Should traditional and digital marketing still be separate disciplines?

There is no question that the marketing landscape has changed dramatically in the past 10 years with the introduction of digital marketing channels.

An explosion of new, online channels to reach customers has resulted in a raft of marketing specialists who specialise in all things digital whether it is Google AdWords, SEO optimisation or social media marketing.

As a result of this, the marketing industry has become separated into different silos of “traditional” and “digital” marketers. For those of you who may not be marketers, the domain of traditional marketers typically concerns branding and channels like radio, outdoor and print while the new online world has become the realm of digital marketers.

Although this is the way the industry has organically evolved so far, I think there is a big shift coming in the way we define the different areas of marketing. Instead of specialising in a particular area, we will all once again become simply marketers.

From a consumer’s point of view, digital media channels are just one of the many forms of media they consume in a day. Your average person may browse their favourite websites and social media platforms in the morning for any overnight updates, travel past billboards or other outdoor advertising on their commute to work, scan the newspaper in the office lunchroom, check their email and use search engines throughout the day, listen to the radio or a pod cast on their way home and wind down in the evening watching their favourite TV shows, whether on free to air or a streaming service.

Consumers don’t differentiate between digital and traditional media when they use them, so why do we marketers have such a strong definition between the role of a traditional marketer and a digital marketer? In fact you could even say that traditional forms of media such as newspapers, TV and radio have now become digital but that is a whole different discussion.

We have all seen the headlines proclaiming traditional marketing channels dead and the future is digital or bust. But basic marketing wisdom has always stated that it is better to spread your marketing spend across different channels to get more for your money. By doing this, not only do you reach more people but you can also reach the same consumer at multiple points throughout their day to reinforce your message. If you limit yourself to solely digital channels you are missing out on 4 or 5 options that are still a part of everyday lives.

Is it time we stop thinking about digital as a separate discipline and start integrating our online and offline marketing strategies into one cohesive approach?

Rosina Webb is a passionate marketer of Kiwi consumer brands and shares her expertise through writing, blogging and speaking about all things marketing.