Interactive Advertsing Thanks to Social Media

Technology has become a very common topic within modern day mainly because it has changed the way we do things. Technology has affected the way we communicate with one another and the way we view the world as a whole. For example, Journalists have had to adapt to growing technology by relying more on social media than print and paper. Classrooms no longer consist of just a chalkboard; instead they have interactive smart boards and virtual online classrooms. The most obvious examples are the various cellular devices which now come equipped with cameras, video devices and applications to watch TV, movies, and listen to music. It is safe to say that at almost every point in the day we are somehow exposed to technology.

Naturally, technology has made its way into career fields and advertising is no exception. Technology and visual media are extremely important when it comes to advertising because graphic design is used to appeal to the senses of the audience. Businesses have not only used graphic design to create their advertisements, but they have begun to utilize the technology to expose their ads as well. Company websites often take priority over the quantity of print ads in magazines and newspapers and it seems companies are fighting to put their visually appealing ads on homepages rather than billboards. In addition to visual media and graphic design, companies have begun to use social media to brand their product and/or services as well as themselves as a whole. To gain more insight on this topic I interviewed Tierney Callahan who is the media coordinator for GiGi Marketing  http://www.gigimarketing.com/. Which is  a marketing/advertising company based in Annapolis, Maryland.

Tierney explained that the technological advancements that the public has been exposed to have led to a different mindset when it comes to finding out information. She explained that the phonebook is a great example because looking back to a few years ago; the phonebook was much thicker than it is in present day because now we can find all of that information online. Businesses often market themselves saying “follow us on twitter” or “like us on facebook”. Some companies even offer free goods for liking their facebook page or following them. Advertising has become interactive through social media allowing continuous updates between producer and consumer. Small businesses are able to connect with their audience in a very personal way without spending a lot of money, which is why print is starting to suffer as social media sky rockets. The following article seconds this opinion explaining that 83 percent of those surveyed said they use social media because it is “low cost”. http://www.eweek.com/c/a/Midmarket/Social-Media-Marketing-Grows-Among-Small-Businesses-498539/.

 

People are able to obtain an infinite amount of information through the world wide web and businesses have utilized these platforms because that is simply “where the consumers are these days” as Tierney put it. Businesses are relying on social media because the world as a whole is relying on those outlets, it provides a more personal approach to advertising and I think that this sentiment will only continue as technology continues to grow. The following clip is an excerpt from my interview with Tierney where she covers a lot of the information I have shared in this post and gives examples of how technology has affected the world of advertising.