Marketers Who Rely on Social Media Are “Poorly Trained Idiots”
Marketers are wasting money on useless social media campaigns because they believe Facebook, Instagam and Twitter is is a “cooler” way to advertise than traditional, more effective media such as print or TV.
That’s the view of British marketing Professor Mark Ritson (pictured below) who is a branding expert and also Professor of Marketing at Melbourne Business School.
Ritson has given a wide ranging interview to today’s The Australian Financial Review and says many modern-day marketers are favouring social media over better, more effective options and at their peril.
In the interview, Ritson cites a recent Neilsen study that showed 63 per cent of Australians trust ads they saw on TV. Sixty per cent trusted ads they saw in print, while only 46 per cent trust ads they saw on social media feeds.
Professor Ritson believed that a lot of marketers were being persuaded into social media campaigns by clever digital agencies who were good at spruiking their wares but less good at getting results. While another Sensis survey showed that only about 23 per cent of Australians follow brands on social media.
“If any marketer comes to me with a social media marketing budget I know they are an idiot, and poorly trained,” Professor Ritson told The AFR.
“It’s symptomatic of the culture we have created that marketers themselves are reticent to investigate social media in any more detail than saying ‘digital is the future’.
“The hegemonic forces of marketing are such that it’s now career threatening to suggest that I might prefer to spend my money on TV or, God forbid, print [over social media] – you are not allowed to say that and I find that very distasteful.
“Almost half the coverage on Australian media is on social and digital tools, and yet it will probably be between eight to 10 per cent of our spend this year.
“I can tell you with absolutely certainty, as I try to tell marketers, that 85 per cent of video is watched on a TV, that I will be met with incredulity, or the idea that radio has been growing for five years in terms of reach,” Professor Ritson said.
“All they see is 8 million views on Instagram. The fact is, that is a tiny sliver of video viewing in Australia.
“It is a strange situation. I have never seen anything like it in my time.
“I have great sympathy for the TV and print world. I hear the same thing again and again, they meet to a client who says ‘that’s all terrific, but I don’t have a budget for TV at the moment’.
“But the [share] market is right because they look at advertisers who are reticent to invest in TV and print, and they say the [traditional media] market is screwed – and they have a point,” he said.
Latest News
Young Australians Will Abandon Facebook If It Doesn’t Do More To Combat Hate Speech
In this guest post, founders of The Daily Aus Sam Koslowski and Zara Seidler discuss why in order to stay in the game and keep its user, social media giant Facebook needs to do more to combat hate speech… For young Australians, Facebook is on the decline. Unless the platform better responds to its user’s […]
Model With Down’s Syndrome Breaks Instagram Records For Gucci
Here's a good news story B&T likes to run. Even if it's from a brand you wouldn't expect a good news story to come from.
Baskin-Robbins Australia Awarded For Stranger Things Campaign
A brave move has paid dividends for Baskin-Robbins Australia who recently announced they won the award for Best Digital Initiative at last week’s QSR Media Awards. Baskin-Robbins Australia’s Master Licensee, Palm Oasis Ventures took a risk in launching a digital winter campaign targeting a new millennial and Gen Z demographic when it partnered with Netflix to launch season 3 of the streaming giant’s most popular show, the sci-fi horror series, Stranger Things.
Haystac Wins Springfree Trampoline Account
The first agency B&T is so definitely visiting after lockdown is Haystac, having won the Springfree Trampoline account.
News Corp’s Damian Eales Promoted To Global New York-Based Role
Damian Eales scratching at the bottom of the T-shirt drawer for his old "I ❤ NY" number following news of a promotion.
TikTok Turns On Trump (Again)
TikTok has turned on Trump once again. As yet, no one brave enough to speculate it's the work of the Chinese government.
EU Questions Google’s Fitbit Acquisition
Google's acquistion of Fitbit has so angered the EU it got its pulse to 125 and burned 142 calories in the process.
Deliveroo Drivers To Be Trained To Spot Signs Of Child Abuse And Neglect
Although B&T applauds this top initiative, to be honest most Deliveroo drivers struggle finding the right house number.
Thursday TV Wrap: Seven Sweeps Up, Wins Night Across All Key Metrics
This headline suggests Seven has put a broom through the opposition. Which amost sounds like a trip to triage, really.
Convert Digital Awarded Adobe’s Magento Gold Status
Leading eCommerce website development agency, Convert Digital, has achieved the coveted Magento Gold Status from Adobe. This accomplishment has been reached following the agency’s continuing work with the Magento 2 platform - platform that is incredibly robust and offers unrivalled flexibility and scalability.
Indie Agency The Shannon Company Unveils Campaign To Promote Industry Super
Are you in an industry super fund? Well, watch your contributions at work in this, thankfully, slightly cheap looking ad.
Binge To Offer Free Subscriptions To Locked Down Melbournians
Here's a fantastic idea from Binge which will hopefully stop people in lockdown from killing their loved ones.
Peroni Launches Global Ad Campaign ‘Walk With Us’
Peroni Beer unveils "walk with us" campaign or it could even be "stagger with us" given one too many actual Peronis.
Meet The Women Leading Tech: Intuit Global Brand Strategist Stephanie Brown
Time to meet Intuit's global strategist Stephanie Brown who, you'll find, is no relation to Reservoir Dogs' Mr Brown.
PHD Partners With TikTok To Launch Campaign For PepsiCo
Look, it's a Pepsi ad straight after a Coke one. It's almost like a taste-test challenge without the actual tasting.
Influencers Raise $95k For Starlight Children’s Foundation In Do-Good Campaign Via Born Bred Talent
Influencer marketing agency Born Bred Talent has partnered with the Starlight Children’s Foundation to mobilise their talent roster and support the Stream Raiser campaign, contributing over $95k in donations thanks to virtual fundraising efforts. With a combined reach of 6.2 million across Instagram, TikTok and Twitch, 9 Australian influencers contributed 76% of the $124k raised […]
Coca-Cola Unveils First Ad Since The Pandemic In A Heart-Warming Campaign About Shared Meals With Loved Ones
If you're like B&T and have a distrust of adults who drink soft drink at dinner, this may exacerbate your prejudices.
Radio One Of The Hardest Hit With 56% Slump In Ad Spend
Radio industry takes savage hit to ad revenues. Daryl Braithwaite forced to wait for 'The Horses' royalty cheque.
Entire Agency Of 166 Staff Walks Out In Black Lives Matters Protest
Finally, it's adlanders talkin' the talk and walkin' the walk. And, quite literally, walkin' for that matter.
BBC News Interview Derailed By Adorable Kid Who Can’t Decide Where To Put Her Framed Unicorn Photo
It's more "adorable kids ruin Skype interview" stories. So, B&T warns readers who find adorable kids a bit nauseating.
Why Old Will Be Gold On Australian Screens For The Next 12-18 Months
TV's 'golden oldies' are coming back! But hopefully not the creepy ones like 'The Cosby Show' or 'Being Lara Bingle'.
Brown Riot Podcast Drops Latest Ep Featuring Faustina Agolley
With B&T's own podcast on a CV-19 hiatus we forced to live vicariously trhough other people's podcasts. Hence this news.
UNICEF Set To Launch ClickforCovid Relief Gaming Stream
In 2020, the ‘new wave’ of youth consumers have inspired the world with their activism and fundraising, so eGEN is proud to have partnered with UNICEF, Loserfruit and friends to help gamers fight COVID and help the world’s most vulnerable children. The world’s most famous strawberry will be joined by her Click crew for a […]
Look Past COVID And How Will Marketers Handle the Economic Train Wreck?
This columnist argues that CV-19 could be the time for a marketing spring clean. But not a large group spring clean.
Silverbullet Achieves Adobe Audience Manager Specialisation
Silverbullet Data Services Group (Silverbullet), has become one of only four businesses globally to achieve Adobe Specialisation in EMEA for Adobe Audience Manager. Adobe Specialised Partners are acknowledged as the most skilled technical practitioners throughout the global partner ecosystem. Specialisations are earned after organisations achieve a level of certified expertise in an Adobe solution and […]
Biologi Recruits Aussie Model Samantha Harris As New Ambassador
Samantha Harris shines as Biologi's new global ambassador. inspiring confidence in women by encouraging them to be comfortable in their own skin.
Adobe Launches Adobe CQ To Measure Creative Aptitude
Adobe has a new piece of whizz-bang machinery out today. Take a look here as B&T goes under the hood.
General Mills Partners With Zyper To Build Virtual Superfan Communities
Food company General Mills has partnered with Zyper, a marketing platform that connects brands with their superfans, to build virtual fan communities for General Mills’ brands. As part of the agreement, General Mills will use Zyper’s software to initially identify the Betty Crocker and Fibre One brands’ top one per cent of fans on social […]
Facebook Pledges $500,000 To Group Admins Across Australia
Facebook is continuing its Facebook Australia Groups Impact Fund, today announcing $500,000 in funding for the program. The grant was originally designated for bushfire recovery groups, however, has now been extended to local communities across the country who might be facing hardship. Facebook said it is on the lookout for groups that have a positive […]
SMH & The Age Book Critics Resign To Protest Lack Of Diversity
It's not often you hear "cranky" and "book critic" in the same sentence, but these are the crazy times in which we live.
