Examining the Transformations in Advertising Strategies: From Reliance on Mass Media to Digital Platforms

Abstract

Technological and social transformations during the decade of 2010–2020 brought about a fundamental shift in the advertising industry. Mass media such as television, radio, and print press, which had long served as the primary platforms for advertising, ceded their position to digital platforms. The purpose of the present study is to examine the changes in advertising strategies from traditional media to digital advertising and to analyze the role of data, artificial intelligence, and social networks in this transition. This research adopts a qualitative approach and employs a documentary–analytical method. Domestic and international academic sources published between 2010 and 2020 were collected and analyzed using thematic analysis. The findings reveal that digital advertising, with its features of interactivity, personalization, financial flexibility, and measurability, has compensated for the shortcomings of traditional advertising. Moreover, the influence of social media influencers and big data analytics shifted the audience’s role from a passive consumer to an active participant. At the same time, challenges such as advertising saturation, violations of privacy, and algorithmic transparency were also identified. The transition from mass media to digital platforms was not merely a change in tools but entailed a redefinition of concepts such as audience, trust, and ethics in marketing. This shift elevated advertising from a simple informative process to an interactive and data-driven experience.