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Even while it’s clear simply by looking around that more and more people are choosing to watch video and “television” programming on their mobile devices, the large segment of the population that still enjoys traditional TV are being reached with television commercials. This remains true among optical retailers, according to the national and regional groups VM spoke with for this article.

Of the $187 billion estimated to be spent on advertising this year, television is expected to comprise 42 percent or $79 billion, according to Strategy Analytics, which analyzes market intelligence for emerging technologies. All of digital, which includes online video, is coming on strong, growing at a rate of 13 percent this year, according to Strategy Analytics, but it will still account for only 28 percent or $52.8 billion of overall advertising dollars spent.

When speaking with a group of national and regional optical retailers about their use of video as a marketing tool on both television as well as among the newer digital media formats, VM found that while they are exploring online video, many still rely primarily on TV to get their message across.

“We really believe in television advertising,” said Jessica Tobin, director of marketing for Clarkson Eyecare. “It has always been a part of Clarkson advertising and proven for our patient base that TV is a place we need to be.”

Still, the growth of online video advertising cannot be denied, and based on what some national and regional optical retailers told VM, its emergence is in part what is influencing a need to produce more video content overall.

For example, by interviewing its providers, Virginia Eye Institute created a lot of video content that is not only used in a number of different television commercials but is also broadcast via YouTube, Facebook, in the waiting room and to mobile devices through the optical group’s patient engagement system. The emerging need for video across a wide array of platforms is fueling the need for its creation.

The national retailers VM interviewed also shared information about how they remain committed to television advertising as an important part of their marketing campaigns, even while they have also begun to include online video in the promotional mix.

“All of Visionworks’ marketing efforts align in a multi-channel approach. National television lays the foundation for what we do at the local level, in-store, online and beyond,” said president and CEO, HVHC, Inc. and president, Visionworks, Jim Eisen.

Ultimately, though, both regional and national optical retailers remain firmly committed to television advertising while straddling the emergence of online video. “We are moving a bit toward online video, but what’s surprising is that television is still the broadest reach vehicle available,” said Amy Connor, vice president of marketing for LensCrafters. “Even as many of us are moving to our mobile devices, people still like consumer television shows.”

See how the following group of leading regional and national advertisers are creating and deploying television advertising as well as online video to reach their targeted audiences and convert them into business while ensuring a positive return on their investment in video, wherever it appears.