The Future of Media

Who knows what the future holds for marketing and the various forms of media we use? In just the last few years, we have seen the marketing and media landscape change completely. The advent of the internet has changed the way people present their company and reach out to prospective customers...and technology will forever change the way we look at traditional media.

What's in store for us in the near future? Well, if there's one thing I have...it's an opinion...and I've been known to share it with anyone who will listen. Here is what I feel will happen to the world of marketing and media as we know it:

Newspaper: Sorry crossword puzzle fans... your old friend the newspaper is going away. Before we get all nostalgic and take to the streets in protest, toss aside emotion and think of it as what it is: a form of media meant to inform the masses about the local and world news. First, the second the information is printed on the dead tress...it's old news! I can go to cnn.com, read a story, wait five minutes, hit "refresh" and there are at least one or two new stories. The world doesn't sit still. Second, the form of distribution is ridiculously old. They kill trees, flatten it out into pulp, put ink on it, roll them up, put them in the mail and put them on your front step or at the local newsstand. For that privilege, you pay over a dollar a day. The alternative? Free news on thousands of websites and blogs..up to date... in living color...with video. Game over, newspapers!

Yellow Pages: Oh boy. This is bad. So much money is being spent on yellow page listings and advertisements...and I have no clue why. Every time one of those large books shows up at my door, it either goes in the trash or becomes a door stop. People just don't read them anymore. Sure, *somebody* does...but not enough to warrant spending any good amount of money on an ad. Instead, go for the online version. It will boost your Google ranking and drive traffic to your website. People research you on the web...not in the large yellow disaster know as the Yellow Pages.There is zero future for the paper yellow pages.

Outdoor Advertising: Now, your knee-jerk reaction may be "those old signs are going to go away!"....but not so fast. It just makes too much sense to place your message in a place where thousands and thousands of people can see it every day. Billboards and signage ain't going anywhere. BUT...they are going to change. The message will be much more dynamic. Laws will become less restrictive and motion will be incorporated. In fact, don't be surprised to see customized outdoor signage. You walk down the street and a sign on the side of the building changes and says "Hey Ralph! How do you like those new Nikes? Maybe it's time for a pair of Nike sweatpants?!" Sound far-fetched? Not really....do a search for RFID. The technology has been around forever and is being incorporated into our credit cards. Scary, yet very neat stuff.

Direct Mail: I don't really see this changing much. Email marketing is more restrictive than ever (thanks to laws like the CANSPAM act). Look for direct mail to be more customized to the recipient. Everyone in the neighborhood gets the direct mail piece, but each is a little different based on their demographics, tastes, etc. Variable Data is already used and is getting easier and cheaper to do.

Radio: Another dying breed. Hello iPod, goodbye broadcast radio. Why would I wait to hear what the radio station decides to play for me, when I can download the content and I want and send it easily to my portable player (or integrated car stereo). Look for radio to try and combat the iPod world by creating more and more unique content. Unfortunately, it'll be too little, too late.

TV: This one is along the same lines as radio. But, we are seeing the future of TV right now. Heard of the DVR? Advertisers HATE the DVR. People can easily record and very quickly skip past advertisements? Yep. Look for more product placements and advertising incorporated directly in the programming. We're already seeing more of this. It can be done seemlessly...after all, real life is one big advertisement (I say as I drink my Diet Pepsi). Along with DVR, the world of "download and enjoy at any time" has caught up with TV, as well. On Demand, Apple TV...there are many many options out there that will further tear you away from the old broadcast dinosaur.