Direct mail pieces. Email blasts. QR codes. Billboards. Website banner ads. iAds. Blog posts. Facebook pages. Twitter accounts. Google +. Newspaper ads (yes, they’re still being read). If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the myriad of ubiquitous marketing channels to tap into, chances are your audience is in the same boat as you are. Only, they’re on the receiving end of this balancing act.
In a time when the list of options is exhaustive (and frankly, exhausting) at what point do the marketing channels find balance on the weighing scale? They really don’t. That they find a tipping point towards a more receptive and responsive audience is more probable.
Media integration involves developing an understanding of the audience. But it also involves a broadened mindset by agencies and marketers approaching their demographics; especially where greater ROI’s are at stake.
A study released by Pitney Bowes demonstrates the relation between age and media-preference, vis-à-vis marketers. According to the study, 47% of the marketer’s aged 55 and over preferred working with just one media channel. Younger marketers, who are still finding their way with direct-mail pieces, are more apt to adopting multiple channels in order to produce effective marketing campaigns.
The trouble with giving preferential treatment to a specific marketing channel is that we risk isolating the audience who would like to connect with our brands, but doesn’t have a feasible way of doing so. At least not one that’s tailored to their preferences.
Of course, numbers tend to speak louder than words. In the United States, technology and use of the Internet are becoming more and more democratized across varied ethnic groups, and we found a few numbers to think about:
– 51% of African-Americans, compared to 65% whites, own desktop computers.
– 70% of all African-Americans and English-speaking Latinos use text messaging.
– Simultaneous media consumption is also increasing. Nearly 60% of U.S. households watch T.V. while browsing the web.
Attention spans are shorter, multi-tasking is second nature to millions and the option to switch off a blaring advertisement is taken for granted.So the bottom-line? Some nuggets of wisdom don’t really go away. All your eggs in one basket is still not prudent. Experimentation and diversifying will help you develop a deeper message for a wider audience.
