Where Have All the People Gone?

Nielson Media Research released their latest study indicating that for the first time the average American household has more television sets than it does people. On average, the American Household consists of 2.55 people compared with 2.73 TV sets. According to an article that appeared in Adweek it is not just the number of sets that has increased, but the amount of viewing time has also increased. So what implications does this have on the field of communications?

For communicators, particularly those in the advertising industry, this study reaffirms that TV is a medium that is not going to lose its influence anytime soon. This is not to suggest that communication professionals should back away from going digital as the study notes a continuing increase in the use of digital media, particularly among younger demographics. Instead, communication professionals should take a holistic approach when planning a campaign and utilize a mix of digital and traditional media.

Integrated marketing communications can achieve higher levels of product and message awareness because the message is communicated across several different touch points. It is an effective strategy in segmenting the market and it also provides communicators with a manageable way to distribute their dollars across mediums. The industry has been slow to embrace IMC and with Nielsen’s latest study it may further slow down this transition. For now we will have to stay tuned to see what happens in the continuing saga of IMC.

--Greg