However, shifting more budgets to
digital brings uncertainty to marketers that prefer less risk. Is
there another way to use new media that allows marketers to trial
digital platforms in a safe environment? This is a big issue that
many in the industry might continually ponder.
To illustrate, let's use TVC on web
video and TV as an example. While the format is the same, user
habits on both platforms are different even though they consume
similar content. Under these circumstances, online video seems like
a good option offering content that can be repurposed on multiple
platforms. If there is a common currency to access effectiveness,
this will bring huge opportunities. However, is it really that
easy?
There are several hurdles to overcome.
Firstly, how do you establish a standardised assessment across
traditional and digital platforms? Can GRP, the standard rating for
TV be easily adapted to CPM, the digital currency for internet?
Assuming that TV has 50% of the target group and the Internet has
15%, can we simply add these two figures to 65% when the audiences
are so diversified?
And there are more questions confronting us. How do you leverage
and integrate these two platforms? Streaming TV programmes on
the web or broadcasting online content on TV? Does integration mean
launching a campaign to collect a list that includes GRP from TV
and CPC from the web? It seems to limit the potential that new
media is capable of from interactive to social.
To achieve online integration, we need
to consider how to maximise the individual platforms for web and TV
and how they can complement each other. The internet is
interactive, viral and measurable, while TV provides high coverage
rate, advertising exclusivity and a fixed habit of using the media,
etc. In the process of integrating TV and internet, we will need
more time to attain a complementary rather than independent
development.
What are some possible ways of doing
so? Here are a few ideas that could offer better results.
Better integration of TV
content: Apart from broadcasting TV programmes on the
internet and vice versa as well as pre-roll advertising, are there
ways to allow more interactivity with the audience when the content
is shown? In addition, online activities of TV programmes being
aired are encouraged. This can include commenting, Q&A,
real-time voting and customised programmes to bring fresh
experiences to viewers. For example, take the shows Super Girl or
Super Boy offering SMS voting: are there any other new ways to
engage audiences?
Setting a cross-platform
currency: MediaCom, together with Millward Brown, is
working to establish MixReach, an evaluation system that will offer
a common metric for both TV and the web. Like all established
assessment criteria, it's not easy to make progress in the
beginning, but don't we all have to start somewhere? Just like
other independent third party measurement companies, this will
allow both platforms to interact and avoid disagreements among
'netizens'.
Analysing marketing
objectives: When there is a unified standard, it will
allow a better assessment of your marketing objectives. If your
campaign objective is to raise awareness, what should the
proportion be for TV and online? What is the most effective way to
integrated media planning? When interacting with consumers, what
kind of content will bring the most return of investment? For
advertisers, using innovative ways to achieve desired results and
at the same time allow more flexibility for media planners will
bring mutual benefits for both parties.
Integrating TV and online media poses
a challenge to integrated marketing. How will the different
metrics, habits and operations impact marketing? And what
repercussions will this bring? Perhaps this method of measurement
will become a standard topic of discussion in the near future.