Publicity Update – The Blog

Our Editor, Daniel Munslow, attended the annual AMASA media planning workshop at Little Switzerland in the Drakensburg recently. He wrote an article about ‘Challenging existing media paradigms’, especially as we approach a recession (because contrary to popular belief, we are not actually IN a recession… yet.)

Consumers can be stubborn. There’s no doubt about it. As Munslow points out, “As consumers become more resistant to traditional media and traditional advertising, media planners need to become more creative in their placement plans and strategic thinking of advertising. And who decides whether an ad or an idea is creative? The consumer – they are the ultimate brand controllers.”

Because, as the saying goes, ‘The customer is always right.’ Therefore, advertisers need keep up with consumer trends in order to keep their target audience interested. This means agency staff should don their thinking caps and engage in the new media platforms out there – blogging, social networking and mobile, for starters- in orderto engage with consumers in the place they feel most comfortable.

Munslow adds, “It is crucial to ensure that ads are created and shared with their correct target market – planners cannot work on the principles of reach and frequency, and hope that this spray and pray approach works… ads that do not relate to consumers will be sucked into black holes.”

Therefore, if you’re advertising a youth-targeted product, like Converse shoes or Yoguetta suckers, you need to reach the youth where they’re most likely to spend their time – not necessarily in magazines and traditional media, but on the internet and thumbing their way through reams of info on their mobile phones. So, start a Facebook group, like the successful Doritos Taco campaign, advertise on MXit (there are a myriad options available), and make sure your message hits home.

Simple.