When we think of advertising, many of us immediately revert to cheesy TV commercials or that annoying jingle you hear on the radio every morning. However, media is ever-changing, and traditional broadcast channels provide us with only a fraction of the messages we face every day. Advertisers use several types of media to grab our attention, some of which we don’t consciously notice. Paid media, like that TV commercial I mentioned, or that ad for an awesome pair of JustFab boots that pops up next to your Facebook news feed- it’s all paid for by the company it’s representing. Pretty cut-and-dry, right?
Owned media is another way to reach audiences, but through channels that aren’t paid for. In this age, most companies, big and small, have a Facebook page and Twitter and Instagram accounts. They own this stuff, and they create their own content to engage with you and me and other consumers all over the world.
The third, and probably least recognized type of media is called earned media. Think about all the things you share on Facebook or retweet on Twitter to show your friends and family. Whether it’s a Most Interesting Man in the World meme or a hilarious new commercial for your favorite soda, whoever produced it is earning your attention. Earned media is the buzz that content creates and the conversations we have with one another about it. Advertisers mix paid and owned media into a bowl, and what comes out of the oven is a rich, chocolate cake of earned media.
Now, we all enjoy a hearty slice of chocolate cake, but the cake wouldn’t be what it is without the flour, eggs, sugar, etc. The best way to market a brand is not by using exclusively one category of media, but a combination of all three, depending on its needs. Some desserts require more sugar, while others call for a longer baking time. At Transformation, we don’t mind getting our aprons dirty to figure out what the best media recipe entails for our clients. We offer services that are categorized into both paid and owned media which will get your audience talking about and paying attention to your brand. We’re experts in hand-crafting content for our clients in order to maximize exposure and ultimately bake the most delicious and decadent of all cakes. Enjoy!
