Media strategy and planning
A media plan answers four questions: who we want to reach, where we will find them, how many times they must be hit to notice the message, and what that costs. The media mix follows from the answers. A plan that starts with “we want to be on TV” usually ends as an expensive campaign with low reach in the audience that matters.
What we deliver
- A target audience defined so it can be measured in each medium’s data
- A media mix with the reason each channel is in the plan
- Target reach and effective frequency for each campaign phase
- Budget phasing over time, allowing for seasonal pricing
- A media plan with estimated GRPs, contacts and cost per thousand
Reach and frequency keep each other in check
The same money can reach many people once or few people many times. Neither extreme works: most people forget a single contact, and the tenth one only irritates. So the plan sets what share of the target audience the campaign must reach, and how often on average.
Each medium adds reach differently. Television builds it fast; radio and out-of-home are cheaper routes to frequency; print buys attention within a narrowly defined group. The mix is built so channels complement each other rather than hitting the same people over and over.
The calendar is part of the budget
Media space has no fixed price. TV and radio both apply seasonal indices — autumn and the run-up to Christmas are the most expensive, summer and January the cheapest. The same number of rating points can cost noticeably more in November than in July.
Where the campaign goal allows it, moving by a few weeks saves more than any negotiation. Where the date is fixed, the plan at least spreads the weight so the most expensive weeks are bought only where they truly matter.
Digital and production are in the plan even when we do not buy them
Few campaigns today work without an online element. Performance campaigns in search, social and video networks are run by our sister company OMNIA MEDIA; the plan accounts for them from the start so offline and online reach do not overlap blindly.
The plan also settles which spots and visuals the campaign needs — how many cut-downs, which out-of-home formats, how many print versions. OMNIA PRODUCTION handles the shoot, and since plan and production sit within one group, media specifications are not discovered after the shoot.
Frequently asked
- What is the minimum sensible budget for a TV campaign?
- It is not about a fixed sum but whether the budget can build reach with adequate frequency in the target audience. A narrow audience, a short spot and a cheaper season need less money than a national campaign in November. If the budget falls short, it is better to know up front and pick a medium where it buys meaningful frequency — one of the things a first consultation settles.
- What does media planning cost?
- Send the inquiry form for a concrete proposal — we reply within one working day and the first consultation is free.
- Do you handle online advertising too?
- Online video from the TV groups and smart-TV advertising, yes, because they are bought much like television. Performance campaigns in search, social and video networks are run by our sister company OMNIA MEDIA. The media plan includes them so both halves of the campaign work together.
Related services
Negotiation and buying
The rate card is only the opening bid. We negotiate terms, book the space and make sure the campaign runs as it was bought.
Read more →03Campaign evaluation
Comparing what was bought with what actually aired, printed and went up — and claiming compensation where delivery fell short.
Read more →04TV advertising
Buying commercial airtime on national and thematic channels in rating points against your target audience.
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