Can someone let me know when (and by whom) it was decided to rip marketing into “traditional” and “digital”?
There’s an interesting debate happening about what kind of an agency is more capable as a client’s “lead”. Ana Andjelic says “digital agencies” are not capable. Jacques-Herve Roubert asserts that “traditional agencies” aren’t adapting. And Mitch Joel says a client needs both.
My perspective?
[We’re having the wrong debate.]
Brands do not have traditional business objectives and digital business objectives – they simply have business objectives which require a cross-channel marketing strategy -- not a traditional marketing strategy and then a digital marketing strategy.
What is traditional vs. digital marketing these days, anyway?
These mediums have always been labled "traditional" yet they've naturally evolved/are evolving because of "digital" technology.
The one thing that is certain is that advances in technology will continue to change how people consume and interact with media (and brands). So whether or not a given and specific agency has the capabilities to deliver an effective marketing strategy (given the ever-changing landscape) is what’s up for debate -- there will always be "new media."
I once worked for an agency specifically focused on “Social Media Marketing” and whose leaders strongly believed that “traditional” AND “digital” agencies would never “get it”. So does this mean we should fragment and silo marketing even more with a 3rd kind of lead/specialized agency?
No. At its most basic level, an agency is simply a collection of people—each with a set of talents, skills, experiences, and knowledge.
[It’s not agencies who “don’t get it”, it’s people who don’t.]
Shame on any agency leaders who hold on to a snapshot of what marketing was or think that “new media” is the only answer. The fittest agencies are the ones that inherently cultivate a mix of insanely capable people with strong leaders who foster a “with it” culture, period. As individuals within this industry, we must be nothing short of passionate life-long students who continue to evolve and shape the places at which we work.
I’m not suggesting that there isn’t a role for specialty or boutique agencies. But I strongly challenge the notion that agencies should be bucketed as “traditional” media, “digital” media, and “social” media. We are doing a disservice to our clients if we do not approach media as a holistic consumer experience.
Let’s consider the fact that:
- Not only is TV viewership at an all-time high, but most people are online while watching it.
- Initiating a search is the most common response to an offline ad.
- Mass media events dramatically affect online media consumption.
The lines of media channels have officially blurred and are converging rapidly. Marketing strategy must be tackled with people who hyper-collaborate across media channels every day. To do that, we need to stop fragmenting marketing by channels (each with their own agency) and lead our clients with a capable integrated marketing agency.
