Alternative Media Popularity Soars

Alternative media is starting to make a real presence in America society. This doesn’t come as much of a surprise to many people who are typically bombarded by commercials, billboards and other various advertisements on a daily basis. How many of the hundreds of advertisements that you ran across today did you tune out and how many did you actually remember seeing or hearing?

According to AdWeek, spending on alternative media rose 22 percent to $73.4 billion in 2007 and is forecasted to grow another 20 percent to more than $88 billion in 2008 despite a sluggish economy, according to new research released Wednesday by PQ Media.

So what is alternative media and what are some specific examples? Alternative media can be broadly defined as media practices falling outside the mainstream media. In other words, alternative media is often times ignored by mainstream media and is outside the accepted norms of mainstream media.

Many of the new strategies brand marketers are turning to in hopes of connecting consumers are considered alternative media. PQ classifies alternative media as online/mobile advertising and advertisement and entertainment and digital out of home advertising. In reality alternative media can be found in newspapers, magazines, TV, radio, and on the web.

For example, the newspaper, The Onion, would fall under the category of alternative media. They use humor as the unusual element to attract their audience. Not all new media falls outside the norms of mainstream media practices are considered alternative media, which is why alternative media practices are so complex and their success is controversial.

Danielle Pietz
JOUR 3279
Blog Assignment