The Mass Media: A Changing Landscape
The mass media many of us grew up with has changed. And quickly. This has, and continues to have an impact on how we content creators make our livings. And how much we can flex our creative muscles.
Where is Creative Advertising in this New World?
To try and answer this, I first need to share two quick stories.
FIRST: It’s hard to know the future.
Also in 2009 I got to sit down with the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Advertising Age, Rance Crain. While working on a few projects together he turned to me and asked, “Lance, you’re a smart fellow. Tell me, how is all this digital going to work?”
SECOND: Not all advertising was great.
Early in my career I hit the ground running, doing great ads for great brands, and creating great visual advertising. At that time a friend was working in “real estate advertising”, which was essentially the classifieds. Not terribly creative.
Online Magazines: Where’s the Creative Work?
While print maybe wheezing and coughing, online magazines are alive and (mostly) well. And they take advertising. But there are many caveats.
Gone are the days of designing beautiful full-page ads. Or, the virtual orgasm creatives had when told they needed to create a beautiful 2-page spread! Today’s online magazine ads are “enhanced banners”. Meaning they are larger, yes, and they may include some animation or even video.
The TV Commercial Reboot
But what of the rebirth of TV commercials online? It’s a decidedly mixed bag there as well. To use the internet like a TV requires broadband, which in the US only hit 70% adoption by 2013, and hovers around 90% today. Not bad, but not great compared to broadcasts virtual 100% reach since 1970. Then again, you can’t put broadcast in your pocket.
And Herein Lay the Rub
This may sound like a simple mirroring of what existed before, but it isn’t. And therein lay the problem for we creatives. Yes, premium streamers mirror premium cable, and there are no ads.
But most of the ad-supported channels are running old rerun content that doesn’t get that many views. Some old reruns may only get a few hundred, or even just a few dozen views in a day! So ad budgets are very low.
Conclusion
The mass media has changed, and we content creators must adapt. The days of creating beautiful, full-page ads are behind us. The internet has changed the way we consume media, and it has changed the way we create it. While there are still opportunities for creatives, they are limited, and the budgets are smaller.
FAQs
Q: What happened to the traditional broadcast sector?
A: Traditional broadcasters have been unable to get viewership online.
Q: What is the best attempt to move broadcast over to the internet?
A: The best attempt to move broadcast over to the internet has clearly been that of CBS, with their CBS All Access some years back. And that folded in 2021, being re-branded to Paramount Plus.
Q: What is the future of online advertising?
A: The future of online advertising is uncertain. While there are still opportunities for creatives, they are limited, and the budgets are smaller.
