MEDIA

STRATEGY
Module 3
Media Strategy

The role of Media Strategy is to find out the right

path to transfer or say deliver the message to
the targeted customers.

The Media Strategy process has three “W”s to

be decided. They are
Where to advertise ?
When to advertise ?
What media type to use ?
◦Where is the place for showing or delivering
advertisement.
◦ The place does not mean only TV or radio but it can also be
newspapers, blogs, sponsorships, hoardings on roads, ads in the movie
break in theatres, etc. The area varies from place to place like it can be
on national basis, state basis and for local brands it can be on city
basis.
◦When is the timing to show or run advertisement.
◦ Some products need for three or four months. For e.g. you cannot show
a raincoat ad in the winter season but you need to telecast ad as soon
as the summer season is coming to an end and rainy season is just
about to begin. The ad should be delivered with perfect timing when
most customers are like to buy the product.
◦ Some products need year long ads as they have nothing to do with
seasonal variations e.g. small things like biscuits, soaps, pens, etc and
big services like vehicle insurance, refrigerators, etc.
◦What is what type of media is to be used for delivering
the message.
◦There are basically two media approaches to choose from.

◦ Media Concentration approach: In media concentration approach, the

number of categories of media is less. This approach is generally used
for those companies who are not very confident and have to share the
place with the other competitors.
◦ Media Dispersion Approach: In media dispersion approach, there are
more number of categories of media used to advertise. This approach is
considered and practiced by only those people who know that a single or
two types of media will not reach their target.
Media planning
◦ Media planning: The word Media came from the Latin word "Middle". Media carry
message to or from a targeted audience and can add meaning to the message.
◦ Can be defined as the BEST and EFFECTIVE means of REACHING out and
communicating to the prospective CONSUMERS or TARGET AUDIENCE of the
brand
◦ Media Planning – a plan of action to communicate a message to the right people,
at the right time, and the right frequency
◦ The goal of a media plan is to be efficient: to gain maximum exposure at minimum cost
◦ The purpose of media planning is to conceive, analyse, and creatively select channels
of communication that will direct advertising messages to the right people in the right
place at the right time
The Media Plan
◦ Media Plan – a document that outlines the relevant details about how a
client’s budget will be spent
Media Objectives
Media Strategy
Media Strategy – a plan for achieving media objectives to reach
the target audience as effectively and efficiently as possible
◦• Limited financial resources
◦• Demands for accountability
◦• Should address:
◦ How often to advertise
◦ How long to advertise
◦ Where to advertise
◦ What media to use
Media Execution

◦Media Execution – translating media strategies

into specific media action plans
◦• Look at cost efficiencies
◦• Develop a schedule
◦• Allocate budget
Steps in Developing the Media Plan
Example

◦Media Plan for an Ad of Note books

Market analysis
◦ Every media plan begins with the market analysis or environmental
analysis.
◦ Review of internal and external factors
◦ At this stage media planner try to identify answers of the following
questions:
◦ Who is the target audience?
◦ What internal and external factors may influence the media plan?
◦ Where and when to focus the advertising efforts?

◦ The target audience can be classified in terms of age, sex, income,

occupation, and other variables. The classification of target audience
helps media planner to understand the media consumption habit,
and accordingly choose the most appropriate media.
Establishing Media Objective
◦Media objectives describes what you want the media plan to
accomplish.
◦There are five key media objectives that a advertiser or media
planner has to consider:
◦ Reach
◦ Frequency
◦ Continuity
◦ Cost
◦ Weight on respective media
Media strategy development
◦ Media Mix
◦Target Market
◦ Scheduling
◦Reach and frequency
◦Creative Aspects
◦ Flexibility
◦Budget Considerations
◦Media Selection
Implementation of Media Plan
◦The implementation of media plan requires media buying.
Media Buying refers to buying time and space in the selected
media. Following are the steps in media buying:
◦ Collection of information
◦ Selection of Media/Media Mix
◦ Negotiation
◦ Issuing Ad - copy to media
◦ Monitoring performance of Media
◦ Payment
Evaluation and Follow-up
◦Two factors for evaluation of media plan:
◦ How successful were the strategies in achieving
media objectives?
◦ Was the media plan successful in accomplishing
advertising objective?
◦Successful strategies help build confidence and
serve as reference for developing media
strategies in future, and failure is thoroughly
analysed to avoid mistakes in future.
Activities involved in developing the
media plan
Challenges of Media Planning
◦ • More competitors
◦ • Rising costs
◦ • Media complexity
◦ • Greater audience fragmentation
◦ • More media options
◦ • Insufficient information
◦ • Inconsistent terminologies
◦ • Times pressures
◦ • Difficulty measuring effectiveness
Media evaluation
◦ Evaluating and assessing the suitability and effectiveness of a form of
media, eg radio, television etc.
◦ Media evaluation is the analysis of media content, rating its exposure
utilising various established criteria, frequently including tonal value and
the existence of key messages. It is considered by businesses to be one of
the most accelerating vehicles of mass communications research.
Print and Broadcast media
◦ A print media is a news organization such as newspapers and magazines
that produce news and stories that are meant to be read.
◦ Newspaper
◦ Magazines etc
◦ A broadcast media on the other hand is a news organization that supplies
people with news in a format that can be heard or viewed.
◦ Television
◦ Radio
◦ etc
 Television Pros and Cons

Advantages
Mass
Mass coverage
coverage

High
High reach
reach
Disadvantages
Sight,
Sight, sound,
sound, motion
motion Low
Low selectivity
selectivity

High
High prestige
prestige Short
Short message
message life
life

Low
Low cost
cost per
per exposure
exposure High
High absolute
absolute cost
cost

Attention
Attention getting
getting High
High production
production cost
cost

Favorable
Favorable image
image Clutter
Clutter
Radio Pros and Cons
Advantages
Local
Local coverage
coverage

Low
Low cost
cost
Disadvantages
High
High frequency
frequency
Audio
Audio only
only
Flexible
Flexible Clutter
Clutter

Low
Low production
production cost
cost Low
Low attention
attention getting
getting

Well-segmented
Well-segmented audience
audience Fleeting
Fleeting message
message
Magazine Pros and Cons

Advantages
Segmentation
Segmentation potential
potential

Quality
Quality reproduction
reproduction
Disadvantages
High Long
Long lead
lead time
time for
for
High information
information content
content ad
ad placement
placement

Longevity
Longevity Visual
Visual only
only

Multiple
Multiple readers
readers Lack
Lack of
of flexibility
flexibility
Newspaper Pros and Cons
Advantages
High
High coverage
coverage

Low
Low cost
cost

Short
Short lead
lead time
time for
for Disadvantages
placing
placing ads
ads
Short
Short life
life
Ads
Ads can
can be
be placed
placed in
in
interest
interest sections
sections
Clutter
Clutter
Timely
Timely (current
(current ads)
ads)
Low
Low attention
attention getting
getting
Reader
Reader controls
controls exposure
exposure Poor
Poor reproduction
reproduction quality
quality

Can
Can be
be used
used for
for coupons
coupons Selective
Selective reader
reader exposure
exposure
Outdoor Pros and Cons

Disadvantages
Short
Short exposure
exposure time
time

Short
Short ads
ads

Advantages
Poor
Poor image
image
Location
Location specific
specific
Local
Local restrictions
restrictions
High
High repetition
repetition

Easily
Easily noticed
noticed
Direct Mail Pros and Cons

Advantages
High
High selectivity
selectivity

Reader
Reader controls
controls exposure
exposure
Disadvantages
High
High information
information content
content High
High cost
cost per
per contact
contact
Repeat
Repeat exposure
exposure
opportunities
opportunities Poor
Poor image
image (junk
(junk mail)
mail)

Clutter
Clutter
Internet Pros and Cons

Advantages Disadvantages
User
User selects
selects product
product Limited
Limited creative
creative
information
information capability
capability
User
User attention
attention and
and
involvement Websnarl
Websnarl
involvement

Interactive
Interactive relationship
relationship Technology
Technology limitations
limitations

Direct Few
Few measurement
measurement
Direct selling
selling potential
potential techniques
techniques

Flexible
Flexible message
message platform
platform Limited
Limited reach
reach
Evaluate Effective Media For An
Advertising Campaign
◦ Audience Preferences: Look at your target audience, and research their media usage habits.
You’ll have a better chance of reaching them if you’re advertising in places where they are likely to
be. Be as specific as possible. “TV” and “online” are general enough to waste resources if that’s all
you have. “The Cartoon Network” and “Facebook and Pinterest” are more focused, and allow you to
conduct a more targeted campaign that doesn't waste money on users unlikely to be converted into
customers.
◦ Message: Each media platform comes with both opportunities and constraints that will determine
how effectively you’ll be able to get your message across.
◦ Billboards, for example, have a high ratio of views per dollar spent, but lack the space for complicated messages.
If you need more than eight words and an image to state your case, it’s not going to be effective.
◦ Magazine advertisements have a highly targeted readership, but one that comes out monthly means you won’t
get the repetition you might need.
◦ Radio reaches a wide audience but offers no visuals, while newspapers offer the opportunity for pictures but
readers who are unlikely to notice your ad if they’re not already in the market.

◦ Goals: Media buying decisions also depend on the objectives you have for your campaign. If the
goal is to get people to purchase, it’s important to focus on the most likely customers. If you’re
looking to build brand awareness, a wider audience is better.
◦ Diversity: Because different media are effective at doing different things,
focus on the campaign at a holistic level along with the individual components. For
example, a pest removal service might use radio to build brand awareness and a
direct-mail campaign to give its audience a call-to-action to buy. Ads on social
media can be relatively easy to compose, and can drive people from their Facebook
pages and Twitter feeds to your own website.

◦ Budget: Marketing is critical for small businesses, and allocating enough to

advertising is necessary to help customers find out about what you sell. How much
you’re willing and able to spend influences media effectiveness as well.
◦ Example: If your budget is small, a TV advertisement may be flashy, but you won’t be able
to run it frequently enough to benefit from repetition.

◦ Evaluation: For each media outlet you select, create a plan that will measure its
effectiveness and will tell you what's working and what isn't. This should link your
original objectives with measurable data.
Media Campaign Evaluation
◦There can be differentiation of campaign evaluations with
respect to their key purpose. There are five key types of media
campaign evaluation that are:
◦ Formative
◦ Developmental
◦ Process
◦ Outcomes
◦ Impact
◦ The formative type of evaluation involves the assessment of weaknesses and
strengths related to campaign strategies and materials, along with their translation
as practice prior to or in the duration of implementing the campaign.
◦ The developmental type of evaluation involves design of campaigners and
development of innovative campaigning solutions and approaches, and adaptation
to dynamic, uncertain, and complex circumstances
◦ Process type of evaluation that is summative in nature, involves the examination of
campaign implementation, while there is measurement of direct outputs and efforts.
◦ Outcome type of evaluation involves the measurement of changes and effects
taking place as a result of the campaign. There must be assessment of outcomes
within the audiences targeted coming about due to the activities and strategies of
the campaign
◦ Impact type of evaluation involves the measurement of longer term results or
change at the level of community due to the aggregate impacts on the behaviour of
individuals and the sustainability related to the behaviour. This attempts the
determination of fact if the campaign was responsible for causing the effects.
Media strategy and creativity
◦As important it is determining what to communicate in an
advertisement, equally important is how it is communicated.
The appeal and execution styles of advertisements talk about
just that.
◦The advertising appeal refers to the approach used to
attract the attention of consumers and/or to influence their
feelings toward the product, service, or cause. The creative
execution style is the way a particular appeal is turned into
an advertising message presented to the consumer.
Appeals and Execution Style
The
The approach
approach used
used to
to attract
attract
the
the attention
attention of
of consumers
consumers
Advertising
Advertising
Appeals
Appeals To
To influence
influence consumer
consumer feelings
feelings
toward
toward aa product,
product,
service
service oror cause
cause

The
The way
way an
an appeal
appeal is
is turned
turned
into
into an
an advertising
advertising message
message
Execution
Execution
Style
Style
The
The way
way the
the message
message isis
presented
presented to
to the
the consumer
consumer
Types of Informational/Rational Appeals
Feature:
Feature: Focus
Focus on
on dominant
dominant traits
traits of
of the
the product
product

Competitive:
Competitive: Makes
Makes comparisons
comparisons to
to other
other brands
brands

Price:
Price: Makes
Makes price
price offer
offer the
the dominant
dominant point
point

News:
News: News
News announcement
announcement about
about the
the product
product

Popularity:
Popularity: Stresses
Stresses the
the brand’s
brand’s popularity
popularity
A Rational Appeal
 Appealing to Personal States or Feelings/ emotional
appeal
Safety Stimulation
Sorrow, Grief
Security Pride
Fear Achievement
Love, Affection Accomplishment
Self-esteem
Happiness, Joy Embarrassment
Nostalgia Actualization
Sentiment Pleasure
Ambition
Excitement Comfort
Arousal
Emotional appeal
 Appealing to Social-Based Feelings

Approval
Approval Affiliation
Affiliation

Acceptance
Acceptance Embarrass-
Embarrass-
ment
ment

Status
Status Social-Based
Social-Based Belonging
Belonging
Feelings
Feelings

Respect
Respect Involvement
Involvement

Rejection
Rejection Recognition
Recognition
Creative strategies and its
implementation
1. Transformational Advertising.
◦ A transformational
advertisement is one which
associates the experience of using
(consuming) the advertised brand
with a unique set of psychological
characteristics which would not
typically be associated with the
brand experience to the same
degree without exposure to
the advertisement
 Transformational Ads

Feelings
Feelings Images
Images
The
The ads
ads
create
create .. .. ..
Meanings
Meanings Beliefs
Beliefs

Richer
Richer Warmer
Warmer
It
It must
must make
make
the
the product
product use
use
More
More experience
experience .. .. .. More
More
Exciting
Exciting Enjoyable
Enjoyable
Transformational Advertising example
 2. Combining Rational and Emotional Appeals

Consumer purchase decisions

are often made on the basis of
both emotional and rational
motives, and attention must be
given to both elements in
developing effective advertising.
 3. Reminder Advertising

The concept of reminder

advertising. The main objective is
to build the brand in such a way
that the customer sees the brand
name in front of them all the time.

Other ads include teaser

ads where when a new product is
about to be introduced ads are
designed in such a way that they
build up the curiosity and interest
of the consumers.
 Ad Execution Techniques

Straight
Straight sell
sell Animation
Animation

Scientific/Technical
Scientific/Technical Personality
Personality Symbol
Symbol

Demonstration
Demonstration Imagery
Imagery

Comparison
Comparison Dramatization
Dramatization

Testimonial
Testimonial Humor
Humor

Slice
Slice of
of life
life Combinations
Combinations
 Straight Sell or Factual Image

Straight Sell– One of

the most basic types of
creative executions is
the straight sell or
factual message. This
type of ad relies on a
straightforward
presentation of
information concerning
the product or service.
They are usually used
in print ads.
Scientific/Technical evidence
◦ In a variation of the
straight sell, scientific
or technical evidence is
presented in the ad. 
Advertisers often cite
technical information,
results of scientific or
laboratory studies to
support their
advertising claims.
 Uses a Demonstration Ad

Demonstration– Demonstrati
on advertising is designed to
illustrate the key advantages
of the product/service by
showing it in actual use or in
some staged
situation. Demonstration
executions can be very
effective in convincing
consumers of a product’s utility
or quality and of the benefits of
owning or using the brand.
Comparison
◦ This type of
execution involves a
direct or indirect
comparison of a
brand against the
competition.
Testimonial
◦ Many advertisers present their
marketing communication
messages in the form of a
testimonial whereby a person
speak on behalf of the product
based on his or her personal use of
and/or experiences with it
 Slice-of-Life Execution

Slice of Life – A widely

used advertising format,
particularly for packaged-
goods products, is the slice-
of-life execution, which is
generally based on a
problem/solution
approach. This type of ad
portrays a problem or
conflict that consumers
might face in their daily
lives and then shows
how the advertiser’s produc
t or service can resolve the
problem.
 Animation

This technique used

animated characters
or scenes drawn by
artists or on
computer.
 Personality Symbol

Personality symbol is a
type of advertising
execution. It involves
developing a
central character through
which the brand delivers its
benefits. It also allows the
brand to build an identity, to
differentiate itself from the
competitors
Dramatization
◦ This execution technique creates a
suspenseful situation or scenario in
the form of a short story. 
Dramatizations often use the
problem/solution approach as they
show how the advertised brand can
help resolve a problem.
Humor
◦  Humor can be used as the basis for
an marketing communication appeal.
However, humor can also be used as
a way of executing the message and
presenting other types of marketing
communication appeals.
Components of Print advertising
 Basic Components of Print Advertising
Headline
Headline
Words
Words in
in the
the Leading
Leading Position
Position of
of the
the Ad
Ad

Subheads
Subheads
Smaller
Smaller Than
Than the
the Headline,
Headline, Larger
Larger Than
Than the
the Copy
Copy

Body
Body Copy
Copy
The
The Main
Main Text
Text Portion
Portion of
of aa Print
Print Ad
Ad

Visual
Visual Elements
Elements
Illustrations
Illustrations Such
Such As
As Drawings
Drawings or
or Photos
Photos

Layout
Layout
How
How Elements
Elements Are
Are Blended
Blended Into
Into aa Finished
Finished Ad
Ad
 Headline

The headline is the most important element

in most advertisements. It is the telegram
which decides the reader whether to read the
copy.

On average, five times as many people read

the headline as read the body copy
If you haven’t done some selling in your
headline you have wasted 80% of your
client’s money.
Body copy
◦ It is known as the main text in an
advertisement, print matter, company
literature or any website which is distinct
from logo, headline, sub-headline and
graphics.

◦ This provides two most important

purposes.
◦ This portion will help readers develop interest
◦ It will help them remember the product name
and the reasons why they liked the particular
product or the news item.
◦ The first sentence of the body copy should
flow the headline and is the main text of
any marketing communications vehicle
Art direction and production in Print
Media - Illustration, design and layout
◦ LAYOUT
◦ A layout may be defined as the format
in which the various elements of the
advertisement are combined. It should
not be confused with the visualization
though.
◦ It is a blueprint. Its function is to
assemble the different parts of
advertisements- illustrations, headlines,
body text, the advertiser's signature, and
perhaps borders and other graphic
materials- into a unified presentation of
the sales message.
Ad Layout

Visual
element

Indirect
headline

Body copy
Elements of Layout
The various elements of a layout are
as follows:
◦ Headlines: Lines of text that are
set in larger type for the purpose
of attracting readers are headlines.
◦ Subheads: In a lengthy article,
subheads can be used to break
text into shorter segments.
Subheads can also appear beneath
a headline, but should not be too
detailed.
◦ Picture Captions: When you include
photos, artwork, or info graphics,
you might need a caption to give
readers a bit more detail. Captions
are generally set in a small but
easy to read font.
◦ Blurbs: A blurb is a short summary or
some words of praise accompanying a Blurbs
creative work.
◦ Illustrations: An illustration is a
visualization such as a drawing,
painting, photograph or other work of art
that stresses subject more than form.
◦ Product Package: A Product Package is
the manner in which something, such as
a proposal or product, or someone, such
as a candidate or author, is presented to
the public.
◦ Body Copy: The primary text of an article
is known as body copy. Any text is
generally referred to as copy, while the
body copy refers to the bulk of the
article.

◦ **A blurb is a display arrangement where the

words appear to be coming from the mouth of Package
one of the characters illustrated in the
advertisement. At times the complete body
copy can be composed of blurbs, as in the case Illustration
of comic strips
Principles of Good Layout
◦ An infinite number of arrangements are possible for the elements of an advertisement. However,
regardless of the arrangement of the elements, certain sound principles should be followed in a good
layout. These includes:
◦ (1) Balance: Balance, of considerable importance in a layout, involves artistically combining the
various sizes and shapes that make up an advertisement. Essentially, there are two forms of balance-
◦  Formal or symmetrical
◦  Informal or asymmetrical

◦ (2) Movement: If a print advertisement is to get the reader’s eye to “move” through it, the layout
should provide for gaze motion or structural motion.
◦ (3) Unity: Unity in layout refers to keeping the elements of the advertisement together so that the
advertisement does not “fall apart”.
◦ (4) Clarity and Simplicity: Although, it is important to make a layout interesting, care must be taken to
see that it remains simple enough so as not to lose its clarity and simplicity.
◦ (5) Emphasis: A good layout should make the advertisement as a whole prominent and also
emphasize certain more important elements. It can be done so by following some of the following
techniques-
◦ Repetition: A headline, an illustration or a trademark, for example, may gain added emphasis if repeated several times.
◦ Contrast: Another technique is contrast of size, color, or style. In a row of six men, all six feet tall, with a small boy at the
end, the boy would attract attention.
◦ White Space: This is another technique which should be use very carefully.
Art direction and production in
television advertising.
◦ A commercial can take anywhere from six weeks to six months to produce depending on what’s involved and the
scale of the project. The process is as follows:
Step 1 – Write a Creative Brief : The creative agency or production house listens to everything the client is trying to
achieve and then writes up a brief which needs to include:
◦ Objectives – is this a new product launch? Are you looking to drive immediate response?
◦ Message – what is the one clear message you want to get across in the ad?
◦ Target audience – who are you trying to reach with your campaign?

◦ Standard requirements include:

◦ Brand guidelines – is there a look or feel which needs to be incorporated?
◦ Format – where will this commercial be seen? How long must it be?
◦ Budget – how much have you got to spend?
◦ Timing – when should the campaign run?

Step 2 – Creative concepting

◦ Once there is consensus on the creative brief, the creative agency will produce several concepts/ideas that answer
the brief in different ways. It’s really important that the brief contains as much detail as possible as this is what the
creative team will use to spark off ideas and come up with concepts. They may vary by tone, messaging hierarchy or
by production approach e.g. animation versus real actors. All of the proposed ideas will all aim to achieve the
objective as set out in the brief.
◦ Step 3 – Storyboards/Script
When the concept has been agreed upon, the agency will write up the script and possibly produce storyboards to show the
visual intent for each frame. The script will provide context so we know when and where each frame is set. It will also
include all speech, voice overs, acting notes and supers (text that’s placed over the visuals). The storyboards convey the
visual intention that helps to tell the narrative. It will show things like camera angle, focus point, camera movement, any
visual type treatment and more. These can be accompanied by mood films and images so that both agency and client
understand the visual intent. When both the agency and the client is happy with the script, the client approves it.
◦ Step 4 – ClearCast: The script is then sent to ClearCast for approval. The broadcasters aren’t allowed to show ads that
are misleading, harmful or offensive. So before ads are shown, ClearCast check them against the Code of Broadcast
Advertising which sets out what is and isn’t permitted.
◦ If the script makes any claims such as “Britain’s favourite tea”, or “this product will make you grow two feet taller”,
ClearCast will ask for substantiation, and quantitative or scientific proof will need to be submitted to back up these
claims.
◦ Step 5 – Production: Now that the script has been approved, the production process can start. This involves making
choices about:
◦ The Director – who will bring the script to life?
◦ The Talent – who are the right actors or voice overs (age/sex/look) for the commercial?
◦ The Music – what music enhances the script or is a memorable jingle require for brand? Does the ad require any sound
effects to enhance the narrative?
◦ Location – what should the set look like or does the commercial need to be set outdoors or in multiple locations?
◦ Food styling/ wardrobe/ prop stylist – Who do you need to set to bring it to life?
◦ Step 6 – Shooting
◦ The actual shoot can last anything from one day to a number of weeks depending on what is involved. Similarly, there can
just be a skeleton crew, or a sizable entourage. Whilst this is often seen as the glamourous side of advertising, shoots can
often be very slow, with a lot of hanging around during the Director’s quest to get the look of the ad as envisioned.
◦ Step 7 – Post-production
◦ Once the footage has been shot and complied into the rough cut of the commercial, it will be finessed into the final ad.
This involves:
◦ Editing – Cut the frames together to create the ad. Ensure it works for all format intended e.g. TV, YouTube, Instagram etc.
◦ Colour Grading – Various attributes of an image such as contrast, colour, saturation, detail, black level, and white point
may be enhanced or corrected in post-production. This can be used to give the final film a stylised affect.
◦ Sound engineering – ensuring all the audio works seamlessly with together and with the visuals.
◦ Overlays – Any supers (text) or visuals that need to appear over the film.
◦ Step 8 – ClearCast
◦ The final ad is then sent to ClearCast where they check that it matches exactly the script that was approved. ClearCast
give final approval for the ad to be broadcast.
◦ Step 9 – Play out
◦ The ad is digitally delivered to the stations for them to use in its allotted airtime.
◦ Here at Edit we don’t produce the ads, but we work closely with a number of preferred partners who specialise in TV
commercial production who we can introduce you to. Our job is to ensure that we plan and buy the airtime as effectively
as possible in order that the commercial is seen in the right place, at the right time, by the right people.