Kineo Australia

Online to leverage TV

We have mentioned a few times the need for advertisers to implement more cost effective avenues to increase their ROI during these tough financial times. Online is a compelling candidate for this for several reasons; it is accountable and is cheaper than traditional ATL advertising. There are even reports on some clients completely moving their spend from traditional channels such as TV to online/digital.

But what of TV? According to a study conducted by the Neilsen Co. funded Council for Research Excellence, due for release next month, “TV remains the dominant medium even for reaching youth, despite the inroads of digital and social media”. There are those that would dispute this. What about time shifting, ad skipping, and clutter? According to Marketing Management Analytics, a firm that uses blended data sources to offer fact-based analysis to quantify the sales impact of media, if these factors were eroding TV’s effectiveness, it would show in marketing-mix analyses, and it hasn’t.

Despite a difference in opinion on the topic of TV vs. online, it’s important not to dismiss any channel which continues to provide solid effectiveness and results. Worth mentioning however, is the notable spillover effect that TV has on online activity. MMA also found that about a third of brand search activity is driven by ATL advertising. And once users are online, the information available to them about your brand increases exponentially; as they can harness social media, competitor activity, and general search results. This interplay between offline and online activity is an important consideration for your brand strategy. A solid online reputation becomes fundamental in capitalising on your ATL activity.