Digital marketing may be the main focus of most strategies these days, but that doesn’t mean that traditional PR and communications tactics no longer have any place in marketing.
We are Christina and Peter Pilarski, founders and leaders of CIPR Communications. In this episode of Two Babies and a Business, we focus on traditional marketing and the role it continues to play. A strong marketing campaign should consist of a combination of digital and traditional marketing. Deciding on the correct mix of the two is essentially a budget consideration. The main point is that, even though the trend is towards digital, you shouldn’t ignore other marketing techniques.
Air game and ground game
In our years working in the political arena, we learned that any successful campaign should have an “air game” and a “ground game” – two separate but complementary approaches that work together, first to get a message across and then to follow through on that message. Peter sees traditional marketing as the “air game” in a marketing plan – outdoor advertising, TV or radio spots that help to push a brand and its offering into the public space. These will have a place in marketing for the foreseeable future, as they make that initial contact with the audience and possibly reach sections of your market that digital could not reach on its own.
Digital marketing is more conducive to an effective “ground game”. The ability to collect data, track your return on investment and adjust your approach in real time, gives digital the edge when it comes to growing a targeted audience and converting readers, followers and visitors into paying customers.
A few years ago, there was a major push towards digital, with the emphasis being on tools such as SEO and social media. Now, people seem to understand that there is still a need for both digital and traditional marketing, so the discussion becomes one of when and how to use outdoor advertising and similar tactics, alongside their carefully orchestrated online marketing efforts. While Peter is a strong proponent of digital marketing, Christina encourages clients to consider their market and its personas, and explore traditional marketing if there is a place for it.
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Christina Pilarski
Christina Pilarski is CEO and co-founder of CIPR Communications, a digital PR, marketing, and AI consulting agency serving hospitality, tourism, and luxury lifestyle brands across North America. Before starting CIPR in 2010 with her life partner and business partner, Peter Pilarski, Christina led campaigns in a series of corporate roles and served as Special Advisor to the Minister at Alberta's Department of Tourism, Parks and Recreation. She now leads a team of 20+ staff and contractors across CIPR and its AI-focused division, the Tourism AI Network. Christina holds a BA with Honours and an MA in Communications Studies from the University of Calgary. Outside the office, she's a mom of twins and two dogs, based in Calgary.
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Peter Pilarski
Peter Pilarski is the Founder of Tourism AI Network and President of CIPR Communications. He helps tourism and hospitality organizations adopt AI strategically — from AI search visibility and custom tool development to team training and executive advisory. He is a sought-after keynote speaker, workshop facilitator, and AI advisor whose sessions blend practical frameworks with real-world results.
