Changing media consumption: the rise of i-Media

by Ronald Jabal

The current media environment is becoming a headache among campaign planners. Channel and media mixes are in constant flux.

The old concept of an all powerful media (TV, Radio, Print) no longer exists given the ever increasing empowerment of the consumers – consumers who cannot be pinned down on a given place and/or time.

More and more consumers are on the road. They are better informed; are expert multi-taskers; impatient; and are harder to reach, attract and engage.

Consequently, the consumers’ media habits are also changing. They prefer info-on-demand; determine their own media content; can easily switch channels; and prefer anything “instant”.

This could partly explain why cinema viewing is down; readership is declining; TV viewing remains high but TV ad consumption is waning; and out of home or outdoor media consumption is up.

Unfortunately, media outfits are finding it difficult to catch up. Traditional media outlets remain high and growing. There remains more than 100 magazine titles; close to 650 commercial radio stations; mre than 105 newspapers (national and local) and 7 VHF/8UHF channels. Even ad placements in these channels remain high.

This media clutter does not respond well to the changing consumer behaviors.

There is some silverlining though. Leading media and advertising agencies are shifting attention to alternative media. To catch audiences, they are now placing branded content; increasing events sponsorships; developing more and more out of home and point of sale ads and are engaging in multi-media tie ups and online activities.

Other agencies are increasing placements of subliminal ads in TV programs and local films and developing and placing conceptualized segments and brand bugs.

Clearly, we are experiencing some shifts and shakedowns. Ad agencies and media outfits stand to lose all if they do not catch their consumers.

They will lose everything if they fail to realize that mass media is giving way to emergence of individualized media or i-Media.