Is TV or outdoor the most powerful screen? Harold Mitchell vs Anne Parsons | Mumbrella360 video
Does television still hold the mesmerising power it once did, or is digital out of home advertising now the biggest power player on the block? In this battle of the screens from the Mumbrella360 conference, media veterans Harold Mitchell and Anne Parsons clash over which is better.
There’s no question that the biggest and best form of communication still comes from the screen. Traditionally, that has been the television screen, but today this is being challenged by the digital screen in the out-of-home (OOH) environment.
The following debate from the Mumbrella360 conference pitches Australian media veteran and chairman of FreeTV Harold Mitchell against his long term adversary, QMS Media’s director Anne Parsons.
Both speakers offer their own perspective on where screen power now lies, and argue whether television or digital out-of-home is more powerful.
First up, Mitchell takes to the stage to argue his case for the TV screen.
“There’s not doubt that television has been part of people’s lives for nearly three hours of the day for most of my life since 1956,” he says.
“Brands today want to be storytellers not signposts. Digital screens are nothing new. You can’t learn anything in seven seconds.”
Parsons then takes to the stage to argue her corner. According to her, TV was once most powerful screen, but is no longer.
Parsons: “Research proves that when you are outside your home and active, you are 2.5 times more likely to take action”
She ends the debate with a damning criticism of television: “Television is like that Coles commercial, which is down, down, down.
“The share that they have in total advertising expenditure – down. Total revenue – down. The time spent viewing not ‘glued’ anymore – down.
“It is all about digital out-of-home.”
The session was curated by platinum sponsor QMS.
both wrong….. the screen on a pokie machine is the strongest and most powerful I have come across
User ID not verified.
The correct answer is, of course, neither. For most people the most powerful screen is the one they carry around all day and can’t live without.
User ID not verified.
Sorry. You seem to have misspelt your name. You left the ‘li’ out and Oblivious became Obvious.
Either that or you left out “in the media” after “For most people”.
User ID not verified.
Thanks Captain Crook – duly corrected this time. My spelling is as bad as my exaggerating (I’m really just Lieutenant Oblivious).
But seriously what is the first screen you look at when you wake up? What is the last one before you go to sleep? Now go ask your mates and see if you get a different answer.
To be fair I suspect it’s probably closer to an even split than what my first post inferred (with TV the answer for over 50s and smartphones the answer for younger demos) but I don’t see how outdoor is even in the conversation.
User ID not verified.
Can’t say I barely even register the postage stamp sized ads on my mobile during my morning constitutional… those itty bitty pixels presumably represent some brand or other and showcase some finally honed message in all its nuanced glory. And I scroll past all the incessant facebook ads quicker than the time it takes to turn over the page of a newspaper. Don’t you?
User ID not verified.
I don’t use Facebook myself but there is more to this topic than just brand advertising surely?
When you’re out and about and want to find something do you whip out your phone and find the info (e.g. price and where to buy it) or go home and hope the relevant TV ad comes on?
User ID not verified.