So much like my fellow Parisians, I escaped from the metropolitan to a snow-covered village, in the hopes of skiing my week away. A few moments after my check-in at the resort, I found myself asking the staff for the Wi-Fi password. I was beyond delighted when they informed me that the connection was also accessible at the terrace. Hallelujah!
This meant that I could get to post live updates on Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, Facebook and even on Periscope… Why not?
Yet several minutes after I was switching back and forth through all these applications, I suddenly felt exhausted and simply worn out. So I resorted to the book beside me to turn off all that online noise and enjoy a peaceful read. And it got me to thinking: Is offline hot again? This was definitely not the first time I grabbed onto something physical as a means of unwinding.
I remember back in 2006, at the time when Facebook became popular, I would connect to my computer, and go through my friends’ walls and photos as a way of separating myself from my “offline” life. It was a fun and novel experience. And since then, everything digital is replacing traditional tools and actions. But as one becomes mainstream, the latter is regaining its exclusivity.
Advertisers worldwide are still unsure about how to fully control their client’s online identity. They do know that a brand’s online presence is crucial, but are facing the difficulty of forecasting the success and reach of an integrated marketing communication strategy. Moreover, many experts have taken back their belief that online media will completely replace offline media, which was the headline at the turn of the century.
Speaking of advertising, I have started to sense that a billboard is becoming more and more attractive and eye-catching, specifically in a world where promotions seem to follow you through email, webpages and sponsored posts everywhere. In my opinion, if a billboard is aesthetically beautiful and well placed, its image might resonate longer in your mind than if the same photograph was diffused online.
In conclusion, we could never deny all the advantages of the online revolution. And having a strong online presence will always remain indispensable for business and personal matters. However, I truly believe that, metaphorically speaking, offline has become the new online. And the challenge of the marketer of today is to find the right balance.
Article by Victor