Understanding the media mix

The Idea Works believes in sharing information and so has put together a few facts about the key communication mediums that exist, their benefits and how these can work together.

Television
Facts:
• Research undertaken by MORI has established that television is the most popular form of advertising in relation to its
entertainment value.
• Television is also the most talked about medium: giving it additional word of mouth value.
• A study by the Institute of Practitioners in Advertising concluded that television is a medium most likely to influence a purchasing decision.
• Television attracts the largest audiences during prime programmed events. For example, advertising placed during a World Cup match can reach over 20 per cent of adults.

Radio
Facts:
• Radio advertising was banned by the government in the build up to the last general election due to concern over Its powerful ‘brain washing’ effects.
• It has been calculated that radio delivers four times the effect for the same cost as TV.
• Radio listeners are obliged to deal with messages and tend not to change stations like TV viewers.
• Radio listeners develop habitual listening patterns, listening to the same stations at the same time as doing certain things each day, i.e. driving to and from work, going to the shops, cooking. Matching a product with the listener’s modus operandi is key.
• When used as part of a multi media package this becomes a highly effective means of advertising.

Press
Facts:
• Press is a medium that allows for cost effective regional/demographic targeting.
• A truly active medium, from purchase through to read, that can be referenced again and again.
• Advertisements can be changed swiftly and placed on specific days to attract interest groups (i.e. recruitment, housing, etc.)
• Production costs for press advertising are generally low in comparison with television and radio.
• Press is the strongest medium to run PR strategies through.

E-marketing
Facts:
• Oracle, the world’s largest enterprise software company, has strongly attributed its reduction in marketing spend over the last four years, from £275 million to £165 million, to e-marketing.
• The parameters of e-marketing span from achieving a listing on all major search engines to the development of comprehensive strategies; which take account of targeted e-mail/newsletter communication, online media planning/buying and affiliate/sponsorship programmes.
• E-marketing is highly effective at creating worldwide awareness of products and/or services for considerably less than traditional forms of advertising.
• It plays an important role in the marketing mix and, fully integrated, can steer all marketing activities.
• E-marketing is easy to monitor and adapt and also provides the quickest and most cost effective way to generate customer database and profiles.