How Long Can You Be Invisible?

As much as I like statistics, I was surprised to read the recent Kantar Media Intelligence Report published in December 2012 about US advertising expenditures:

“Total advertising expenditures in the third quarter of 2012 increased 7.1 percent from a year ago and finished the period at $34.5 billion, according to data released by Kantar Media, the leading provider of strategic advertising and marketing. information. Total spending for the first nine months of the year grew 3.8 percent to $101.3 billion.”

The biggest increases came in television media which grew 9.1% for the period January 2012 to September 2012. Cable TV expenditures were up 5% while network TV was up about 9% (even factoring out $1B in political/election advertising)

Radio advertising too, was also up about 2.4% and billboard advertising was up 4%  

On the other side of the coin, internet advertising was off 3.1% for the same period.

And here is another interesting fact, Apple, Microsoft, Verizon and Google (the kings of the internet) spent billions on TV advertising.  Do you find that strange?  The biggest names in digital media, software, hardware and services spend the majority of their ad bucks on TV!!!

Here’s what I find strange.  As an industry, bowling has stopped advertising; whether it is on TV, radio or even billboards. Every now and then I find a proprietor or two who has invested in “measured media”, specifically electronic media.  Rarely, if ever, do I find groups of proprietors pooling their money to invest in a media campaign.

The Cincinnati group may be an exception.  They run a have a ball program every year and have done so probably for the last ten or twelve years using radio and I think some local cable.  Their results have been consistently outstanding with many proprietors in the group reporting over 100 new bowlers annually as a direct result of this effort.

So how come other local groups haven’t done it? Is everybody so in love with the internet and email (which only 10% to 12% of YOUR customers open) and Facebook that we have completely forgotten about the one media that Americans spend more time with than any other? TELEVISION!  Is the “new media” alone improving your business?

Now I’m not down on internet marketing. Far, far from it.  I write blogs and emails and place face book posts for my clients every day and make sure that they are the very best they can be. So I am a believer! After-all  this is exactly what I am doing writing these words, but I also believe that TV is still a staple and bowling is still a visual experience, so why can’t local groups get together and put on a media campaign?

Is it because they can’t get consensus on what to do?  Is it because they are concerned that the center who doesn't advertise will also benefit? Or is it the fact that they "have done it, been there and not sure” if it worked.  So why bother again, Right?

Probably all valid reasons. 

But not good enough reasons for your center to remain invisible to the THREE OUT OF FOUR AMERICANS WHO DON’T BOWL.  You’re missing 75% of the people out there who haven’t been in your center in at least a year (probably more) and while it is always more efficient to get your existing customers back, you just can’t abandon the “new customer pipeline”.  Certainly, you will agree, that some investment in that distribution channel has to be funded.

Are there any takers out there who want to tap my 30 years of marketing and media experience to help put together a local proprietor group marketing effort?  

Or do you want to stay invisible?