Brands are still not taking digital advertising seriously, despite it being the “only answer” to shrinking marketing budgets, according to a leading marketer.
“The conversation about digital marketing has been purloined by advertising agencies, who just talk about online ads,” he said. “But there are, in fact, a lot of dollars that need to be spent in order to do online ads," said Hyro chief marketing officer Richard Lord. “But organisations are still not taking this investment as seriously as they should in order to innovate and be successful in the new digital environment.”
Speaking at the Australian Interactive Media Industry Association’s (AIMIA) V21 conference in Melbourne today, Lord added, “with smaller marketing budgets, businesses have to invest in digital. No longer can the scraps of a marketing budget be spent on digital after a flashy TVC is made. Digital is now the only answer in this changed environment.”
Sensis, GM of marketing Amanda Brook, added that some companies needed to reassess their structure to adapt to digital. “The transition is not without challenges,” she said. “(Sensis) has been built on a strong print base. Business models must be re-assessed, it’s critical that we do so for consumers and advertisers. “It’s time we stopped worrying about new technology and focus on the solutions. When we start to think of integration as being the challenge, it becomes easier.”
