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<\/a><\/p>\nSo in this piece, I\u2019ll break down the key differences, strengths, and use cases for each so you can build a strategy that\u2019s actually aligned with how your audience shops, scrolls, and decides.<\/p>\n
Table of Contents<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/a> <\/p>\n Traditional marketing is all marketing that happens offline. This includes print, broadcast, direct mail, phone, and out-of-home advertising like billboards and posters.<\/p>\n It\u2019s called \u201ctraditional\u201d because it predates the internet, but that doesn\u2019t mean it\u2019s outdated.<\/p>\n In fact, some of the most digital-native startups are circling back to it. Case in point? One of my customers, Artisan, a fully AI-driven outreach platform, shocked marketers with their now-viral billboard campaign<\/a>.<\/p>\n In a world where SaaS companies obsess over CAC and digital tracking, Artisan went old-school. They rolled out billboards in San Francisco with a bold message: \u201cStop Hiring Humans.\u201d<\/p>\n Source<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n This campaign brought in millions of impressions, a wave of press, Reddit rage-bait, and drove $2M in new ARR<\/a>. Can you imagine that?<\/em><\/p>\n That\u2019s the power of traditional marketing when the message hits \u2014 even in a digital-first world.<\/p>\n <\/a> <\/p>\n Digital marketing is any form of marketing that happens online. That includes paid social ads, email campaigns, SEO, content marketing, PPC, influencer collaborations \u2014 the list goes on.<\/p>\n Why has it taken center stage? Because it meets modern buyers where they are: researching solutions online, reading thought leadership, comparing vendors, and scheduling demos. All before ever talking to sales.<\/p>\n Take Gong as an example. They\u2019ve become one of the most recognized B2B SaaS brands largely thanks to content marketing. Their content strategy, developed by Devin Reed<\/a>, ex-Head of Content, is sharp, their social presence is bold, and their ads are super targeted. They use digital not just to generate leads, but to shape how the market sees them.<\/p>\n In fact, Devin Reed\u2019s strategy fuelled Gong from $20M to $200M ARR.<\/a><\/p>\n See how many resources Gong designs for revenue leaders.<\/p>\n Source<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n Digital marketing<\/a> isn\u2019t just cheaper or faster \u2014 it\u2019s more precise. You can speak directly to your ICP, track every click, and adjust in real time.<\/p>\n But even though it\u2019s the dominant strategy today, it works best when paired with traditional tactics that build brand and trust over time.<\/p>\n <\/a> <\/p>\n Should you favor one of them?<\/p>\n My short answer is: it depends. <\/em>My apologies for that, but let\u2019s make it clear.<\/p>\n In today\u2019s landscape, it\u2019s no surprise that digital marketing is an increasingly important revenue driver. In fact, 78% of businesses<\/a> that use social selling outperform those that don\u2019t.<\/p>\n Disadvantages to digital marketing do exist, however. Chief among these concerns are privacy and security issues. According to Hubspot\u2019s State of Consumer Trends 2025, online data privacy is valued as a human right by 75% of survey respondents<\/a>.<\/p>\n This means that \u201cdigital power\u201d comes with responsibility. To build trust and achieve long-term success, marketers must be cautious in their use of data and respect consumers\u2019 growing expectations regarding privacy.<\/p>\n But when my business is all about creating sales and marketing content, I see no other option but to market my skills online 99% of the time. However, I could also blend it with traditional marketing, like attending events and selling my services offline.<\/p>\n In another scenario, if I were to open a laundry service, I\u2019d definitely opt for a 50\/50 mix of traditional and digital tactics, which I\u2019ll discuss below. So, stay tuned.<\/p>\n Let\u2019s not dance around it. AI is already rewriting the marketing playbook to some extent.<\/p>\n The State of Marketing 2025 report<\/a> states that 92% of marketers claim AI has already impacted their role, and teams utilizing connected CRMs, such as HubSpot, are 67% more likely to feel confident in their strategy.<\/p>\n Even more, marketers using AI tools saw 82% higher email conversion rates<\/strong>, proving that AI is giving a measurable edge.<\/p>\n Also, AI is saving us time and money.<\/p>\n Take HubSpot\u2019s Campaign Assistant, for example. I used it to create a full campaign \u2013 from email copy to social media ads \u2013 in under 15 minutes. (Read more here<\/a>.)<\/p>\n I imagined I was running a sustainable travel bag brand and needed a quick Earth Month campaign. I started with a newsletter, and the tool walked me through prompts for the campaign summary, key points, tone, and CTA. Then, it delivered a polished, editable copy in seconds.<\/p>\n <\/a> <\/p>\n Traditional marketing is all around us.<\/p>\n Imagine you\u2019re walking past a busy street corner when someone hands you a flyer. A billboard flashes above with a catchy slogan. The local paper in your bag? Full of ads.<\/p>\n Let\u2019s take a deeper look at old-school tactics that still work.<\/p>\n Print media uses newspapers, magazines, and other printed materials to market to potential customers. This option is scalable, from locally to globally read publications.<\/p>\n A great example in this category is IKEA UK, which launched its Tomorrow Starts Tonight<\/em><\/a> campaign in 2024.<\/a> The main goal was to reframe sleep as the ultimate self-care tool.<\/p>\n Based on research showing that a third of Brits don\u2019t get enough sleep, the campaign featured beautifully photographed posters comparing quality sleep to things like energy drinks and anti-aging creams (products that promise what sleep actually delivers).<\/p>\n Look at it! You could spot them in a metro station, on the street, etc.<\/p>\n Source<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n Shot in-camera with giant props and real IKEA bedding, the campaign was slick, clever, and impossible to ignore.<\/p>\n This refers to TV and radio commercials and aims to create brand awareness. Broadcasting relies on repetition, as the same ad will play over and over.<\/p>\n An ad that has stuck with me is Heinz\u2019s \u201cKetchup Fraud\u201d<\/a> that aired during the Super Bowl in Canada (and then kept popping up on U.S. TV).<\/p>\n It\u2019s a tongue-in-cheek campaign that exposed the sneaky practice of restaurants refilling Heinz bottles with cheaper, generic ketchup.<\/p>\n Presented as a playful investigation, the ad featured visuals of this swap happening in kitchens and urged consumers to call out the fraud by tagging guilty restaurants online.<\/p>\n Bold and incredibly on-brand, it sparked real social conversation.<\/p>\n Source<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n My mailbox will soon explode with the number of flyers it\u2019s fed. This is direct mail in action, when marketing materials are sent straight to your door.<\/p>\n These can be letters, postcards, flyers, catalogs, or even gifts, and the point is to connect with an individual directly, unlike with print or broadcast, where the aim is to reach as many people as possible.<\/p>\n But some companies use this tactic correctly. Subway did a great job with direct mail<\/a>, running a localized campaign aimed at driving foot traffic back into stores.<\/p>\n Subway sent promotional postcards to households within a ten-minute radius of each outlet, complete with store-specific offers and QR codes linking to app downloads. Voucher-driven sales tripled, and weekly app sign-ups grew 200%.<\/p>\n Source<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n Telemarketing, which includes cold-calling, is another traditional method for reaching a prospect directly. Direct phone marketing goes a step further than direct mail in aiming to generate a connection with the prospective customer.<\/p>\n I admit I had to look up an example for this one, and it\u2019s difficult to find much information since calls are so ephemeral.<\/p>\n But, I found a great analysis by SmithDigital from 2025.<\/a> They reveal that calling success rates have more than doubled since 2022, now averaging around 4.8%, compared to just 0.8% for B2B display ads.<\/p>\n The report highlights that well-targeted, personalized calls (especially those paired with research on prospect needs) are proving far more effective than generic outreach.<\/p>\n OOH marketing occurs outside your home, and the primary examples are static billboards, posters, signs on buses, and painted wallscapes.<\/p>\n This is a form of visual marketing that most often uses images to convey its message. OOH is location-based and aims to market to people passing by a particular spot.<\/p>\n One cool example? Kiehl\u2019s \u201cSki(n) Adventure\u201d campaign<\/a> during the 2024\u201325 ski season in Austria\u2019s Hochzillertal-Kaltenbach resort.<\/p>\n Source<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n They set up massive billboards at 8,000 feet featuring their Ultra Facial Cream and tied it all to a ski-lift pop-up and influencer-driven content.<\/p>\n It was the perfect blend of outdoor media, experience, and local relevance.<\/p>\n Sponsoring, hosting, or participating in trade shows, fairs, or local events. Great for face-to-face engagement and building trust with your audience.<\/p>\n For instance, in 2024, Adobe hosted its<\/a> Creative Jam Live<\/em><\/a> in a few cities<\/a>, inviting local creators to compete live while the audience watched and voted.<\/p>\n It blended experiential marketing with social engagement and gave Adobe a content goldmine to reuse online. This is what I call a good \u201ctraditional and digital\u201d combo.<\/p>\n Unconventional, low-cost, high-impact stunts or placements in public areas \u2013 like sidewalk chalk art, pop-up experiences, or flash mobs \u2013 guerrilla marketing is designed to surprise and engage.<\/p>\n The first person that comes to mind when I think of this kind of marketing is Timoth\u00e9e Chalamet.<\/p>\n He launched a guerrilla-style campaign to promote his Bob Dylan biopic A Complete Unknown<\/em><\/a>. Timoth\u00e9e made totally unexpected appearances, like riding a Lime bike to premieres and showing up at a Bob Dylan lookalike contest dressed like himself.<\/p>\n Source<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n It felt spontaneous and fun, which got people talking online. He also surprised audiences by performing rare Dylan tracks on SNL<\/em> and showing up at niche fan events, creating buzz without big ad budgets.<\/p>\n The campaign matched the film\u2019s rebellious vibe and turned Chalamet into the face of the story.<\/p>\n <\/a> <\/p>\n It might already be pretty clear from the above examples, but I want to break down some of the reasons why traditional marketing is still important alongside digital marketing.<\/p>\n Connecting with potential customers is at the heart of marketing.<\/p>\n Print still leads in credibility. A 2024 Kantar US Media Reactions report<\/a> found newspapers were ranked the #1 most trusted and relevant advertising channel by American consumers, beating out digital formats.<\/p>\n So, even if it seems like we live in a digital marketing landscape, when it comes to trust, what\u2019s tried and true works better.<\/p>\n Honestly, I\u2019m right there too. Anytime I see an ad in onboard journals or The Atlantic, it just feels more legit than something I scroll past online. There\u2019s something about the format that makes me take it more seriously, even though I\u2019m Gen Y.<\/p>\n Given that I hardly receive mail anymore, I was surprised to learn that direct mail ranked third in the same trust surveys.<\/p>\n In addition, according to a 2024 post from the Data & Marketing Association<\/a>, personalized mailings are set to make a comeback with contemporary marketers for their ability to convert into long-lasting loyalty.<\/p>\n Moreover, Franklin Madison Direct<\/a> report highlights that 54% of consumers keep interesting mail pieces for later reference. That stat honestly surprised me. I always assumed that if something didn\u2019t grab attention right away, it would just end up in the trash.<\/p>\n Just like when we open a random newsletter and instantly forget about it, we rarely go back to read it later, don\u2019t we?<\/p>\n Turns out, people are more likely to hold onto print than I thought.<\/p>\n Despite streaming trends, radio remains a daily companion. An Edison Research survey<\/a> found that 76% of people still tune into AM\/FM radio, mainly during commutes, making it an ideal setting for reach and frequency.<\/p>\n Podcasts have carved out their space here, accounting for 10% of daily audio time.<\/p>\n As I mentioned earlier, cold calling continues to deliver results. According to Cognism, average success rates doubled from roughly 2% in 2023 to 4.82% in 2024.<\/a><\/p>\n Their 2025 figures still show around a 2\u20133% baseline, with top performers reaching 6.7% success.<\/p>\n Even though I\u2019m always the one saying, \u201cYou can\u2019t sell me anything over the phone,\u201d <\/em>a few weeks ago I got a random call from a mattress company. Normally, I\u2019d hang up, but the guy goes, \u201cHey, I saw you signed up for our newsletter, just wondering if you\u2019re still dealing with middle-of-the-night wakeups?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n I had signed up (honestly, I sign up for way too many things \u2014 took me a second to even remember). But yeah, I was searching for a mattress for my future newborn. He didn\u2019t pitch me right away, just asked about my setup and suggested a few options. He even sent me a 20% off link while we were still on the call.<\/p>\n I wasn\u2019t planning to buy anything at that moment, but it actually made sense. And because he didn\u2019t treat me like a \u201clead,\u201d I trusted him.<\/p>\n <\/a> <\/p>\n Compared to digital marketing, traditional marketing has both pros and cons.<\/p>\n Traditional marketing is great when you want to reach a local or niche community. If you\u2019re operating in a small market, highly-specific ad placements can help you reach the right people.<\/p>\n Even if your brand isn\u2019t exactly local, traditional marketing still lets you reach local audiences. All you need are two things: smart placement and timing.<\/p>\n An interesting story proving this comes from Netflix. Their \u201cGriselda\u201d campaign tapped into Paris\u2019s bold street culture and love for provocative art. The stunt \u2014 a truck \u201csnorting\u201d fake lines \u2014 sparked public debate right where Parisians are known to speak up: in the streets.<\/p>\n Source<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n Though the show is set in Miami, launching the campaign in Paris was effective and provocative. It turned a global series into a local conversation \u2014 exactly what good OOH does.<\/p>\n And the same goes for their recent launch, Ginny & Georgia. I was walking down the city center in Warsaw and was caught by a huge billboard on the Netflix building promoting a new season.<\/p>\n Another advantage is the repetition of ads. And it\u2019s not just with TV commercials or radio jingles that might get stuck in your head.<\/p>\n For instance, let\u2019s talk about OOH. I don\u2019t know about you, but whenever I\u2019m waiting for the bus and keep seeing the same ad at the station or on the bus screen, I eventually cave in and look it up online. If it\u2019s in my face every day, it sticks.<\/p>\n Probably the best example in this category is Decathlon\u2019s Cyber-Outage DOOH (digital out-of-home advertising).<\/a> It showed up everywhere, from massive billboards to in-store screens and bus stops, making it pretty much impossible to miss.<\/p>\n Source<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n Within three hours of a global service outage, Decathlon swapped its digital billboards to a \u2018blue screen of death\u2019 message that said \u201cGet outside\u201d \u2013 earning 914K impressions in six hours.<\/p>\n And that leads me to credibility. When you plaster your brand across public spaces people see daily, familiarity grows, and that familiarity builds trust.<\/p>\n A Nielsen study of OOH campaigns, including one from Luxottica in cities like L.A. and NYC, showed a +4.0% boost in unaided brand awareness<\/a> and a +1.9% lift in purchase intent from one year to the next.<\/p>\n Source<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n That kind of steady visibility turns your ads into recognisable landmarks, making your brand feel established and reliable.<\/p>\n Traditional marketing can be pricier than digital marketing. In 2024, an average newspaper ad could run upwards of $750<\/a>, while an online ad 3-5 cents per click.<\/p>\n Beyond that, part of the budget will be wasted on casting a wide net and getting your ad in front of people outside your target.<\/p>\n I actually came across a story recently that really makes you rethink traditional marketing methods.<\/p>\n A leading fast-moving consumer goods brand in Nigeria spent 80\u202f% of its N500 million (~$1.2\u202fM) marketing budget<\/a> on TV, radio, and billboards, and only 20\u202f% on digital.<\/p>\n The result: brand awareness increased. But sales? Flat. Social engagement? Dead quiet. Classic case of getting seen but not getting results.<\/p>\n This is where you\u2019ve got to weigh your options and pick your priorities. Brand awareness is great for the long haul, but if you\u2019re chasing short-term sales, traditional marketing might not be the smartest play.<\/p>\n This brings me to precision targeting: it\u2019s an integral part of the digital marketing world \u2014 and a part that traditional marketing really can\u2019t compete with. If you need granular segmentation, none of the marketing channels above will give you that.<\/p>\n For example, not everyone needs baby diapers, yet a billboard can\u2019t distinguish who cares. You\u2019ll spend the money, but will it pay off? Who knows.<\/p>\n On the flip side, if you put that diaper ad on a billboard right outside a pediatric clinic or a daycare center, now you\u2019re playing smarter. You\u2019re still using traditional media, but at least you\u2019re placing it where your ideal customer might actually see it.<\/p>\n Alongside the inability to precisely zoom in on certain target audiences, measuring the results of ad campaigns is not as straightforward as with online marketing.<\/p>\n The process of changing an ad will take longer if you realize it\u2019s underperforming.<\/p>\n Advanced modeling fills this gap, albeit imperfectly. Techniques like Marketing Mix Modeling (MMM)<\/a> help estimate impact by analyzing historical data and separating channel effects, but these models:<\/p>\n Of course, you can track results manually if you\u2019re willing to put in the effort. It might take a while, but you\u2019ll eventually spot a pattern.<\/p>\n Take this real example: a regional fast food chain ran consistent radio ads. When they paused the campaign in September 2023, foot traffic dropped by 11.2%<\/a> in just two weeks, and kept falling, hitting \u20137.1% YoY after five weeks. Once the ads came back, so did the traffic.<\/p>\n That\u2019s a clear, measurable impact. You could literally see the connection between ad spend and real-world visits. In fact, Nielsen\u2019s CPM vs. trial effectiveness chart ranked radio at the very top.<\/p>\n Source<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n <\/a> <\/p>\n Absolutely. We have already seen this with Artisan or Canva\u2019s recent move. They covered London\u2019s Waterloo Station with funny billboards showing design fails,<\/a> while Instagram ads pushed tools like Magic Resize to fix them. The billboards grabbed attention, and the digital ads closed the loop, turning laughs into clicks.<\/p>\n Source<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n Coca\u2011Cola pulled off something similar with \u201cCreate Real Magic.\u201d<\/a> People used a custom site with DALL\u00b7E and GPT\u20114 to make AI art, and the best pieces ended up on huge billboards in Times Square and Piccadilly Circus. It turned digital play into a real-world spotlight. This boosted buzz and gave fans a reason to share.<\/p>\n Source<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n McDonald\u2019s and Palace also nailed the blend. They teased their collab on billboards and rolled out special packaging with QR codes<\/a> linking to exclusive merch online.<\/p>\n The in-store moment sparked curiosity, and the QR code made it shoppable in seconds.<\/p>\n\n
What is traditional marketing?<\/strong><\/h2>\n
![\"traditional](\"http:\/\/nurseagence.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/traditional20marketing20vs20digital20marketing20E2809320artisanE28099s20example.jpg\")
<\/p>\nWhat is digital marketing?<\/strong><\/h2>\n
![\"traditional](\"http:\/\/nurseagence.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/traditional20marketing20vs20digital20marketing20E2809320gong20example.png\")
<\/p>\nTraditional Marketing vs. Digital Marketing<\/strong><\/h2>\n
What about AI?<\/strong><\/h3>\n
![\"traditional](\"http:\/\/nurseagence.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/traditional20marketing20vs20digital20marketing20E2809320using20ai20in20marketing.png\")
<\/p>\nTypes of Traditional Marketing<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Print Media<\/strong><\/h3>\n
![\"traditional](\"http:\/\/nurseagence.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/traditional20marketing20vs20digital20E2809320ikea20print20media20examples.jpg\")
<\/p>\nBroadcasting<\/strong><\/h3>\n
![\"traditional](\"http:\/\/nurseagence.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/traditional20marketing20vs20digital20marketing20E2809320heinz20ketchup20example.jpg\")
<\/p>\nDirect Mail<\/strong><\/h3>\n
![\"traditional](\"http:\/\/nurseagence.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/traditional20marketing20vs20digital20marketing20E2809320an20example20of20subway20direct20mail.jpg\")
<\/p>\nPhone<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Out-of-Home (OOH)<\/strong><\/h3>\n
![\"traditional](\"http:\/\/nurseagence.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/traditional20marketing20vs20digital20marketing20E2809320kiehls20billboard.jpg\")
<\/p>\nEvent Marketing<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Guerrilla Marketing<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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<\/p>\nImportance of Traditional Marketing<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Trust<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Loyalty<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Reach<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Engagement<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Pros and Cons of Traditional Marketing<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Pro: Local Audiences<\/strong><\/h3>\n
![\"traditional](\"http:\/\/nurseagence.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/traditional20marketing20vs20digital20marketing20E2809320netflix20campaign20in20paris.jpg\")
<\/p>\nPro: Repetition<\/strong><\/h3>\n
![\"traditional](\"http:\/\/nurseagence.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/traditional20marketing20vs20digital20marketing20E2809320decathlon20dooh20campaign.webp\")
<\/p>\nPro: Credibility<\/strong><\/h3>\n
![\"traditional](\"http:\/\/nurseagence.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/traditional20marketing20vs20digital20marketing20E2809320nielsen20study.jpg\")
<\/p>\nCon: Cost<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Con: Targeting<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Con: Measurability<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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![\"traditional](\"http:\/\/nurseagence.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/traditional20marketing20vs20digital20marketing20E2809320media20channel20efficiency.jpg\")
<\/p>\nCan traditional and digital marketing really work together?<\/strong><\/h2>\n
![\"traditional](\"http:\/\/nurseagence.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/traditional20marketing20vs20digital20marketing20E2809320canvaE28099s20create20real20magic20campaign.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"traditional](\"http:\/\/nurseagence.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/traditional20marketing20vs20digital20marketing20E2809320coca20colaE28099s20create20real20magic20campaign.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"traditional](\"http:\/\/nurseagence.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/traditional20marketing20vs20digital20marketing20E2809320mcdonaldE28099s20campaign.webp\")
<\/p>\n
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