Thanks. I’m glad you’re finding it useful.

- Greg

I have you on my desktop and am often searching your articles for insights. I am working on a fairly major project at the moment and this article is a timely read.

Cheers
Marama

I checked out your portfolio. Very impressive!

- Greg

Not sure how to relate them to my business yet, but I’m sure I’ll find your articles useful since many of us photographers are now being asked to take on roles as advisers in the process of marketing and branding due to many small businesses shying away from ad agencies.

Never thought I would miss the buffer art directors and account execs put between us and the client. It certainly is a challenging time to be in advertising…very exciting, too!

Thanks,

John

I really don’t know much because they are primarily US based. I know they have been super successful and were recently bought by Publicis.

Also, it’s important to remember:

- Creative Agencies say their business is ideas, but they make their money shooting expensive commercials.
- Media agencies say that they are strategic, but make their money on TV
- Outdoor companies say they specialize in ambient media, but make their money on standard sizes.

Right now, search is the3 “TV” of the internet. It’s the best way to spend massive amounts of clients money effectively. Whatever the PR is, as Maurice Levy will want them to grow billings.

While there is a big need for an “internet integrator” agency there is inherently the same problem as in 360 degree planning. Every agency thinks that they should drive the process:-))

- Greg

This time I will leave you alone

but, it will not stop me from asking a question or two. What is you take on Avenue A / Razorfish? They are a kinda mashup of a digital data miner and ad agency. Their “bridge” is the info between the planners and ad placement agents. (At least this is what I am getting).

Thanks for commenting. You make a very good point about defining goals. An advertiser who expect his agency to produce results, needs to define the task.

Crap brief = crap campaign

- Greg

Clearly what advertisers need is a focus on the core business need that they have and then to work out with their agency on how communications can focus on one or two key areas.For example, awareness might be at an acceptable level but preference to purchase might be low.That possibly links to a lack of involvement, or perhaps not enough information is available at point of need as in the case of high value purchases like cars.So a focus on information platforms(search and magazines) or high involvement (social network)may be the real focus rather than TV.

Having defined the task the agency can more readily define a budget and a communication plan that delivers the need.Maybe the avilable budget is inadequate for the task.In that case either increase investment or reduce business expectations.
Also the expectations for advertising need to be addressed in the context of its abilities.Since price and distribution are the main contributors to sales, the metric to be directly accountable should be something that can be more directly attributeable to the advertising (some level of awareness or information intake by the consumer).

In these ways we can avoid using guesswork to answer a brief and also manage expectations.Thus we will avoid the unfair disapointment by clients when our campaign doesnt deliver the unrealistic aims that the above briefing will produce.

There are media monitoring services that do this. Methodologies differ by supplier, media and market, but the general principle is that placements are monitored and compiled along with published rates.

I would suggest you talk to one of your agency clients and ask them what they use for competitive monitoring. Competitive analysis is an integral part of media planning so any agency with a decent client list would need to subscribe to monitoring services.

Another way would be to just Google the information you are interested in and you should find some articles and presentations about the market in which you are interested. Then just find the source they cite for their expenditure data and Google that company. It is not possible to come up with market estimations without monitoring ad placements.

If you are operating internationally, ZenithOptimedia publishes quarterly Worldwide Expenditure Forecasts quarterly. They cost a few hundred dollars, but it’s a pretty good information source (and the one most commonly used by investment banks so using it is a good idea for anyone doing a media business plan). They list the sources for their analysis in every country in the world.

I hope this is helpful. Please let me know if you have any further questions.

- Greg

As a long-time advertising sales executive, this is a very good piece. I’d like to discuss further this idea of the expenditure database. First, is it simply a list of where the advertiser is placing its media buys (print, radio, TV, electronic, etc.)? Second, do you find that most companies are willig to share this information, or do they even compile it in the first place?

Thanks and I look forward to your response.