Advertising is central to any business. We at Marketing Moves know this more than anyone, since we are, after all, marketing students. There are about as many different types of and techniques for marketing as there are businesses. Everything from pay per click to digital lead generation to print and radio advertising. We tend to get very focused on the digital forms of advertising, mostly because as young marketing students and professionals that is where our talents and passions lie. But this has not always been what people thought of when they heard the word marketing. Thinking back to Mad Men, most marketing was focused on the visual and graphic arts. In fact, until very recently, that is most of what the creative side of marketing was.

It is a good idea to remember that these other forms of marketing exist. Not everything in the world of marketing has to happen on the screen of a laptop. In fact, with everyone else becoming so hyper focused on the ‘new’ forms of marketing, there are likely going to be some underexploited opportunities with traditional marketing in the years to come. If every business is spending their marketing budget on Google’s pay per click campaigns, imagine how cheap print advertising will get. Still, keep in mind that roughly 80% of Americans depend on search engines to find local businesses

There is another form of marketing we have yet to even discuss – signage and banners. Many companies use this type of advertising for in person events, whether that is a trade show or an exhibition or something similar. Far from being a small part of the marketing world, digital signage is expected to grow in the years to come. Often, when businesses go this route, they will order custom vinyl banners or custom foam boards something similar. These kinds of banners are designed to handle the outdoor conditions, really anything you can throw at them. Some companies even offer UV protection and other features to make sure that they will last for your business.

Speaking of untapped opportunities, the printed sign market is expected to grow dramatically in the next few years. Already the global market for these sorts of advertisements is estimated to be at $45.7 billion. Experts predict that it will grow another billion dollars in the next five years. For those in this industry it is great news, and for marketing firms looking to go back to their roots and explore more traditional forms of advertising it means there is interest there.

We at Marketing moves suggest keeping your options open. There will always be interesting opportunities for anyone with a degree from a high-ranking business school, so it is important to explore all that the world of marketing has to offer. Besides, having a diverse skill set always makes for a more interesting career than honing in on one hyper specific thing. Stay open to wherever your career takes you, whether that is to the cutting edge of digital marketing or a very traditional form of print media or signage!