This is changing. As seen in the spread of mail-order catalogs and direct-response flyers, to say nothing of television and online shopping, the media are also doing heavy duty as sales channels.
  
It used to be you advertised in the media and then sold in the stores. The stores were your primary customer interface. Now the media do both -- information and sales. The media are your new communication channels.
  
This new pattern of consumer behavior -- in which consumers decide what information they need, get it, make a decision, and then go looking for where to buy the product -- has changed the rules of the game and spawned new multipurpose channels. It is essential companies be aware of the value each offers and know how to use it as part of an integrated, multi-media marketing effort.
  
Takahashi Taira

DaiNippon Printing