On Wednesday night, I watched an old recorded episode of the West Wing. In fact, it was the Pilot episode, which aired before the series finale on May 14, 2006. As an aside, this is one of my all-time favorite T.V shows, and I still miss the incredible writing and wonderful acting. But I digress…
As I was watching the episode on my DVR, and beginning to fast-forward the commercials, it dawned on me. The commercials from 6 years ago are no different than the ones aired today. No different at all. NBC showed the same car commercials, the same travel commercials. Maybe the songs and offers have changed, but the actual commercials are no different.
Really? Nothing in the way of T.V. marketing has changed in 6 years? That is a major problem. But what’s worse is when marketers today try and use social media to market the same way they do in traditional media. The same way they did in 2006.
Social marketing requires much more than creating a flashy ad and adding some music. But, what, exactly does digital marketing require of businesses?
To be successful in social and digital marketing, businesses need to ensure that they are accomplishing the following:
- Have a strategy in place for your marketing
- Advertise where your clients are
- Engage the “right” audience
- Meld digital and traditional marketing, if necessary
- Monitor results
- Focus on clients’ needs
- Don’t just take the traditional and use it in digital
And, the most important point, as we move forward in the world of marketing:
Don’t just keep doing the same thing over and over!
When you are looking to grow your brand or business, the most important thing to do is continually evolve your message. Make sure it fits with the medium.
Don’t market like it’s 2006.
What are you doing to change your marketing for the new digital world? How are you measuring results?
Sources:
Great post, Craig. I’ve noticed too that the same tired ads run over and over on TV. As someone said “sameness is lameness” In marketing.
Can’t it be done differently? Yes. Case in point, go to Google.com now. Do the same thing tomorrow. What do you see? Two different looks. Google changes EVERY day. Marketers need to change too.
My favorite TV ad is “The most interesting man in the world” ads by Dos Equis. They don’t run often but they are almost all different.
Marketers who want to hold interest need to embrace change.
Thanks, Jeff. I just wish marketers would take time to actually be creative. They are creating ads anyway, why not make them worthwhile.