Traditional Advertising vs. Modern Advertising

A few days ago I realised something.

Thought it over. Did the math. Triple-checked the numbers.

I’m now sure of it.

Traditional advertising is the biggest scam still running in 2025. By far.

Newspaper ads, billboards, television advertising.

It’s all a scam. And no one is talking about it!

Here’s a great example:

For north of 400k, you get a 30-second slot in the AFL Grand Final commercial block.

They say you reach 6 million people that way. Now, let’s assume that these people are absolutely glued to their television. No one takes a bathroom break, no one talks during the commercials, they’re all at the edge of their seats.

Realistic? Hell no.

But let’s roll with it for a sec.

The AFL Grand Final commercial block has a $67 “CPM”. It’s an advertising term. Means ‘cost per thousand’. So what it costs you to reach 1000 people with your message.

You and I both know we’re not even remotely close to reaching 6 million people so it’s actually way more than $67.

Guess what you’d pay to run your ad on Meta?

To a local audience of people that actually could be customers.

You’d be showing your ad to people actually paying attention to their phone.

The CPM would be…

… drumroll please…

Somewhere between $15-$25.

So we reach the right people for at least 77% LESS than traditional advertising. 

Also… you don’t have to make a fancy commercial. We can just run whatever you’re posting now. Won’t take millions of dollars, won’t take endless expertise, won’t take weeks and weeks of work AND we can reach the right people again… and again… and again.

And that’s why traditional advertising is the biggest scam still running in 2025. It’s like a zombie that just won’t lay down and stay dead. Just keeps shuffling around.

Old school ads are ridiculously expensive compared to all the newer and better options you have available to you.

So here are Adir's two top tips for 2025:

1. If you run traditional ads right now, consider moving some of that budget to better and more sensible ways of advertising.
2. If you don’t run traditional ads, consider taking this online marketing thing seriously. Because it’s worth every penny if you know what you’re doing.

Talk soon,

Adir

P.S. Don’t get me wrong - if you have an unlimited budget, traditional advertising is great! Coca-Cola has a four BILLION (with a B) dollar marketing budget. They’ll do fine either way.

But if you’re like me and if you’re like the clients I work with… you want to get the most bang for your advertising buck.