Marketers Challenge – TV or Digital?

Media consumption has witnessed a significant change in India. With the growth of digital media, watching a video is no longer a television-centric experience as viewers are increasingly moving towards digital platforms.

In 2020, when the entire country was confined to their homes, viewers turned towards OTT platforms to entertain themselves. It gave them the freedom to access the content at their convenience, unlike television which offers in-appointment viewership. Therefore, marketers now have more options to reach their target audience in a much rather cost-effective and result-driven way than ever before. However, television has a better penetration in the Indian market and stands the test of time, when it comes to marketing.

Both television and digital offer different benefits to a marketer and it is up to them to make a well-informed decision. While digital platforms offer personalized and targeted customer marketing, television has a wider reach and still poses as a credible source of information in large parts of India.

By gaining clarity on digital marketing vs television marketing, a business can get a better idea of which marketing method is appropriate for them and how it should be applied.

Digital Marketing:

According to reports, adults in India spend around 1 hour 39 minutes per day on digital media, which has increased further by 7% during the lockdown. There is almost one smartphone in every pocket today, making it easier for marketers to offer personalized advertisements.

Marketing via digital platforms offers a more affordable alternative to the traditional method. It allows targeted campaigning where advertisements are presented to customers based on their preferences.
It provides real-time results to marketers, where they do not have to wait for months and weeks before the boost starts to turn up.
It serves as a medium for quicker publicity. Owing to the real-time results of online marketing, you can instantly know which advertisement is working for you and which one is not.
Traditional media is a one-way street of communication for brands, whereas digital platforms allow brands to engage with their audience, communicate with them, and build themselves a unique brand image.

Marketing via Television:

While digital marketing is gaining popularity, television marketing still stands strong in the marketing space. Digital marketing is ideal for targeting a particular set of audiences, but it’s difficult to reach a wider audience that is not actively looking for your brand. This is where television marketing comes into the picture, and expands a brand’s reach.

Online advertisement often requires some sort of engagement in the form of a click or a search, whereas the television asks consumers to do nothing but lean back and devote their attention to the screen, resulting in greater attention.
Television advertisements rely on effective storytelling to capture the audience’s emotions and build sustained brand salience. Online advertisements owing to a lot of noise and distraction are unable to get the viewer’s attention.
Despite the growth in digital media consumption, tier-two cities and rural areas in India are heavily dependent on television for entertainment, offering a wider reach.
Television educates, creates awareness and desire, making the customer want what you are selling.
Viewers of an advertisement may not run out and buy something they have just seen, but if the advert is effective then that brand will stay in their heads when they go to choose from a range of products at a store.

There is no denying that the future is digital, but marketers need to accept the fact that Digital marketing and television are not opposing forces, instead, they’re two sides of the same coin. A marketer needs to choose the right strategy, that is in accordance with their brand and what outcome they expect from it.

My suggestion, however, is to use them in harmony to create better campaigns for brands. Marketing professionals need to lay down their arms in the battle of TV advertising vs. Digital marketing and realize they can accomplish more by working together.

Successful TV advertisements supplement online marketing by reaching out to a wider audience and encouraging them to seek information online. With television, all the digital efforts become easier. Similarly, by adding a television presence, digital campaigns become more powerful, and the weak ones get the momentum they need.

It is important to create consistent branding across channels as it encourages viewers to continue down your funnel, leading to increased sales. Developing similar campaigns will help the consumer distinguish your brand from others and identify advertisements on any platform.

In conclusion, by supplementing your digital with effective TV advertising, you can stay ahead of the digital-only crowd and build smarter campaigns.

About the author:

Maddie Amrutkar, Founder and CEO of Glad U Came