Media might feel different, but the fundamentals of marketing are steadfast.

Blake Bowyer
Media Program Analyst

“New” and “old" media are misnomers. There aren’t any new media, just stages of media that developed from what always existed. By definition, media (in the marketing milieu) are simply platforms for information exchange; ways to communicate. “Old” media can best be characterized as one-way and “new” media involve dialogs, but we never experienced a media revolution, only an evolution. More than that, “old” media, while flagging, haven’t expired or seen their 15 minutes run out. Media themselves have undergone a facelift, but still has many of the same principles at their core.

As I discussed in the last blog post, new media still require proper strategic planning and the development of objectives to achieve long-term effectiveness. Our impressions of marketing vehicles may have changed and our mindset is more customer-centric (as it should have been all along), but the most noble of marketing rules still hold true. The media metamorphosis is not only changing the platforms marketing professionals use, but bringing them back to their roots.

Did you know the American Marketing Association (AMA) has a policy in its bylaws that requires a review of the definition of “marketing” because it “makes sense to reconsider and update the Association’s view of its field?” The definition was most recently updated in 2007. Its current iteration saw marketing change from a “function” to an “activity” and mince some more words to broaden the meaning. However, the four most important parts that overlap between the past and current definitions are:

• Creating
• Communicating
• Delivering
• Value

So, while many argue that “new” media have given the landscape such a facelift that marketers from 2004 would be hard-pressed to recognize it, the four words above say its essence got nothing more than a minor touch-up. That being said, here are five more things they can engrave on the walls of the marketing Hall of Fame:

1. Marketing is about relationships and always has been. ADVERTISING may not have always been about relationships, but marketing – from the top-down messaging to the ground-level sales force – has been a practice focused on relationships with customers. Not all are good or effective, but they exist and they didn’t sprout up with new media. Long-term success has been built on one of two things: relationship or necessity. The latter isn’t as common anymore and that’s why the former is highlighted as one of the cornerstones of contemporary marking.
2. Marketing is about providing value. In a past blog post, I wrote that people and organizations might need to give a little value away for free to generate clients. And, it’s true. More competition demands more from each competitor, so enhancing customer value is essential.
3. Originality and creativity stand out. Consistent and satisfying customer engagement will benefit your customers, but it won’t always delight them. Something extraordinary will catch people’s attention – and steal their money if it delivers after the dog-and-pony show.
4. Segmenting, targeting, and positioning. The Elizabethan blacksmith knew it, Henry Ford knew it, and Steve Jobs knows it.
5. Branding. Though controversial, one cannot argue the gut reaction of organizations like Microsoft, Firestone, BMW, Enron, Starbucks, and the oft-mentioned Harley Davidson. Brands matter and, like the branding performed on products like cows, sidewalks, and furniture, demonstrate quality and a certain level of accountability. Brands are literally stamps of approval and stamping a product can build a name or make it crumble.

While in no way exhaustive, this short list of examples shows that modern marketing concepts aren’t new, but evolved (maybe rebranded?). Don’t purge your “old” media mindset yet – you might excavate some pearls of wisdom.