Are you a tradigitalist?

In this increasingly digital world, the skills that traditional communications professionals bring to the table are often taken for granted and/or cast aside. This is a huge mistake for companies to make as there seems to be a growing shortage of people who can think about marketing communications strategy and get it done.  Digital workers often jump to the tactics instead of considering the full scope of how consumers live their lives (it's not all online). Traditional marketers often, certainly not always, see the broader landscape of the full marketing communications spectrum.

Enter the reign of the tradigitalist. This person could have arrived at this title in a couple of ways. Let's look at these:

1. The digital native with a passion for marketing. This person is a digital native, gets what is happening, understands the power of social media and emerging technology, yet places value on the total communications spectrum. Traditional PR, TV, print, radio, outdoor, WOM, etc. can all play into the mix to reach the potential customer in the most effective way. They understand that a pure-play digital approach is *very* rarely the best way to go. I find myself in this category.
2. The digital immigrant who sees the potential. This person comes from a traditional marketing communications, PR or advertising background, but sees that digital is the way of the future. They also know the power of traditional marketing and use their depth and breadth of marketing strategy knowhow to shape campaigns using the best options.

One of the things that working in a company with such a strong traditional communications practice has shown me is the value of people who bring traditional marketing knowledge to the table and how excited they can be about the digital future. I personally make sure to keep up on what is happening across all forms of marketing communications for just this reason and I am leaning on these people to broaden my marketing acumen on the traditional side. I am returning the favor on the digital side.

Are you a tradigitalist? Do you know one? Shouldn't we all be tradigitalists?

Comments

[Toad]

This is my favorite Matt Dickman catchphrase of all time and I have already co-opted it on my blog and my CV.

What's more, it's a wise path you've chosen: too often I find myself dealing with two warring camps who have more in common with each other than they realize, but who insist the other has no idea what they are talking about.

[Matt Dickman]

TT -- I love it! Your description of the two warring parties is dead on. Both have much in common and could both benefit from a little cross-training.

[bg]

I’ve also run into a fair share of digital creatives who could care less about offline, nor who do anything to educate themselves about it. To them, traditional will be dead in five years anyway so why bother. Just sayin.

[Steve Woodruff]

I guess we all better be tradigitalists - or we'll be extinctalists!

[Matt Dickman]

bg -- I think that's a pretty short-sighted view on their part. Digital will continue to grow, but traditional things are not going away.

The real fear they should have is becoming traditional digital marketers (there are many out there now cranking out mediocre web sites) while others pass them by.

Steve -- I like that line!

[Mario Vellandi]

As I was reading, I was thinking along the lines of how your new colleagues and profession have changed or impacted your perspective. It must be invigorating!

[Nader Ali-Hassan]

As a someone who is a traditionalist (I moved from the tradtional public relations space into the digital world), I'm quickly realizing the benefitis of having an understanding of both practices. To be honest, these two skill should be taught to everyone entering the communications profession. Understanding the full scope of the work, and not just the tactics is an important step. Digital practioners who only think of their tactic, and don't incorporate the traditional strategy miss the mark.

[Mark]

Amen to that, Matt.

Although tradigitalists have been around for 10 years, but we have been rather lonely.

I remember just prior to the dot bomb being continually told by bright eyed innocents how the old rules no longer applied.

I replied "This smells like 1987 [the last stock market crash.]

"No, no it's different this time," they cried.

Well, they all lost their shirts and my clients made money.

Also, I recently wrote a post on my own blog about how offline marketing is one of the most effective ways of driving online traffic.

See http://www.breakthroughecommerce.com/library/online-marketing/to-market-online-you-must-market-offline/

The other point is it cuts both ways. A huge majority of offline sales are made by customers who have fully researched the product online first.

So you're exactly right, marketers need to understand the full scope of the marketing environment.

[Toad]

@Mark: I call that sort of short-sightedness "Clicking Through The Internet" - the idea that if you put something up online people will find it as they "click through the internet" the same way they click through their cable TV lineup.

[Jason Sack]

I have found the problem lies in the fact that traditional marketing is having trouble stepping out of the traditional approach to brand interactions. In other words, the platform is fundamentally different - it's not just a new channel through which to push messages. It is an open system and can only succeed if it is utilized organically. Human needs are consistent throughout the evolution of media, but a brand message will never address human needs. A product or service will. In that way, interactive is much more akin to industrial design and shouldn't be compared to traditional marketing - digital at it's best isn't marketing, it is itself an extension of a service addressing those human needs.