5 Reasons Why Traditional Media Is Still Relevant Today

The Industrial Revolution 2.0 introduced Internet into the people’s life which changed their life for good. This technological change pioneered two-way communication between the brands and their consumers which was not possible in the late 80s or 90s. Hence, most brands have started using Digital Marketing as it has helped them optimize their business in a much better way.

However, even today one cannot neglect the importance of traditional media channels. As the famous saying goes “Old is Gold”, the same can be said for the newspapers, TVs, radios, and billboards. It is of utter significance for a brand to focus not only on the digital but also on the traditional aspects of marketing for maximum reach and frequency to their target audience. Here are five reasons why traditional media is still relevant:

1. Tradition Media = Trust

Newspapers, TVs, and Radios are considered to be the most trusted form of sources. In fact, HBR reports that the top five most trusted marketing formats are all traditional with print advertising (82%), television advertising (80%), and direct mail (76%) leading the way. In today’s world where the duplication of products is easily done, a consumer thinks twice before switching brands, especially to a new one. Hence, in such cases, ad campaigns in the good old newspapers and TVs provide a platform for the consumer to develop a positive perception towards a brand. Moreover, traditional media creates brand credibility among the buyers which is a must in a world where there is such vast competition.

2. Larger Target Audience Reach

TVs and Newspapers have been the main source of information for people for more than 100 years. Therefore, they have a much larger presence and wider reach than social media channels. Furthermore, it might also be the only way to reach the older demographic as they are the ones who consumed this form of information the most. Additionally, with normal life resuming after the pandemic, the ad campaigns can have a much wider reach using the billboards at highways and bus stations.

3. Phasing Out Third-Party Cookies

Digital marketing is nothing without third-party cookies as they allow marketers to track website visitors and their search preferences. However, with Google phasing out the third-party cookies on Chrome and Apple implementing stricter privacy settings with iOS 14, the death of third-party cookies is imminent. Hence, with this change in the advertising landscape, marketers are switching to implementing a more segregated approach close to traditional media models.

4. Connection With Local Audiences

Traditional media is actually a better way compared to digital media for businesses targeting only local audiences. Consumers rely on relationships more than ever. Thus, businesses with a genuine interest in the well-being of the community can take advantage of traditional tools, like billboards and local newspapers. Putting them in the heart of the community consequently has a much faster impact than social media in much lesser time.

5. Sometimes It’s Meant To Be

Marketing is an art and science of contingencies and context. Therefore, sometimes the traditional media is just the right way to entice the customers. Customers tend to react positively to the emotional message conveyed via an ad campaign. Hence, traditional TV advertising provides the ideal platform for such storytelling ads – not only has a wider reach but with repeated frequency. The ad campaign can develop a special place in the minds of people. For instance, the Scarecrow campaign of Chipotle touched the emotional side of its viewers leading to a great increase in brand awareness.

The “Tradigital” Model

Marketing Campaigns work better if both the traditional and digital media work in conjunction with each other. However, what type of medium to use typically depends on the goals and marketing objectives of the business. Both the mediums have their own benefits and disadvantages. However, if used correctly they can complement each other for a successful ad campaign. Digital Marketing can help us track data and optimize whereas traditional media can have a much wider reach to the target audience. Traditional tools can promote the ad campaign and it can further direct the consumers by including various social media properties for increasing customer engagement via social media. Thus, businesses need to adapt this "TRADIGITAL" model of marketing for better results.

Marketers predicted a decline in the use of TV, radio, and newspaper advertising. However, it is only because of traditional media that marketing has been able to scale to this level. Furthermore, I came to realize the importance of traditional tools much after I saw that billboard. That is, all types of social media websites can be advertised on the billboard – but one cannot advertise on billboards on social media platforms.

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