Missing the right balance between online and offline advertising

Research by Kantar suggests that social media platforms and online video will consolidate their dominant role in advertising in 2020. However, the research also highlights that a large portion of marketers (46%) in the study do not have the right balance and synergies between digital and offline media, while 76% struggle with cross-channel management.

Spendings in digital ads will see a significant rise in 2020, as marketers are looking for ways to optimise their media mix. Of all marketers included in the study, 84% plans to increase their investment in online video advertising over the next 12 months. 70% plans to increase spend on social media networks and 63% plan to increase spend on podcasts. Contrary, the investments in print media are expected to decrease by 70% of marketers while 66% is planning to reduce their investment in newspaper advertisement.

The yearly published Kantar study 'Getting Media Right' examines the current state of marketing and concludes that, despite the projected growth in online advertising, digital measurement remains a challenge for marketers. Especially understanding cross-channel performance is a big issue for many marketers and advertisers. It leaves them in the dark about the performance of their brand across channels.

Research findings

Some of the most interesting findings from the study highlight that 25% of advertisers failed to integrate their marketing organisations. 27% of advertisers do not have integrated strategies across media and non-media activities. Programmatic targeting is used by four in five marketers and is expected to grow to 90% in 2020. Though, about one in three advertisers lack the confidence that they are successfully targeting the right audiences. Almost 50% of the included agencies in the study have not yet started working on a cookieless world. It is one of the major concerns on how it will affect the industry. Only two-thirds of the respondents agree that custom content is an imperative. More insights on how this can be tailored are needed for many, though, to improve message receptivity.