09 July 2009

Harminder Kaur, chief strategy officer, Ignitee Digital Solutions Pvt Ltd in an exclusive interview with Aruna Rathod.

Is digital advertising restricted to the classes?

The digital medium is no longer for the elite or for the metros only.

The latest statistics on internet usage show a widespread usage reflected in the lower SECs as well as tier II and tier III cities. Yes, it does not have the widespread reach that a medium like television would provide for the masses. One can effectively use the medium for targeting the first movers among the masses.

According to Juxt 360 degrees Market Research Online:

• 18 per cent of the digital users are in rural areas
• The SEC split for the internet users is as follows :
• SEC A-24 per cent, SEC B-27 per cent, SEC C-19 per cent, SEC D-10 per cent, SEC E-7 per cent
• The geographic distribution for internet users is as follows Metros - 30 per cent, Urban uptowns - 6 per cent, Emerging towns - 13 per cent, Others -32 per  cent
• The distribution by city class by population size is as follows - Upto 1L - 21 per cent, 1-5 L -12 per cent, 5-10 L -36 per cent, Above 10 L -31 per cent 

Why do clients want to measure the response of internet ads, while the response from other media is not demanded?
The fact that one can measure anything and everything on the internet medium and that it is the most accountable medium is a trump card with the digital industry that has been overly misused.

What makes internet interesting as a 'communication' medium is not just the fact that it can be measured, but something much more intrinsic - that it allows for a two-way communication with the audience.

No other medium lets you do that. Now, with the growing interest and usage of social media, brands can even listen to the views of their target audience to gain insights that no amount of research would have got them.