It’s very easy to lose all sense of proportion when it comes to the opportunities from new media. A couple of years ago Scott Drummond told us how readers of Marketing Magazine had basically declared the TV advertisement dead.

Yet many disagree. Bruce Potter writes a lot of retail advertisements as creative head at Streetwise Advertising and he reckons TV, radio and newspapers still have a lot of life left in them.

Let’s face it, people won’t go looking for your website if they don’t know about you. Traditional media still has a part to play in generating interest, even if these days they may go straight to online to find out more.

This all makes media planning far more complex. Seasoned media planner Greg Allardice says it’s all an art form, which sounds like a grand declaration, but a lot of money can be wasted on mass media when the schedule is wrong. It’s how you use media in combination with each other that counts.

Even old-style direct mail has a part to play —– though many have abandoned it in favour of email and internet marketing. Yet Elizabeth Beatty from OgilvyOne says their research shows most of us actually like getting direct mail –— my, how times have changed!

Of course the message is as important as the media you use. While Bruce Potter says simplicity is the key, copywriter Richard Felner says you should also cover the basic “who, what, why?” questions, and keep a positive tone at all times.

Obviously advertising online is crucial — but don’t assume the world has given up on traditional media. It’s still a vital part of the marketing mix and you ignore it at your peril.

First published on CBS News