Deciding which media channels to use in your campaign is perhaps the most important decision you'll need to make when crafting an integrated marketing strategy. While many marketers may be tempted to focus on one or the other, data shows that multiple channels working together can produce big results. So let's take a look at how TV and digital, in particular, can drive better results when combined.
Better Together
A 2015 Nielsen study commissioned by Facebook looked at the marriage of TV and digital marketing campaigns and how well the two worked together, and the results were impressive. Campaigns that integrated digital ads on Facebook with traditional TV ads were able to grow their reach up to 15 times more than campaigns that just used TV alone. The digital component of the integrated campaign was especially effective at reaching younger audiences (18-34), who were more likely to be light TV watchers.
But it's not just digital doing the heavy lifting. eMarketer predicts that, despite digital's immense growth in recent years, annual TV ad spending increases will continue to outpace those of digital through 2018. While both strategies will give you success on their own, it's when you pair them up and use them together that you really see the best results.
Complement, Don't Repeat
By necessity, your TV and digital ads will have some things in common. Logos, slogans and even colors are great things to keep consistent to ensure that consumers identify specific cues with your business. But it would be a mistake to create ads for each medium that simply copy each other. Not only would this lead to fatigue from consumers who see the same message across both channels, but it also doesn't allow businesses to capitalize on the unique ways that digital and TV marketing campaigns each work — and how they work together.
For example, if you're marketing a local chain of organic food stores, you can run TV ads that introduce consumers to your business. Then you could augment that campaign with a targeted display campaign that highlights specific items your different demographics might be interested in. So while your TV spot may mention that your store sells a variety of ready-made meals with organic ingredients, you can create digital ads for specific products that are popular among different demographics (for example, a take-and-bake pizza for adults ages 18 to 24 or macaroni and cheese for adults ages 25 to 54). By casting a wide net with your TV ads and then honing in on more targeted audiences through digital, your integrated marketing strategy can reach your audience in the most effective way possible.
