The digital age has revolutionized display advertising, leading some to predict the imminent death of the TV ad. But is this really the case? Larissa Bannister gives some reasons why TV commercials will survive in the PVR era. Agencies are better informed than ever about consumers, thanks to the huge stores of data they have accumulated. However, many of those consumers, especially young people who are wealthy and appreciated by advertisers, hate ads so much that they are paying to avoid them.
This has caused some to think that traditional advertising is on its way out. Nevertheless, there are still those who argue that it will never go away. Display advertising includes standard banners such as the 300×250 medium rectangle, as well as innovative new forms that benefit from advances in native and digital video advertising. This is also true of the new generation of digital video advertising that is presented in a content source rather than in a video stream. Advertising in each new medium begins as an uncomfortable accompaniment and, over time, matures and takes on a more natural form, fitting more comfortably into the content. Today, digital display advertising works for marketers across the buying funnel, from increasing awareness, desire and demand, to improving engagement and ultimately driving conversions.
Viewers can now send their personal information to advertisers through their set-top boxes, letting them know what products and services they are interested in. According to recent research by Starcom, advertising awareness is only 17 percent lower in households with PVR than in households without PVR. The advertising industry faces an “existential need for change” according to a strong report released Monday by research firm Forrester. Most interactive television is still boring to watch, but the medium offers real potential once advertisers and agencies start investing in creativity. Digital advertising offers uninterrupted content and a constant flow of new concepts compared to traditional ones and it is able to measure its success through analytical tools. In addition to the obvious advantage of avoiding waste, advertisers could also customize their TV ad directly to the consumer, so television could become as targeted as direct mail.
Despite several claims that traditional advertising has disappeared forever, it has still managed to remain a viable marketing medium. It's clear that times are changing and that digital media has had a huge impact on how we consume content. But those who traffic in doom may be underestimating the power of TV commercials - they may never die!.
