Client advertising budgets have grown over a prolonged economic expansion since 2004. Digital advertising has enjoyed the bulk of this growth, with a rise to prominence that has surprised even the digital zealots among us. It will continue to grow and most likely support much of the expansion in the industry in 2008. Many gallons of ink have speculated the consequences and possible strategies to deal with online growth and media fragmentation. However, because any discussion on fragmentation quickly leads to a debate on digital advertising, we often forget to consider the wider dynamics taking place within consumers’ minds. Hidden amongst the digital hyperbole are opportunities that are mostly overlooked. They are gems hiding in the world of traditional media that have come about as a result of media fragmentation.
The theory goes something like this;
Media fragmentation is not simply robbing the time we spend with different media, it is changing the mindshare and commitment we have with media alternatives, including the long held relationships between traditional media.
Consumer behavior is changing as more media becomes an “on demand” experience. The type and complexity of advertising messages we are able to deliver within media is also undergoing an evolution.
As an example, consider the effect web surfing in the lounge room is having on the level of attention we are giving TV advertising. Call me naïve, but if you are at home watching House, you are unlikely to be actively online as the patient goes Code Blue or reveals a spectacularly unfortunate rash. Your attention is most likely taken away during ad breaks. This isn’t to say that TV advertising isn’t powerful. It remains our most impactful media and will remain so.
The point is, advertisers and their agencies would benefit from understanding that there is an attention shift and audiences are consuming smaller pieces of information during their media experiences. Most newspaper editors know this and have made their average article lengths shorter over the last decade in response, particularly online. The good news is that while the media bites we consume may be getting smaller, the number of exposures, or times we are accessing the media, is increasing.
What we are left with is a media landscape where messages need to be more simple, however, there are more contextual and involving opportunities to deliver them.
At Aegis Media and Carat, along with the brightest local media agencies, we are focusing on increasing our strengths in two key areas in light of changing consumer behavior. We are investing in;
1. Media opportunities that overcome the effects of fragmentation
2. Media opportunities that combine the messages we have delivered across media (digital and traditional) to deliver the right sales or brand response
The important opportunities that assist us overcome fragmentation include sports and entertainment marketing and in-program placement. This type of advertising is effective at carrying commercial messaging across media platforms that cannot be unbundled. For example, Hutchison’s 3 Mobile and the KFC sponsorship of the cricket is prominent whether you are watching the cricket via TV, internet or mobile.
Marketing and promotional opportunities have become a central part of our agency’s media strategy, in combining the messages we have delivered across complex media plans. The benefits delivered by a well run promotion or point of sale campaign have been enhanced by fragmentation. Marketing promotions used to be perceived as a direct sales tool – generating short term results with little long term branding benefit. Our position at Aegis has changed. We view marketing promotions as a key tool for aggregating messages we have delivered across media. We have had spectacular success assisting clients either enter the customer’s consideration set, or drive direct sales through in-store, on-pack and other marketing promotions. Post campaign surveys also indicate a greater brand involvement and loyalty among those exposed to such promotions.
Our launch of Carat Activate and purchase of Australia and NZ’s largest independent marketing promotions company, Apollo Marketing, underline this commitment. Many of our peers such as WPP also see the opportunity.
The rise of digital has been amazing, however there are still hidden gems hiding in traditional media’s backyard.
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