Integrated Media Services
Media Planning
Before we start any media buy, we review our clients overall strategic marketing objectives and strategies. From that input, we develop a customized media plan outlining the company’s current market(s) situation analysis, the media buy objectives that address the situation analysis, the corresponding media strategies (and various executions that will be employed to meet media objectives) and corresponding budgets.
Before we start any media buy, we review our clients overall strategic marketing objectives and strategies. From that input, we develop a customized media plan outlining the company’s current market(s) situation analysis, the media buy objectives that address the situation analysis, the corresponding media strategies (and various executions that will be employed to meet media objectives) and corresponding budgets.
Media Buying
We buy millions of dollars of trade and consumer media in markets across the country, each year. We use the latest media software, including Strata, to assist with these efforts. Our department has a combined planning and buying experience of over 75 years. The most critical step in our process, it’s here where the client’s budget is leveraged with each of the selected media outlets in order to negotiate the very best cost. This is accomplished by meeting with the various media reps and negotiating cost as well as extra added-value promotions, no-cost spots or placements and other additional elements for exposure.
We buy millions of dollars of trade and consumer media in markets across the country, each year. We use the latest media software, including Strata, to assist with these efforts. Our department has a combined planning and buying experience of over 75 years. The most critical step in our process, it’s here where the client’s budget is leveraged with each of the selected media outlets in order to negotiate the very best cost. This is accomplished by meeting with the various media reps and negotiating cost as well as extra added-value promotions, no-cost spots or placements and other additional elements for exposure.
Strata is a multimedia application that gives us powerful analytic and reporting tools, and outputs pre-buy and postbuy reports for all DMA’s. The data used in the system is from Nielsen and Arbitron, and we incorporate data from Scarborough Research and Media Audit.
We use applications that easily tabulate local market reach and frequency for all TV and radio markets. We can use these timesaving tools for current client planning or new business presentations, and they help us manage broadcast media planning and placement.
Strata also includes a comprehensive program that helps us analyze the various trade markets utilizing the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS), which has replaced the Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) system. The software also allows us to efficiently manage contract rates, mechanical specs, contract expirations, short rates and insertion orders. The built-in alerts keep us on top of the day-today demands of print buy administration, assuring all materials are submitted correctly and on time.
Post-Buy Analysis
This step separates those who merely spend money from those who invest money. It’s here that the buy is audited to ensure that the client has received what was ordered. This involves reviewing the invoices as they come in, entering the spots into our system to ensure they ran when and at the rating promised. In addition, no-charge or low-charge embellishments are monitored. Once the monthly invoice audit is completed, payment is approved. Any discrepancies are discussed and resolved immediately with the rep. Communica always leverages any discrepancy back to the outlet in order to garner additional no-charge replacements. We determine the ROI of the media buy and match it with the cost of acquisition and lifetime value of the customer.
This step separates those who merely spend money from those who invest money. It’s here that the buy is audited to ensure that the client has received what was ordered. This involves reviewing the invoices as they come in, entering the spots into our system to ensure they ran when and at the rating promised. In addition, no-charge or low-charge embellishments are monitored. Once the monthly invoice audit is completed, payment is approved. Any discrepancies are discussed and resolved immediately with the rep. Communica always leverages any discrepancy back to the outlet in order to garner additional no-charge replacements. We determine the ROI of the media buy and match it with the cost of acquisition and lifetime value of the customer.
With our comprehensive media software package, we are able to compare the actual ratings numbers to the projections that were given when the buy was placed, quickly and easily. This allows us to ensure our clients are getting the best value for their money, and that they are having the media impact in the market that was promised.
