Media Planning is Central to Campaign Success

Can you imagine a time when all a media planner had to contend with were three broadcast networks? When I started in the media industry over 25 years ago, the one-minute ad made up 25% of commercials, and the rest were 30-second spots. One commercial in primetime would reach 1/3 of all households. Today, this same time period on one of the over-the-air networks will reach 5% of households. Cable and satellite didn't exist. We've gone from three channels to the average household getting 104, and that number is still growing. By the end of 2006, over-the-air networks delivered 50% of all TV viewing. The other half was delivered by cable networks (Nielsen Media Research). In the magazine world, we had the

When I got into media, the skills that were stressed were math and negotiations. Media planning did not get a lot of attention. The buyer was the star within the media department, but there really were no media stars in the agency or with the client. No one really paid attention to what we did. I can remember being in meetings, presenting my million-dollar plans which got instant approval with no questions asked. I can remember thinking back then, "That isn't right." The client should be more interested, and there should be more discussions of the media plan. It is critical to the success of the work. I wanted this discussion to happen. I wanted to share the strategies. But, most of the time, clients would tell me to give them the five-minute summary. At the same time, the poor creative folks were getting questions about both their work and the cost. For media planners, when you only had three networks to pick from, you could not make a mistake. History has painted an inaccurate picture of media planning. Because of this lack of attention in the past, I think this career path is overlooked today. Unfortunately, there hasn't been a time when we've needed smart, talented people more. The media landscape is ever changing, and we need people to jump on board for the exhilarating ride. I started my career at Proctor & Gamble. Obviously, media was important there, but the brand groups behind products such as Crest and Pampers were the stars. We were just a support group. The first account I worked on that really highlighted how important media is was a local McDonald's franchise. They tested me at every meeting. I had to justify why prices increased. I was forced to ask the same question of the media. I dug into the industry to learn all I could. I needed to understand media coverage by county and how to make sure the media buys were fair across operators. This account made me learn to do my homework well, to be prepared. It made me a better media person. Today, the placement of advertising is not taken for granted, and there are no slam dunk approvals. Media buys must be strategically conceptualized, researched, and re-researched. Media planning has moved into the hotspot with clients and within the agency because media is evolving so rapidly. The spotlight is equally shared now between us and our creative brothers and sisters. As a result, we need leaders who can think strategically and who can anticipate changes that are inevitably ahead. It's not just about Cost Per Point (CPP) or Cost Per Thousand (CPM). You need to be creative and help invent new media options. You need to understand how consumers are utilizing new media and how it is changing old media habits. You must be comfortable operating within the old paradigms while forging new ones at the same time. It is an exciting time in advertising and media planning, and those with courage and tenacity will be rewarded with career paths that challenge them, every day, to be on top of their games. Beyond the historical skill set of math and negotiations, you need a lot more to succeed in the industry today. You must be able to think strategically—look at the big picture and compare different media choices both analytically and from your target consumer's perspective. Look for the "win/win" for the client and the media. Understand that you are an integral part of the agency team. Know what is going on in the industry, and keep your finger on the pulse of it. You'll find that what you bring to the table is at the heart of the agency's success. About the Author Pat Wallwork is the media director and co-founder of McKee Wallwork Cleveland. She is responsible for managing the agency's media department and negotiating the best media contracts on behalf of its clients. She may be reached at pwallwork@mwcmail.com.

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Media Planning is Central to Campaign Success