Alternative media will gain from TV decline

It is not surprising that television advertising is set to grow by 4.1 per cent this year, according to Zenith Optimedia, as it continues to be the default option for many agencies. It’s also no secret that the TV buying process is a well-oiled machine delivering fat rewards for those procuring airtime.

However, this rise masks falling viewing figures which means that advertisers must invest more resources to reach a fragmented audience.

TV has moved a long way from the old big branding medium of the past and advertisers must look to new ways of hitting targets if they wish to keep their brands fresh.

The irony is that they can increasingly reach the same number of people via fresher media such as in-game advertising or the Web for less cash.

Most advertisers are either leaving it to the early-adopter brands to experiment successfully and polish these, or dipping a toe in the water before taking the leap themselves.

However, they would be advised not to wait too long. Otherwise they may find themselves funding increasingly costly TV advertising as the medium’s popularity wanes. Worse still, they will find themselves pipped to the post by the forward-thinking advertisers as they further increase their competitive edge by using more effective alternative media.

Justin Townsend

Chief executive

IGA Partners Europe

London W1