A Q&A with Brett Parker, Stone Ward’s Managing Partner, Northwest Arkansas
When it comes to traditional media, misconceptions abound—especially in a digital-first era. Yet, top-performing brands like McDonald’s and Coca-Cola continue to allocate significant resources to traditional channels. Why? Because traditional media remains indispensable for building mass awareness, trust, and long-term brand equity.
During a recent AdAge panel, Brett discussed the challenges of full-funnel media execution, emphasizing how traditional media provides the broad reach and credibility that digital alone can’t always deliver. Building on that conversation, this Q&A-style blog unpacks the role of traditional media in today’s marketing landscape and explores why it’s still a critical component of any smart media mix.
Is traditional media old news?
Absolutely not. One of the biggest myths about traditional media is that it’s obsolete. In reality, traditional media is evolving and remains a cornerstone for building mass awareness at scale.
As Millie Ward, founder of Stone Ward, wisely says, “Your market share can’t be greater than your market awareness.” That’s where traditional channels come in—they build visibility, helping brands either make their debut or stay top-of-mind in a crowded marketplace.
While digital offers hyper-segmentation and precision, it usually narrows a brand’s audience. Traditional media, on the other hand, casts a wide net, ensuring reach across broad, diverse demographics. As formats like streaming and hybrid models gain traction, traditional media adapts while maintaining its unique ability to cut through the digital noise.
Why do some brands exclude traditional media from their plans?
Perceptions about traditional media being slow, outdated, or expensive have led some to leave it off their media plans entirely. But this overlooks its strengths—especially its ability to build trust and awareness at scale.
Digital strategies often chase “shiny objects” like Gen Alpha, but they risk ignoring today’s top spenders. For example, Gen X leads annual spending at $83,357, compared to Millennials ($69,061) and Boomers ($62,203). Neglecting these high-value groups for hyper-targeted digital tactics can limit a brand’s growth potential.
Traditional media’s broad reach fills the gaps left by fragmented digital campaigns. It’s not a question of if traditional media belongs in the mix; rather, it’s about how it can be strategically paired with digital media to drive both reach and relevance.
What’s the strategic advantage of including traditional media in a 2025 media mix?
Traditional media is key to boosting incremental, unique reach. For example, adding traditional media to a campaign targeting Adults 18-54 can increase unique reach by up to 20%. This is because not everyone is consistently active on digital platforms.
Traditional channels also amplify earned media efforts. For instance, a compelling TV spot or print ad can generate organic buzz, extending a campaign’s reach far beyond the initial investment.
What types of brands benefit most from traditional media?
Any brand seeking mass awareness can benefit from traditional media. For instance, quick-service restaurants (QSRs) rely on TV and radio to reach broad, diverse audiences. Healthcare, retail, and automotive brands also capitalize on traditional media to build trust and awareness at scale.
For emerging brands, traditional media can serve as a launchpad. Many direct-to-consumer (DTC) brands use short bursts of traditional advertising to establish awareness quickly before pivoting to digital for sustained engagement. It’s a powerful combination—traditional builds the foundation, and digital sharpens the focus.
How do traditional and digital media work together?
Think of them as the perfect partnership. Traditional media delivers broad, unduplicated reach, building trust and awareness. Digital takes over from there, using precision targeting to drive immediate action.
For example, a consumer might discover a new brand from a TV commercial. That initial impression is then reinforced by a digital ad that leads them to a purchase or sign-up. Together, these channels create a seamless customer journey—broad reach sets the stage, and digital precision delivers the message at the right time.
How is traditional media adapting to the AI era?
AI is revolutionizing how traditional media is bought and optimized, making it more efficient and data-driven. Programmatic buying now extends to traditional TV, outdoor, and radio, enabling precise targeting within these trusted channels.
However, traditional media’s true value lies in its human connection, something AI can’t replicate. While AI enhances how we plan and measure traditional campaigns, it doesn’t replace its fundamental role in building trust and mass awareness.
What’s the risk of prioritizing short-term metrics over a full-funnel strategy?
The biggest risk is irrelevance. Over-focusing on short-term wins, like low-funnel digital campaigns, sacrifices long-term brand equity. Without a foundation of trust and awareness—often built by traditional media—brands risk being overlooked in an increasingly competitive market.
Balancing immediate ROI with long-term growth is essential. Metrics like conversions and CPMs should be paired with measures of brand sentiment and recall to demonstrate how upper-funnel efforts feed into sustained success.
What’s one surprising trend about traditional media CMOs should know?
Younger audiences like Gen Z are unexpectedly rediscovering traditional media. This generation values tangible, analog experiences, from vinyl records to print magazines, as an escape from digital overload. Live events like sports and awards shows also remain hugely popular with younger viewers, offering specific opportunities for brands to connect with this demographic.
The Takeaway
Traditional media isn’t a relic of the past—it’s an evolving, indispensable part of the media mix. Whether you’re building brand equity, driving awareness, or amplifying digital efforts, traditional channels deliver the trust and scale needed for sustained growth. Smart marketers know it’s not about choosing between traditional and digital but leveraging the strengths of both to create impactful, full-funnel strategies.
Rethinking your media buy?
As managing partner in Northwest Arkansas, Brett leads Stone Ward’s media team with a bold approach, redefining advertising strategies and delivering standout results for some of today’s most prominent brands.
