An analogy:
Advertisers:Media as Bees:Flowers
Both pairs above have coevolved to support each other. Bees pollinate flowers because they are interested in the nectar, just as advertisers pay media companies because they are interested in advertising to their audience. Coevolution is a beautiful thing, it allows people to enjoy beautiful flowers and quality entertainment/journalism because a third party has paid for it (advertisers pay for media and bees “pay” for flowers).
Given the above, now let’s consider a scenario. What if Bees were able to find nectar someplace easier than in flowers? Would people be willing to pay the real cost of producing flowers – complete with the cost of pollination?
Now let’s consider the other side of the analogy. What if advertisers could reach consumers easier than on TV or in Newspapers/Magazines?
Regardless of where the advertising industry is heading and what innovations spring from new technology, I think we can all agree that the world would be a sad place without flowers.