As ads are being developed or concepts are tested with consumers, the people working in the media department determine where and when those messages should be placed. In the past, with relatively few media options available (radio, TV, magazines, and newspapers), media’s role was fairly straightforward: Find the most appropriate medium in which to deliver the message, and then choose from the limited number of programs or titles within that medium to find the one(s) most appropriate for the target audience.
Today, the world has changed. Instead of three major broadcast television networks from which to choose, there are now at least 50 different broadcast and cable networks, plus numerous independent stations. Instead of a few hundred magazines, there are now thousands, with scores of new ones appearing each year. These changes make the tasks of the media department more challenging; indeed, media is now considered to be the “second creative department” in many agencies.
There are two main functions in media: planning and buying. Media planners put together a schedule of different media vehicles (programs, magazines, etc.), deciding which ones will best reach the target audience and at what cost. Once the plan receives client approval, it is then executed by the media buyers, who negotiate with the media themselves for space and time. Both groups work to determine which media will be most effective at delivering the brand’s message and at what cost. Some agencies also employ media researchers, who help planners and buyers better understand how people use media.
Media Planners. It is the task of media planners to focus on the media habits and activities of the target to whom the ads are being addressed. Very often that target is determined by the planner, in conjunction with account managers at the agency and brand managers at the client. Once the audience is agreed upon, the planners then have to find out which media forms are preferred by those people. Planners ask questions such as, Does the target audience watch many hours of television, or prefer reading magazines? Which TV shows are preferred, and how many of the target group watches those particular programs? After evaluating the various media alternatives, the media planners come up with a recommendation of which media to use. In addition, the plan recommends how to schedule the media, showing when to use different forms, and for how long. The options are then discussed, first within the agency and then with the client.
Media Buyers.After a plan has received client approval, the media buyers negotiate space in printed media (newspapers and magazines) or time in broadcast media (television and radio). They look for the best rates available to stretch the client’s dollar the farthest. After the buy has been made, media buyers are responsible for ensuring that the ads appear when and where they are scheduled. On the occasions that an ad does not appear, the buyers negotiate compensation with the media.
Within the media buying group is another sub-department called media business services. This group provides the accounting portion of the media process. It is here that bills are processed and invoices are paid. The people in this unit must ensure that the media are paid for all ads that appear and that the client is billed appropriately for that space and time.
Media Research.A third unit sometimes found within an agency is the media research department. This is a support group for the media planners and buyers (as well as the rest of the agency) that helps answer questions that pertain to how people use media. These questions may be as general as, Are people watching less television? or Do people use coupons placed in magazines? Media research also answers more specific questions, such as, Should
I place most of my dollars into the first four weeks of my schedule on cable television, or should I put them into the second four weeks on broadcast TV? Media researchers are involved both in conducting original (primary) research that they undertake themselves, such as a survey or experiment, and in analyzing existing (secondary) data, such as numbers on how many people are watching “E.R.” in Las Vegas or how many copies of Good Housekeeping magazine are distributed each month. In smaller or midsize agencies, the role of media research is often designated to a media planner.
Possibly related posts: (automatically generated)
Media & Ads
