Advertising And The Truth About The User Revolution
I recently read an article online about how advertising is now experiencing a user revolution with consumers taking more control of branding and content.
As someone who began their career in advertising, I will admit that it is harder to impact consumers today because of the sheer number of marketing messages people are exposed to daily. But does that make it a revolution?
In the old days, people would watch their favorite TV show, and right at the best part, a commercial break would begin. We made up fun things to do so that the break wouldn’t be so bad – the ad break became a ‘raid the fridge’ break or a bathroom break. But it was almost as if the TV stations were doing us a favor and giving us breaks.
Fast forward to today’s revolution, where many of us either channel or Internet surf during the commercial break, and that is if we are unfortunate enough not to have Tivo. Yeah, we’re showing them who’s in control! Or are we?
In response to our watching fewer and fewer commercials, the broadcast industry has become more and more open to accepting product placement in TV and films. Even before production, scripts are being sent to prospective advertisers in order to get their feedback and changes.
Accepting input from advertisers isn’t limited to the entertainment industry. News stations are accepting advertiser produced film clips and running them as news items (without disclosure) more and more, particularly smaller market stations.
I think that what is happening here is more evolution than revolution. I believe that the world of content has evolved to address our desire to have everything in real-time while taking advantage of all of the new technology (now there is the revolution) which enable faster and less expensive delivery of content to more people instantly. The producers of content understand this – some more than others. And marketers, who are diversifying their budgets beyond the 30 second TV commercial to include blogs, virtual worlds and other forms of online advertising, are also embracing these changes.
I find an interesting analogy in my own personal career path. In my first job after graduating with a degree in advertising, I was as an assistant account executive / media planner at a small New York ad agency. Now, nearly 20 years later, I am a PR consultant, writing bylined articles with my clients to run as content in a range of industry publications.
It’s not that I have a problem with the new broadcast models I mentioned above (though as a father of eight and six year old kids, I’m not crazy about product placement in children’s programs). I’m sure that a lot of content is being produced today thanks to partnerships with marketers that are providing both entertainment and educational value.
I just think it’s a technology revolution that is enabling an advertising evolution. What do you think?
Reader Comments.
I think there will always be advertising, it’s just that the medium is changing. Technology has simply leveled the consumer/seller playing field by allowing what was previously a divided and conquered group unite and empower themselves.
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