NEW YORK: Digital may be dominating the conversation among marketers, but brands should remember that channels like print, outdoor and cinema all retain unique strengths to draw on, a new paper from Warc suggests.

What we know about major media channels draws on insights from leading practitioners and academics, numerous case studies, and the insights and experiences of senior client-side executives.The American audience, for example, currently watches the highest amount of television content worldwide – at around 3.7 hours a day – despite the advance of new media.

"It still is the primary communications channel for launching a new brand or supporting an existing one," the paper says.

While TV consumption lags behind the five hours and nine minutes that the average adult spent with digital channels per day in 2013, watching broadcast content and online video often makes up a significant portion of that time.

"Advertisers planning their television need to consider online video as an element of the broadcast mix," the paper adds.

"Online video platforms still serve as a complementary alternative to television at this stage, but the trend lines do point to its increased consumption."

Looking at print, although its audience has generally waned, magazines and newspapers are highly trusted by consumers. Many magazines, in particular, boast a very strong emotional resonance with their readers.

With regard to radio, the advent of offerings like the IHeartRadio digital platform, and subscription services such as SiriusXM and Pandora have extended its reach, even if it remains most effective as part of a wider media mix.

Out-of-home has, similarly, been revitalised by new technologies allowing for messages targeted at specific cohorts and day parts, as well as – increasingly – using images and codes that can be scanned to buy products.

Elsewhere, cinema offers an especially powerful route to engaging people over 55 years of age and – of course – fans of certain genres of film.

As evidence of how even this medium has become more interactive, BMW ran an innovative campaign letting movie-goers take part in a racing game, and potentially win a trip to a race day run by the auto brand.

Data sourced from Warc