What’s in this article:
- How to keep your marketing mix healthy and more efficient by combining both traditional marketing channels with digital ones
Radio commercials
Forget about what you’ve heard, radio commercials remain one of the strongest mediums for reaching a broad and diverse audience, increasing engagement, and building trust. According to Nielsen, 60% of people consider radio spots very or somewhat trustworthy.
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Consumer goods giant Procter & Gamble invests heavily in radio to keep their products top of mind and speak to as much of America as they can. Procter & Gamble was the biggest marketer on radio during January and February, airing more than eight million radio spots on stations. A 41% increase in the number of radio ads detected compared to a year ago.
With commuters listening to the radio when running errands, radio commercials allow you to engage consumers without interruptions and deliver your message to them before they make purchasing decisions. A new audio format that’s gaining traction among consumers is podcasts.
The new darlings of the audio world, podcasts give brands more room to tell their story in a more compelling way and an ideal marketing environment to connect with a niche audience. According to Edison Research, podcast consumers are 54% more likely to consider the brands they hear advertised on their favorite shows. From true crime to finance, there’s a podcast for all listening tastes. This means podcast listeners are engaged with the content they choose to listen to, compared to the broader audio space. National consumer brands and DTC brands are starting to spend against podcasts. Procter & Gamble runs ads on Comedy, Society & Culture, and News & Politics podcasts. The key to winning with podcasts is to advertise on a podcast with an engaged audience and have a host read your ads.
Television advertising
While we’re all hooked on Netflix, traditional TV advertising isn’t dead. There’s a reason a 30 second Super Bowl ad ranges from $5.5 million to $5.6 million. A highly effective way to build awareness and credibility, TV advertising is your best bet for hitting a large mainstream audience. Think Stitch Fix’s Oscars: We See You TV commercial that ran during the Oscars. The brand capitalized on the huge interest surrounding the Oscars to create awareness about its brand. Although a DTC brand, the Stitch Fix brand tries to keep its marketing mix varied to keep existing customers interested and attract new members.
Many big brands are also returning to old marketing models. Procter & Gamble spent $241 million on traditional ads for Tide detergent in 2020 and generated around $4.38 billion in sales. Procter & Gamble’s television advertising strategy is to find creative ways to prove its products are better than those of its rivals. Leveraging diversity and sustainability marketing, the brand invests in long-form, engaging content that combines the worlds of filmmaking and advertising.
If you’re thinking about adding TV advertising to your marketing mix, tell a compelling story, and make sure your television ad campaign is targeted towards the right audience.
Billboards
From highways to hallways, billboards are a golden oldie marketing technique that still makes heads turn. Billboards allow brands to break through the online clutter and bring their messages into shared public spaces. 45% of Americans notice billboards and other forms of out-of-home advertising more now than before the pandemic began.
McDonald’s, the world’s biggest spender of outdoor media, shows what billboard success looks like in a modern world. With a long legacy of including billboards in its marketing mix to build market presence and category share, McDonald’s’ strategy involves using cool and daring designs to ensure maximum reach and customer influence at the moments that matter. Recent McDonald’s billboards have been either logo or name-free. In September 2020, McDonald’s produced name-free billboards with huge bites taken out of them. In a world where 7 in 10 fast food consumers reported noticing an OOH ad in the last 30 days, McDonald’s “brand-less branding” tactic helps them stand out in an oversaturated fast-food market.
While banner ads aren’t the digital world’s most welcomed form of advertisement, McDonald’s has figured how to get consumers to click. With the understanding that its customers need to find a restaurant and eat on the go, McDonald’s invests in web display campaigns promoting coupons and freebies to build awareness.
Direct mail catalogs
In an increasingly ephemeral world, direct mail catalog is another analog method of marketing that’s still thriving in the digital age. Direct mail catalogs enhance consumer’s ability to visualize products and drive connections that appeal to our humanity. 62% of people said receiving a card in the mail made them feel connected.
Since consumers receive fewer ads in their mail, direct mail catalog is an effective way of reaching them without fighting for their attention with other brands. As the DTC space becomes more crowded, digitally native brands place catalogs in their marketing mix to reach consumers. DTC furniture brand Article uses direct mail catalogs to inform customers about new product collections and reach people who might be in the market for new furniture.
If your audience is old school or Millennials hooked on all things vintage, catalogs are a great way to keep them engaged. Capitalizing on nostalgia, Bonobos distributes catalogs to engage its old-school customers. If direct mail catalogs are something you’d like to experiment with, consider combining catalogs with email marketing to increase your sales.
Coupons
Though over 100 years old, coupons are still relevant to value-seeking consumers. Shopper’s demand for cost savings and value is prompting them to frequent retailers that help stretch budgets. According to Business Wire, 62% of adults have shopped at a brand, retailer, or restaurant for the first time in the past year due to a coupon.
While paper free-standing inserts found in Sunday newspapers were the predominant channel to reach consumers, digital coupons are taking over. Digital promotions offer convenience, can be used when making online purchases, and are less costly for retailers. However, don’t bury your print coupons. Strategically mix print and digital coupons to increase shopping trips and engage customers with special offers.
Combine and conquer
A diet of Instagram and Facebook ads isn’t enough to get you the reach you need to connect with today’s omnichannel consumer. Throw in some old-school marketing strategies to keep your marketing mix healthy and make your marketing more efficient.