About two months ago I went to a conference in Las Vegas. First thought: who doesn’t like to go to a conference in Vegas? Second thought: this particular conference was much more than informative. Attendees included the principles and employees of marketing and technology companies from all over the country. Several presenters discussed topics Hughes has featured in our newsletters—blogging, consumer generated media, RSS, mobile marketing, etc. But one presentation really stood out from the others. Some of the terminology the speakers used during this presentation sent me home thinking differently. That’s usually what these conferences are good for, right? Mission accomplished and then some.

"Traditional media, Mr. Speaker, includes television, radio, newspaper, magazines and outdoor. Online media is an alternative to those." "Isn’t it?"

This particular presentation covered online media and online advertising. With such a fairly common topic, you’re probably wondering what made me begin thinking differently. Yeah, the speakers presented all the stats about how fast online advertising is growing, how the banner ad isn’t dead, and how search engine marketing (as you’ll read in this newsletter) is essential to a marketing campaign. However, as they went on, they continued to refer to online advertising as “traditional” media. Well, now we all know that isn’t true… Traditional? Traditional media, Mr. Speaker, includes television, radio, newspaper, magazines and outdoor. Online media is an alternative to those. Isn’t it?

Curious, I went searching for the definition of traditional. What makes something traditional? By definition, traditional means a customary pattern of thought, action or behavior. Maybe Mr. Speaker isn’t so crazy if you consider this definition, and then take a look at what’s happening with Internet services. Broadband penetration is around 40 percent and still growing as consumers are paying more to upgrade from dial-up services. Okay, so we’ve determined that this whole Internet thing isn’t just some fly-by-night operation. But do we truly appreciate the fact that it’s legitimate and deserves the attention marketers have been giving to television, radio, newspaper, magazines and outdoor over the years? Maybe online media isn’t second-rate media after all.

Statistics and information tell us that the Internet is replacing many traditional forms of media as the primary source of entertainment and information in consumers’ daily lives. Heck…even some magazines and newspapers have become strictly online content providers. So can someone tell me why we are still considering online media an alternative or an add-on to traditional media options? Did we do this when television arrived? Do we do this when a new magazine is launched? No. So why do we shy away from the Internet when consumers are flocking to it?

I’d venture to say that we all sometimes suffer partly from the Focus Group of One syndrome. We’re also deterred by not knowing even where to begin with a tool that has infinite possibilities, not to mention one that changes more often than we change our socks. While I think it’s important to take note that consumers are online creating their own content, sharing information, starting whole businesses, and developing their own commercials, it’s also important to remember that they’re just tossing ideas out there and seeing what happens. Some are wildly successful and some crash and burn, but either way, consumers have three very important lessons for us to learn:

1) Don’t be afraid.
2) Make sure you plan.
3) Test and monitor along the way.

Plan? How do we plan something we’re not completely familiar with? It all goes back to understanding target audience. It’s really not about the media at all. We shouldn’t care about the words traditional and alternative, the meaning each of those terms has to us, and our own personal emotional attachment to them. As long as your audience has a customary pattern of thought, action or behavior and is engaged in some type of media, who cares if it’s television, blogging, RSS, mobile marketing or online advertising? A marketing plan needs to be about what’s comfortable for the audience, not necessarily what’s comfortable for us.

So how about we put all of the traditional and alternative media in one box and call it…well…Media.

To comment on Channel Planner & Brand Manager Jamie Rule’s thoughts, contact jrule@hughes-stl.com.