Is Mass Marketing Dead?

It’s not hard to imagine a future where interactive marketing messages are nearly inescapable. As advertising increasingly gets incorporated into our every device, brands will have even more opportunities to interact with consumers in every aspect of their lives – and will tailor their messages accordingly. As marketing gets customized to consumers’ particular tastes and interests, it’s worth asking: What future is there for mass marketing?

The Wall Street Journal went so far as publishing a farewell to mass marketing recently. The article envisioned a future in which advertisers will pinpoint the exact moments and needs that users have and supply consumers with the solutions they are looking for in real time. In other words, the more ways we have to reach the masses, the less relevant mass marketing could become.

We’re already witnessing a mass trend toward customization in marketing, aided by new software packages, social media and other technology. But traditional mass marketing hasn’t gone away, either. Marketers won’t stop trying to reach large swaths of consumers in broad geographical areas any time soon, and they’ll probably continue using some of the same methods for doing so.