Transcript Media Brief Checklist

What Makes A
Great Media Brief?
How To Make Great
Advertising Work Harder?
So, what does
make a good media
brief ?
A Good Brief Is . . .
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Focused on key issues
A free exchange of information
An opportunity to debate
Critical for creative media
solutions
Critical Elements
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First, some marketing background
Role of advertising/other communications
A detailed target audience profile
What is the desired consumer response?
Geography, seasonality or timing issues
Creative considerations
Budget
Timing
Media Briefing Checklist
1. Marketing background
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Client’s business objectives/strategies
Market/category information
Sales/share goals
Product changes or launches
Promotion & packaging
Distribution . . . etc
Review of current advertising program (include
successes, failures, problems)
Media Briefing Checklist
1. Marketing background
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Media teams must have a “feel” for the market & the
clients’ product
Important to share information
Organize store visits
Anything that builds a better understanding should
be explored
Media Briefing Checklist
2. The Role of Advertising/Other Communications
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Stimulate/increase awareness or trial
Maintain current positioning
Launch a new brand
Reposition a current brand
Re-launch a declining brand
Increase frequency of purchase/usage
Generate immediate leads/sales . . . etc
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Reebok owned Olympics broadcasts as
Official Sponsor in Taiwan
Nike blocked from most Olympicsrelated media
Role of advertising: Ambush! Find
creative ways to associate Nike with
the Olympics
Media Briefing Checklist
3. Target Audience
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Who is buying the brand now ?
Who is using the brand now ?
Who do we want to target ?
Who are we trying to influence ?
Demographics
Psychographics
Purchase influence & decision-making
Defining Demographics
TV delivers across broad demographics -targeting narrow segments will often
perform well against broader targets
Defining Demographics
TV delivers across broad demographics --targeting
narrow segments will often perform well against
broader targets
For example, buying against Women 18-39 performs
well against Women 25-54 (however,the reverse is not
true!)
Defining Demographics
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634
836
W 1839
W 1824
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W 2539
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W 2554
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0
TARPS
Defining Demographics
While the advertising target may be
Women 18-54 the media target should
be Women 18-39
Defining Demographics
While the advertising target may be
Women 18-54 the media target should
be Women 18-39
Ensures delivery against the younger,
harder-to-reach target segment
Media Briefing Checklist
3. Target Audience
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But should go beyond demographics
Provide real consumer insights
Nothing drives great media ideas like a deep
understanding of the target consumers and
their relationship with the brand
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Hong Kong launch of Lite Singles
Target research revealed that mom
was looking for a fun way to keep
the family healthy & fit
Needed a media idea that was “fun”
and communicated the benefit
Media Briefing Checklist
4. Desired Consumer Response
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What affect must the advertising have on the
consumers’ attitudes and behaviour ?
What is the brand’s positioning statement?
What is the brand’s personality?
Media Briefing Checklist
4. Desired Consumer Response
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What affect must the advertising have on the
consumers’ attitudes and behaviour ?
What is the brand’s positioning statement?
What is the brand’s personality?
These are as important to the media
process as to creative development
Buena Vista Home Video
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Launch of Snow White on video
Needed to speak to children & adults
Key creative element -- The Seven
Dwarves’ song “Hi Ho, Hi Ho, It’s Off To
Work We Go”
An outdoor solution?
Hi
Hi ho
Hi ho, hi ho
Hi ho, hi ho,
what’s now on video?
Hi ho, hi ho,
yours to own on video!
Media Briefing Checklist
5. Geography, Seasonality & Timing Issues
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Where are the consumers?
Where do they buy or use the product?
Are there seasonal sales patterns?
Is the product given as a gift?
Should advertising support promotions?
Does weather affect purchase or usage?
New product launches?
Mi-Fancy Bird Seed
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Need to reach bird owners -- with a limited
budget
Media planner recommended a single
outdoor billboard adjacent to a bird
sanctuary
And an interactive element
Media Briefing Checklist
6. Creative Considerations
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Creative units (are they mandatory?)
Number & purpose of executions
Creative-related requirements
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Demonstration
Explanation (long copy)
Coupons
Recipes
Stabilo Boss Markers
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Creative focus: Demonstration of product
benefit
Media team negotiated editorial
“demonstrations” with ad buy
Excellent extension of creative message at
no extra cost
Media Briefing Checklist
7. Budget
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Media vs. production splits
Time frame for expenditure
Allocations by campaign/creative execution?
Any existing media commitments?
Opportunities for incremental $?
Media Briefing Checklist
7. Budget
The bigger, the better!
Media Briefing Checklist
7. Budget
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Don’t under-estimate the importance of
the media brief even if budgets are small
Big ideas can dramatically improve clients’
business -- and maybe lead to bigger
budgets
Timing, Timing, Timing !
Media Briefing Checklist
8. Media Planning Timetable
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Be realistic
Only proper preparation can deliver
the best media plans
Ideal to have four-six weeks from
client briefing to plan presentations
Absolute minimum is three
Some Final Thoughts
 Good briefs are critical not only to great
creative work, but also to great media
ideas
 You have a crucial role to play
 Bring media and creative together
 Important to have internal reviews
before meetings
 Have some fun -- this is advertising!