• by Seana Mulcahy , June 2, 2008

I've been in the online ad business since 1993. Believe it or not, I am still having a lot of the same conversations I did back then. I work with brand marketers and advertisers as well as publishers. Quite often they find themselves asking what online advertisers want. They don't think they want banners, text links or email, for that matter.

I think my viewpoint is a bit different than most (and I caveat it). Bad banners, text links and emails don't work; good ones might. Sure it may sound a bit hokey, but think about it. No matter what the brand, we all want to make people aware we exist (first off), then that we offer solutions and advantage(s). It's almost too simple.

Too many folks delving into or already deeply entrenched in digital environments seem to make things a lot harder than they have to be. I don't know 'bout your experience, but mine has been that my clients (agencies, brands or publishers) know a hell of a lot about their respective target audience. We can certainly tell them more about creative, messaging, promotion and media by channel.

It horrifies me when I still see digital teams chest-beating that their medium is the be-all, end-all. It isn't. To this writer, it is simply another means to form a one-to-one communication with a customer or prospect. We tend to watch and listen to them as they interact in such environments, tell their friends, post their opinion and read those of others.

By no means are these people solely dependent on online venues to make their decision to try or buy. Sure, it is probably a way of life for most. Some may hear a local TV spot touting a promotion, or hear a friend talking about a great deal. As a result they most likely go online to research and gather information prior to making a purchase. This scenario could be one of many. The bottom line is, almost every mainstream consumer seeks the Web for some sort of info.

Is it a panacea? No? For some, it may seem that way. Depending on the product, purchase price and many other factors, it may have the possibility to be. If digital marketers, advertisers and PR folks are good at what they do, it could very well be a cure-all.

I'm sure our industry will keep morphing and evolving in a variety of different ways, from creative to content to channel at a minimum. It doesn't matter if we migrate from text links to skyscrapers, bulletin boards to social networks, viral to video. If they're done right, we'll know how to use these entire elements and more to build, promote and sell brand.

However, what continues to disgruntle me after 14-plus year is ignorant comments like, "Text links don't work. Email doesn't work." Take a look around, people. What is everybody doing on mobile phones? Going online, emailing and texting, to name a few. And don't get me started on email. Everyone still uses email and my guess is, always will. Where and how they are using it is a different story.