‘Print Has a Pulse’: Buyers Taking a Second Look

by Steve Smith (Min Online)

While TV, Internet and (surprisingly) radio are top of mind among media buyers and planners coming in 2011, according to a new STRATA survey for the fourth quarter of 2010, print media is getting a nod. When asked which medium they are focusing most on in the coming months, 7% of buyers said print. “"Print has a pulse,” STRATA marketing chief J.D. Miller told Radio Sales Today. “It was almost nonexistent, now it has a pulse.”

Spot TV remains the most attractive venue for buyers (44%) in this survey, followed by Internet and Digital channels (21%) and spot radio (16%).

On the digital side there is surprisingly strong interest in display (80%), followed by social media (61%) and search (60%). For all of the hype around mobile, however, only 29% showed special interest. Within mobile the iPhone attracts the most interest (80%), and Blackberry (51%) is outpacing Android (45.8%). The iPad attracts interest from 31% of advertisers, up from 22% in the previous quarter. Overall, digital media actually suffered its first drop in enthusiasm. According to STRATA CEO/president John Shelton, “We see that the focus on digital has fallen off a bit. While still hot, it is used more in a solid media mix than more dollars heading its way.”

The “emerging platforms” are being met with some skepticism. STRATA found that 90% of its clients are showing no interest in the iPhone iAd, Google TV or Apple TV. Location-based advertising is not even in about 70% of plans for 2011, and most interest is going to Facebook Places, followed by Foursquare.

STRATA, a Comcast subsidiary, sells media planning and buying software.