Don’t Eulogize Television Yet – It’s Alive and Well
In today’s rapidly changing media landscape, the rise of social media and digital platforms often leads to discussions about the decline of traditional media, particularly television. You might hear that healthcare marketers are abandoning television ads in favor of online channels. But before you dismiss television ads for healthcare, consider this: TV remains a powerful medium with unique advantages.
It’s true – linear TV, the traditional broadcast method, has declined in popularity over the last few years. However, this doesn’t spell the end for television. A recent Nielsen survey found that audiences streamed 21 million years’ worth of video in 2023, a 21% increase from the prior year.
Audiences may be consuming television differently now, with viewers increasingly turning to streaming services like Netflix, Hulu, and Disney+ to watch their favorite shows on demand. Despite this shift, the audience for television content remains strong. This evolution is particularly important for healthcare marketers. Television ads for healthcare, whether delivered through traditional broadcasts or streaming platforms, are still among the most effective ways to build a brand and create an emotional connection with potential patients. The combination of sight and sound in TV ads remains uniquely powerful, delivering messages that resonate deeply with viewers across all platforms.
As healthcare marketers adapt to the changing media landscape, one effective strategy is to repurpose television ads for paid social media campaigns. Platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube offer the opportunity to extend the reach of your television ads by targeting specific demographics and interests. By tailoring the original TV content to fit the format and audience of social media, healthcare marketers can maximize the impact of their advertising efforts. This approach not only reinforces the brand message across multiple channels but also ensures that the ad resonates with viewers who prefer consuming content online.
Yes, a media buyer has to be more creative, dig deeper, know the target audience and understand how consumers watch television. It’s not as easy as just buying the major networks anymore. Today it is more of a science . . . and an art. But for those who do it well, the rewards are still there.
Five hours a day average time spent watching television – and it’s primarily for entertainment. Don’t make funeral plans yet. There’s a lot of life left in television.
The more curious question is how do people find five hours a day to watch television?
TotalCom is a full-service marketing agency helping brands like yours tell their story to the right audiences. Email Lori Moore or call TotalCom Marketing Communications at 205.345.7363 to learn more about how we can help you tell your story.