Media strategy and planning

Forces impacting on the media planning process demand for greater media accountability growing popularity of digital and cable television growth in the range of available media options globalisation and the trend towards standardised advertising campaigns

Key terminology media vehicle – a specific programme, magazine or newspaper reach – total number of people in a target audience who are exposed to a media vehicle at least once during a specific time period frequency – number of times that a member of the target audience is exposed to a media vehicle during a specific time period

opportunity to see (OTS)/opportunity to hear (OTH) – sometimes used instead of frequency gross rating points (GRPs) – reach multiplied by frequency e.g. if a television programme is seen at least once by 40% of the target audience and is broadcast 15 times in a certain period, GRP is: 40 (reach) x 15 (frequency) = 600 GRPs do not measure effectiveness

effective reach – number of people in the target audience who become aware of an ad within a specific time period effective frequency – number of times a member of the target audience needs to be exposed to an ad within specific time period in order to be effective duplicated reach – when the same person is exposed, more than once, to an ad carried in a range of media vehicles

The media planning process Stage 2 Selection of general media Stage 3 Selection of specific media Stage 4 The media plan and schedule Stage 1 The media brief and budget The advertising brief TV? Radio? Press? Magazines? Outdoor? Friends? Ian Dempsey’s Big Breakfast? Evening Herald? U? What day? What time? What month? How often?

Stage one – analysis and media brief Advertising brief forms the basis of the media brief. Used by media planner to carry out a full analysis of the factors that are most likely to influence media decisions:  the target audience  the marketing and advertising objectives  the product  purchasing habits, including the purchasing cycle  available budget  competitors  the marketing environment – economic, social, cultural and legislative considerations

Media objectives are set: –criteria against which general and specific media options can be evaluated –measures against which the success or otherwise of the actual media used can be measured –specific

Stage two – selection of general media Media planner selects the general media through which the advertiser's message is most likely to be transmitted successfully Factors to be considered:  media habits of the target audience –  nature of product or service  the characteristics of the media options and their ability to help meet objectives  the cost of the various media

Stage three – selection of media vehicles Detailed knowledge of the target audience is necessary Their habits regarding specific media must be explored The following are also taken into account  cost – absolute and per thousand  circulation (for printed media)  coverage (for broadcast media)  JNLR, JNRR and Nielsen  geographic coverage  reputation and credibility of the vehicle  ability to do justice to the creative approach

Stage four – the media schedule Media schedule – establishes exactly when and how often an ad should be placed in the specific media Media planner must take the following into consideration when compiling the media schedule:  the number of opportunities to see or hear, that are created by the media schedule  the profile of the audience that is exposed to the advertisements  whether or not one media vehicle generates more impact than another

Scheduling Flighting JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

Scheduling Pulsing JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec Intense periods of activity

Scheduling Continuous JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec