Chapter 10: Media Planning and
Strategy
The
media planning process is not easy. Options include mass media such as
television, newspapers, radio, and magazines as well as out-of-the-home media
such as outdoor advertising. A variety
of support media such as direct marketing, interactive media, promotional
products advertising, and in-store point-of-purchase options must also be
considered. The Internet and interactive media have become the order-qualifier
in order to achieve the best results.
The
characteristics of each alternative must be considered, along with many other
factors. This process becomes even more complicated when the manager has to
choose between alternatives within the same medium—for example, between Time and Newsweek
or between Alias and Friends.
Media
planning is the series of decisions involved in delivering the
promotional message to the prospective purchasers and/or users of the product
or brand.
Medium is the
category of available delivery systems, which includes TV and radio,
newspapers, direct mail, outdoor advertising, and other support media.
Problems in Media Planning:
1.
Insufficient
Information:
Great deal of information about markets exists; media planners
often require more than is available. Some data are just not measured, either
because they cannot be or because measuring them would be too expensive.
2.
Inconsistent
Terminologies: Problems arise because the cost bases used by
different media often vary and the standards of measurement
used to establish these
costs are not always consistent.
3.
Time Pressures: It seems that
advertisers are always in a hurry—sometimes because they need to be; other
times because they think they need to be.
Developing the
Media Plan
Market Analysis
and Target Market Analysis:
The
situation analysis stage of the overall promotional planning process involves a
complete review of internal and external factors, competitive strategies, and
the like.
The index
number is considered a good indicator of the potential of the market.
This number is derived from the formula:
Index = (Percentage
of users in a demographic segment/ Percentage of population in the same
segment)*100
What Internal and External Factors
Are Operating?
Media
strategies are influenced by both internal and external factors operating at any
given time
·
Internal factors may involve the size of
the media budget, managerial and administrative capabilities, or the
organization of the agency
·
External factors may include the economy
(the rising costs of media)
Using Indexes to
Determine Where to Promote
In
addition to the indexes from Simmons and MRI, three other indexes may also be
useful:
1.
The survey of buying power index, is
conducted for every major metropolitan market in the United States and is based
on a number of factors, including population, effective buying income, and
total retail sales in the area.
2.
The brand development Index (BDI) helps marketers
factor the rate of product usage by geographic area into the decision process.
The Media Mix
A wide
variety of media and media vehicles are available to advertisers. While it is
possible that only one medium and/or vehicle might be employed, it is much more
likely that a number of alternatives will be used.
Marketing coverage possibilities
Three methods of Promotional Scheduling
A medium with a much higher cost per thousand may be a wiser buy if it is reaching more potential receivers. (Most media buyers rely on target CPM (TCPM), which calculates CPMs based on the target audience, not the overall audience.)
The media strategy must be designed to supplement and support the overall marketing and communications objectives. The objectives of this plan are designed to deliver the message the program has developed.
The basic task involved in the development of media strategy is to determine the best matching of media to the target market, given the constraints of the budget. The media planner attempts to balance reach and frequency and to deliver the message to the intended audience with a minimum of waste coverage.
At the same time, a number of additional factors affect the media decision.
Media strategy development has been called more of an art than a science
because while many quantitative data are available, the planner also relies on
creativity and non-quantifiable factors.
This
chapter discussed many factors, including developing a proper media mix,
determining target market and geographic coverage, scheduling, and balancing
reach and frequency. Creative aspects, budget considerations, the need for
flexibility in the schedule, and the use of computers in the media planning
process were also considered.