When, recently, a leading Nigerian advertising figure with much foreign exposure, openly declared that agencies were satisfied with traditional media and that they would rather stick to them, my heart sank. May be this eminent ambassador of our industry is unaware of the untold havoc wreaked, for example, by NEPA (now PHCN) on advertisers’ ROI.
How would ad agencies be able to cope, come January 2006, when BON members are expected to resort to the policy of “cash-and-carry"? This is against the backdrop that advertising business in Nigeria thrives on Debt. What if NPAN (newspaper proprietors) decides to tow the line of its electronic counterpart (BON)?
It should interest us that while it once took only three network TV shows to reach 80% of America’s consumers, today it requires 57 (Abbey Klaassen 2005). Similarly in 2004, only six TV shows struggled to attract an audience of over 15 million people in the UK compared to 50 programmes in 2003 (The Guardian 14/12/04).
How can marketers therefore get all the help they need from ad agencies/media independents considering the shifting nature and complexity of the media environment? Even our mass media are beginning to fragment at a rate that is alarming especially to custodians of brands that are wedded to a traditional media strategy of TV and Press.
For many years, the media planner’s job has been very straightforward- he sits before his computer battling with data so as to make a number of bulk buys in a small selection of traditional media outlets at the lowest cost to his clients. Meanwhile the latter’s naira is routinely lumped in with everyone else’s in the process.
However, in today’s media world, fragmentation requires that the great planner be separated from the good planner. Our media landscape is beginning to grow as evidenced by the number of TV stations, radio stations, consumer magazines, daily, weekly and monthly newspapers and several out-of-home and online opportunities that now abound.
New media types (e.g. mobile phone) are also emerging and soon, we shall have video game advertising, video on demand (VOD), satellite radio, digital video recorders, etc. All these will certainly constitute obstacles to media people and generally challenge our media industry. Are our marketers getting the consumer research or properly tailored media- neutral planning they need (vis-à-vis the fact that the consumer lives in channel- neutral space)?
Acquainting oneself with the use of the various media types that will eventually confront the industry requires that smart planners, otherwise known as great planners or media specialists evolve. While good planners are great with numbers, the great media planner knows how to sell himself by coming up with innovative ideas, which aid him in effectively managing his clients.
He is capable of fully researching each marketer, audience and medium (Jonah Bloom 2005), while at the same time functioning in a creative capacity by developing branded content directly with vendors (Jennifer Karayeanes 2005). He is also able to analyse consumer research, and other forms of strategic media research from a marketing perspective. Above all, he is able to integrate his analyses into meaningful action points.
Today’s media planner is expected to create a deeper connection with consumers than advertising on its own and if a medium does not exist to meet his client’s expectations, he simply invents one! He dons the mantle of a communication specialist and possesses unique writing and presentation skills.
It is noteworthy that a crucial attribute that separates MindShare, the flagship media agency of WPP Group’s media arm Group M, from other media independents is the fact that it is transforming into a communication agency from the mould of a conventional media agency (Akshay Bhatnagar 2005). Simply put, MindShare is no more a media shop- it is now a communication shop!
The great media planner is able to make a meaningful plan, which covers every of the consumer’s relevant touch points, by coming up with a very persuasive communication to him. He understands what the basic job of a brand is in terms of growth hypothesis and what it is that a marketer requires to communicate to the consumer to make the growth occur. Do our media planners understand how media work, as well as how to plan and execute media decisions that are carefully coordinated with overall marketing goals and other communication efforts?
The great media planner is a creative problem solver who is also able to turn data into ideas. As a solutions- oriented strategist, he is a great listener, a people person, a salesman, a negotiator and a diplomat. He can present information in a systematic and persuasive manner, using technology as the case may be. Can our media planners analyse media cases, provide media solutions to various marketing and advertising problems and use a variety of media research data and software?
Can our media planners dissect and give sales presentations using media kits and rate card information from a variety of media? Can they effectively handle different areas of media buying such as post- buy valuations, negotiating contracts and spot rates, etc? (utexas.edu 2000). The great media planner has a strong interest in and understands the technology that powers emerging media. He is also able to convince clients that such media would improve their ROI.
How can our industry build consumer category specialisation for planning if we do not start by breeding expert planners with niche planning techniques? Such planners can be made to specialize in a particular consumer category. However, it is not being suggested here that the required basic knowledge, which includes media math and various media tools, is not relevant.
According to J. Karayeanes of Mediaweek, if anyone has been in media for many years and still does not know what GRP is, media is obviously not the right career choice for the person.
The number of media alternatives and the importance of abstract concepts such as exposure aperture and effective frequency should awaken our industry players to the inevitability of a new level of media expertise. It should be noted that great media planners are as important to the future of marketing as the best “creatives", and according to J. Bloom of Advertising Age, marketers who fail to appreciate a properly- funded media planning function are “sailing blind into uncharted waters- there will be wrecks."
Today, media planning should achieve more than knowing how many people to reach and looking for the cost to the client. The challenge is for media planners to consider other forms of media, which require a totally new way of thinking. The increasing demands for accountability also make it impossible for planners to hide behind justification terminologies like OTS’s and awareness studies.
If our industry stalwarts are content with traditional media, then I am scared. Perhaps this is an opportunity for ISP’s, PTO’s and GSM service providers to capitalize on the ad industry lethargy by bringing about tumultuous changes that should reverberate through our advertising media environment. It is projected, for example, that U.S. advertisers will spend $279 billion this year, an improvement of 5.7% over last year’s (Daniel Gross 2005).
But the interesting thing is, the growth will not be driven by ad agencies! Rather, the players will be: Google, with its search algorithms and text- based ads embedded in e-mail; Yahoo!, with its silky brand image and high- concept media campaigns and; telecom companies like SBC, which are already pioneering a form of Internet TV.
Shame on our ad/ media agencies should tech and telecom companies take advertising
through its first major paradigm shift in Nigeria.
Maybe… we should just sack our media planners!
Media Planner Job Description
That is why the Thumbnail Media Planner was created. Finally, a media planning and buying guide has arrived. The assistance it can provide for media planners and media buyers is very valuable and essential. The Thumbnail Media Planner is a marketing media reference that provides key advertising statistics and media research into the media industry. The media plan guide provides information which allows media planners, media buyers, advertising account executives and advertisers develop the best media exposure strategies.
The Thumbnail Media Planner provides information regarding advertising costs-- media rates-- and other key data in a convenient 104 page media research pocket reference. In client meetings, the media planner does not have to grapple with papers to immediately answer questions raised during meetings. The Thumbnail Media Planner is indispensable in new business presentations. As a consequence, the Thumbnail Media Planner increases the media planner or media buyer’s professional image and productivity. This media planning guide gives the ad agencies, advertisers and media sales representatives the upper hand on understanding today’s media landscape and media costs trends. The media information, solutions and answers are amalgamated into an expedient media planning marketing media reference.
In an effort to attract prospective clients and maintain customers, ad agencies, advertisers and other media practitioners are searching for ways to secure favorable public opinion for their clients. To do so at fast pace and less errors, the media planning guide for marketing media reference has been launched to make their work more creative to result in increased client’s profitability.
The job in advertising and public relations is a killing pace albeit exciting. Being creative on a tight schedule can be emotionally stressful. Meeting deadlines and eventually working long hours can sometimes result in being burnt out. The media plan guide, the Thumbnail Media Planner, was created for the purpose of assisting the media planners, media buyers, advertising account executives, advertisers, and media sales reps. Using this marketing media reference improves media planning, saves time and improves productivity.
Working under strict time constraints are alleviated. Hectic lifestyle can be put in check to maintain good health. The media planner provides an advantage for media practitioners by way of readiness and solutions to media planning questions. Media rates and data can be given in due time. It can provide the chance to delve into options before time and effort will go to naught.
The superior communication skills and abilities required by the job can be honed to an advantage. The media plan guide and the marketing guide reference the talent can be easily put to good use. The media planner complements and supports what ever abilities the media practitioner possesses. It also boosts training without attending formal classroom education. In just one set, whatever the ad agencies, advertisers and the rest of the media world require as support for their already big job.
It also affords a character change and attitude on the part of the media practitioners. Makes them look and sounds professional in their dealings with clients and prospective customers.
Both Yusuf Danesi & Ronald Geskey are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.