Why Digital Marketing Needs a Reboot

Originally published at Ad Age, Digital Next

Once upon a time, newspapers, TV and radio entered our lives.  These wonderful innovations spawned yet another one - multichannel advertising.  Then along came things like DVRs and everything digital, which spawned yet another invention, the backlash of traditional advertising.  For the record, traditional advertising isn’t going away anytime soon, and despite the pronouncement of its death, it will live on - albeit in an evolved format.  And it actually still works.  I look at billboards on highways.  How can you not?

But “tradigital” could be another story.  Tradigital, in my opinion, means using traditional marketing methods in the digital space.  For example, creating an advertising campaign and “extending it digitally” usually ends up as a checklist.  Micro-site?  Check.  Online banners?  Check.  Social media?  Check.  Mobile?  Check.  But these days, I’m thinking digital people have even tougher challenges than our traditional cousins.  And “tradigitalists” may have it toughest of all.  Why?  Because some of us on the digital side have become just as set in our ways as our traditional counterparts.

Old habits die hard.  While consumers are out there spending countless hours on social networks, file-sharing applications, chat, community sites, buying stuff, selling stuff and using multiple devices, some of us tradigital old fogies are still reaching for our beloved toolbox of the past in hopes of getting their attention.  While online user behavior tells us that people respond well to simplicity, we labor to create complexity in the form of experimental navigation and sites that take forever to load.  When YouTube arrived on the scene, we responded by putting our TV spots on it or - better yet - creating spots that looked like they were made by amateurs.  Little did we know that the real action happens in the comments.  Have we thought about talking back to people, or are we really just interested in telling our stories?

And what about online gaming?  It’s a fixture for tradigitalists.  Yet, many popular online games weren’t created by agencies and don’t have brands associated with them.  Scrabulous, anyone?  I don’t follow Cannes closely, but with a few exceptions it seems to reward “tradigital” creativity.  How clever was the idea?  How good was the storytelling?  These are all hallmarks of creativity, but I also see creativity as solving business problems.  I really like My Starbucks Idea, because I think Starbucks will gain insights from the feedback they get there - these insights may eventually contribute to Starbucks re-capturing some of the loyalty they once enjoyed, and that could reflect well upon their stock price.  Would My Starbucks Idea win a Cyber Lion?  I really don’t know.  It’s not flashy, it’s not terribly original (Dell did it already) and hey, where’s the sound effects?  But if Starbucks plays its cards right, it could become a powerful tool for turning their ship around.

It’s time to come to terms with how people really use the web (hint - it might not be to figure out your experimental navigation) and how we can harness the true power of digital.  Digital marketing doesn’t need more tradigital creativity - it needs more creative problem solving.  It just might be time for the industry to reboot.

6 Responses to “Why Digital Marketing Needs a Reboot”


  1. 1 Taylor Davidson

    It’s odd that interruption-based marketing tries to re-invent the wheel about how we interact with the interruptive content: if we’re going to interrupt someone with a message, shouldn’t presenting that in a way people understand be a big part of that?

    Granted, I understand the value of creating a mystery, of an interesting hook, and engaging people over a long time period. But that’s better to do through content and context rather than how people functionally access it. Functionality is marketing, right?

    The interesting thing that you point out is that many of the current innovative activities in digital marketing probably aren’t thought of as marketing…

  2. 2 Helge Tennø

    Hi David
    I’m not sure I agree with you. I found the Uniqlock Grand Prix winner to be quite adapt to the new digital marketing possibilities.
    http://www.projector.jp/awards/uniqlock/everlasting/

    :o)
    Helge

  3. 3 Rich Kim

    Well said, David. As much as I hate sounding cliche, sometimes they’re just too relevant. The current state of digital media is a bunch of traditionalists pushing the “square peg through the round hole”. As is the state with most other media, most agencies are commoditizing digital advertising with campaigns that go no further than your typical flash banners. The moment we forget our primary roles as problem solvers is the moment we all end up out of jobs.

  4. 4 Josh Chambers

    @Taylor. I agree with your last sentence–that’s too true.

    @David: Agreed. Yes, we need creative campaigns. Yes, we need innovation. However, we’re still humans interacting with humans…just because the medium has changed doesn’t mean what people find useful has suddenly changed. It feels like the digital folks think we’ve reinvented everything; but I just don’t think that’s true.

    I think it’s those people who get the traditional, and who also get the digital, and who can blend the two that will be the ones who come out on top.

  5. 5 David Armano

    “Functionality is marketing, right?”
    Taylor, I believe it can be, but many marketers don’t blur the line between functionality and marketing enough.

    Helge,
    OK, but that and Nike + and a few others seem to be the exceptions. Do you feel that the majority of awards recipients skew clever or useful?

    “The moment we forget our primary roles as problem solvers is the moment we all end up out of jobs.”

    Amen Rich.

    Josh, we’ll see about those who get both. It’s possible. Or maybe those that get neither will come out on top. The guys that invented You Tube—etc. I wonder what they knew?

  1. 1 The content story « Petit Point

Leave a Reply






  • Buy Viagra
  • Buy Cialis
  • Buy Tramadol
  • Buy Viagra
  • Buy Cialis
  • Buy Tramadol
  • Buy Viagra
  • Buy Cialis
  • Buy Tramadol
  • Buy Accutane
  • Buy Propecia
  • Order Propecia
  • Buy Viagra Online
  • Buy Soma
  • Buy Tramadol
  • Buy Cialis
  • Buy Cialis
  • Buy Viagra
  • Order Viagra
  • Order Cialis
  • Buy Ultram
  • cheap est propecia
  • natural acne treatment
  • cialis pills lowest cost
  • viagra levitra
  • uprima cialis viagra
  • cialis overnigh
  • wal mart pharmacy
  • cancer liver treatment xeloda
  • cancer pancreatic xeloda
  • cialis manufacturer
  • cialis in mexico
  • buy levitra no prescription
  • viagra discounts
  • cialis generic
  • viagra wholesale
  • cheap soma
  • cialis medication
  • order 50mg viagra
  • support pharmacy
  • generic levitra
  • adapalene
  • cialis generique
  • levitra cost in mexico
  • wallgreens pharmacy
  • weight loss cialis
  • viagra candy
  • viagra retarded ejaculation
  • success rate of propecia for women
  • is levitra safer than viagra
  • levitra information page
  • cheap soma
  • frontal hair loss propecia php
  • generic viagra overnight
  • levitra and cocaine use
  • levitra medical trials
  • is viagra safe
  • fda and human growth hormone
  • pearly penile papules tretinoin
  • do propecia side effects go away
  • key cialis
  • chest muscle pain
  • what is better levitra viagra cialis
  • viagra pill splitter
  • acne solution
  • xeloda extended protocol
  • hair loss women
  • canada drugs retin-a
  • cialis and viagra purchase online
  • order clomid online
  • new erectile drug cialis
  • enhancing propecia
  • viagra cialis levitra buy viagra
  • rib muscle pain
  • tramadol apap
  • what is thedrug levitra
  • cialis generic levitra viagra
  • cialis and cocaine
  • good deals on propecia
  • prescription propecia
  • buy propecia pills
  • back pain muscle
  • best prices for propecia
  • thigh muscle pain swelling
  • itchy rash with fatigue and propecia
  • premarin cream on neck face
  • levitra description
  • cialis or levitra stronger
  • pharmacy in mexico
  • accutane before and after pictures
  • viagra covered california hmo
  • rx pharmacy
  • soma online
  • herbal cialis alternative
  • phentermine pharmacy
  • effexor with cialis
  • home made viagra
  • viagra generic brand
  • buy viagra in canada
  • propecia 1 mg 5 mg
  • ending viagra use
  • geniune cialis
  • buy cheapest propecia
  • low cost viagra online
  • are enseignes sp cialis es
  • cialis line order
  • billig viagra
  • viagra in the water
  • muscle pain clen cytomel
  • effects of viagra
  • otc cialis
  • buring levitra online
  • canadian propecia cheap
  • levitra visual disturbances
  • merck generic propecia
  • bayer levitra
  • acne prevention
  • generic cialis overnight
  • avacor vs propecia
  • amoxicillin drug fiorcet propecia
  • generic brands of viagra online
  • murad acne treatment
  • how to stop smoking
  • most popular information about levitra
  • tramadol great buy
  • effect of propecia
  • levitra soft tabs
  • dreampharmaceuticals levitra
  • viagra from india
  • cialis order online
  • cialis user reviews
  • buy propecia prescriptions online
  • geniune cialis
  • cialis directions
  • levitra taken with pennicillin
  • against smoking
  • peruvian viagra
  • viagra interaction
  • cialis review
  • impotence medicines levitra
  • finestride vs propecia
  • counterfeit viagra identify four package
  • low cost viagra online
  • levitra to purchas
  • levitra couches tagged
  • recreational viagra
  • viagra headache
  • buy levitra cheap
  • prescription for propecia online pharmacy
  • viagra research
  • her2 negative xeloda
  • best propecia doses
  • best generic viagra prices
  • buy levitra day trippers
  • penis vacuum pump
  • taking clomid while pregnant
  • propecia finasteride 1mg
  • levitra cialis and viagra
  • viagra in britain
  • rib muscle pain lungs
  • cheapest place to buy viagra
  • cancer liver treatment xeloda
  • cialis allergic lesions
  • buy cialis domain
  • levitra sale
  • adapalene gel
  • male pattern balding propecia
  • smoking cure
  • viagra jelly
  • xeloda and b6
  • heart muscle pain angina
  • variety sample levitra
  • xeloda plus oxalipatin
  • bupropion sr
  • retin a reviews and strengths
  • cialis dangers
  • newsletter viagra
  • boots pharmacy
  • fda approved slimming
  • rogain propecia
  • arizona board of pharmacy
  • retin a buy
  • pediatric muscle relaxant
  • cialis advertisement
  • online pharmacy cost levitra
  • counterfeit viagra
  • cheapest viagra prices
  • cure for erectile disfunction
  • penis vacuum pump
  • levitra long intercourse
  • generic cialis tadalafil
  • cialis britain
  • capecitabine 500mg xeloda
  • cialis canada prescription
  • cheapest price for viagra and cialis
  • herbal viagra in the uk
  • viagra online store
  • order fda approved drugs online
  • prescription for cialis purchase
  • women and levitra
  • tretinoin retin a
  • harm of expired viagra
  • mexican rx generic cialis
  • levitra and eye site
  • levitra usa today
  • propecia finasteride
  • online viagra store
  • prescription order propecia
  • viagra discount
  • which works better cialis or viagra
  • cialis testimony
  • diet pill fda approved
  • xanax us pharmacy consultation
  • viagra fuerteventura market
  • hip pain muscle
  • mixing levitra with alcohol
  • acne cysts
  • no prescription order viagra online
  • stop smoking
  • christian cialis
  • clomid ovulation
  • Buy Levitra
  • Buy Cialis
  • Buy Viagra Without Prescription
  • Buy Propecia
  • Buy Soma
  • Buy Ultram
  • Buy Accutane
  • Buy Accutane
  • Buy Xenical
  • Buy Tramadol
  • Tramadol Online
  • Order Cialis
  • Buy Viagra
  • Buy Ultram
  • Buy Viagra
  • Buy Cialis
  • Buy Soma
  • Buy Tramadol
  • Buy Zyban
  • Buy Viagra
  • Buy Cialis
  • Buy Femara
  • Buy Flomax
  • Buy Propecia
  • Buy Tramadol
  • Buy Cialis
  • Buy Viagra
  • Buy Ultram
  • Buy VPXL