Combining print and digital advertising

This is largely un-navigated territory and the top players are looking specifically at the demographics of their target markets and designing tailored packages that will add the most value for their clients.

I have been investigating how to steer the Ads24 through these largely uncharted waters in South Africa and therefore share insights from the INMA (International Newsmedia Marketing Association) report titled 'News Media Outlook 2013 - The Print and Digital Dynamic in Exponential Times', published in December 2012.

INMA report

INMA is the world's premier news media marketing organisation. It is a practical network of progressive marketing professionals that now totals more than 5,000 members in 82 countries worldwide. The report elucidates the members' ideas in regards to platform diversification of their news media titles, which are primarily print.

I contributed to the report that was edited by Earl J. Wilkinson, the executive director and CEO of INMA, which hints at the incredible potential that awaits those who are willing to explore new ideas as they come to grips with consumer-led content delivery platforms.

The report states that the combination of print and digital advertising delivers superior results for advertisers: "The demand for digital in the advertising mix is coming from advertisers and driven by on-going, relentless technological advancements that are unlikely to cease moving forward. Hand-in-hand with their evolution to multimedia companies, publishers are re-positioning themselves as a combination of print and digital offerings, taking on agency and media buying roles in the process." The credibility and relevance of the brand environment across platforms is increasing and the advertising community is starting to accept the news media company as a toolkit of solutions.

Three key conclusions

Three key conclusions are offered. The first is that news publishers use print and digital as a reach extender, complementary combination, and dimension builder. Secondly, publishers are selling print and digital advertising as value-added to publisher generated marketing services. Thirdly, combining print's strengths with digital's drives ensures creative market adaptability for advertisers.

The report advises that: "the key for publishers is not whether to be digital-first, mobile-first, or print-first in how their news media company approaches the advertising market, but to be consumer-first. This drives the advertising community and remains the strategic hinge-point in a highly malleable marketplace in the years ahead."

News media publishers who contributed to the INMA report revealed that their requirement is for quality reach and target rich environments. For advertisers, reaching the relevant audience is paramount because it offers a defined demographic; reach within the demographic; different platforms each with unique value; substantial purchase intention; relevant data and actionable audiences.

Good synergies

There are some good synergies between newspapers and digital channels. Understanding why the consumers go to each channel is the best way to plan any campaign. This was in fact the basis for Ads24's Path to Persuasion research, carried out by FGI.

In South Africa, digital used to be sold separately as an add-on to print, but this seems to be turning around, with most big media agencies now offering experienced digital planners within the agency. There is still a divide between print and digital advertising agencies, but it has narrowed. We are seeing more of a shift towards integrated campaigns to take the consumer beyond the traditional and to create platforms where they can interact and engage with the brand.

Mike van Eck, digital business manager at Ads24 concurs: "There is an ever increasing need to move from a multi-channel to a more seamless omni-channel engagement through web, tablet, mobile and print. Historically, these platforms have been bought separately, yet consumers engage with all these devices throughout their 24-hour day. We need to start embracing this and build the advertising message along a common thread, weaving the creative message around multiple platforms."