Masters of media

Media planners are the backbone of an advertising agency. They ensure that a client’s marketing communication reaches its target audience at the least possible expenditure.

An ineffective media plan will take the wind out of even the most creative advertisements. “Media planners combine creative thinking with factual analysis to develop appropriate strategies,” says Mr. Gaurav Dikshit, media controller, media direction,  RK Swamy BBDO. “They apply knowledge of the media and communication platforms to identify the most appropriate vehicle for building awareness. They work with the press, television, radio and new media, in particular the Internet, as well as more unusual platforms (cell phone, viral e-mail etc).”

“The role of a media planner is very important (in a campaign), as he has to decide on the media mix and, thereby, is responsible for the distribution of the budget,” adds Mr. Dikshit, 28, who joined Group M Team LG as a media intern in 2004, at a pay of Rs 10,000 per month. Today, he earns about Rs 70,000 per month.

With the proliferation of media vehicles, the scope of a media planner’s work has greatly expanded. “In today’s scenario, a media planner is also a brand planner, one who works closely with the brand manager,” points out Mr. Dikshit. “His role includes analysing target audiences, reading market trends and understanding the motivation of consumers,” he adds.

However, good media planners are hard to come by in India. “That’s because no university/college offers a specialised course in media planning and this is the most non-glamorous part of advertising,” says Mr. Eeshita Ghosh, business director, MediaCom.

Moreover, many planners have moved into other, related fields, thereby creating a constant gap in supply, says  Mr. Hemant Choudhhry, strategy and media planning head, Brand Serve. Inadequate training adds to the lack of able manpower. “There are few planners and a lot of work, so there is little time for training the existing planners, resulting in less exposure to evolving technologies,” points out Mr. Choudhry.

But for a good planner, the employment pasture is big — s/he can work in a marketing company as communication consultant, liaising with media agencies, or join a TV channel, planning campaigns for programmes aired on that channel, says Ms. Shan Jain, vice-president, media direction, specialist media services group, RK Swamy BBDO.

Tight deadlines, long hours and the constant fight for better return on investment (ROI) are some of the challenges facing the profession. “Lack of research for outdoor/online/mobile advertising makes it difficult to measure the ROI,” says Mr. Choudhhry. Moreover, it is becoming increasingly complex to figure out the right media mix, given the growing number of media options, he says. However, it is this ever-expanding media scene in India that makes a planner’s profession so dynamic and thriving.

Author: Pranab Ghosh

Date: 2nd Dec., 2009

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