Twiststl

…maybe that’s a bit of an overstatement, but it’s certainly becoming the online marketing tool of choice and overtaking its analog counterpart direct mail. According to a study released from Borrel Associates, annual spending on printed direct mail will decline from $49.7 billion in 2008 to $29.8 billion by the end of 2013, forcing companies that rely on direct mail campaigns to reevaluate their strategies. As virtually every other kind of traditional media is replaced by a digital counterpart, it’s no surprise that e-mail marketing is where the market seems to be moving.

A while back we posted some of our thoughts on the Tiger Woods scandal and the ineptitude with which he handled the situation. Fast forward three months and it seems like his handlers have finally come up with a plan to rebuild Tiger’s tarnished image. His first intentional foray into the public eye following the media circus surrounding his infidelities and his stint in rehab will be broadcast live tomorrow on Ustream.TV.

In today’s market, it’s imperative for businesses to go above and beyond any of their past efforts to market themselves and gain attention. Many of my recent blog posts have focused on some of the ways that public figures and companies are doing this, and it’s clear that a theme is emerging: the necessity of keeping up with the rapid changes in marketing and advertising. However, making effective use of social media and networking websites, having a well-organized and informative website of their own and creating a captivating advertising campaign don’t necessarily equal success. All of those things are useless if they aren’t taking the steps necessary to ensure that the public is noticing all of their efforts.

It’s no secret that the advertising industry has taken a big hit in the past few years. With the myriad of media vehicles through which advertising can be delivered, the market has become diluted, making ad placement a huge challenge. The constant stream of advertising has created consumers adept at ignoring it and increasingly eager to avoid it altogether. So what does it take to capture consumers’ attention? Campaigns that are humorous, evoke an emotional response, include exciting special effects or breathtaking visuals are those that are garnering attention.