Media Planning

Nostalgia

Can Nostalgia Kill Profit?

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By: Brianna Wilkinson

I read an article earlier this week that sent me back in time to high school. I was living in Southern California at the time and grew up listening to what I considered the greatest radio station EVER. KROQ was a little low-powered rock station that launched the career of bands like U2 and the Police in the 80’s and shepherded in the era of grunge in the 90’s. KROQ was independently owned until it was purchased by CBS in 1986. 30 years ago, the station launched a morning show with DJ’s Kevin and Bean. The morning show was hip and cool and spring boarded careers for Jimmy Kimmel, Adam Corolla, Dr. Drew and Carson Daly to name a few.  On March 18th  of this year, the station now owned by Entercom, fired Kevin and the rest of his team after 30 years on the air after they finished their show. Just like that it was over. No confetti or goodbyes. They did relent and gave Kevin some air time to say goodbye after a small uproar.

https://variety.com/2020/music/news/kroq-kevin-bean-music-ratings-post-malone-1234609654/?fbclid=IwAR2FpzWEJ4x4c_Vo5yJmdUoszlYvFDJ3nDFB9mL1n04O5L2twWGq_an33l0

Now what the outside world doesn’t see are the ratings slumps and complacency. They don’t see the cost of doing business in the number 2 market in the country that having a ratings dip of a .1 can change the complexion of your whole fiscal plan.

But it did once again bring up the topic that advertisers, retailers, and media companies go back and forth on: the perfect demo.  Is it Adults 25-54, Adults 35-64, or Adults 18-34? You look at lifestyle and expendable income. You look at age and the goals are to get them young and keep them. If you google perfect age demographics it returns 8 different marketing websites on the 1st page of results telling you how to go about it. The problem is that these websites do not even consider “traditional” media a vehicle worth mentioning anymore. Social Media has become the new Cool Kid. And the median age for social media is?? Well, that depends on the app.

Marketing has its own version of ageism. Everything gets categorized and generalized: if you want to reach old people, you buy television, or if you want young people you need to find the latest and greatest edge and make it go viral.

So as the listener, my heart is broken for the end of an era. As I edge closer to being out of the magic demo of Adults 25-54, I find myself longing for a better time, as they say, when looking back on my life.

As a marketer I understand that loss does not equal profit. Changes can have a sudden effect, positive or negative, so it is necessary to keep your head above water. We can’t afford to be in the NOW. We have to keep looking forward and forecast what’s going happen regardless of any sentiment.

COVID Pyramid

The COVID Pyramid

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By: Patti Harrison

Never in our lifetime has there been such a dramatic shift in consumer behavior (Thank you Captain Obvious). As a marketer it is Overwhelming and Fascinating. Overwhelming as there is new data released every day, which to some degree quickly becomes obsolete as consumer sentiment evolves. Every media category is claiming that media usage is up from TV, OTT, Print, Out-of-Home, Digital, etc.  Just don’t be fooled by the headlines.  What may be reported on a national level could be very different on a local level.  Especially as we move forward with various states across the country opening up in stages. For example Geopath recently released a report that stated Auto Traffic was almost at pre-COVID levels.  However when you breakout the top 20 markets, traffic continues to be well below pre-COVID numbers as these Metro areas were hit the hardest by the Pandemic.

What I find to be Fascinating to watch is the affect this pandemic has on consumer behavior. Whether it is the unpredictable hoarding of toilet paper or the more predictable increase in consumption of DIY videos. The “hierarchy of needs during COVID-19” pyramid that was recently published by Profitero provides an interesting perspective.  This pyramid shows how consumers needs have evolved during the pandemic based on Amazon search terms – progressing from “panic pantry” to “cabin fever” to “power nesting”.  I’m sure we can all relate to this in our own lives from purchasing Lysol Wipes to Puzzles to Drawer Organizers.

No one knows with 100% certainty what our future holds.  Just today I have been served ads for custom Face Masks and Automated Temperature Checking Devices.

I like to think of these as signs of our willingness to adapt and persevere.

As we count the days to our ‘new normal’ Marketers and Media Planners will need to be flexible as consumer’s lifestyles and habits will continue to evolve in this rapidly changing market.

#newnormal #mediaplanning #marketing #mediabuying

Know your target

Know Who Your Target Is

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By Patti Harrison

When placing media we look for the trifecta – ‘the right time, in the right place, for the right price’.   It’s pretty easy to nail the right time and we work real hard to ensure the right price.  The most important leg of this three legged stool is the right place.  

Many marketers assume the right place is whether it’s a TV ad versus Social Post, Outdoor Board, etc.  or if it is local, regional, or network ad.  You get the picture.  There is actually a whole lot more that goes into determining the right place and it all starts with KNOWING YOUR TARGET.  The primary target for any advertiser has to be clearly understood in order to find the “right place” to reach them. 

The right place also refers to using targeted messaging.  Using a scattershot approach because you want to reach everybody is a huge waste of money.  You should have a clear understanding of the want and need of your target in order to develop a message that they can connect and engage with.  (Oh and it should go without saying that the product you’re advertising should actually fill that need.)

The right place is also about digging deep to uncover the perfect positioning within each medium.  For example, what social platform does the best job of engaging with the primary target. Or what specific TV program, and should it be a six second ad or a thirty.  Or what outdoor board is most likely on the primary target’s commute to work.  You may have hit a home run with your creative message but if it is in the wrong place it may as well be invisible.

Clearly defining your target audience will allow you to

#1. Develop messaging that resonates with your target

#2.  Have a better understanding of when and how they are consuming media

#3. Market directly to them

Really knowing and understanding your target is the gateway to increased sales, higher profit, and increased Brand Awareness.  Now that is the perfect trifecta!

Print in 2020

Print in 2020?

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By: Haley Lewis

In today’s digital world, is print actually dead? There is no doubt that print advertising has been declining in recent years, however, there are still some benefits for this type of traditional advertising.

Whether print advertising will be successful for your business is largely dictated by the audience you are trying to reach and the product or service you are promoting. If your audience is 65+, print may be a good choice as this age group tends to be big avid readers of local papers and are often a largely overlooked generation.

Print is also a good choice if you have a niche market you are trying to reach. There are thousands of magazines all dedicated to a specific category. Magazines and newspapers are also great if you are trying to reach a demographic in a specific geographic location as it can be extremely targeted.

If you want your audience to know your brand is involved in their community, print certainly can achieve that. As guides to local events, news, and other happenings around town, newspapers are a useful tool for communities. This creates a trust between your business and the consumer. According to Gail Gardner at All Business, 56% of all consumers trust print marketing more than any other advertising method. 

So, is print actually dead? Definitely not. Is it undervalued? Absolutely.

10.24 Patt - Why Hire Media Agency

The Time to Hire a Media Buying Agency is Now

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By Patti Harrison

The change in how we consume media has literally provided us marketers with endless opportunities to reach consumers, making the role of media planners and buyers central to shaping a brand.  Choosing which communication methods to use should be pivotal in driving strategy as we move forward in our consumer centric universe.

With all the complexities of media selection, the relevancy of using an agency that specializes in placing media has never been greater. It takes a dedicated team that is managing media full time to stay up to speed on its rapid paced evolution.  It takes platform agnostic team that can provide the necessary checks and balances.

National Media Consultant, David Angell trinityp3.com sums up the necessary qualities to look for when securing a Media Buying Agency.

  1. Consultative. You want an agency of thought-leaders, educators, confidants and sounding boards, people who have the right balance of a focus on the reality of now and a focus on future possibilities.
  2. Compliant. You want an agency with a clear structure, and which demonstrates clarity and flexibility in its dealings with you, an agency that’s willing to stand up and be counted on their own performance and their contribution to yours. You also want an agency that’s prepared to help drive best practice in the industry to which they belong.
  3. Commercial. You want an agency that can handle itself, that trades with the right balance of confidence, assertive power and knowledge. You want an agency that can get the job done when the rubber hits the road. You want an agency that is not the cheapest but is the best you can buy into – and which buys into you.
  4. Collaborative. You want an agency that’s adaptable enough to thread itself through your organization across all touch points, and those of your other agency suppliers, with the appropriate amount of grace, care and conviction.

#winningteam, #mediabuying, #harrisonmedia, #adagency