Hot take - there's no such thing as digital marketing

Dr Ekant Veer is an award winning researcher and Professor of Marketing at Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha | University of Canterbury. He's also the programme coordinator for our online Postgraduate Certificate in Digital Marketing, and is sharing his take on the 'divide' between traditional vs digital marketing!
 

Remember when we used to specify "colour TV" or "cordless phone"? These terms sound outdated now because nearly all TVs are in colour, and most phones are cordless. We're at a similar inflection point with marketing. It's time to stop differentiating between "digital marketing" and "traditional marketing."
 

It’s time to stop calling it ‘Digital Marketing’.

Brave thing to say as the Director of Tuihono UC | UC Online's new Postgraduate Certificate in Digital Marketing, but I stand by it. Qualifying marketing by “digital” unnecessarily separates marketing in a manner that is impractical and unrealistic.

There is no marketing that can be achieved without an appreciation of the digital tools available to marketers or an understanding of how consumers engage in our digitally enabled world. For years, we've drawn an arbitrary line between digital and traditional marketing.

Digital marketing supposedly encompasses everything online - social media, SEO, content marketing, email campaigns. Traditional marketing, on the other hand, refers to print ads, TV commercials, billboards, and other "offline" methods. But this distinction no longer reflects reality. 

1) Traditional channels have gone digital

TV ads are on terrestrial and streaming services. Radio? Podcasts and online radio. Newspapers and magazines? Digital subscriptions and online editions. Even billboards are going digital with programmable displays.

2) Digital channels have traditional counterparts

Social media influencers? They're the new celebrity endorsements. Email marketing? It's direct mail for the 21st century. Content marketing? It's just good old-fashioned storytelling and education, adapted for the web.

3) Campaigns can and do span both realms

Effective marketing strategies integrate both online and offline elements. A TV ad drives viewers to a website. A social media campaign promotes an in-store event. QR codes on physical products link to digital experiences.

4) Digital marketers need traditional skills

There’s no digital marketer out there who can effectively operate their online tools without a clear understanding of human behaviour, brand positioning, advertising effectiveness and other traditional concepts that have been taught for decades.

For sure, in its inception, new tools were unique, complex, weird and threatening. Delineating yourself as a Digital Marketing expert gave you the edge and allowed you to stand out from the crowd because you knew what Pay-Per-Click meant or you could develop SEO strategies that were more effective than others.

As time has gone on, these are no longer sexy novel tools but BAU practices. If you are a marketing firm that passionately avoids digital engagement then it, for me, is likened to someone who purposefully farms without machinery or carpenters who only use traditional hand-tools. There’s an artistry about it, which some deeply appreciate, but is it actually any better?

Of course, there will be times that you may wish to gain new skills and add new tools to your kete (have I mentioned that we’re launching a new Postgraduate Certificate in Digital Marketing?!). Adding tools and techniques to your existing experience and knowledge doesn’t necessitate a delineation by title. But to label ‘traditional’ as being old-hat, backwards, or static is fundamentally flawed. Foundational marketing concepts are useful regardless of whether the channels used are digital or otherwise.

What we are seeing is a proliferation of degrees, agencies and freelancers with a sole focus on Digital Marketing when much of the foundational work they are built on are principles that still stand firm.

I do not believe it is possible to effectively create a digital campaign without knowing how and why segmentation works.

I do not believe you can be an effective social media manager without a clear understanding of sociology, consumer behaviour and consumer psychology.

If the basis of your mahi is on the tools you use then, for me, that weakens the value proposition you bring to the marketplace. Tools are replaceable but insight and impact are long-lasting beyond the way in which they are achieved.

So, this is a call for us to talk about how you use marketing to achieve your organisational vision and goals. That may be through the use of traditional marketing channels and/or it could be through dovetailing creative digital marketing techniques.

More than ever, the ‘traditional’ and ‘digital’ are complementary rather than competitive. Reaching new people through offline and online channels; engaging them with innovative messaging throughout their day; measuring success through multiple research approaches all benefit the marketer.

Now, where there may be an argument for divesting from the digital and only focusing on the offline world is where we see continuing examples of digital divide. Access to digital devices, access to the Internet, access to social media isn’t universally distributed and people are still being left behind based on resourcing, age, race and a plethora of other criteria.

Here, a purposefully offline approach can enable greater cut-through but that would only have ever been established by understanding that the ‘traditional’ and ‘digital’ marketing approaches both have benefits and consequences. Bringing us back to the central thesis that the best marketers are both and all, rather than one or the other.

The best marketers are those with a firm understanding of the foundational concepts in marketing but are able to utilise the various tools and skills at their disposal to enable the best outcome for their clients. Perhaps the most compelling reason to drop the "digital" qualifier is that it puts the focus on the wrong thing. Marketing isn't about channels or technologies - it's about people.

By obsessing over whether something is "digital" or not, we risk losing sight of what really matters: understanding and serving our customers. Customers don't think in terms of digital vs. traditional. They simply want relevant, valuable experiences and information, regardless of how it's delivered.

Our language and approach should reflect this reality. So let’s embrace that integration. What does this mean for marketers and businesses?

1) Break down silos

Integrate your "digital" and "traditional" teams. Foster collaboration and cross-pollination of ideas.

2) Focus on strategy first, tactics second

Start with your objectives and audience, then choose the most effective mix of channels and methods, regardless of whether they're classified as digital or traditional.

3) Invest in omnichannel experiences

Create seamless journeys that allow customers to interact with your brand across multiple touchpoints, both online and offline.

4) Upskill your team

Ensure your marketers have a broad skill set that encompasses both digital and traditional methods (did you know about our Postgraduate Certificate in Digital Marketing?).

5) Update your language

Stop using "digital marketing" as a separate category. It's all just marketing. Ka kite anō, e hoa mā!

Inspired to grow your marketing knowledge? Take your next step with our Postgraduate Certificate in Digital Marketing.