Media planning consists of formulating a media strategy to deliver the creative so as to best meet the brand's advertising objectives, and then implementing that strategy in an accurate and cost-effective manner. Given that approximately ninety percent of advertising dollars are spent in media, a sound understanding of media planning is essential for the researcher and professional media planner alike. Although this book provides a novel and advanced approach to media planning, the basics are covered as well, making the book suitable for trainees.

The authors argue that current media planning is still too conventional, that while reach and frequency are not incorrect, they are certainly too simplistic for modern media planning. This book introduces the advanced concept of using reach patterns in making the reach decision, and develops the method of factoring in effective frequency when making the frequency decision. Reach patterns are an entirely new concept. Effective frequency, while not new, needs proper definition and an operational formula for its calculation, both of which are provided here. Other new concepts are introduced and shown to be necessary for choosing an appropriate media strategy. The media planning software, `Media Mania', designed by Peter Danaher, can be downloaded using the following link: http://www.mbs.edu/Media-Mania-Software/.

Inhalt

1. Media Strategy: An Introduction.- 1.1 Basic Parameters of the Media Plan.- 1.2 Advanced Media Plan Parameters.- 2. Reach Patterns.- 2.1. Reach Patterns for New Products.- 2.2 Reach Patterns for Established Products.- 2.3 Combining Reach Patterns.- 2.4 Summary Perspective.- 3. Effective Frequency.- 3.1 Input and Output Concepts.- 3.2 Minimum and Maximum Effective Frequency.- 3.3 Estimating Minimum Effective Frequency.- 4. Carryover and Other Frequency Decisions.- 4.1 Effective Reach and Active Effective Reach.- 4.2 Changes to MEF/c During the Campaign.- 5. Media Selection.- 5.1 Pre-classification of Media Types.- 5.2 Mass Media Selection.- 5.3 Media Selection for Small-audience Advertisers.- 5.4 Summary of Media Selection.- 6. Media Data, Duplications, and Strategic Rules.- 6.1 Media Data.- 6.2 Duplication Within and Between Vehicles.- 6.3 Strategic Rules.- 7. Implementing and Optimizing the Media Schedule.- 7.1 Media Models.- 7.2 Media Mania's Models.- 7.3 An Illustration of Reach and Frequency Strategies.- 7.4 Optimizing Schedules.- 7.5 Media Budget Setting.- APPENDIX: MANUAL FOR MEDIA MANIA.- REFERENCES.