Paid media has always been considered a staple in the marketing landscape. Companies and brands would use the various channels offered through paid media without so much as a second guess. Then, something unexpected happened. Social media entered the scene carrying a sledgehammer. Talk about disruption. Suddenly user authenticity as represented by social media influencers was the most sought after area.
Paid media was thought by some to no longer have a place in this new world. But then why is paid media still the “behind the scenes” king? That’s because it’s still very much alive as a top channel to put forward a company’s message.
Sure, earned media, as can be seen in any adoption by a social media influencer, will always be a great method of advertising. It’s one of the most authentic, right up there with word of mouth. But earned media has a downside – lack of control of the message. An influencer or customer will communicate the message they want to communicate, taking it completely out of the company’s hands. And we’ve always heard the horror stories where a companies branding takes a downward spiral of hand when they can’t control the message
Then there’s owned media. Owned media is advertising or promotion that is done through channels we own or control. A clear example of this is one’s own social media page like Instagram or Facebook. Every post clearly comes from the company and is in-step with current marketing efforts.
Paid media is similar to owned media in that the message is controlled completely, but that’s not the only benefit. Paid media means someone is working for you. That means clearer, delineated reporting of analytics and pushing it out to established networks whether on social or TV. It also, when done right, leads to earned media. This can be seen time and time again when an educational or promotional video with a social message goes viral.
TV – The Most Trusted Advertising Medium
Now, lest you think I’m merely referring to internet advertising when I speak of paid media, there is one proven medium that has stood the test of time, no matter how drastically the tech landscape has shifted. I’m referring, of course, to TV.
Recent global research into television usage indicates that TV reaches about 70% of a country’s population every day. In a week that reaches 90%, and in a month it stretches to 100% of the country’s population.
Millennials are surprisingly still largely embracing the medium. TV accounts for 73% of their total viewing time. That means only a mere 27% is spent watching videos on other devices.
In the same research, it’s noted that TV is a more trusted form of advertising than the internet. This doesn’t take much insight to understand why this might be. The internet is like the Wild West of advertising with banners, pop-up videos and other ads everywhere you turn. It’s less about quality than it is about inundating the viewer with jump-out-of-the-bushes advertising.
Despite all of this eye-opening info, companies often don’t turn to TV when kickstarting a marketing campaign. It’s understood that not all companies have a budget that can justify spending money on TV marketing. We all know that it costs, at the very least, tens of thousands of dollars to advertise on TV. Everybody knows that, right?
The Best Paid Media Options
There are affordable options for those companies looking for paid TV advertising that doesn’t require an unseemly layout of funds. Sure, if you want your ad to appear during the Super Bowl or the Olympics, then yes, you’ll have to start selling your organs on the black market.
But if your organs are important to you and you want a more affordable option that will still get you into millions of homes via TV, then a paid media option like NewsWatch TV is one of your best bets.
Newswatch TV is an award winning television show that airs on multiple channels including AMC and ION, reaching over 95 million households. The company works with clients to create a professional and slick video advertising or reviewing their product or brand, and once produced they air it during one of their timeslots, exposing them to a massive audience.
It doesn’t stop there, as Newswatch TV reviews help further a brands recognition by placing them on their social media channels, giving the client’s social presence a boost. The video itself is owned by the client to be used however and wherever they want. So not only did they reach a hitherto unreachable audience, but they also receive a professionally produced video to be used for further advertising.
While other companies would charge an exorbitant amount of money for this kind of option, Newswatch keeps their prices affordable coming in at a fraction of what others charge. Companies like Salesforce, Angry Birds, Under Armour, Coleman and Intel have all used NewsWatch TV to promote their company and brands, which says a lot.
Advertising on TV just became a viable option for all sized companies who want to reach the largest audience possible.
Another great option is in-flight advertising, or what you see on the back of airplane seats. This form of advertising is great if you want to target business travelers, vacationers, or an affluent audience. The only downside is the user can’t take action (you ask why, well they, and their phones, are in “Airplane Mode”). But you do have a captive audience that is forced to see your paid media.
In summary, in a rapidly changing marketing landscape, paid media still has a place, and TV is still the most trusted home for it.
Dil Bole Oberoi
