“Twitter Sucks” For Brand Engagement: Mark Ritson
Marketing professor and award-winning columnist Mark Ritson was at his provocative best at this year’s National Radio Conference, bringing social media down a couple of pegs and providing some words of wisdom on how the radio industry should prepare for the threat of digital media in 2017.
Ritson began his presentation by noting that “Twitter sucks” when brands use it to try and engage customers (B&T offered Twitter the right of reply to this comment but declined).
“It’s not as impressive as we’ve been led to believe in the media,” he said.
“I think social media is a social media. I think for me and you, it’s a tremendous medium, [but] I think when brands get involved it’s a very bad fit.
According to research commissioned by Ritson and conducted by the Online Research Unit, 64 per cent of Aussies don’t follow any brands on social media.
“Social media has been built up so big in Australia that we overstate it to some degree, but perception is reality when you’re dealing with advertising budgets and marketers,” he said.
In contrast, Ritson said radio has always been – and remains – a medium designed for brands.
“It’s DNA is interlinked with brands, with sponsorships, and with consumers to some degree welcoming brands into the radio medium,” he said.
“Radio is a vibrant and successful social medium, but it’s not being sold as well as it could be against what’s frankly this gigantic force of bullshit that represents digital.
“When the tsunami of digital bullshit which is digital video properly crashes into the shores of Australia, radio – like all the other non-digital mediums – will find itself in a tsunami of nonsense – a tsunami of numbers which will befuddle and entrance clients.”
Ritson urged the radio industry to get out of the silo of being seen as traditional and not digital, or risk being in the same amount of trouble as TV and newspapers.
“You know how this narrative plays out,” he said.
“The new age of digital marketing sets up a dynamic where digital is awesome – maximum people, immediate communication, versatile – and traditional media like radio is just shit, basically – limited audience, bad signalling, delayed communication. This is how clients are increasingly thinking out there – ‘we want digital, we don’t want traditional’.”
According to Ritson, there are four reasons why radio needs to kill the traditional versus digital mentality:
- Traditional is becoming digital.
- Digital is becoming traditional.
- It’s killing strategy (he believes the versus mentality is forcing marketers to look at the idea that it’s tactics over strategy)
- It’s about “and” and not “versus” (he believes that radio plays well with others, and recommends marketing it as the great multi-player).
Ritson then offered the radio industry the following points of advice for 2017:
- It’s going to get extraordinarily bumpy
“There’s no doubt about it [that] this will be the most volatile year of your careers, and the reason should be simple: when two relatively new players in Facebook and Google are about to take almost half of all advertising spend in Australia, and they didn’t exist 10 years ago, that volatility is unavoidable,” he said.
- Don’t let anyone put you in the traditional bucket
“It’s bad, lazy thinking,” Ritson said. “Traditional means nothing – push back against it if you can.”
- Emphasise the simplicity and independence of industry research group Gfk
“One of the things that’s going to happen next year is that Facebook and Google will be grading their own homework and clearly getting [it] wrong and not showing us the answers, [which] will become more and more a source of tension,” he said.
“The transparency and simplicity of radio metrics is should not be underestimated.”
- Challenge the numbers from your digital rivals
“Most of them are wobbly, [and] some of them aren’t even true,” Ritson said.
“Push – squeeze on those numbers, because some of them need to be pushed, and frankly no one’s pushing on them at the moment.”
- Play the ‘and‘ game rather than the ‘versus‘ game
“Radio wins when it works with rather than against, and that would suit I think the long-term potential of the medium,” he said.
- Don’t sell radio like it’s social media
“It’s too good for that,” Ritson said. “Radio’s strength is its unique differences from other media – play radio as a separate entity.”
- Remember how good for brands radio is
“Remember how it’s a much more natural fit for brands to work their magic with editorial, with reach, with interaction, with proximity to the place of purchase,” he said.
And Ritson’s final point for the radio industry… “remember that you’re definitely not f**ked”.
Please login with linkedin to comment
Advertising Standards Bureau law firm National Radio Conference 2016Latest News
Sydney Comedy Festival: Taking The City & Social Media By Storm
Sydney Comedy Festival 2024 is live and ready to rumble, showing the best of international and homegrown talent at a host of venues around town. As usual, it’s hot on the heels of its big sister, the giant that is the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, picking up some acts as they continue on their own […]
Global Marketers Descend For AANA’s RESET For Growth
The Australian Association of National Advertisers (AANA) has announced the final epic lineup of local and global marketing powerhouses for RESET for Growth 2024. Lead image: Josh Faulks, chief executive officer, AANA Back in 2000, a woman with no business experience opened her first juice bar in Adelaide. The idea was brilliantly simple: make healthy […]
Is Meta’s New AI Chatbot Too Left-Wing?
Meta's chatbot accused of being left-wing after being caught wearing a Che Guevara T-shirt & listening to Billy Bragg.
TV Ratings (23/04/2024): Why Did No One Tell Angela That Farmer Wants A Wife Is Set On A Farm?
As wonderful as this headline is, let's face it, we all know an 'Angela', don't we?
PubMatic Unveils New AI Partnership To Turn Social Posts Into Ads For Any Digital Channel
Here's some nifty tech for turning social posts into ads. Assuming said posts aren't one-star character assassinations.
Intuit Mailchimp Makes A Splash With Its First Australian Brand Campaign
Ever laugh along at a gag you didn't get so as not to appear dumb? Get ready for more feigning with this new work.
GumGum’s Rob Hall: Advertisers Can No Longer “Rely On Binary Descriptions” Of Consumers
If anyone's got their finger on adtech's pulse, it's Rob Hall. He also avoids using the good paper in the office printer
Mastercard Nabs Florencia Aimo From Marriott International
Marriott International's Florencia Aimo jumps from the hotel business to the exploitative credit card one.
Bastion Agency Appoints Cheuk Chiang As New ANZ CEO
Cheuk Chiang takes the reins over at Bastion Agency. But not the rains down in Africa.
Spotlight On Sponsors: Major Sponsorship Wins After A Disappointing Week In Sport
B&T continuing our deep dive into local sport sponsorships & that's despite not a single offer of a free ticket as yet.
Macca’s Marketing Director, Samantha McLeod On Big Mac Chant: “What Was Once Old Is Now Cool Again”
Macca's using the power of nostalgia in latest Big Mac campaign. Well, only for those who've ever eaten one sober.
World Premiere Of Midnight Oil: The Hardest Line To Open Sydney Film Festival 2024
Oil's biopic to open Sydney Film Festival. Here's hoping Molly Meldrum will take his pants down at the premiere.
Entries Are Now Open For The 2024 Brandies, IntelligenceBank’s Annual Brand Marketing Awards
The Brandies are, of course, a prestigious marketing gong and not the mystery tipple favoured by nannas everywhere.
The Fred Hollows Foundation Appoints Ardent For PR
Yes, we all like to have a joke at PR's expense. But sometimes it does important work, like this.
AI, eCommerce & Marketing Specialists Are In Increased Demand By Businesses, New Data From Fiverr Shows
Has your philosophy & anthropology degree left you with nothing but a huge HECS debt? Here's what you should've studied.
Perth’s First 3D Anamorphic Billboard Arrives Courtesy Of oOh!media
Do you love a buzzword? Now you can add anamorphic to the list as it relates to billboards, not a colleague's ears.
MasterChef Australia & Crown Resorts Launch Unique Dining Experience With ALUMNI
A pop-up restaurant staffed by MasterChef contestants! That's fine dining prices for first-year apprentice chef cuisine!
Amanda Laing Announces Resignation From Foxtel Group
Foxtel's chief commercial & content officer heads for the exits. Read nice things the bosses said about her right here.
The Lost Letters From Our Diggers: News Corp Unveils ANZAC Day Special
It's nice when brands respectfully acknowledge ANZAC Day.
Howatson+Company Acquires Akkomplice
Large indie acquires a slightly smaller indie. Much like a shark eating a tuna, just with less thrashing and blood.
Google Delays Third-Party Cookie Deprecation Again
In good news for the sale of picture library biscuit photos, Google continues to tease over the end of cookies.
Education A Low Priority For Aussies More Concerned With Cost Of Living Forethought Study Reveals
Study finds Aussies cutting back on education due to cost of living. Booze & Uber Eats sales remain largely unaffected.
“I’m Still The Same Person That I Was”: Rikki Stern Says “Fucc It” To Cancer Stereotypes
B&T always happy to promote the anti-cancer cause. Even brands that massively overdo it with the hot pink.
The Unapproved Climate Certification Allegedly Causing Mass Greenwashing
Are you left flummoxed in the canned tuna & free range eggs aisle? Just wait till this green certification gets up.
TV Ratings (22/04/2024): Fans Mock “Over The Top” Reaction To New MasterChef Judges
MasterChef returns for its 2024 season. B&T stands by putting peppercorns in Gravox & no one will be any the wiser.
Dentsu Restructure: Muddle, Harvey & Johnston Take Leadership Baton As Bass & Yurisich Exit
A large broom has swept through Dentsu's local ops this morning, taking with it some big names & the air con's cobwebs.
Industry Shares Trends Shaping The Industry This International Creators Day
B&T's asking adland creators to reveal their top trends. And it's not good news for your Jenny Kee cardigan collection.
Mable Extends HOYTS Sensory Screenings Partnership
Mable has extended its HOYTS sensory screening partnership. Vigorously defends its two-star Oppenheimer review.
Orphan Launches ‘They Need Our Help. We Need Yours’ For Children’s Cancer Institute
Anything to do with childhood cancers has B&T's 110% support. That said, we do ignore the red meat & alcohol warnings.
Smile Team Orthodontics & Keep Left Collaborate On Smile-Inducing Campaign
As parents would attest, given the cost of orthodontics you'd expect this campaign to be a lavish production indeed.
Opinion: How Video Calls Neglect Learning Diversity
Need an excuse to duck out of a video call this arvo? Show this to your boss.
DoubleVerify Achieves First-Of-Its-Kind Responsible AI Certification From TrustArc
DoubleVerify receives responsible AI certification. However, not its robotic vacuum that's been seen menacing the cat.
Smile For A Good Cause: The Social Media Campaign Giving Back To The Community
Are you known as the office Austin Powers? More for you teeth than shagability? Get snappy new fangs with this news.
Elon Musk Mocks Albo After ESafety Wins Court Injunction Against X
Albo's 2024 from hell continues - Rabbitohs in crisis, down in the polls and now feuding with world's richest man.
Real Estate Developer In Hot Water Over “Sexually Exploitative” OOH Campaign
Real estate agents again tops in the 'least trusted profession' polls, nudging used car salesmen & ad creatives.
Epsilon’s Shane Hanby: Post-Cookie Era Relies On “Teamwork” Between Brands, Marketers & Tech
This pro predicts more "teamwork" in a post-cookie era. Which spells bad news for the uncooperative or plain stubborn.