Why Traditional Advertising is Still Relevant in 2024

It’s 2024 and social media and digital ads are all the rage. People spend most of their day with a screen in their face. But don’t write off “old-fashioned” traditional advertising as yesterday’s news. TV, radio, and print ads still have tons to offer - things like credibility, broad reach, and a break from the screens are just the start. Sure they might not be as trendy as a viral TikTok video, but traditional ads can offer staying power and chutzpah that digital methods lack. Before you spend your whole budget on digital ads, let us explain how traditional advertising still matters today and how it can give your brand a boost.

More Coverage in More Areas (no, we aren’t selling you a phone plan)

One cool thing about digital advertising is its ability to hyperfocus on very particular demographics. You can serve ads to 20 year old men that play frisbee golf with their teacup hippopotamus every other Friday if you want to. But when you zoom in too much, you lose the big picture. TV commercials, radio spots, print ads are still the GOAT for reach and old-school impressions. You get blanket coverage for your brand that touches multiple demographics all at once. It’s a cheat code for building brand awareness on a large scale. Would you rather sleep with one quilt or 240 individual granny squares?

Local businesses benefit from traditional advertising because of geographic targeting. Think of a local radio, TV, or print ad like a modern-day town crier in the city square - guaranteed to reach the people in your immediate vicinity. For businesses that take advantage of foot traffic or provide service to a particular area, this is crucial. Digital ads might miss local audiences altogether if the targeting isn’t set up perfectly.

It’s ‘Bout Your ‘Bility: Credi- and Tangi-

So you have the granny quilt providing cozy coverage. But do you have trust from your audience? Gaining your audience's trust isn't easy, but traditional advertising has an automatic credibility baked in that's tough to get with digital-only campaigns. People trust their local TV, radio stations and that extends to your brand by proxy. Local spots are more affordable than you think - sometimes as little as only a few dollars per thousand viewers. Print ads in a local paper or magazines are even more affordable, but make sure the readership aligns with those that use your product (for example: older folks tend to read newspapers, so not the best pick for a mostly youth-oriented product).

People love tangible experiences - something they can touch, feel, or hold. Print ads give your brand a physical presence that digital can't. When people stumble across old magazines, they spend just as much time looking at the ads as the articles. Feeling a magazine in your hands, holding a postcard, seeing the same billboard every day on your commute has a stronger impact than an online ad that goes away with a flick of the mouse wheel. The tactile experience of traditional advertising increases memorability and that gives your message a longer-lasting impression with your audience.

I Want to Break Free (from the screen)

Ever get tired of staring at a screen all day? You’re not alone. Remote workers spend up to 13 hours a day, on average, looking at some sort of screen. With sketchy digital ads bombarding every aspect of our screen time, traditional advertising offers a chance to stick out in a less saturated area. Whether it’s a radio jingle or a poster at the bus stop, traditional ads give everyone a break from the endless scroll and actually grab their attention. 

Traditional ads succeed where digital ads can fail. There are no “ad blocker” programs for real life. Yet. So take advantage before they start programming our brains! The guaranteed visibility of traditional advertising gives a huge benefit that digital just can’t match.

Size Matters

Pull up your favorite social media feed. What stands out most to you? What catches your eye first? Probably not one of those ads sandwiched off to the side. Computer screens only get so big too - even when they’re excited. But a billboard, full page ad, or even a bus wrap? Those things are Notoriously B-I-G and have prominence in the physical world. They’re not lost in a cluttered sidebar hoping to get noticed. Something on that scale demands your attention simply by its physical presence and size.

That sort of physical dominance not only stands out, but increases brand recall. When you’re seeing multiple buses wrapped in your brand, a billboard on your way into the office, or a full page ad in your favorite magazine, the sheer repetition and size work together to drive it home.

Like Peas and Carrots

Every Bert needs an Ernie. One of the greatest strengths of traditional advertising is how complementary it is to a digital campaign. When you blend both into a multi-channel strategy, you reach your audience wherever they are - on or offline. A traditional ad might catch someone’s eye on their morning jog while a well-placed digital ad they see while scrolling later reminds them of your brand and drives them to your website. This integrated approach not only reinforces your message but also boosts brand consistency across different mediums. 

Traditional advertising works hand-in-hand with digital analytics. Wondering how? Data analytics monitoring demographics of your site traffic will often evolve after airing a local TV or radio campaign. You’ll see a wider, more diverse audience getting captured. When traditional is paired with digital, you get the benefit of wider reach with the precision in measurability of online tools. A powerful one-two punch for maximizing brand visibility.

Down Not Out

Digital ads are here to stay, but traditional methods are far from obsolete. The broad reach they create, credibility they lend, physical presence in the real world, and ability to break through all the digital noise make them a crucial consideration for a well-rounded marketing strategy. If you want your brand to stand out in today’s cluttered landscape, a multi-channel approach that combines digital and traditional advertising could be the thing your brand needs.