Bashing traditional advertising media is popular now.

- Viewership, listenership, and readership is declining.

- It’s expensive.

- The kids ignore it — it skews old.

- Usage of the internet continues to usurp time spent with other media.

All true. But mass media does something very well — it reaches a lot of people.

Traditional media is ideal for launching new products, building awareness, and pushing trial.

True, it can’t go 1:1 with consumers, but it can target geographically, demographically, and psychographically, as well as by daypart.

Radio didn’t kill TV. Cable didn’t kill broadcast. Satellite didn’t kill cable. And interactive won’t kill traditional.

There are lots of tools in the marketing and communication toolbox. They all have strengths and weaknesses. Sometimes you need a scalpel; sometimes a sledge.

Can you be successful without interactive? Not anymore.
Can you be successful with only interactive. Some can. Zappos is an oft-quoted example.
Most smart marketers use a selection of tools, both traditional and non.

Case in point: The Obama campaign has been widely recognized for its groundbreaking use of interactive and social media during the presidential campaign. Note: He also spent $250 milllion on TV.