What element is missing from the traditional communications model?

Although the traditional communications model is not entirely wrong, it does not tell the whole story-especially in today's dynamic world of interactivity in which consumers have many more choices available to them and greater control over which messages they will choose to process. In fact, a popular strategy known as permission marketing is based on the idea that a marketer will be much more successful trying to persuade consumers who have opted into their messages; consumers who "opt out" of listening to the message probably weren't good prospects in the first place.
On the other hand, those who say they are interested in learning more are likely to be receptive to marketing communications they have already chosen to see or hear. As the permission marketing concept reminds us, we don't have to just sit there and take it. We have a voice in deciding which messages we choose to see and when-and we are exercising that option more and more. Social media offers us additional ways to give marketers permission to communicate with us. By following a company on Twitter or "liking" a brand on Facebook, the consumer is allowing the company to interact with them. Social media allows for an active, two-way communication between the brand and the consumer.