Everyone is a critic or an expert nowadays, everyone has an opinion or a story, whether it is theirs or from a family-member or friend. Especially when it comes to our countrymen, where it has become deeply rooted in our society to always have an answer ready.
It was on this insight that online healthcare booking platform, Vezeeta, acted upon when they came up with their newest campaign, “90 million doctors.”
“[the campaign’s concept] was built on a real insight, every one of us has recommended a drug or has been diagnosed by a family member, or you yourself pretended to be a doctor at some point in time. This is unique to Egypt and happens in every home.” Says Vezeeta Chief Operating Officer, Mohammad El Mougi.
“We started from that insight and it seamlessly delivered our key promise ‘book the best doctors in one minute’.”
Although Vezeeta is an online platform, the brand’s decision for this campaign to use traditional mass media mediums, TV and billboards, marks its first ever endeavor into traditional media. According to El Mougi, the decision came because “in Egypt, TV and Billboards still dominate the charts in terms of reach.”
Traditional Media’s bad reputation
In the past few years since the giant social media upheaval, traditional media has gotten a bad reputation.
Many in the related industries, both inside and outside, have stated that traditional media is “dying” in order to make room for mobile and online marketing platforms. This is simply untrue.
According to multiple sources, traditional media mediums are still alive and fighting back.
Classic mediums such as TV and Radio can’t be completely ruled out yet, as El Mougi states “No advertising channel is dead, it [just] depends on your objective.”
These mediums continue to be advertising’s most tried and true methods of reaching mass audiences, and here is why.
According to a 2016 global survey by Ogilvy Media Influence, it is still true that traditional media’s strength is still there. According to the study, “The survey found that the more a brand is covered by traditional media channels, the more credible the brand appears to its key stakeholders [52%]”
The Ministry of Communications and Information Technology was recently reported to state that Egyptians spend around 18 hours a week watching TV, and 12 hours a week listening to the radio. While Mideastmedia.org states that around 63% still watch TV shows, and 61% watch movies, on TV.
Vezeeta’s choice
Vezeeta’s choice to move into traditional media despite its online origins was a smart move. The platform, which helps connect healthcare providers and those searching for a doctor, isn’t only for a niche market, but is providing a solution for all walks of life. Users are also able to search, compare and book doctors within 1 minute.
It is with this wide range of consumers that enabled Vezeeta to successfully find its way using television, since TV continues to have an overwhelming power over mass reach alongside OOH advertising.
It is important to note that each medium does have its own benefits through the unique ways that people consume them, making it important to tailor advertising and marketing efforts to each medium. It also provides a large number of opportunities to take hold of.
TV, for example, is best used when looking for an extremely wide range of viewers, with content that is focused on brand awareness or have human-interest angles that tell a story.
Traditional media is also best used for building credibility, as they continue to be viewed as some of the most trustworthy sources of information. This comes from their long history, which has positioned them as incredibly reliable sources.
The online booking platform’s choice to embrace traditional media, although it is a purely online platform, is something worth looking into by other tech companies and startups.
Rather than take advice from the 90 million “marketers” out there, it might be important to take a step back and look at balancing both online and offline strategies.