Online vs. Traditional: Call for Convergence

The disconnect between traditional and new media was hammered home at last month's TV upfronts, which are network showcases of upcoming fall lineups and meetings between the press, network executives and advertisers.

The language barriers surround measurement, with "team traditional" speaking to GRPs and "team online" discussing pageviews, according to Mediaweek. These disparate metrics are compounded by the newness of digital media and associated questions around its valuation.

Like Tracey Scheppach, vice president and video innovation director of Starcom USA, says in the article, “Are all views created equal?”

As discussed in last week's column, while the marketers and media buyers debate these issues, consumers ... well ... consume. And they don't care if their patronage equals a rating point or a Web site traffic tick.

And what does it all mean for your brand? Not necessarily that much. Consumers will watch, click, download, rewind and play to their hearts content while the marketers race to find a measurement standard that works for everyone. In the increasingly fragmented world of marketing, it is no surprise that we're not there yet.

Integration doesn't come easy, and maybe it's not as big a deal to brand managers as what the reporters are making it seem. After all, says Ed Erhardt, president of ESPN/ABC Sports customer sales and marketing, "If you have a good idea, the conversations over CPMs, ratings and who does what are less of an issue."