Traditional Media

I'd like to talk about traditional media.  Just to recap: Traditional Media (aka Mass Media) is any communication channel that reaches a broad audience and is inherently a one-way communication channel.  This includes:

• Newspaper
• Television
• Radio
• Internet Banner Ads
• Billboards
• Magazines
• Point-of-Sale Displays

Traditional media is no longer the powerhouse it once was.  In the past, it was very effective because there were a limited number of communication channels, so an advertiser could use one and reach a large percentage of their audience while also reaching a large percentage of the general population.  Traditional Media's reach has slowly declined for a number of reasons, including the proliferation of options in a given communication channel, invention of new communication channels, and the desire to have a 2-way communication relationship with customers.  

I'm not saying that Traditional Media is dead (yet), but when you choose to use them, you have to:

• Be sure you are reaching your target market.
• Have a strong marketing message that has been tested for effectiveness.
• Be willing to make a substantial investment in a small number of media channels. 
• Smoke cigars, drink scotch, and pretend you are in the 1950's.