Google recently extended its efforts from online advertising and analytics into print, radio, TV and campaign management. Several other advertising blogs have deemed this the end of traditional media as we know it and the certain death of traditional agencies.
As a firm that spends tens of thousands of dollars annually to stay up to date on the latest trends, research, statistics, ratings and media software, we were excited at the opportunity to test it out!
After many hours playing with the various applications, putting together million dollar monthly campaigns (which was ridiculously enjoyable) only to cancel them on the payment page, we were left sad and unsatisfied.
It was an application that promised so much but fell very short in actual delivery.
Google does online very very well. Putting together an online plan for search or contextual advertising is streamlined, simple and easy to launch a basic SEM campaign. However, Radio and TV require industry knowledge, ratings, station trends and a large amount of data that media buyers dissect and match to their target audience, which Google fails to deliver.
Additionally, the three new mediums for Google (radio, TV and print) require great creative; whereas online search ads are text based and limited to a mere 70 words.
The biggest failures of the Google Media Package include (but are not limited to):
•Lack of Research -> radio and TV sold based on impressions; ignores station ratings, cost per point, gross rating points, time spent listening and a plethora of other fantastic
•Limited Availability -> only a portion of stations and publications are available; hard to strategically place media if you only have the bare minimum of options
•Bidding -> Bidding for placement online is bueno, bidding for radio play is no bueno. No guarantee that spots will run, no way to know if all of your budget went to one station in one daypart (definitely it’s worst daypart). While it’s great you had 200 spots run, if they were ALL on an AM station from 10p-3a, did you really meet your campaign goals?
•No relationship -> Radio, TV and print reps are great at providing bonus spots, providing cross promotions or helping with your placement because they know the buyer and there is a solid relationship with them.
What did they do right?
•Integrated analytics
•Vanity URLs and phone numbers
