From the beginning, advertisers have always said ‘I know fifty percent of my advertising works. The problem is, ‘I don’t know which fifty percent’. In the current wired world, the consumer is being tracked like never before. From personal likes and dislikes to reading habits to political leanings; all is out there in the open.

The information however, is not always organized. But with some lateral thinking and knowledge of buying trends as a whole, it can be revealed.

Traditional advertising has always thought in terms of 30 sec commercials and sq. cm of print ads for every marketing problem – be it brand building, promotions or corporate advertising.

These parameters are changing. And changing fast.

Comparison shopping doesn’t mean looking through endless window displays. Airline tickets are not bought thru travel agents. Jobs don’t mean recruitment pages of the leading newspaper. And property buying is just a few clicks away.

We believe that advertising is getting polarized. Not the way it is commonly understood - ‘Above the Line and Below the Line’.

The pundits will tell you ‘Copy is dead’. But the consumer is seeking more and more information about the product/service that he or she is about to consume. The thirst for this knowledge is almost insatiable.

This happens because the intent to purchase dictates interest. At other times, you can do a whole song and dance routine and you won’t be noticed. So how do we intervene exactly when there is interest? Like most things, there are two ways to go about it.

In traditional media, you thrust information down the consumer’s throat – and hope that you are making an impression and evoking interest. In the new media – you are positioned to appear exactly when the consumer seeks your product or service.

As a marketer, you need an agency that understands this difference. The biggest edge that we have is that we understand customers and persuasion. It is this edge that we sharpen and bring into play when we work in the online space.

It’s not mere keywords and algorithms. There’s the knowledge of knowing what people respond to, not just data inflection points.