Nothing is Dead

Some things just present diminishing returns

I figured I'd write a quick Medium (since they're especially good for 2-3 minute reads) so that I can have something permanent to point to whenever I get involved in conversations like the one from this tweet. I've said it myself, and I know we can all easily get into hyperbole around stuff like this, but I don't believe print is dead. I don't think the radio is dead, I don't think newspapers are dead, I don't think television is dead, I don't think billboards are dead.

I just want to set the record straight, once and for all, when I say that I don't believe anything is dead. What do believe is that in a 2014 world, there is a substantial diminishing return on the investment of the cost of things like TV, radio and billboards. Not only that, but as I say in Jab, Jab, Jab, Right Hook, I think there are diminishing returns on the financial investment in things like SEM, banner ads, and email marketing. What always happens in business is that all platforms experience an uptick and a downtick when it comes to the awareness of the end consumer, because in the beginning people don't realize their value (e.g. Snapchat), and then eventually there is a diminishing return, because you're just doing what you're used to without actually thinking about it (e.g. spending $4M on a Superbowl commercial).

So just for the record, once and for all, I don't think anything is 'dead.' I just think the returns are diminishing on a lot of traditional media, and a lot of older digital media.

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