Are brands better built on traditional media?

Digital may be affordable and offer the benefits of targeted reach, but can it match the brand-building value traditional media offers?

To build my brand online or on traditional mediums is a question most marketers have asked themselves over the past two decades. We (afaqs!) asked the same question during a panel at the Marketers’ Excellence Conference in June 2024.

Hosted by afaqs! assistant editor Shreyas Kulkarni, the panellists were:

• Rachana Lokhande, founder, Glocal Bridge

• Sachin Phansikar, chief operating officer, Business Standard

• Shweta Rangra, head of marketing, Hafele India

• Sujay Rachh, chief marketing officer, Nuvama Group

Formerly Edelweiss Wealth Management, the Nuvama Group is the rebranded avatar that came to life in 2023. Rachh said they wanted a lot of reach and salience and to build awareness; conversions were not a priority at that time. “For the job to be done, I had to consider mass media because it was the only way I could reach the greatest number of people in the most economical way."

While traditional mediums dominated his marketing strategy during the rebrand, digital was not sidelined. “It wasn't used at the bottom of the funnel but it was still used as a top-of-the-funnel medium to spread the word and reach the right audiences,” he remarkes. Rachh said they, within TV, chose the news genre, film genre, and also smart targeting on CTV.

The Nuvama Group office is situated in Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC), and the route from the trendy Bandra West is lined with several giant billboards. When asked if he was tempted to invest in a billboard or two, Rachh admitted he was, but chose not to due to the need to prioritise the marketing budget. “It is a highly effective recall medium that can significantly amplify your campaign,” he remarked.

Lokhande, who consults with brands on their out-of-home (OOH) and digital out-of-home (DOOH) strategies, believes that outdoor advertising, like most mass media, has evolved to digital. Marketers need to assess the stage their brand is at and its purpose before choosing a medium for advertising. “If the brand's purpose is to deliver last-mile communication or to create a wow factor for consumers, outdoor can achieve that,” she stated.

She cited ACC Cement which advertises itself via the OOH medium across India, and how successful it is, and even real estate brands in metros.

When the spotlight turned to Hafele India’s Rangra, she highlighted her brand-building efforts through the new campaign featuring Sachin Tendulkar, which targeted the top 20% of India. To reach this audience, she opted for a blended approach, incorporating both digital and traditional media, including billboards, airport banners, and print adverts.

Hafele, being a premium brand, finds that advertising in print is a sensible choice. This was underscored by a statement from Business Standard’s chief operating officer, Phansikar: “If you want to buy something worth Rs 100, you’d turn to digital. But if you’re looking to purchase something worth Rs 1,00,000, you’ll turn to print or physical media.”

The element of trust and credibility print brings to the table is unmatched. No wonder people go and buy multiple newspapers the day after the Union Budget is tabled at the parliament.

Print had a rough time during the Coronavirus lockdowns. Phansikar revealed, “On 25th March 2020, circulation numbers went down to 250 from a modest 150,000 presence across India. We thought it was the end of print.” But there is hope. He states most newspapers are back to 90-95% pre-Coronavirus circulation.

Aiding this comeback are the innovations print offers, such as L panels on the front page, half jackets, and even tweaks to the masthead. “In 2008-09, we were restricted to ads no larger than 240 sq cm on the front page. Today, the number of jackets we’re carrying makes it look like the paper has caught a cold,” jokes the COO, highlighting the revival of print advertising.

Also Read: Mumbai OOH tragedy fuels demands for stricter advertising regulations

And while there is credibility and buoyancy around print, the outdoor category is facing its biggest crisis after Mumbai’s billboard crisis. One wonders if brands are reconsidering their OOH spending.

Acknowledging the tragedy, Lokhande said the incident has at least started a movement. The OOH associations are meeting municipalities to ensure such an incident does not happen again.

“OOH is an ego medium. It is important for brands to ask agencies or media owners to show certificates and ask agencies to only work with members of the association. If marketers start asking for these things, everybody will fall in line,” she said.

We would like to thank our Marketers’ Excellence Conference 2024 sponsors, MiQ, JioAds, and RedFM 93.5.

Photo by Nelson Ndongala on Unsplash