SCALE16 conference: Is traditional media making a comeback?
It’s a common belief that most things in this world are going digital – and the media and marketing industries are no exception. We’re repeatedly told that online ad spend will eventually surpass investment in traditional media, that print publications are becoming obsolete, that everything is going the mobile way.
SCALE16
And yet offline channels have enduring pull power in the marketing world, surprisingly for fast-growing digital brands in particular.
Later this week, the SCALE16 conference will challenge the belief that traditional media is a thing of the past. Now in its second year, the conference explores how digital companies are using offline channels like TV, radio and outdoor advertising to grow both their businesses and their brands.
DCMN launched SCALE16 last year to explore the role of traditional media in the digital age. In our experience as a growth marketing company working only with digital clients, many brands tell us that they often hit a wall with their online marketing. After a certain point, the more they invest in online channels, the less they get in return.
Many fast-growing digital brands are now turning to offline marketing, using mass media like TV, radio and print to increase their reach and brand recognition a lot faster than with online media only. Digital brands use offline channels to talk to a much wider audience, but they do so in a measurable, performance-driven way – just as they do with their online channels. This represents a new approach in how brands use this kind of media.
International speakers from Berlin-bred language learning platform Babbel, the UK’s designer furniture retailer Made.com, US-based online genealogy platform Ancestry and the Indian branch of global classifieds website OLX are just some of the digital brands who have taken this approach. They are all locked in to speak at the conference in Berlin, Germany this Thursday, where they will share their expert insights and case studies for traditional media campaigns.
One digital company that stands out for its use of traditional media in brand building is Babbel. Their Head of Brand, Sylvain Lierre, will be at SCALE16 to offer a behind-the-scenes look at how the company is building up its brand to become the global leader in online language learning. Mr Lierre will look at how brand became a priority for the company, and explain why he sees brand and performance as inseparable.
Another Berlin startup success story, the photography platform EyeEm, will send their Creative Director, Paul Aguirre-Livingston, to highlight how the company has used tangible experiences such as its print magazine and events to grow the business.
Two startup panels – one featuring lifestyle brands Made.com and Glossybox, and another focusing on disruptors such as online removalist Movinga and UK-based fintech startup TransferGo – will explore how these companies are investing in offline media.
In a third panel, speakers from Bauer Media Group, Publieurope Mediaset Group and IP Network will discuss how media houses are adapting to meet the needs of digital brands in a cross-media world.
SCALE16 brings together digital brands to share their experiences with traditional media. It shows the enduring power of marketing that’s tangible and reaches customers at just the right moment.
Perhaps more importantly, it shows how these fast-growing, young brands are redefining the way offline media is used. They want to measure exactly how their investments contribute to short- and long-term business growth. These brands will be the key players taking traditional media into the digital age.
For tickets and full program details, visit www.scale16.co
November 3, Berlin, Germany
Matthias Riedl, Co-Founder and Chief Growth Officer, DCMN
Tel: +49 30 9919 164 30
Email: hello@scale16.co
Web address: www.scale16.co
Twitter: @SCALE_16