In my previous post defending digital advertising, I debunked Bob Hoffman’s assertion that digital marketers who champion things like participation and engagement have hijacked the industry, pointing out that TV-promoted awareness of Consumer Packaged Goods isn’t the only thing out there.
Bob didn’t take too kindly to this critique. His response to my post demonstrates the classic ad guy who doesn’t get it symptoms.
He followed up his post with another to poll his readers about their thoughts, so I left a comment about my disagreement, including a link to my post.
My comment was removed, and Bob calls me a spammer in his angry response post. He avoids linking to my post or addressing any of my complaints, instead reiterating the “facts” and being, dare I say, a little bit mean-spirited.
I enjoy being referred to as that “digital genius in New York,” though. Can we get that to stick? And did I just get Tea Partied?
Since I’ve left comments agreeing with his previous articles in the past, I suppose he just doesn’t appreciate dissenting views. He hasn’t responded to me via Twitter either, so I think a dialogue is out of the question.
All of this, of course, is just hand waving and obfuscation, because The Ad Contrarian doesn’t have much to say about anybody who isn’t selling detergent with a jingle.
The point of my post – a point the old regime of TV advertising executives finds threatening – is that comparing TV ads with the web is silly. TV advertising is an interruption of something better a consumer was doing (at best) and just background noise (at worst).
On the other hand, digital advertising is about reaching a consumer on his own terms, giving him “the sell” when he asks for it. In some cases, it even makes sense to encourage participation and engagement (two things my angry friend doesn’t get, based on his response.)
Applying Bob’s ideas to the web is trying to fit a square peg into a round hole. As furiously as Bob tries, I just don’t see it fitting.
TV has its place, and TV advertising should be championed by smart advertisers who understand: what works on TV doesn’t necessarily work on the web.
Championing TV by decrying the low click-through rates of banner ads is missing the point entirely. Anyway, like I said in my response, 100% of people don’t click on TV ads.