The document discusses the main functions of an advertising media plan, which are to create an advertising campaign that achieves strategic marketing objectives by choosing suitable media channels and identifying specific advertising tactics for those channels. It explains that the plan defines objectives, selects media to meet those objectives, and details tactics for the chosen media given their limitations.

1. The Main Function of an
Advertising Media Plan

2. Advertising media planning can help you
achieve your strategic objectives.
What Is an Advertising Plan?
Traditional Media Plan Development
How to Develop an Initial Sales Promotion Schedule
& Create an Advertising Plan
What Is Print Media Advertising?
The Role of Advertising in Media

3. What Is an Advertising Plan?
• An advertising media plan is a strategy for
marketing your business through certain
media channels to achieve a business goal,
such as raising brand awareness to obtain new
customers. Maximizing your chances of
success depends on careful research and
implementation, as well as your knowledge of
media buying and basic marketing strategies.

4. Function
• The main function of a media plan is to create
an advertising campaign that will achieve your
strategic objective. Specifically, an advertising
media plan defines your strategic marketing
objectives, chooses media channels suitable
for achieving those objectives and identifies
the specific advertising tactics that will
achieve your objectives given the limitations
of the chosen media channels.

5. Strategic Marketing Objectives
• Without a clear objective, you can't form a
marketing plan, according to "Marketing Plans:
How to Prepare Them, How to Use Them." a
book by Malcolm McDonald and Hugh Wilson. A
typical marketing objective is to gain new
customers, but companies sometimes have other
goals, such as to restore goodwill after a scandal,
announce a name change or declare a new
commitment. The marketing objective is the
guiding force of your campaign, so each
subsequent choice must take your overall
objective into account.

6. Choosing Media Channels
• If you don't target the right people, it won't matter how
well you execute other elements of your plan, according to
"Advertising Media Planning: A Brand Management
Approach,” a book by Larry D. Kelley and Donald W.
Consider your intended audience while choosing media
channels. For example, if your goal is to catch the attention
of young housewives, magazines that cater to the elderly
are unsuitable. Instead, you might use market research to
identify radio and television shows that young housewives
enjoy so you can buy advertising time. Other examples of
media channels include billboards, newspapers, direct mail
advertisements, brochures and branded items, such as
matchbooks, pens or refrigerator magnets emblazoned
with your marketing message.

7. Tactics
• Your choice of specific tactics -- for example, the
wording, color and location of a print advertisement --
depends on the general requirements and limitations
of the medium. Consequently, unless you have
extensive experience, hire a marketing consultant or
advertising agency to obtain expert insight. For
example, to juggle an image for the listening
audience, a radio advertisement might require sound
effects, background music, an expert announcer and
evocative writing, according to “Marketing
Communications.” a book by Ludi and Steve Bird. Each
element requires expert insight to ensure it conforms
to the radio station’s specifications as well as
supporting effective marketing strategies.

8. Planning a campaign
 Getting started
 Campaign objectives
 Target audience
 Campaign research
 Risk assessment
 Campaign timelines
 Ad & media agencies
 Engaging an ad agency
 Working with media planning agencies
 Communications strategy
 Campaign implementation
 Monitoring & evaluating

9. Role of advertising & media agencies
• The providers you will require will depend upon the
scale of your planned advertising and the skills of your
internal teams, as well as your planned
communications activities.
• Communications service providers may include
designers, photographers, advertising agencies, media
planning/buying agencies, public relations, event
management and digital agencies.
• The majority of the major advertising campaigns
undertaken by Government agencies or typically use
the services of at least one private advertising agency.

10. Role of an advertising agency
• The advertising agency will propose the best creative
tactics to convey your messages and achieve the campaign
objectives. They will recommend the advertising concepts
and may also include a variety of “below the line”
advertising options, e.g. events or presentations, handouts,
website, collateral (posters, stickers, brochures).
• Once you have agreed on the approach to be used, the
advertising agency responsibilities would typically involve
all aspects of the production of the advertising materials
and despatch of materials to the media. Advertising
agencies typically charge head hour costs plus any third
party production or other services they commission..

11. Role of a media agency
• A media agency (or media planner) is responsible for
the strategic recommendation of media activity for
your campaign. Working from your brief the planning
process involves analyzing the audience objectives and
balancing the reach, frequency and costs of media
options to deliver a detailed media plan that maximizes
advertising exposure and impact.
• Planning should demonstrate a coordinated approach
to different media and illustrate the thinking behind
the proposed approach. Media planners work closely
with advertising agencies to ensure the client's
advertising budget is well spent, as well as adhering to
the overall campaign strategy.

12. Which media agency do I use for my
campaign?
• Media planning services are provided by the
Government Master Media Agency, Mediacom
and a range of specialist agencies. All
advertising space must, however, be booked
by Mediacom.