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Traditional media – you know, good old-fashioned newspapers, magazines, television and even radio – is having a resurgence. It wasn’t so long ago that these platforms were being shoved aside in favour of shiny new digital toys like Twitter, SEO optimisation and Google Adwords. So why are marketers suddenly so keen to revisit the advertising mediums of yesteryear?

Basically, a lot of people are realising that digital marketing isn’t always all it’s cracked up to be. It has a place and it’s definitely not going away – but, for many brands, digital tools alone just aren’t enough to create strong, recognisable brands and build brand loyalty. Too much of the focus has swung to digital while traditional media has been neglected, and brands have suffered as a result. More and more marketers are discovering that utilising a combination of digital and traditional tools is the key to branding success.

The latest research says it’s true
Deloitte Access Economics just released a comprehensive report called Advertising Pays: The Economic, Employment and Business Value of Advertising. The report was commission by Australia’s peak advertising industry body, the Communications Council. According to Chairman Jaimes Leggett, “…we probably swung the pendulum a little too far [towards digital] and I think we’re starting to kind of centralise a little bit.”

According to the report, while there are some select brands who benefit from using entirely digital or entirely traditional channels, most need a combination of the two. That’s because different channels perform different roles in the marketing mix.

Audiences want more than just a screen
One key finding from Advertising Pays is that audiences are largely “omnivorous” and actively seek out a balanced mix of media channels. Incorporating traditional media helps create differentiated brands, and a particular mix of channels can be tailored to promote the specific goals of your business.

What does ‘engagement’ even mean?
Digital cheerleaders champion the transparency of digital advertising – it’s easy to track how many people are clicking and scrolling. But more and more, people are questioning what those clicks actually mean. On certain platforms, a user who watches just three seconds of a video before clicking over a new tab is counted as having ‘viewed’ the content. That level of interaction has little effect on brand awareness.

On the other hand, someone who spends an hour reading a newspaper or magazine might be more likely to spend time looking at the advertising included in the publications. Mark Ritson, a professor at Melbourne Business School, recently discussed this during the first Australian Association of National AdvertisersMarketing Deconstructed lecture: “It doesn’t mean newspapers are the superior medium; there isn’t one. But they’re underrated now.”

Millennials respond to mail
It seems to contradict everything we’re told about young people and their media consumption, but the The Life Stages of Mail report by the UK’s Royal Mail reveals that young people love physical mail. It’s novel, because so much of their communication is digital. In fact, 16-34 years olds are even more likely to open mail than the over 55s.

High quality printed material is seen as trustworthy and memorable – powerful qualities to incorporate into your marketing campaigns. Millennials also said they were far more likely to remember certain information if they had a physical copy of it. However, print didn’t work in isolation. Young people in particular expect to be able to interact with brands online, so direct mail pieces need to be linked to websites and apps, too.

Mobile use is increasing, but it’s not replacing other channels
Many people have their smartphone almost permanently attached to them and resent advertisers intruding when they’re using their device. Mobile advertising tends to annoy consumers, who often click banners by accident, not because they’re actually interested in a product or service.

Mobile use has cut into the time people spend using other media, but not anywhere near as much as you might think. Globally, traditional media usage is down by just 9% over the last five years, and traditional media still accounts for 61% of total media consumption. And when people do access content online, it frequently comes from traditional media companies like newspapers and broadcasters.

It’s easy to screen content online
The use of adblockers is exploding and posing huge issues for marketers. Around a quarter of all internet users have an adblocker installed on their laptop or desktop, and around 10% have one on their phone too. Those numbers are expected to increase. That means there’s a lot of money being spent on digital advertising that many consumers will simply never see.

It’s clear that traditional mediums like print have a significant role to play in creating strong, memorable brands.

How do you incorporate digital and print into your marketing efforts?