Internet Marketing is a Media Darling, But Television is an Effective Beast

At times, the wildly popular attention to Internet marketing (according to, well…the Internet) seems to ignore “traditional” media. It’s as if television advertising is a laughable relic that only your grandparents recall. What’s more, there’s no place for TV in a healthcare marketing plan. Opps...wrong!

Log off the "digital darling" fixation for the next two minutes ‘cause it’s way off base. In fact, your medical marketing plan might be missing a big opportunity by ignoring television advertising.

Although we do love the effectiveness of Internet marketing, TV is an affordable option that works quite well (Thank You) for hospitals and practices. As a branding tool, television advertising communicates market and industry leadership, and it has an emotional component that is nearly unmatched.

In spite of all the Internet buzz, television is as big and strong as ever. Here are just some of the reasons:

• Television advertising is the most pervasive media in America
• 99 percent (statistically, all) American households have at least one TV set
• Americans, on average, spend more than four and a half hours a day watching television
• Daily viewing has been over four hours for years; about 90 percent it is real-time
• Global ad spending for TV grew last year; print, radio and outdoor declined [ZenithOptimedia]
• TV advertising reaches a nearly universal audience, but can be targeted by demographics, time period or program, or geographic area
•  Audio and video provide “sensory appeal” for products and services
• TV can inform, educate and/or communicate emotions with impact and believability

More than one study of television’s advertising effectiveness suggest that viewers are relaxed and open to new, interesting, valuable (and persuasive) ideas.

The Smart TV and Connected Future…

Both the Internet and television advertising are viable options for most healthcare advertisers. In fact, some of the characteristics of TV (above) are shared, at least in part, by online and digital options. Which makes for an interesting future that is now arriving in your living room.

Increasingly, television and the Internet are growing together. Newer TV sets are Wi-Fi enabled, creating a “smart TV” or “connected-TV.” When it’s not built in, there are add-on devices, such as Roku, AppleTV, Blu-ray players and others, facilitate the crossover marriage.

Frankly, we like Internet marketing. But our bottom line here is that affordable, creative television ads deliver impact and results. TV can drive lots of new patients in the door quickly and cost-effectively.

For related reading, see: De-mystifying television advertising: it may be within your reach after all. Plus, we’ve posted some recent television commercials on the Healthcare Success YouTube Channel.

Stewart Gandolf, MBA