As a person who naturally questions everything, I have never quite understood why we have become so accustomed to departmentalising our different specialities through the use of a "line." What is this line we speak of? Where does it come from? Is it relevant in this day and age?
On a quest to disrupt the status quo, I asked numerous people in the industry what the true definition of these terms were and its reference to our industry. Apart from being able to provide examples of what falls under each category, it appeared that people are generally oblivious to what constitutes this "line" and yet, these terms continue to be widely used and are therefore reflected in our structures, offerings and specialities.
According to The Advertising Club, this line is used to represent the degree to which a specific platform can reach consumers (in numbers). The platforms that have the capability of reaching mass audiences are referred to as ABOVE the line (TV/ Radio/ Print/ OOH), the more niche, and targeted platforms are referred to as BELOW the line (Activations/ Digital). Needless to say, with media having revolutionised so drastically over the years, the reach capability of different media platforms has completely shifted. SA currently boasts 14 million active internet users giving digital the ability to reach 38% of the SA population (Source: Effective Measure 2014).
Essentially, digital can now potentially reach people on a mass level and can therefore no longer be classified as BTL. Subsequently, the explosion of niche TV channels on Pay TV bouquets has allowed us to reach specific target audiences through a mass media platform, creating a more targeted reach. The same applies across print and radio with the explosion of area specific or niche titles or stations. We are now furnished with the opportunity to specifically only reach the residents of Sandton, Petrol Heads or Edcon shoppers. The way in which conventional media platforms have become so fragmented has made it hard to reach people on a mass level. This completely disproves the notion of ATL and BTL. Times have changed and this "line" has fast become completely redundant.
If we dig a little bit deeper, the term "line" means that something is straight, definite, separated and categorised in a "rigid way"- which explains the resultant division in our structures as agencies. In this day and age, we still have a "digital person" and an "ATL Strategist" in a team.
Essentially, most agencies have not embraced the integration challenge. Specialists are still a very necessary part of the way we operate for depth of knowledge however it is very necessary for us to increase our breath by becoming 'cross-platform' strategists and planners.
Despite the different specialities in our industry, we all have one directive to tailor make products that meet a consumer need and communicate it using the right messaging and media - with the consumer at the heart. It should be everyone's directive and mandate to always keep up to date with the consumer i.e. adapt ourselves according to consumer behaviour. Gone are the days when consumers had a linear media journey.
The rise of technology and increased access to it has led to the convergence of media consumption which has brought the point of engagement and of purchase much closer. The consumer's media behaviours have intertwined, essentially blurring the lines between this ATL, TTL and BTL that we speak of. Contrary to that, we still see this division within our structures as agencies, media owners, and marketers. Should the way our consumers have transformed not be reflected in the nature of our offerings that emanate from our structures? Why are we still talking about the line? If our mandate as marketers is to create campaigns with the consumer at the core, is it then not contradictory that we still continue to define ourselves as separate entities divided by this "line."
Essentially there is no line, only a blurring of consumer journeys. The line is a redundant phenomenon that should no longer be used to categorise any media platform nor anyone's role and more importantly, it should no longer be reflected in our structures. In turn, it is imperative for all of us to embrace the integration challenge by up-skilling ourselves and shift to being 'hybrid' strategists and planners. It is critical for us to always be cognisant of the fact that the consumer should always be at the heart of everything that we do, which calls us to constantly adapt ourselves accordingly. If marketers do not do this nor acknowledge that the line does not exist, then they will be fast hanging onto a very thin line for their own and their client's future business growth.
