Direct Mail: On the Brink

Brian Halligan notes:

Direct mail, a form of outbound marketing, doesn't exactly have a great reputation these days. Consumers are continuing to ignore these interruptive communications, and much of the junk mail people receive ends up in their trash bins. The fact is, traditional marketing strategies that businesses have long adopted — including direct mail — are less effective now that the internet has changed the way people research and shop; it's the other marketing tactics that adapt to these changing buyer behaviors that are gaining traction among marketers.

Stop Selling Video As A TV Alternative

From Mark Trefgarne:

Consumers are spending time online, there's no arguing that. But they're still spending time on TV, and no advertiser is going to give up on a proven channel like TV if video presents itself as a lesser alternative. Its time to stop whining about missing brand dollars and start emphasizing what TV doesn't have. Online media sellers need to adopt audience targeting, creative optimization and metrics, and then sell these capabilities to brands. The only way brands will use video to supplement their other buys is if it helps them drive sales, so let's show them how it works.