Multi Media – What’s In It For The Media Owner? - Research International explores the world of media-neutral planning
This paper explores the world of
media-neutral planning, and looks
at the issues that will have to be
addressed in applying data from
multiple media when drawing up
a schedule. In doing so, it draws
heavily upon experience from
the Orvesto Consumer survey
in Sweden, which has provided
‘single source’ data for a number
of years.
The authors use the example
of replacing a press campaign
to target high-value equity and
bond-holders with a campaign that
combines press and TV. Evaluating
the effects of two such campaigns
is far from being a simple matter,
it quickly becomes apparent.
Firstly, there is the issue of
modifying the different definitions
of Opportunity to See (OTS) so
that they strip out readers of a
magazine who don’t look at that
particular page, and TV viewers
who leave the room during an ad
break. Next, the authors point out,
one OTS does not necessarily have
the same value as another; this
can be determined both by the
frequency, but also by the ‘force’
of the media that delivers it.
Planners also need to consider
the variance of ‘take up’ levels
between media, not least when
a proportion of consumers in
each media is known to reject
advertising. And finally, the
different types of synergy that
manifest themselves in media
combinations must also be taken
into account. For example, a
response synergy means the
beneficial effect on breaking
through perception barriers of
approaching a consumer from
different directions at different
times; a content synergy stems
from the different qualitative
characteristics of different media.
Using a combination of media can
also provide synergies in the form
of reinforcement and stimulus.
And if that is not all complex
enough, it is argued, the timing
involved in using more than one
medium is also crucial.
The paper concludes by
examining some of the implications
for cross-media planning, for
media owners, for advertisers,
and for agencies. Media owners
will have to understand more
about how their competitive media
are bought and sold, for example;
while advertisers will benefit from
a greater wealth of target audience
data and a more simple, holistic
media plan. And for agencies, it
will mean everybody – advertising,
media and other disciplines –
working much more closely
together.
This extract was originally published in volume 10 of WPP's Atticus Journal (2004)