With the fragmentation of audiences across all media platforms a reality of the new digital era, some in the industry have been quick to jump to conclusions about the future of television: questioning its ability to continue to attract and engage mass audiences, and to deliver a return on investment.

So the recent decision to award the 2010 Grand Effie to Nestlé’s “Allen’s Makes Smiles” campaign, created by JWT, should give the skeptics and naysayers food for thought. Because this campaign, judged to be the most effective of the year, relied on just one above-the-line media: television.

This serves as a reminder of the continuing effectiveness of the television medium amidst the hype and the hoopla that can sometimes distract from TV's true and consistent strengths.

It was TV that brought to life JWT’s core strategy of ‘childlike wonderment’. And it was TV that turned a beautifully-shot, emotionally engaging ad into sales success for Nestle.

Within the first 13 weeks of launch, Allen's grew by 25% and in six months it increased the share gap between its nearest competitor by 5%. Allen’s products also became more profitable. The range became over 2.5 times more efficient in creating revenue, and paid-back $2.32 of additional revenue for every $1 spent. Not a bad result for the so-called ‘old-fashioned’ 30-second TVC.

It comes as no surprise that new forms of digital media garner excitement and appeal amongst advertisers and media buyers. And rightly they should - this industry is nothing if not driven by change. Television itself is currently undergoing a massive digital transformation and expanding across multiple platforms such as online and mobile.

Yet, within the context of this new digital landscape, this Grand Effie-winning TV campaign - chosen from a record 154 entries - is a testament to the continuing relevance and effectiveness of the 30-second spot.

The plethora of media options now available to consumers makes the unique strengths of television as an advertising platform more valuable than ever.

People still spend more time with TV than any other media – in fact, this year we are watching more TV than we did last year – averaging 3 hours and 10 minutes a day.

TV is still the best place to reach mass and niche audiences, it still achieves the highest ad recall and it is still the most accountable advertising medium.

TV’s ability to amplify the effects of other media also makes it a vital part of modern media mix.

After all, isn’t that what we’re all about?

For details about Nestlé’s “Allen’s Makes Smiles” award-winning case study, click here.

To view a copy of the TV commercial, click here.