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Belch: Advertising and
Promotion, Sixth Edition
V. Developing the
Integrated Marketing
Communications Program
10. Media Planning and
Strategy
Age Population in Product Use
Segment Segment (%) in Segment (%) Index
18–24 15.1 18.0 119
25–34 25.1 25.0 100
35–44 20.6 21.0 102
45+ 39.3 36.0 91
keters may wish to use this information to determine which groups are now using the
product and target them or to identify a group that is currently using the product less
and attempt to develop that segment.
While the index is helpful, it should not be used alone. Percentages and product
usage figures are also needed to get an accurate picture of the market. Just because the
index for a particular segment of the population is very high, that doesn’t always mean
it is an attractive segment to target. The high index may be a result of a low denominator
(a very small proportion of the population in this segment). In Figure 10-6, the 18to
24-year-old age segment has the highest index, but it also has both the lowest product
usage and the lowest population percentage. A marketer who relied solely on the
index would be ignoring a full 82 percent of product users.
Keep in mind that while Simmons and MRI provide demographic, geographic, and
psychographic information, other factors may be more useful in defining specific
markets.
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, as demonstrated in Figure
10-7. External factors may include the economy (the rising costs of media),
Figure 10-7 Organizing the media buying department
While various firms and ad agencies have different ways of
organizing the media buying department, three seem to be
the most common. The first form employs a product/media
focus, the second places more emphasis on the market
itself, and the third organizes around media classes alone:
• Form 1 In this organizational arrangement, the media
buyers and assistant media buyers are responsible for a
product or group of products and/or brands. Their media
planner both plans and buys for these products/brands in
whichever geographic areas they are marketed. For example,
if the agency is responsible for the advertising of Hart
skis, the media planners determine the appropriate media
in each area for placing the ads for these skis. The logic
underlying this approach is that the planner knows the
product and will identify the best media and vehicles for
promoting it.
• Form 2 In this approach, the market is the focal point
of attention. Media planners become “experts” in a particular
market area and are responsible for planning and
buying for all products/brands the firm and/or agency
markets in those areas. For example, a planner may be
responsible for the Memphis, Tennessee, market. If the
agency has more than one client who wishes to market in
this area, media selection for all of the brands/products is
© The McGraw−Hill
Companies, 2003
Figure 10-6 How high
indexes can be misleading
the responsibility of the same person. The logic is that his
or her knowledge of the media and vehicles in the area
allows for a more informed media choice. The nonquantitative
characteristics of the media get more attention
under this approach.
• Form 3 Organizing around a specific class of media—
for example, print or broadcast—is a third alternative. The
purchasing and development unit handles all the agency
print or broadcast business. Members of the media
department become specialists who are brought in very
early in the promotional planning process. Planners perform
only planning functions, while buyers are responsible
for all purchases. The buying function itself may be
specialized with specific responsibilities for specialty
advertising, national buys, local buys, and so on. Knowledge
of the media and the audience each serves is
considered a major benefit. Also, people who handle all
the media buys can negotiate better deals.
As to which strategy works best, who’s to say? Each has
been in use for some time. The second approach requires
that the agency be big enough and have enough clients to
support the geographic assignment. The third alternative
seems to be the most common design.
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Chapter Ten Media Planning and Strategy