Traditional vs. Digital Marketing

About the Guest

Based out of Singapore, Raja Narula heads B2B marketing for Google’s advertising business in Singapore, Malaysia, and South Asia markets. Before Google, he was working with Johnson & Johnson. With more than 15 years of experience in marketing across multiple industries, he is passionate about helping businesses grow by finding their unique sweet spot at the intersection of marketing and technology.

Connect with Raja Narula

Key takeaways

• Digital marketing has become a part of the way consumers behave and engage with their environment. To be successful, marketers need to adopt it, amongst the other tactics they use.
• You must use both traditional and digital, or modern, marketing to get your message out to as many potential customers as possible. 
• Digital marketing allows you to customize to a high degree. Traditional marketing can too, but it’s resource-intensive and cumbersome 
• Companies are becoming increasingly mindful of how consumers’ data is being used and governments are creating new data and privacy regulations as consumers are becoming more sensitive to how their data is being used.
• Always remain true to the principles of marketing and be willing to evolve.
  

  
  Quote

“You have to be willing to learn, unlearn, and relearn constantly.”

Highlights from the episode

What is your view on the current landscape of traditional marketing and digital marketing?

I view them as traditional and modern marketing because digital is not a separate field of marketing. It’s the natural evolution of marketing. Marketing is about working with consumers to identify their needs, working with product experts to build a product to satisfy that need, then communicating the benefit of your product to the consumers so that they buy it. That’s the core truth that remains, but the way we take that message out is ever-evolving. Print ads evolved into TV ads, which have evolved into more channels over time. Digital marketing has become a part of the way consumers engage with their environment. It’s become a part of consumer behavior and marketers need to adopt it, amongst the other tactics they use, to be successful.

Can traditional and digital marketing work together?

Yes, absolutely. You need to get your message out to as many people as possible, so you must use different mediums to do that. Finding that balance is one of the biggest challenges for marketers in 2021.

With the increasing need for tailored experiences and deep relationships, how is traditional vs. digital marketing working currently?

Everyone wants customized, personalized products and sales experiences. With industrialization and mass production, people have become accustomed to cheaper, less personalized products. Now, with the advent of newer technologies, people are getting used to relevant information and experiences, so they’re expecting this from every company. Personalization is fueled by data. Digital marketing allows you to customize to a high degree. Traditional can too, but it’s resource-intensive and cumbersome.

Have you ever used traditional marketing to heighten digital marketing?

I used to do that, but it’s important to realize that what works on one medium doesn’t always work on every medium. They must go hand in hand but don’t try to stretch this synergy. 

What trends are you seeing?

I’m mindful of the fact that data is a double-edged sword. On one hand, it can enable us to be super relevant and helpful to our customers, but it comes with the risk of consumers feeling like their privacy is being intruded upon. That’s a very real threat/challenge. Thus, companies are being increasingly mindful of how consumers’ data is being used and governments are creating new data and privacy regulations. You must use data responsibly and with the consumers in mind.

What are your most powerful attributes as a digital marketer?

In my current role, I am fast at getting advertisers to become more savvy digital marketers. I am the bridge between technology and advertisers who need to use it. The secret sauce is to remain true to the principles of marketing and be willing to evolve.

Do you have any resources or advice to share with our listeners? 

I recommend Abundance: The Future is Better Than You Think by Dr. Peter Diamandis and Steven Kotler. If you read this book, you’ll feel far more optimistic about technology and the differences it can make in the world.