How much of your February 5, 2012 was spent in front of the TV rooting for and/or against two teams that don’t represent your hometown, glued to every second of the broadcast because you didn’t want to miss the commercials? Our guess is (give or take) four hours.
According to Nielsen, Super Bowl XLVI was the most-watched program in the history of United States television. The broadcast event tallied 111.3 million US viewers. And, while millions were spent producing and placing television commercial in the big game, Nacogdoches advertisers could capture a 30-second slot for as little as $750.
Now new media had its place in the big game, too. Commercials included Shazam links, highlighted Facebook and Twitter accounts, and featured QR codes. Results of an InMobi “Mobile Consumption Survey” included the following data: 39 percent of respondents used a mobile device in response to a TV commercial during the game; 30 percent said they used their mobile devices most during commercials and 27 percent downloaded a Super Bowl app.
The Super Bowl isn’t the only place where traditional advertising continues to be relevant. For example, a 2010 Advertising Age study found that U.S. banks seeing the highest returns on their advertising investments were not necessarily those spending the most, but instead those banks with the heaviest TV budgets. Oh, and, even with their digital extensions, Americans are watching more TV than ever before. In November 2011, Nielsen reported that the AVERAGE household logs an all-time record of “59 hours 28 minutes of TV watching per week.”
Newspaper, direct mail, broadcast & outdoor media still comprise a significant portion of the U.S. marketing mix, but mobile does matter. In 2011, half of ALL adults accessed local news or information on a cell phone or tablet computer.
Let’s give it up for direct mail. According to a December 2011 study released by Epsilon Targeting, almost 3 in 5 American consumers reported that they enjoy getting postal mail from brands about new products (compared to just 43% who say they enjoy getting emails from brands on new products). Direct mail gives advertisers the chance to target precisely, variable data gives advertisers the chance to be incredibly relevant, and the product itself is seen by consumers as more intimate and less invasive than other forms of advertising.
How can outdoor stretch the impact of your brand? Outdoor is big. Outdoor is an impactful marketing vehicle that contributes to the overall reach of a good campaign. The average American is in a car 2-3 blissfully captive hours a day, where they are exposed to outdoor in a way that promotes a brand as having both foundation and stability. Used effectively, outdoor advertising also is proven to provide businesses with direct sales lifts, increase brand awareness and drive the effectiveness of other marketing vehicles in a campaign.
Listen up, there’s still a place for radio. Remember that statistic about the time Americans spend in their cars; how do they pass the time? Even with the advent of satellite radio subscriptions, local radio still works. Local radio gives advertisers access to a fan base of EXTREMELY loyal listeners, is current, easily produced and includes bonus reach and frequency with online streaming and station websites.
Have we mentioned how much we like search engine marketing (SEM)? While traditional media is measurable by circulation, reach and frequency, we also like the freedom SEM gives us to track not only click-through, but message appeal. SEM even lets us measure the part you don’t pay for… the branding impact you receive for impressions.
What about the daily paper? Newspapers have evolved and continue to adapt to competition by becoming "hyperlocal." USAtoday.com may have congressional news, but if you’re looking for coverage about how your hometown football team performed on Friday night, you have to check your daily paper. Newspaper audiences are grounded – you don’t get a subscription unless you’ve put down roots or you’re trying to establish roots in a community. Readers are invested in the community and they care what happens down the street. Plus, daily newspapers are time sensitive. They give advertisers the opportunity to fine-tune messages for a particular time of year in a particular area.
At the end of the day, media only works if you develop a partnership that ensures your business has the right message in the right place at the right time. Consistent, cohesive and constructive messages help advertisers stretch every dollar. If every message is the same, employing a clear design theme that establishes a recognizable brand, then your brand will be extended by the frequency with which customers see the message. We could be fancy and call it vertical integration, but you know it will work if you’re telling the same story, from the TV spot to the lobby signage.
That’s why Point A Media campaigns are about more than selecting media. We look for the best means to broadcast, promote and repeat your message in a way that will keep your brand relevant and, when paired with awesome creative, give you an incredible market edge.
