touches from a business before they are
moved to action. In other words, after seeing a billboard and perhaps
jotting down a phone number, a consumer may need to receive a direct
mail piece and see an online ad from the same business before visiting it.
But a billboard can definitely play a role in the scenario. A study from
California Polytechnic State University came to the same conclusion:

Billboards “have proven over the years to become one of the most
successful advertising mediums for consumers on the go because they are
practically unavoidable,” the Economics of Successful Billboard Advertising
says. “Billboards usually make the most profit when they are accompanied
by another advertising medium, such as TV or print ads.”

This study – consisting of a mix of industry experts and consumers – also

found that two types of businesses generated the highest rate of recall:
fast-food establishments and entertainment venues. Also, both groups of
people said billboards are effective as an advertising tool because you
cannot “turn them off” – a strong reference to TV and, perhaps, even the
internet.
These findings may not surprise you, but remember to balance them
against the cost of a billboard. Fit Small Business.com reports that “static”
billboards generally cost:

 About $250 a month in rural areas. From $1,500 to $4,000 a month in small

to medium-size cities. More than $14,000 a month in metropolitan markets.

Digital billboards, meanwhile, can cost $10,000 or more per month,

depending on their location.

Why Should I Use Billboard Advertisements Instead of Radio or TV?

The cost of a billboard – and what the same amount of money could buy in
the form of other types of advertising – may be one obstacle you are trying
to overcome. But there is another concern many small business owners
harbor too: They fear billboards may be too “flashy” for their image. More
traditional advertising mediums that cater to the masses, and especially
radio and TV, might strike you as more suitable, if not more conservative.

Only you (not even your marketing team) should settle this issue because
you (not your marketing team) will live with the aftermath. For example,
you may want to ask yourself how you will react when a new customer
proudly announces that he is frequenting your business because he saw
your billboard. Will you be pleased or embarrassed? Or is the medium
secondary to the outcome?

For now, ensure that you can answer these questions in the affirmative
before turning to billboards:

 Can your advertising message be read and understood in about 8

seconds? Is the message appropriate for a mass, versus target, audience? Do
you wish to either elevate your business's profile or entice people to drive
directly to your business after seeing a billboard?

Keep in mind that if the billboard doesn't produce results, you can always
discontinue its use, just like any other advertising medium you try for the
first time. In all likelihood, Aunt Millie and Uncle Bob came to the same
conclusion.

How Does Advertising Influence People?

You know your marketing team has done a great job when they explain
how advertising – your advertising – influences people to view your website,
read your content, click on your ads, respond to your queries and,
ultimately, become your customer. You know your marketing team has
done an exceptional job when they have presented this information in such
a way that it whets your appetite to learn more about how advertising
influences people's behavior on a more fundamental level, or how it
forges bonds, shapes perceptions and makes some habits seem cool while
others a waste of time.

As a small-business owner who deals with advertising decisions on a

practical level, you may think that philosopher Marshall McLuhan went
over the top when he declared advertising “the greatest art form of the
20th century.” You may be more at ease with McLuhan's assertion that “the
medium is the message," in which he meant that the medium – print,
broadcast, face-to-face – determines how a message is perceived.

Either way, there is no denying that the influence of advertisements on

society and the people in it has been profound. It continues to make
advertising one of the most fascinating and talked-about fields of the
21st century.

Mediums Hold People Enthralled

Even someone as culturally astute as Marshall McLuhan would probably be

bowled over by how many hours per day people immerse themselves in
media. In 2018, Americans spent just under 10 hours a day consuming
media content. Most significantly, it was the first year that people spent
more time with online media than with TV, although this was by the
slimmest of margins. Still, these two powerhouse mediums easily
outdistanced the allure of the traditional advertising venues of radio and
print, which occupied 18 and 7 percent of people's time, respectively.

Ad Exposure Skyrockets

Media immersion of this magnitude pretty much guarantees that people

will be exposed to a deluge of various advertising messages, even if the
recipients are only passive viewers and listeners. The media environment of
McLuhan's heyday – the 1970s, after he gained widespread recognition for
coining his momentous phrase in 1964 – seems almost quaint, compared
to today. Back then, people saw about 500 ads per day.

Since then, most media experts agree that the number has increased
tenfold, thanks in part, to a greater number of media outlets available at
people's fingertips. It isn't out of the realm of possibility that some people
view as many as 10,000 ads of different types per day, depending on where
they live, what they do for a living and how they spend their leisure time.

Blocking Counts as One of the Effects of Advertising

Whatever the exact number, there is no doubt that many people have not
only rebelled but have also sought greater control over the number of ads
they are exposed to every day. They have chosen to “opt out” by installing
ad blockers, and explaining their rationale by stating that ads are
annoying, disruptive, intrusive and are an invasion of their privacy. Like it
or not, these are also some of the effects of advertising.
In this way, advertising has influenced people's behavior by motivating
them to seize control of this frenzied dynamic via ad blockers. By some
reports, more than 80 percent of people use ad blockers. As a small-
business owner, this reality may give you conniptions. But this is exactly
why you should have a plan of counterattack.

For example, many small-business owners are relying more on native

advertising and also on inbound marketing. The latter, in particular, has
revolutionized online marketing. Although ads still play a role in this
strategy, consumers are more amenable to the ads' presence, because they
are the ones who initiated the communication in the first place.

Grasp the Influence of Advertisements on Society

It doesn't really matter if you take an extreme view of advertising – whether

you believe that it exists to present helpful, relevant information or
whether it manipulates subconscious thoughts. Perhaps you can meet
critics and defenders in the middle of the debate by agreeing that just as
with every other form of communication, advertising relies on the fact that
it must strike the right chord to persuade a person to respond. If you can,
then you're likely to agree that the influence of advertisements on society is
notable in how it has:

 *Transformed salesmanship.* Scores of books, textbooks and articles have

been written about the impact of advertisements on consumers and
consumer behavior. As a small-business owner, it's as worthwhile as it is
riveting to understand the evolution of advertising. As far back as the 1880s,
ad writers focused on the acronym AIDA, which stands for (getting)
attention; (attracting) interest; (creating) desire; and (delivering) action. The
mediums may have changed since then, but the principles remain bedrock.
Advertising legend David Ogilvy offered business owners a cogent piece of
advice about how advertising should influence people's behavior: “Your role
is to sell. Don’t let anything distract you from the sole purpose of
advertising.”

 Prompted incremental and subconscious shifts in consumer

behavior. Some people believe that advertising is so powerful, so persuasive,
that one needs only to see an ad to rush out to purchase a product or read a
job ad and send a resume. Some ads can in fact produce such
instantaneous reactions. But the majority of advertising research falls down
hard on the side that advertising influences people's behavior in a more
subtle way: By nudging along slow, incremental changes in behavior. In this
way, advertising increases what marketers call a brand or product's
“saleability.” You may prefer to call it “brand building.” Whatever your
preference, these slow shifts have been shown to be more potent by
strengthening customer preferences, even in the face of heavy competition.

 Forged emotional bonds with brands. Charles Revson, the founder of

Revlon, once said that “In our factory, we make lipstick. In our advertising,
we sell hope." This statement captured well what advertisers have long
maintained about how advertising influences people's behavior: by spurring
 them to choose products that help them feel happy, fulfilled, younger,
healthier, sexier or in another appealing state that is just outside their
current grasp. Today, champions of inbound marketing are reveling in an
abundance of research that underscores how consumers want to purchase
products from companies they feel an affinity for, whether this means a
company that meets their basic needs and wants or a company that
embraces social causes. Psychographic profiles haven't become standard
marketing procedure for nothing; they help identify exactly what consumers
are after so companies can respond in kind and forge lasting bonds.

 Reinforced perceptions of the world. Proponents tend to have a field day

with this effect of advertising, often saying that advertising presents an
exaggerated, distorted view of the world and also of the people in it. And
sometimes, by the looks of it, it may indeed appear that “everyone” clinks a
wine glass every night, “everyone” drives a fast, sleek car and “everyone”
wears expensive designer clothing. But to assume that advertising mirrors
“everyone's” life and lifestyle is to imbue it with an almost unworldly power –
and to overlook the fact that effective advertising should teem with at least
one emotional appeal. If anything, advertising reflects society, providing a
sort of “snapshot in time” of how people dress, the language they use and
how they interact. One need only look back to the TV commercials of
McLuhan's day to see how times have changed and how advertising reflects
it.

 Made fame cool and desirable. It certainly would help explain the
popularity of reality TV shows and the dominance of social media, in which
people literally and sometimes relentlessly advertise themselves in words
and pictures. Advertising is as much a part of popular culture as popular
culture is a part of advertising. Today, anybody can become a brand. For the
small-business owner – who has so much practical and pertinent
information to share – this phenomenon should portend only good things,
especially if you modify McLuhan's tenet and ensure that your
business becomes the message.

What Are the Benefits of Advertising to Teens?

For a long time, they’ve been considered the most valuable yet also the
most elusive of consumers. And no – they’re not the 18- to 34-year-olds,
though this group may have more disposable income. They’re teenagers,
known today as “Gen Zers,” or those people born roughly between 1997
and 2012. They make up the largest percentage of the U.S. population and,
to business people, they represent an astounding $44 billion in spending
power, Practical Ecommerce  says.

Generation Z is unlike any generation before it, leaving many big-business

owners in a quandary about how to create advertising messages that
connect. This is where small-business owners can come out ahead – if
they're willing to roll up their sleeves. “All” you have to do is demystify this
group with some leading market research and then devise marketing
strategies that will resonate with them. It’s no small feat, but you have to
triumph over it to reap the financial benefits of advertising to teens.
Teens are Tethered to Their Phones

Keep in mind that while much research has been done on Generation Z,
the work is not finished. So far, Nielsen, Pew Research Center and a study
by Kantar Millward Brown appear to be the most frequently consulted and
quoted sources on retail's most coveted retail demographic. These sources
are worth studying for reasons beyond a quick, immediate payoff. As Web
Marketing Pros points out, businesses that successfully win over
consumers when they're teenagers can seal a customer for life, assuming
that the business continues to treat them well, listen to their wants and
needs and keep their offerings relevant. Arguably, this is the greatest
benefit of advertising to teens in the first place; their loyalty to a business
can run deep if it's been culled during the most impressionable years of
their life.

But for all the dominoes to fall, the first domino must fall. And the first
domino should take the form of research, with Pew revealing an expected
finding: 95 perecnt of 13- to 17-year-olds have a smartphone – either their
own or one belonging to a parent – while 97 percent are active on at least
one social media platform. Teens' top three favorites are:

 YouTube
 Instagram
 Snapchat

The first lesson for small-business owners about marketing to teens lies in
just how tethered teens are to these platforms: Nearly half of Gen Zers say
they are online “almost constantly,” while 44 percent say they're online
several times throughout the day. Videos are a particular attraction, and
teens prefer to watch them on mobile devices. In fact, only about one-third
of teens access the internet on a desktop.

Set the Stage for Surprise

But leave it to a teenager to keep a marketer off-balance. Nielsen studies,

as reported by Web Marketing Pros, show that:

 No matter how glued they may be to their phones, a clear majority of teens
prefers watching movies – and going to a movie theater – with a group of
friends.
 A whopping 95 percent of teens watch more than 20 hours of TV per week.
 Books hold sway with teens, with just under 50 percent saying they notice
references to books on social media platforms.

It fits, then, that the Kantar Millward Brown study, as reported by PR
Newswire, cautioned business people not to ignore traditional media. The
study of more than 23,000 people in 39 countries was billed as the first
“comprehensive, global study” of Gen Z. It offered other insights into how
this sometimes unpredictable group responds to advertising:
  Teens are drawn to creativity, meaning the use of humor, music and
celebrities.
 Teens like ads that encourage them to “cast a vote” for something or for
someone, suggesting they have an urge to be heard.
 Teens respect strong design and appreciate immersive formats like virtual
reality.

Set the Right Stage for Marketing to Teens

These insights should be akin to adding hot water to gelatin; the elements
ought to be coming together so that you can begin to see an outcome.
Since you know that teens are almost always on their phones, the key to
reaching them with your advertising is via that medium. But you can
narrow this strategy even more before moving onto specific
tactics. WordStream recommends these essential moves:

 Ensure that video plays a starring role in your advertising efforts. It's natural
that you would employ YouTube and Instagram, but don't forget your
website. Engaging teens with video on your website is an obvious gateway to
other offerings there, particularly content.
 Make a commitment to meaningful content. This means finding out what
teens want and need to read about on your blog. And the surest way to find
out is to ask them. Since teens also put great stock in reviews, make sure
that you not only post them but respond to them, as well, giving time to both
positive and not-so-positive comments.

 Eschew the hard sell in favor of selling experiences, not just

products. Teens are moved by products that benefit them, inspire
them and change their lives. But if all you do is make promises to
this effect, your efforts will fall on deaf ears.

 Vow to protect their privacy. Studies show that a majority of teens

are willing to share personal information only if they trust a company
to protect it. So post your pledge in prominent places — and err on
the side of explaining in detail exactly why their data is safe and
secure in your hands.

Capitalize on the Benefits of Advertising to Teens

Today's teens might raise eyebrows among their parents and teachers.
Chalk up some of the bewilderment to the generation gap, which is typical
of the age group. But today's teens have the distinction of being:

 Self-aware, meaning they understand their importance to businesses.

 Able to articulate what they like and dislike.
 More savvy about where to spend their money and eager to make
comparisons among businesses.

From any vantage point, these qualities share equal time with the benefits
of advertising to teens. In other words, since they are so vocal compared to
teens of previous generations, today's teens make it a little easier for
businesses to craft advertising messages.

As a small-business owner, this means you at least have some assurance

that you're moving in the right direction, eliminating some of the trial and
error that advertising involves. Keep moving in that direction by embracing
tactics that Oberlo says teens respond to:

 Espouse a purpose (besides making a profit). In addition to being

self-aware, today's teens gravitate toward brands that are socially or
environmentally conscious.

 Underscore your entrepreneurial values, perhaps by making the

story of your business a flagship piece on your website. Gen Z is
unlike their older predecessors; the majority want to start their own
business someday.

 Choose any social media influencers with great care. Gen Z relates
more to so-called “micro-influencers,” or those with a following of
between 1,000 and 100,000. After that, people become “celebrities”
and teens are less able to relate to them. More tellingly, teens are
less likely to engage with them, too.

 Conduct yourself – and all communication – in a personable, human

way. From shopping to reading post-purchase emails, teens want to
feel like they're interacting with a friend.

 Embody the “less is more” maxim, knowing that teen attention spans
are going down, not up. This goal may require some trial and error
(how much is too much?). But if you think in terms of “snackable”
content – fewer, lighter pieces to nibble on rather than one loaded
piece to sink their teeth into – teens probably will respond in kind.

At the end of the day, with such a sensible approach in place, you may
wonder why those big-business types can't seem to figure out how to
advertise to teens. And as long as they're mystified, they won't reap the
benefits. But their loss, as they say, is your gain – and knowing teens as
you do, maybe even for life.

Advantages & Disadvantages of Advertising in

Cinemas
It was a conspiracy, just as you suspected all along. And it was executed
with near perfection: the movie theater alerted online ticket sources about
movie start times. The theater operator, a willing co-conspirator, made
sure that the rows and seats were brushed free of popcorn to greet you
upon your arrival. You timed your arrival brilliantly to ensure you'd have
enough time to visit the concessions counter and find a good seat. Once
you did that, you settled in to enjoy the main attraction.

But after the theater went dark and the curtain opened, you were greeted
not by the main attraction, but a series of commercials. So there you sat,
keenly aware that the scene felt oddly similar to that of sitting in your own
home and watching your favorite show on TV.

This was no conspiracy, at least not in a dark, evil way. It's the way that
theaters make money and how businesses promote their products and
services. Simply put, it's cinema advertising, and many businesses
consider it to be the “brass ring” of the advertising world. You can see why
business leaders might believe this, even though the movie industry
encountered an “off” year in 2017: About 1.2 billion Americans and
Canadians went to the movies in 2017, contributing to ticket sales that
raked in about $11 billion. Even though both numbers are down from
2016, you wouldn't be the only small-business owner who appreciates this
modern-day “conspiracy,” and sees value in these numbers.

What Is Cinema Advertising?

Cinema advertising shouldn't be confused with movie trailers – the “coming

attractions” that immediately precede the main feature. Movie ads come
before the trailers, and they have been a presence in theaters since the
first one opened in 1902.

This means that your parents or grandparents probably have fond

memories of movie ads, too, if only for their comedic value. In the early
days, movie ad montages were put together somewhat haphazardly,
sometimes with slides appearing upside down or with sketchy lines
blocking an advertiser's phone number.

Some enterprising business owners tried to overcome these obstacles by

engaging viewers with trivia questions that flashed on the screen. Some
companies lobbied for better quality control. And others may have suffered
the indignity in silence. After all, as Film Journal says: “Mostly, local
companies wanted to part of the magic of the movies.”

The same sentiment lingers today, as sure as the aroma of popcorn still
wafts into theaters. But computer and digital technology have advanced so
much that the production quality of the advertisements can rival the
quality of the feature presentation. And some people would argue:
consumers' expectations have helped raise this bar.

As Americans acclimated to TV – and TV commercials – the length of

cinema ads began to mirror their length. Today, cinema advertisements
usually run from between 15 and 30 seconds – long enough for a small
business to make an impression.
What Are the Benefits of Cinema Advertising?

If you haven't had the pleasure of meeting with someone who sells cinema
ads, you may want to prepare yourself for the distinct possibility of hearing
how Americans love movies and, perhaps even more intensely, the movie-
going experience.

They have a point. Aside from newly released movies that you can see only
in a theater, there is no doubt that watching a movie in a theater offers
some distinct advantages over watching the same movie on even a jumbo
screen at home. A theater offers:

 A wall-to-wall, ceiling-to-floor screen.* Surround sound.

 Pitch darkness.
 The intensified emotional reaction of viewing a movie with a group, during
which time a mildly amusing scene can become laugh-out-loud funny while
somewhat sad scenes can become tear-jerkers.

Even a cynical small-business owner might be hard-pressed to disagree

with these realities. But still. Tell me about the benefits of the actual
advertising, you might say, not the experience.

At this point, you might also hear that the advantages of a movie theater
and that the advantages of movie theater advertising are intrinsically
linked. The synergistic relationship is similar to that of newspapers and
magazines in that people gravitate to newspapers and magazines because
they can hold the paper in their hands, thumbing through the pages.
These readers enjoy the experience that these media provide.

As you mull the logic of this argument, consider the other distinctive
advantages of movie theater advertising:

 A movie theater supplies a generally captive audience. People paid for their
ticket and they want to be there. The images on the screen don't have to
compete with most people's No. 1 distraction: their phones. Most theaters
ask customers to turn off their phones before the cinema ads begin to roll.

 A movie theater is truly one of the “last frontiers” in terms of offering an

advertiser an uncluttered media environment in which to present a message.
Sitting in a movie theater may be one of those few times during the week
when people are not working on a laptop or tablet and are looking at their
phone while a radio or TV plays in the background. Even people who have
grown impatient with commercials cannot fast-forward over cinema ads or
rely on an ad blocker to obstruct them.

 “Silence is golden” in movie theaters as soon as the house lights go down

and the ads start to roll. Talking over a commercial in a movie theater,
unlike at home, can be considered rude behavior.

 A movie theater offers the small-business owner a targeted demographic

group, meaning people who live, within a 10-mile radius of the theater.
 Narrow the demographic group even further by realizing that most movie-
goers are between the ages of 16 and 44.

 A movie theater offers an enviable forum in which to initiate some crossover

marketing or promotional activities. For example, you can hand out product
samples or corporate keepsakes in the lobby before the movie begins. Or you
can say goodbye to movie-goers as they leave, handing them discounts or
coupons for your business.

Do People Actually Watch Cinema Advertisements?

It would be surprising if your cynical side hasn't returned by now. After all,
with so many other venues competing for your advertising dollar, you want
to do more than roll the dice with your hard-earned money. You know that
advertising provides no guarantees, but an assurance that you can expect
some return on investment, known as ROI, from cinema advertising would
go a long way.

Keep in mind, however, that researchers_  know_ that asking people if they

actually watch cinema ads is much like asking people if they take the time
to read the newspaper they have delivered, either to their in-box or their
mailbox, every day. Since they're paying for the product, respondents often
feel compelled to say that yes indeed, they're riveted, alright.

In other words, the results of any research, study or report should be read
with a grain of salt. One industry report, “The Bigger Picture,” is quoted
often and widely. Conducted by Hall & Partners for Digital Cinema Media,
it found that:

 “... cinema is working in a very different way to any other media, with ads
watched in the cinema being processed by the brain more consciously,
proving a much more powerful and emotionally engaging medium for
brands.”

The company arrived at this conclusion, Marketing Director Zoe Jones

said, because:

 “Cinema advertising is eight times more effective at making your brand

stand out from the crowd than television. If you show people an unbranded
still from an ad, three times as many cinemagoers will actually recall which
brand it is for,  when compared with TV viewers. Cinema audiences are four
times more likely to be emotionally engaged than a television audience, and
those exposed to ads in the cinema are twice as likely to recall a brand
compared to TV.”

Credit the “experience factor” of the movie-going experience, Jones said:

“You still can’t beat the big screen for sheer impact and scale.”
How Much Does Cinema Advertising Cost Compared to Other
Methods?

Your marketing team should compile a detailed analysis of how much it

costs to advertise in all the mediums that seem well matched to the
customers you wish to reach. A comparison with cinema advertising rates
will be more straightforward, and less frustrating, with these numbers in
hand.

Like other forms of advertising, cinema advertising rates vary, based on:

 The length of the ad: 15, 30 or 60 seconds. The number of theaters the ad

will appear in. The number of screens within those theaters the ads will
appear on.
 The duration of the advertising campaign.

“Ad buys typically include all the screens in a single movie theater, but can
also include certain screens to reduce movie ad costs,” Blue Line Media
says.

Still, keep in mind that some theater chains require a “minimum buy,”
meaning a minimum number of theaters (or screens) that will showcase
your ads. Furthermore, ad rates may change without notice, though once
you've signed a contract, you should be safe from unexpected rate
increases.

Think in terms of ballpark figures, until a member of your marketing team

can confirm the rates at your favorite movie theater. To run an ad for four
weeks, Blue Line Media says to expect to pay:

 Between $1,000 and $2,000 per theater for a 15-second spot. Between

$2,000 and $3,000 per theater for a 30-second spot. Between $3,000 and
$4,000 per theater for a 60-second spot.

What Is the Most Effective Type of Cinema Advertisement?

Cinema advertising may strike you as so “out of the box,” so different from
other, more conventional advertising methods, that you may be tempted to
create an advertisement that is equally outside of the norm.

This would violate one of the steadfast rules of advertising: be true to your
brand and your image. Start with your logo and corporate colors, and then
reproduce them to a T. Look at your print ads for inspiration, and then use
some of the same language. Review your online ads and perhaps
incorporate some of the same images. And if you rely on TV or radio
advertising, get some of the same actors involved.

If you want to create an effective cinema advertisement, create one that

provides symmetry with your other advertising initiatives. Symmetry will
help you build brand awareness among new customers while also
solidifying your image with people who already know you. In this case,
symmetry can be a happy conspiracy, just as you may have suspected all
along.

Advertorial vs Advertisement
Advertorials are paid advertisements that appear in newspapers,
magazines and online as columns or articles designed to look like editorial
copy. Marketers purchase advertorials to educate and entertain readers, as
well as promote a product or service. The advertorial is used to connect
with readers through story, unlike a traditional print ad or website banner
ad that uses limited space to hard pitch a call to action.

Advertorials Have Impact

Readers tend to respond well to ads that look like articles. For example, a
January 2007 article in “Entrepreneur” describes research done by
“Reader’s Digest” that found that ad copy written to look like a magazine
article drew 81 percent more orders than the same copy made to look like a
traditional ad. Online, sponsored stories that are published on social
media sites are similar to print advertorials and effective as well, when they
blend into the websites that feature them. For example, when Virgin Mobile
ran a sponsored story in April 2012 on the website, BuzzFeed, follow-up
research showed that people who read the story were 24 percent more
likely to think favorably of Virgin Mobile than people who didn’t read it.

Advertorial Components

An advertorial should fit the voice, style and layout of the publication
within which it’s placed. Publications and websites, by law, must include a
notice or indication that an advertorial or sponsored post online is actually
an advertisement. Still, many advertorials, especially in print, include
headlines, captioned photos, quotes from experts and even writer bylines to
establish credibility with readers.

Advertisements Still Dominate

Traditional website banner ads currently dominate the overall share of

Internet ad revenue compared to sponsored stories, according to an
October 2012 article in “The Wall Street Journal.” Advertising on the
Internet also is expected to grow from 23.3 percent of total U.S. media ad
spending in 2012 to 31.5 percent in 2016, according to an October 2012
“Advertising Age” article. Also, as of 2012, newspapers receive 11.5 percent
of ad spending, while magazines receive 9.1 percent. These figures are
expected to drop to 8.7 percent and 7.8 percent respectively, possibly
endangering the existence of print advertorials.
Entrepreneurial Journalism

With consumers increasingly getting more of their product and service

information online or through mobile devices, and print advertising
declining, blogs written by experts and marketers have become an
evolution in advertorials for the digital age, and with big support. For
example, at least since 2010, “Forbes” has trained qualified journalists and
marketers on how to build their brands and businesses by blogging under
the Forbes banner and mastering promoting through social media to
develop reach and success.

How Internet Affects the Newspaper Business

With the invention of the telegraph, radio and television, print newspapers
have faced challenges over the decades, yet publishers have always
adapted and persevered. However, the Internet is proving to be a far more
dangerous foe to the traditional newspaper model. Faced with such an
adversary, small and large newspapers alike may have no choice but to
abandon their traditional methods for a more innovative approach.

Advertising Revenues

According to the Congressional Research Service, advertising revenue

accounts for 80 percent of newspaper income. Unfortunately for
newspapers, corporate advertisers are relying more heavily on cheaper and
more dynamic online advertising space. Likewise, print classified ad
sections are being out-competed by websites specializing in classified ads,
social networking and help-wanted listings. As a result of this trend and a
weakening economy, revenues from daily newspaper advertising dropped
44 percent from 2005 to 2009. In fact, the only advertising medium to
experience an increase in advertising revenue during 2009 was the
Internet.

Newspaper Staffing

With such dramatic decreases in advertising revenue, newspapers have

been forced to cut costs. With labor costs constituting 50 percent of
newspaper expenses, staffing was the first to go. Between 2001 and 2009,
daily newspapers reduced overall newsroom staff by 25 percent. Although
undesirable from an economic position, this has also restricted the
newspapers' breadth of coverage, potentially leading to an under-reporting
of important news. With radio and television news broadcasts piggybacking
on newspaper reporting, this affects nonprint news media as well.

News Sources

Until recently, major newspaper sources constituted the strong right arm
of the news world, but with a reduction of staffing, the resulting slack must
be made up elsewhere. Both commercial and nonprofit investigative news
agencies, such as Global Post and the Pulitzer Prize-winning ProPublica,
have arisen. Likewise, local news reporting agencies, such as Voice of San
Diego and MinnPost, have contributed to the mix. Coupling those
organized agencies with numerous reporters now working on a freelance
basis, and news coverage has expanded beyond that of traditional
newspaper media. However, none of these supplemental contributors can
match big newspapers for their previously available resources. Therefore,
even if coverage is broadened, the comprehensiveness of the coverage may
still be lacking.

Adaptation

Faced with such challenges, newspapers have no choice but to adapt.

Readers demand instant access to news, so newspapers have created
online editions. Some of these editions are free, whereas others are offered
at a reduced rate or licensed through digital media, such as the Kindle,
Nook or iPhone. Such formats virtually eliminate print and distribution
costs, so the newspaper feeds the news more quickly and efficiently. At the
present time, these formats only supplement the traditional print format,
but given time, they may prevail as the only available option.

Small Newspaper Opportunities

The lower costs associated with an online-only format creates opportunities

for small news businesses. No longer are these publishers drowned in a sea
of printing equipment, paper and distribution routes. For a modest
investment, start-up news sites have the opportunity to emerge and have
their voices heard. Even a single reporter operating by himself has a viable
medium to publish internationally. This opportunity was virtually unheard
of before the Internet.

What is the Magic Bullet Theory of Mass Media?

You don't have to be the one to break the news to the millennials on your
staff. It will only make them grumpy. They may think that they invented
the field of mass communication through their love of social media
platforms. After all, how did the world exist and how did people
communicate before social media? As a small-business owner who is
probably coming to terms with the convergence of marketing, advertising
and journalism in your daily business life, it might be time to call a staff
meeting to review three of the most prevalent theories of mass
communication that predate social media by a long shot, starting with the
“mother” of all theories: the magic bullet theory of mass communication.
Yes, it has its roots in the 1930s. And yes, the millennials on your staff
might need a reminder that people of this era traveled by car – just as
millennials do – and not on the backs of dinosaurs. Some of the underlying
assumptions of these theories are as relevant today as they were when they
were introduced. And they just may give you fascinating insights about the
customers you serve today.

Theory of Mass Communication: Magic Bullet Theory

What it says: Armed to the gills, the mighty mass media takes aim and
“shoots” messages at a passive and impressionable audience.

The synopsis may sound sarcastic, but it's really not. In the earliest days of
mass communication theory – when World War II was just beginning –
people really did believe that they were largely defenseless in the face of
regular media messages. This theory is also known as the hypodermic
needle theory of communication for essentially capturing a similar
dynamic: that the media injects messages into a mass audience.

The hypodermic needle model gained significant traction after a radio

broadcast in October, 1938. Listeners who tuned into a “War of the
Worlds” program about Martians landing in New Jersey and attacking
people mistakenly thought the program was real. Hundreds of people called
police and fire departments for updates, and just as many rushed to the
store to purchase emergency supplies to protect themselves. The incident
became known as “the panic broadcast,” and it promoted a basic
hypodermic needle theory: that when people have only one source of
information, they have no choice but to act on it.

The magic bullet/ hypodermic needle theory also assumes that:

 The media create messages with a specific purpose – that is, to elicit a
specific response. People react in the same manner to a message. The effects
of the media's “bullets” or “syringes” are immediate and powerful, often
resulting in swift behavioral changes.* It is useless for people to try to resist
the influence of the media.

As you think about the media today, you may be smiling in spite of
yourself. But academics have largely dismissed the magic bullet theory of
mass communication, saying that it discounts critical thinking skills and
fails to take into account demographic variables – especially education –
that cause people to think and behave independently. The focus turned to
a more plausible theory of mass communication, and particularly the
agenda-setting theory.

Theory of Mass Communication: Agenda-Setting Theory

When it was introduced: 1972

What it basically says: The media determine which issues people focus on

through their mission of setting an agenda.
A protagonist might state that someone has to set the agenda, or decide
which issues are worth talking about. And the agenda-setting theory
asserts that this role belongs to the media, not the public. When the media
set the agenda, the public responds in kind, discussing, debating and
possibly advocating for change, based on what they read and hear. The
theory works in reverse, too: When the media ignores or fails to address an
issue – when they fail to advance an agenda – it becomes marginalized and
even ignored.

Like the magic bullet theory of mass communication, the agenda-setting

theory rests on some basic assumptions:

 The media shape reality instead of reflecting it.* The more attention that the
media pay to an issue, the more likely the public will agree that it is
important – an echo of the magic bullet theory of communication.

The agenda-setting theory of mass communication was embraced by a full

generation of journalists, and especially print journalists, who pointed to
the news pages as living proof of the theory's existence every single day.
The day's most important stories appeared on page one, under the biggest
and boldest headlines. Less important news appeared on inside pages.
Newspaper readers understood if not embraced this function, often
snatching up newspapers on street corners based on the top headline of
the day.

The agenda-setting function of the media was often regarded as a force for
good, and media theorists point to thousands of examples as proof,
especially in the arena of life sciences. Stop-smoking, healthy eating and
driver safety movements, they say, largely owe their success to the media's
agenda-setting role. (Some people might even call it advocacy.)

The success of these movements is partly due to a consequence of the

agenda-setting theory: that one media outlet is likely to parrot the agenda
of another. Before you know it, a media “echo chamber ensues,” with
multiple media outlets focusing on the same issue. Even before the advent
of the internet, people wondered how they could avoid such steady media
bombardments.

Ironically, mass media researchers have noted that the prevalence of the
internet may have reversed the agenda-setting paradigm. In other words,
who is setting the agenda today? With the popularity of blogs and social
media platforms, many people would say that people set the agenda for
the media, making it clear what they want to read and talk about by
texting and tweeting for large portions of the day. The millennials on your
marketing team just might agree.

Theory of Mass Communication: Uses and Gratifications Theory

When it was introduced: 1970s

What it basically says: People seek out media content to satisfy their
needs and desires.

The uses and gratifications theory stands in stark contrast to the magic
bullet theory of mass communication. Rather than the media infusing
people's minds with ideas, this theory says that people are quite particular
about choosing media content that suits their needs. And these needs can
run the gamut, from the need for information, entertainment and social
interaction to the need for relaxation, escape or arousal.

Like the magic bullet and agenda-setting theories of mass communication,

the uses and gratifications theory makes some basic assumptions:

 That audience members take an active and discerning role in selecting media
outlets to satisfy their needs. That they will quickly discard those outlets
that contradict their ideas, beliefs and values. That the mediums that offer
the most satisfaction will be the ones that people return to again and again
for gratification.
 Media outlets have taken note of this phenomenon and are “game” to
compete with one another for people's time and attention.

The uses and gratifications theory wouldn't be a bona fide theory of mass

communication without critics. In this case, some critics say the theory
gives people too much credit for being selective about their media choices –
almost suggesting that they behave according to the magic bullet theory of
mass communication, instead.

This point alone might make for a lively topic of conversation with your
staff. After all, isn't it the millennials who are championing “cord cutting,”
or breaking away from cable services that tether them to streams of
commercials? And isn't the the millennials who are credited with
transforming mass communication into a portable indulgence, capable of
being watched and listened to from a device that fills only the palm of their
hand?

In other words, from all appearances, they do seem to subscribe to the

uses and gratifications theory of mass communication – and in a clear-
headed, discerning and decidedly un-grumpy fashion.

How Long Will It Take for an Advertising Campaign

to Work?
Advertising consulting firm Professional Advertising states that the type of
product you are selling is one factor in how long an advertising campaign
takes to work -- for items that people are interested in, such as diet
products or just-released albums, you may only need to show the ad a few
times. For more complex products, you could be looking at a relatively
lengthy campaign. When you see response declining, no matter at what
juncture it occurs, that's when you need to pull the ads, since at that stage
they are no longer effective.

Different Media

Every advertising medium has its own set of advantages and

disadvantages, which could impact your advertising campaign's
effectiveness. You could choose to present your ads in a variety of media,
to leverage different features of each medium as well as reinforce your
message across media. Once you've selected your medium, such as
newspapers, realize that your results are going to depend on which
newspaper(s) you choose to circulate your ad in. If the newspaper reaches
more of your target audience, the ad's impact is more widespread; a more
conspicuous position in the publication and a larger ad size will also amp
up response.

Effective Frequency

Professional Advertising refers to something called "effective frequency," or

the number of times a person or household has to be exposed to your ad
before those people notice and understand the message. Ad effectiveness is
measured by frequency: From a traditional print ad perspective, to attain
an effective frequency rate, you should expose your audience to at least
four ad viewings within a four-week span. For smaller-budget businesses,
the consultancy advocates sheer persistence -- sometimes 40 weeks or
more -- in exposing your newspaper ad week after week, because smaller
more inexpensive ads take time to reach those four exposures.

Awareness Index

Branding researcher Millward Brown discusses what it calls a consumer's

Awareness Index. This is a measure it uses to determine a viewer's
engagement with, or awareness of, a certain advertised brand. Millward
Brown says that television ads in particular tend to sustain brand
awareness over time. In other words, they are still effective over time, and
extended airing can still be beneficial. When it doesn't become beneficial is
when a celebrity endorsing the product falls out of favor or a media blitz
occurs over a relatively short time span, in which case continued airing
could become irritating or less enjoyable.

Ad Fatigue

Millward Brown looks for instances when viewers begin to tire of an ad

campaign and finds that this is the point at which the advertiser should
begin to overhaul the campaign. In cases of ad wear-out, spending more ad
dollars on a languishing campaign is fighting a battle with diminishing
returns. Where wear-out occurs depends on a variety of factors, including
the country of viewing and the variability of ad copy within the campaign.
Millward Brown notes that ads featuring news will reach wear-out more
quickly than other ads because once they've made their impact, repeated
viewings will no longer have the same relevance and immediacy and
instead, generate fatigue.

The Positive & Negative Impact of Digital Media on

Business
Look over here, at this growing pile of research. It says that digital media,
and social media in particular, is instigating a host of decidedly anti-social
behaviors: addiction, cyberbullying, anxiety, depression and something
called FOMO, or, fear of missing out. In the worst cases, in adolescents,
this dependence is being linked to negative body image, higher high-school
dropout rates and even higher suicide rates.

But now look over here, at this equally towering pile of research. It says
that digital media is the best thing to happen to businesses since the
creation of the web site. When digital media is carefully threaded through
the needle of a marketing strategy, it can create a tightly interwoven
tapestry for a small business owner to elevate his profile, increase his
profitability and engender customer loyalty.

Keep the Impact of Digital Media on Society Top-of-Mind

Looking at the two piles simultaneously may trigger double-vision; the

same people who may be adversely affected by digital media in their
personal life sometimes credit it for improving their professional life. About
two-thirds of the respondents in a study of 5,000 digital media users by
the World Economic Forum said that digital media had “improved their
ability to learn and develop professionally. This included their ability to
carry out their work, collaborate with colleagues and build relationships.”

As a small-business owner, you may be wondering how the effects of digital

media on society can spawn such alarm in one arena while fostering
appreciation in another. It suggests that you can separate the professional
tendencies of a human being from the strictly personal ones. And it
provokes a logical question: Is it possible to separate the effect of digital
media on a business from what it can do for a business? It can be, if you're
willing to sift through the piles. Then both the positive and negative
impacts of digital media on business should be easier to discern.

Settle on a Definition

Like many people, you may think “social media” when someone refers to
digital media, but the umbrella term is actually far more expansive. PC
Magazine says it refers to:
  “the electronic devices that store the data (magnetic tapes and disks, solid
state drives and flash drives) or to the communications methods that
transmit the data, including email, text and instant messaging, text chat and
video calling.”

In your reality, as a small-business owner, you may lean more heavily on

the second part of that definition, or “the promotion of products or brands
via one or more forms of electronic media,” as the Business Dictionary
says.

Either way, Digitalist magazine fires two shots across the bow, one by
announcing in a headline that “there is no avoiding digital disruption” and
the second by warning business owners:

 “For most organizations, it’s no longer a matter of whether to adopt a digital

business model but how to adopt it without damaging their existing
business or customer base so much that they don’t survive the transition.”

Put another way, it’s a matter of weighing the positive and negative impact
of digital media on business, too.

Consider the Positive Impact of Digital Media on Business

Thoughts of your traditional marketing efforts may be swirling through

your head. This is probably inevitable, especially if you've already formed a
successful merger of traditional and digital marketing tactics. In this case,
you already know what digital media can do for  your business. Some of
the primary effects digital media can have on a business include:

 Digital media can give a business boundless reach. There's a good reason

digital media is known as “the great equalizer”; who's to know whether that
vibrant website with the provocative pictures and compelling content
emanates from a two-person operation or a 2,000-person operation? The
customer won't know, and the customer could reside five blocks away or
5,000 miles away. Of course, not every small-business owner wants a global
customer base. But with digital media, it's there for the taking. As Brandon
Gaille puts it: “You can target TV viewers, for example, or radio program
listeners or magazine readers. Direct mail can reach a specific zip code or
neighborhood. Digital marketing, however, can reach an entire globe.”
 Digital media can be a money-saver – at least if you believe that you have
to spend a little money to save money. Compared with what you may have
been spending on traditional marketing methods, even pay-for-click ads
(otherwise known as paid search) are relatively affordable. Meanwhile, traffic
from organic searches can stream your way for free, though you will have to
make a “sweat equity” investment in content to see results. The same is true
for email campaigns, search engine optimization (SEO) and social media. For
businesses facing lean financial times – and what business doesn't? – an
integrated digital media strategy can do more than save money; it can save a
business that is fighting to survive.* Digital media can ingratiate a
business with its customers. Owners of brick-and-mortar stores might
argue that building customer relationships through superior service is a
 concept as old as time itself. They have a point. But there is no doubt that
inbound marketing affords a small-business owner many ways to flaunt that
service – namely, through blogs, case studies, ebooks, videos and webinars.
Building relationships through these channels can instill customer loyalty
and fuel word-of-mouth. The essence of marketing hasn't changed, but
digital marketing has multiplied the channels exponentially.
 Digital media can deliver fast results and sales. It ought to. People want
information fast. They'll rarely scroll beyond the second page of an organic
search. They'll ditch a website that takes more than a few seconds to load.
And more and more, they're searching while they're on the go, spawning a
digital domain known as mobile marketing. In addition to appealing to
consumers' need for speed, digital media can deliver fast sales returns. If
you've grown accustomed to your marketing team likening a marketing
tactic to a “seed” – as in planting a seed – digital media can help a business
reap a quick and bountiful harvest.
 Digital marketing allows a business to respond to customers and make
any adjustments quickly. It's an obvious offshoot to the inherent
speediness of digital media; a small-business owner can nip a problem in the
bud and respond in an equally speedy manner to questions, gripes,
complaints, rants and lawsuit threats. Meanwhile, a complimentary
anecdote or compelling customer success story can be used as the
cornerstone of a short-term marketing campaign. From a devil's advocate
point of view, digital media should all but eliminate the “I wish I knew”
excuse from a business owner's repertoire. Consumers have demonstrated
that they're more than happy to share their experiences through inbound
marketing, email and social media in particular. And a business owner who
adds regular online customer satisfaction surveys to the mix should remain
“in the know.” In this way, too, digital media holds the potential of doing
more than insulating a business from ruin; it can save it from this fate, too.

Consider the Negative Impact of Digital Media on Business

Naturally, digital media is far from a perfect vehicle. No means of mass

communication is. Digital media scores some negatives among small-
business owners because:

 Digital media can sweep up a business in “media fatigue.” Consumers

are bombarded with thousands of messages a day – a consequence that is
largely their own doing. They could, after all, simply put down or shut off
their smartphones. But this means they are also more discerning about
what they do take the time to read as well as what they choose to
ignore.* Digital media can be a time drain on a business. Social Media
Today reports that more than 60 percent of marketers spend at least six
hours a day on digital marketing. This is time you may not be able to
allocate, forcing some tough choices. Even if you forego paid digital ads, the
sweat equity investment can be unrelenting and considerable.
 Digital media can devolve into a damage-control operation. This is the
most virulent complaint of small-business owners, who grow understandably
perplexed by the scammers, spammers, trolls and “reviewers” whose sole
purpose seems to be stirring up trouble. “Going viral” was usually
considered a good thing for businesses five years ago. It can strike fear in the
hearts of small-business owners today.
  Digital media can expose a business to copycats. Since digital marketing
campaigns are so “out there,” it also makes them easy to replicate and even
copy – right down to the same offer with similar wording against a familiar
background shot. Many professional writers have dismantled their online
writing portfolios to thwart plagiarists. Small-business owners don't have
this luxury and must remain vigilant about marketing mooches.

This last negative can breed a peculiar feeling of vulnerability and loss of
control in some small-business owners. Unlike a print ad that's undeniably
yours, a radio ad that includes your voice or an ageless brochure that
you've been mailing to customers for years, putting so much information
“out there,” online, to a global audience, may prompt you to
wonder, “Who's really reading all this information and what are they going
to do with it?”

The fact is, some forms of digital media may not be right for your business,
so establishing your comfort level is crucial. After all, FOMO or, fear of
missing out, should never turn to FOTAR, or fear of taking a risk.

Print vs. LED Billboard Advertising

An LED billboard essentially is a huge TV that plays moving ads by the
side of the road. LED billboards have been enthusiastically embraced in
some places, such as New York's Times Square, Tokyo and Las Vegas.
They've been banned in others as a distraction to drivers. Both LED and
traditional, paper billboards have advantages and disadvantages. Which
one is right for your business depends on your goals, your markets and
how much money you have to spend.

Print Advantages

A traditional paper billboard is a known quantity. It's low-tech, it's much

less expensive than an LED billboard, and unlike LED billboards that make
you share space with five other advertisers, once you pay for space on a
traditional billboard, it's all yours -- for weeks or months. You don't have to
worry that your message only has six seconds of display time before it's
changed. Unlike an LED billboard, it can be read 24 hours a day, seven
days a week. You also won't have to contend with irate residents claiming
the light from your sign is keeping them awake nights, or worry that the
glare and motion from your ad might make someone drive off the road.

Print Disadvantages

Although a traditional billboard is less expensive than an LED ad, it's also
more forgettable, according to figures cited by the Wirespring website. A
traditional billboard ad can't be changed without hiring someone to climb
up and repaper it, which is usually time-consuming and expensive. And if
your traditional billboard has to compete with a nearby LED ad, it's likely
that your message will be overshadowed.
LED Advantages

LED billboards have some impressive advantages. They're almost

impossible to ignore. They're extremely bright, they have color and
movement and special effects. They can be changed quickly and easily if
important facts change, such as the date of an advertised event. They can
be customized so they're relevant to the time of day when they're shown --
rush hour, for example. They are also the favorite in the most heavily
traveled tourist destinations in the country. If yours is the only LED
billboard in the area, your ad will likely get all, or most, of the attention.

LED Disadvantages

The owners of electronic billboards sell ad space to many advertisers at

once, rather than to just one. Ads rotate quickly, and yours might have
only seconds to catch the attention of potential customers. Ads on LED
boards are much more expensive than traditional billboard ads. LED
billboards have also drawn fire from those concerned about their potential
to distract drivers and cause accidents. Some LED signs change their
message every few seconds and some are placed near dangerous
intersections or curves. Though LED billboards can be found in many large
U.S. cities, some cities have banned them because of safety concerns,
notes the Torontoist website. Some LED billboards are so bright that they
can be seen from miles away -- a fact that has inspired complaints from
nearby residents. And if yours is a "green" business, you might want to
consider the fact that LED billboards have been criticized by
environmentalists as energy-wasters because unlike traditional billboards,
they use energy all day and night.

Examples of Traditional Advertising

Traditional marketing is alive and well despite its stodgy old-school
reputation with millennials and Generation Z. Examples of traditional
advertising include media ads and outreach strategies such as trade shows
that predate the internet. Even in the digital age, young and old alike still
watch TV commercials, listen to radio ads, browse catalogs and read
mailers. Clever advertising executives know when to capitalize on both
traditional and digital marketing methods, sometimes using one to drive
traffic to the other.

Traditional Advertising Advantages

Traditional advertising methods work well when used strategically. Many

consumers enjoy using their senses to see and touch books, newspapers,
brochures and coupon books. Gossip and celebrity magazines chock full of
advertising fly off the shelf at grocery store checkout lanes. Despite the
cost of print advertising, the consumer may be more likely to read a funny
or attractive flyer in the mail than pesky online ads that are easy to ignore.

An often-overlooked advantage of traditional marketing is consumer

perception, as pointed out by Lumen Learning. A high-quality marketing
piece, for example, reflects the prestige of the sender. Picturesque
calendars with the company's logo on the bottom are viewed all year long.
Traditional marketing methods are the only way to connect with niche
audiences who can't access the internet in remote regions.

Traditional marketing methods also reach those who are not computer
savvy, such as some older adults who prefer familiar printed material and
dislike being told to go to a website. SMB CEO expects traditional media
will continue to be a big part of the marketing sector because of this
demographic.

Traditional Advertising Disadvantages

Print subscriptions and ad revenue have plummeted, according to Array

Digital. Advertisers want the best return on their investment and hesitate
to spend money on traditional approaches that don't have the reach of
digital ads and cost more money. Similarly, many people don't attend trade
shows or accept calls from telemarketers, two other common examples of
traditional marketing.

Equally problematic, the effectiveness of traditional advertising methods is

difficult to measure. Advertisers have trouble showing cause and effect. For
example, if ice cream sales surged in July, was it fueled by new radio spots
or record-breaking temperatures? Surveys that ask whether customers
recall seeing recent ads before purchasing a product tend to have a low
response rate.

Traditional Advertising vs. Digital Advertising

The advantages of traditional marketing may or may not outweigh the

benefits of digital advertising depending on the target audience, goals and
available advertising budget. If far and wide reach is desired, then digital is
the way to go. Consumers spend hours on electronic devices where they
encounter tailored ads on social media, websites, Google ads, and content
marketing. Influencers heavily promote products to adoring fans.
Thousands of people might see an ad that took seconds to post.

The cost benefits of digital marketing over traditional advertising methods

are irrefutable, according to WebFX. Social media costs little to nothing,
whereas direct mailing and traditional advertising can cut deep into net
profit. Moreover, online marketing tools that provide data analytics for
tracking webpage and blog views, online sales and site interaction are
readily available. Adjustments can be made quickly if a strategy isn't
working as intended.
On the flip side of things, online marketing comes with certain risks.
Managing multiple social platforms takes time, skill and knowledge of
emerging trends. Competitors have an easy way of spying and stealing
ideas. Consumer reviews are read by the public, including potential
buyers. Scathing comments from unreasonable customers can damage
your company's reputation.

Mixed Marketing Methods

Rather than engaging in the traditional advertising vs. digital advertising

debate, advertisers are finding creative ways to capitalize on the combined
strengths of each strategy. For example, an advertising campaign for a
small local business might include selling door-to-door and leaving flyers
for those who are not home to promote a website and discounts for liking
the page and following it.

Geotargeting uses website information to determine the geolocation of

interested buyers, explains the Search Engine Journal. Billboards and
banners are then placed in locations where the target audience sees them
in their day-to-day travels, thus reinforcing advertising messages and
brand familiarity.

Satellite Radio Industry Analysis

Satellite radio is a popular alternative to terrestrial radio and other
broadcast mediums, but the industry faces steep competition. Online
service providers have changed the dynamics of radio content delivery and
are encouraging traditional services to alter their business models. Mobile
device applications are further impacting the way consumers listen to
satellite radio.

U.S. Radio Broadcasting

According to IBIS World, the U.S. radio broadcasting industry took in over
$17 billion in 2013. Satellite radio, terrestrial radio and online service
providers were are among the main revenue generators. Major players in
the market included CBS Corp., CC Media Holdings Inc., Sirius XM Radio
Inc. and Cumulus. In 2013, the satellite radio industry grew in terms of
subscribers and the selection of content provided to listeners. Radio
continues to evolve and satellite providers are using digital media to grow
their customer base.

Satellite vs. Terrestrial Radio

Satellite radio is available to consumers via subscription while terrestrial

radio is free. However, terrestrial radio has more advertising that
consumers must sit through to listen to music or talk shows. Satellite
radio typically comes with an array of channels that stream entertainment,
providing consumers greater selection and control over content. Satellite
radio broadcasts over larger areas of coverage compared to terrestrial
radio, allowing consumers to take their service with them across
geographical regions.

Sirius XM Radio Inc.

In early 2014, Sirius XM Radio Inc. was valued at $23 billion making it one
of the largest companies in the satellite radio industry. The company is
famous for having lured radio personality Howard Stern among other high-
profile personalities. Sirius XM Radio can be played in cars, homes, offices
and other areas where the satellite signal is accessible. It is a major player
in broadcasting, and the company has led the way for innovation in the
satellite radio industry.

Competition

Streaming Internet service providers, such as Spotify and Pandora, are

among the most significant competitors to satellite radio companies. The
Internet is becoming a significant content delivery medium, and the entire
broadcast industry is adjusting to deal with changing business models.
The Internet is cost-effective and allows consumers to sift through and
store the content they want to listen to. As the Internet continues to evolve
and become more mainstream, the competition will intensify for radio
audiences.

SEO Vs. Radio Advertising

Radio advertising is designed for a mass audience while search engine
optimization is designed specifically to connect with a target market. Radio
still reaches 92 percent of the population, but not all radio advertising is
effective. SEO can be achieved by anyone who learns the basics of content
development and what search engines are looking for in terms of content
quality. Radio potentially reaches a much wider audience, while SEO helps
attract interested prospects who actively seek specific products.

Radio Advertising Pros

Despite competition from new media, radio still reaches more than 235
million listeners per week in 2012. A high percentage of teens listen
regularly to radio, but most listeners are adults and most listening is done
in cars while driving to work. Over half of radio revenue comes from local
businesses. Consistent radio advertising that reaches a target audience
combined with other media campaigns can effectively grow a market. More
than 90 percent of the radio audience listens to commercials, according
radio industry research leader Arbitron. Radio's big advertisers include fast
food chains, communications dealers, car dealers, restaurants, retail,
financial institutions and insurance companies.
Radio Advertising Cons

Just because radio reaches thousands of people over time doesn't mean
thousands of people will respond to advertising. Many listeners never
respond to advertising and don't remember the commercials they hear only
once. Advertising on a station that does not reach a desired target market
can be a huge waste of money. Radio advertising on a major market station
during drive time can cost more than $1,000 per minute. Advertising in
cheaper time slots may not effectively reach a broad enough audience. If
the commercials are not heard frequently in drive time, they may have little
to no impact.

SEO Pros

Effective SEO techniques can put a business at the top of search engine
rankings for key words at no cost. In order to accomplish high rankings,
one must spend time researching the popularity of key words already being
used online. Finding unused key words that accurately reflect a business is
the essence of effective SEO. Writing content that is titled with key words
and provides depth about those phrases can improve search engine
rankings and traffic, which can potentially reduce advertising costs to zero.
Another factor that affects search engine ranking is the number of links
that link back to your website, which can achieved by exchanging links
with credible websites with similar themes. Expanding online business
relationships naturally helps create more market awareness.

SEO Cons

Basing a business on SEO techniques is risky because search engines

providers can change their algorithms, or set of rules, that determine how
they index the web at any time. Search engines want to distance
themselves from spammers and sites that superficially game the SEO
system with weak content dominated by overuse of keywords. Investing too
much focus on SEO can ultimately be a waste of time if not enough
emphasis is placed on offering quality content. Since SEO does not have a
long established history like radio, its effects over time are difficult to
analyze.

How Much Influence Does Radio Advertising Have?

Despite the proliferation of digital media, broadcast radio has proven to be a durable
medium for small and large companies to advertise their products and services. The
Radio Advertising Bureau reported that U.S. industry revenue was approximately
$14.2 billion in 2012, up 1 percent from 2011. Research has found radio ads to have
influence in reaching targeted audiences through a variety of station formats,
especially during "drive time" and other periods where listening to the radio is often a
daily habit.
Baby Boomers

A 2011 national study by consultant Magid Generations Strategies, conducted for

Advertising Age, found that that 28 percent of radio listeners age 47 to 65 are reached
between 6 a.m. and 9 a.m., and that radio is Baby Boomers' top media choice for that
period of the day. Radio's sway with Boomers continues into the workday, with 40
percent of listeners tuning in between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., making the medium second
only to the Internet. From 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., 18 percent of Boomers are tuned in, a
smaller following than is seen in two younger age groups for that part of the day.

Generation X

Thirty percent of listeners age 30 to 46 are reached by radio from 6 to 9 a.m., and that
group also chose radio more often than other media in that early-morning period,
when asked by Magid to select from among 15 online and traditional media options.
Magid found that 26 percent of Gen X tunes in from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., with 19 percent
listening from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Millennials

By comparison, radio has less of an influence with audiences under 30, especially early
in the morning. While consumers 18-29 found radio to be their top media choice
between 6 a.m. and 9 a.m., just 20 percent are actually tuned in. A larger contingent --
34 percent -- listens between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., with 22 percent tuning in from 5 p.m.
to 8 p.m. Station content matters, as Nielsen Co. found in a 2009 study that 4 percent
of respondents age 18 to 20 listen to news and information radio stations -- far less
than the general population average of 20 percent.

Teens and Children

Those age 13 to 17 picked radio as their No. 1 media choice in the 6 a.m. to 9 a.m.
period, tied with online music in the Magid study. Radio was also selected most often
by those age 12 and under. However, just 22 percent of teens and 17 percent of 12-
and-under consumers are listening from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m., and the numbers go even
lower between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. -- 20 percent for teens and 15 percent for the 12-and-
under set. Both groups pay relatively negligible attention to radio compared with
older consumers after 5 p.m., as their time is divided among numerous online, mobile
and traditional media.

Final Words!
Audiences can now and then disregard digital Ads, yet it's anything but the situation
with Print Media promotions.
At the point when potential customers read your advertisements in newspapers or
magazines, they are engaged for a more extended time frame than their digital
promotions engagement rate.
Further, your promotion plan and situation can help you focus on your optimal
audience. By utilizing socioeconomics information, you can without much of a stretch
and strategically place your brand before the perfect audience at the perfect time and
in the right print medium.
Print media structures a similarly convincing brand like Digital Media and should not
be disregarded or neglected. It ends up being a powerful brand as it can at times reach
and target individuals digital media can't.