The Internet as a Medium
(part D)
by
Charles Lamson
Problems with the Internet as an Advertising Medium
The Internet, like any medium, has its drawbacks. It is not a mass medium in the traditional sense, and it may never offer mass-media efficiency. Some marketers may decide it is too complex, too cumbersome, too cluttered, or not worth the time and effort.
It is not controlled by any single entity, so there may be no one to hold accountable. Security (for example, for credit card purchases over the Net) has improved, but it is still a problem for some. And the final drawback is that the Net has all the problems of any new, untried medium. The technology for running television-quality video is still not in place, and the long-term cost of full participation in the Internet is anybody's guess. The final drawback is one of the Net's greatest appeals: It is the most democratic of media---anybody can get on it and do or say anything. That is both good and bad.
Using the Internet in IMC
One of the keys to successfully developing an integrated marketing communications (IMC) program is to promote purposeful diologue between the company and its stakeholders. That is what interactivity really means. And that is where the Internet offers its greatest potential.
For the first time, customers and other stakeholders can truly respond to a company's media communications in real time, using the same channel for feedback that the company used for promotion. This means that even if a customer finds herself accidentally at the company's Web sites and, if something there strikes her fancy, she can commence a dialogue (relationship) with the company immediately. Of course, this also means that, if the Web site triggers her memory of a less-than-satisfactory experience with the company, she can use the same mechanism for complaining. But that is actually good, because a customer that complains usually cares. And a complaint gives the company the opportunity to correct the situation and set things right. It also gives the company information on how to improve. Sophisticated marketers cherish complaints.
While all of this is well and good, it also brings up a new problem for marketers today. In the good old days of simple mass-media advertising manufacturers placed their ads on network TV and went on about their business. The retailers took care of customers, so the manufacturers did not really have to be concerned about them. In the new age of integrated marketing communications, that is no longer the case. Yes, the retailer is still there. But Mrs. Consumer does not want to talk to the retailer. She is a pretty sophisticated person. She knows who makes the product and if she has a complaint that is who she wants to talk to. So it is not good enough for companies to put a pretty Web site up on the Internet and then walk away from it. It has to be staffed---daily---and it must be kept up to date---daily. If you log on the Internet Sunday morning and check your local newspaper's Web site for yesterday's baseball scores, you do not want to read about how your team got whipped Friday night. You already read about that yesterday. While this may seem obvious, the fact is that these problems still occur regularly, and they defeat the whole purpose of having an interactive location for your customers to visit. Realizing this, companies are now finally beginning to staff up. But this is very expensive---often requiring companies to double or triple their Internet budget with no increase in advertising exposure. So the decision to use the Internet for integration is a big one and cannot be taken lightly.
*SOURCE: CONTEMPORARY ADVERTISING 11TH ED., 2008, WILLIAM F. ARENS, MICHAEL F. WEIGOLD, CHRISTIAN ARENS, PGS. 559-561*
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