Once the general media strategy is determined, the media plan- ner can select and schedule particular media vehicles. The plan- ner usually considers each medium’s value on a set of specific criteria. Exhibit 14–12 summarizes many of the media advan- tages discussed in Chapters 10–13.
Criteria for Selecting Individual Media Vehicles
In evaluating specific media vehicles, the planner considers several factors: overall campaign objectives and strategy; size and characteristics of each vehicle’s audience; exposure, atten- tion, and motivation value of each vehicle; and cost-efficiency.
Overall Campaign Objectives and Strategy The media planner’s first job is to review the nature of the product or service, the objectives and strategies, and the primary and secondary target markets and audiences. The characteristics of the product often suggest a suitable media choice. A product ad occasionally. Unfortunately, space and time units may be
determined by someone other than the media planner—creative or account management, for example—in which case the plan- ner’s options are limited.
The position of an ad is another consideration. Preferred positions for magazine ads are front and back covers; for TV, sponsorship of prime-time shows. Special positions and spon- sorships cost more, so the media planner must decide whether the increased audience is worth the higher costs.
As we can see, the nature of the creative work has the poten- tial to greatly affect the media strategy. This means that me- dia planners have to be flexible, since the initial media plan may well have been determined prior to beginning the cre- ative work.
Buyer Purchase Patterns Finally, the customer’s product purchasing behavior affects every element of the me- dia mix. The media planner must consider how, when, and where the product is typically purchased and repurchased.
Products with short purchase cycles (convenience foods and paper towels) require more constant levels of advertising than products purchased infrequently (refrigerators and note- book computers).
Stating the Media Strategy
A written rationale for the media strategy is an integral part of any media plan. Without one, it’s difficult for client and agency management to analyze the logic and consistency of the recom- mended media schedule.
Generally, the strategy statement begins with a brief definition of target audiences (the market element) and the priorities for weighting them. It explains the nature of the message and indi- cates which media types will be used and why (the media ele- ment). It outlines specific reach, frequency, and continuity goals and how they are to be achieved (the methodology element). It provides a budget for each medium (the money element), includ- ing the cost of production and any collateral materials. Finally, it states the intended size of message units, and any position or timing considerations (the mechanics element).
Once the strategy is delineated, the plan details the tactics to be employed, the subject of the next section.
1. What is BDI? What is CDI?
2. What is the “sweet spot” of the BDI/CDI index?
3. What factors influence media strategy decisions?
check yourself ✓
E X H I B I T 1 4 – 1 2 Media selection: Quick list of advantages.
Medium Advantages
Newspapers Quick placement. Local targeting. Audience interest. Current.
Magazines High-quality graphics/reproduction. Prestige factor. Color. Selective targeting.
TV Combines sight, sound, movement. A single message. Demonstration. Social dominance.
Radio Intimacy. Loyal following. Ability to change message quickly. Repetition and frequency.
Digital interactive Immediate response. Interactive. Highly selective targeting. Global. Fastest-growing medium.
Relevance of ads.
Direct mail Measurable. Graphics, color. 3-D. Highly personal.
Adaptable message length.
Outdoor/Transit Local targeting. Graphics, color. Simple message.
Larger than life. Repetition.
Applying the Breaks
What creative advantages can you add to the list? What are some drawbacks of the media listed here?
even though its demographic profile and image might match the desired target audience.
Consumers choose a particular vehicle because they gain some
“reward”: self-improvement, financial advice, career guidance, or simply news and entertainment. Advertising is most effective when it positions a product as part of the solution that consum- ers seek. Otherwise, consumers may see it as an intrusion.17 If the marketing objective is to gain greater product distribu- tion, the planner should select media that might also influence resellers. If the goal is to stimulate sales of a nationally distrib- uted product in isolated markets, ads should be placed in local and regional media that penetrate those markets. Pricing strat- egy influences media choices too. A premium-priced product should use prestigious media to support its market image.
Characteristics of Media Audiences An audience is the total number of people or households exposed to a vehicle.
The planner needs to know how closely the vehicle’s audience matches the profile of the target market and how interested pro- spective customers are in the publication or program. A product intended for a Latino audience, for example, would likely ap- pear in specific media directed toward Hispanics. Simmons Market Research Bureau (SMRB) provides research data on age, income, occupational status, and other characteristics of magazine readers. Simmons also publishes demographic and psychographic data on product usage of consumers. Likewise, Nielsen provides audience statistics for television programs and Arbitron for radio stations.
The content of the vehicle usually determines the type of peo- ple in the audience. Some radio stations emphasize in-depth news or sports; others feature jazz, rock, or classical music.
Each type of programming attracts a different audience.
Exposure, Attention, and Motivation Value of Media Vehicles The media planner has to select media that will not only achieve the desired exposure to the target audience, but also attract attention and motivate people to act.
Exposure As we discussed earlier, just because someone reads a particular magazine or watches a certain program doesn’t mean he or she sees the ads. Some people read only one article, set aside the magazine, and never pick it up again. Many people change channels during commercial with a distinct personality or image, such as a fine perfume,
might be advertised in media that reinforce this image. The me- dia planner considers how consumers regard various magazines and TV programs—feminine or masculine, highbrow or low- brow, serious or frivolous—and determines whether they’re ap- propriate for the brand.
The content and editorial policy of the media vehicle and its compatibility with the product are important considerations.
Tennis magazine is a poor vehicle for cigarette or alcohol ads
The language and imagery of this Godiva chocolate (www.
godiva.com) ad exudes a sense of elegance that suits the audience of the medium selected. Godiva placed the ad in magazines such as Architectural Digest to reach a target audience of affluent, well-educated individuals. The photo, type, and layout elements reflect the nature of the magazine, the advertiser, and even the audience.
Source: Godiva Chocolatier, Inc
audience The total number of people exposed to a particular medium.
exposure value The value of a medium determined by how well it exposes an ad to the target audience.
attention value A consideration in selecting media based on the degree of attention paid to ads in particular media by those exposed to them.
motivation value A consideration in selecting media based on the medium’s ability to motivate people to act. Positive factors include prestige, good-quality reproduction, timeliness, and editorial relevance.
cost per thousand or CPM A common term describing the cost of reaching 1,000 people in a medium’s audience.
CHAPTER 14 | Media Planning and Buying 355
advertiser’s campaign may affect attention significantly but motivation very little. The attention factors of quality reproduc- tion and timeliness can motivate someone, however.
Media planners analyze these values by assigning numerical ratings to their judgments of a vehicle’s strengths and
weaknesses. Then, using a weighting formula, they add them up. Planners use similar weighting methods to evaluate other factors, such as the relative importance of age versus income.
Cost-Efficiency of Media Vehicles Finally, media plan- ners analyze the cost-efficiency of each vehicle. A common term used in media planning and buying is cost per thousand, or CPM (M is the Roman numeral for 1,000). If a daily breaks or leave to get a snack. Comparing the exposure
value of different vehicles, therefore, is very difficult. With- out statistics, media planners have to use their best judgment based on experience.
Five factors affect the probability of ad exposure:
1. The senses used to perceive messages (for example, scratch-and-sniff ads really improve the exposure value of magazines).
2. How much and what kind of attention the vehicle requires (higher involvement suggests greater ad exposure).
3. Whether the vehicle is an information source or a diversion (for example, radio news programs offer greater ad exposure than elevator music).
4. Whether the vehicle or program aims at a general or a specialized audience (exposure value will be higher with specialized audiences).
5. The intrusiveness of the ad in the vehicle (placement within broadcast programs gives greater exposure than placement between programs; ads placed next to editorial material get greater exposure than ads placed next to other print ads, larger ads attract more attention).
Attention Degree of attention is another consideration. As we discussed in Chapter 5, consumers with no interest in motor- cycles or cosmetics won’t remember ads for those products.
For a variety of reasons, they fail to penetrate the viewer’s per- ceptual screens. But someone in the market for a new car tends to notice every car ad.
Exposure value relates only to the vehicle; attention value concerns the advertising message and copy, as well as the ve- hicle. Special-interest media, such as boating magazines, can offer good attention value to a marine product. But what kind of attention value can the daily newspaper offer such a prod- uct? Do sailors think about boats while reading the newspaper?
Much research still needs to be done, but six factors are known to increase attention value:18
1. Audience involvement with editorial content or program material.
2. Specialization of audience inter- est or identification.
3. Number of competitive advertis- ers (the fewer, the better).
4. Audience familiarity with the ad- vertiser’s campaign.
5. Quality of advertising reproduction.
6. Timeliness of advertising exposure.
Motivation These same factors affect a vehicle’s motivation value, but in different ways. Familiarity with the
This ad for Crownline boats will get more exposure and receive more attention in Lakeland Boating magazine than in a general-interest publication. Readers will have nautical activities on their minds and may be very motivated if they are actively seeking product information.
Source: Crownline Boats
© Comstock Images/Alamy RF
as follows:
Target audience = 0.40 × 250,000 = 100,000 TCPM = $3,000
100,000 ÷ 1,000 = $30 per thousand
Buyer Purchase Patterns
Finally, the customer’s product purchasing behavior affects every element of the media mix. The media planner must consider how, when, and where the product is typically pur- chased and repurchased. Products with short purchase cycles (convenience foods and paper towels) require more constant levels of advertising than products purchased infrequently (re- frigerators and furniture).
newspaper has 300,000 subscribers and charges $5,000 for a full-page ad, the cost per thousand is the cost divided by the number of thousands of people in the audience. Since there are 300 thousand subscribers, you divide $5,000 by 300: