UNIT-II

Subject Name Sub Code Semester Prepared by

Advertising and Sales Promotion 18BBA63C VI Dr.L.Shanthi,
Assistant Professor in BBA

MEDIA PLANNING

MEANING AND DEFINITION OF MEDIA PLANNING:

Media plan is a document describing objectives, strategy, tactics, resource

allocation, and media schedule and media mix to be used in reaching a targeted audience.

According to Wells Burnett, "Media-planning is a decision process regarding

series of advertising time and space to assist in the achievement of marketing objectives".

According to S. W. Dunn, "Media-planning is the process of determining how to

use time and space of media to achieve advertising objectives".

FACTORS AFFECTING MEDIA PLANNING

Media panning includes various decisions which are taken in delivering the
promotional message to the prospective customers. It helps the advertiser to in the best
way to deliver its message to its target audience. Following are the main considerations in
media-planning:

1) Nature of Product:

Products to be advertised can be industrial/technical product or consumer product.

Industrial/technical products can better be advertised in specific trade-journals/magazines.
Consumer products can be better advertised in mass media such as television, newspaper,
outdoor advertising etc.,

2) Nature of Customers:

An appropriate media plan must consider the type of consumers, for whom
advertising is to be done. Different consumers differ in their age-group, sex, income,
personality, educational level, attitude, etc. On the basis of consumer traits, consumer
groups can be men, women; children, young, old; professional, businessmen; high income
group, middle-income-group, low-income-group; literate, illiterate, etc. Some of the
consumer traits affecting media selection are:

i)Age: For advertising for kids-products, television is the best media for communicating
message. In T.V., ad can be given in cartoon related T.V.channels. if target audience is
young then television, magazines are suitable. If target audience consists of old-age-
group, then newspaper, television is a good choice

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ii) Level of Education: If target-audience is highly educated, than advertisement should
be _given in magazines, national newspapers internet, television, etc. it target audience is
less educated, then lot newspaper printed in local languages, low-profile magazines, T.
etc., arc suitable. If audience is illiterate, then print-media is no suitable, Here broadcast
media is a good choice.

iii) Number of Customers: If number of target customers is more, mass-media like

television, newspaper will be suitable. If number target customers is less, then direct mail-
media, tele-advertising (advertising on telephone) are suitable

3) Distribution of Product:

If the product is to be distributed locality or regionally, then media with local

coverage and reach should be considered like local newspaper, cable-network, etc. If
product is distributed national level, then media with national coverage like national
dailies national-level-T.V. channels will be suitable. If the product is sold at international
level, then media having reach and circulation in to countries will be effective,

4) Advertising Objectives:

The main objective of every advertising campaign is to get favorable response from
customer, but the specific objectives can be different. If the objective of advertising
campaign is to get immediate results, then fast media of communication like newspapers
will be considered. If the objective of advertising is to build corporate goodwill, then
brand-equity then magazines, television will be considered.

5 ) Nature of Message:

If advertising message is informative in nature, then newspaper will be suitable. if

ad-message is to persuade consumers, and potential consumers need to be given
emotional-appeal, rational-appeal, demonstration of product, then television media will be
suitable for advertising. if ad-message is to inform the potential customers of sales
promotion schemes, discount-offers, exchange-offer, festival-offers, then it can be
advertised through posters, banners, newspaper-inserts.

6) Size of Ad-Budget:

If amount of advertisement budget is more, then costly media like television, national
dailies, and popular magazines can be selected. If amount of ad-budget is less, then media
like posters, banners, cable-network, local newspapers, and pamphlets will be suitable.

7) Media Used by Competitors:

While planning for media the advertiser must consider the media selected by
competitors and leaders of that industry. If advertiser does not consider competitors move
regarding media, then it is possible that advertiser's market share is taken by competitors.

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8) Media Coverage:

Such media should be selected which has wide reach and can cover our target
customers. If the advertiser has two available media, involving same cost, then media
with more reach and coverage of our target audience will be selected. Media-coverage
means number of advertiser's target customers exposed to media in a specific time-period.

9) Media-Cost:

Advertiser should compare the cost of each media by considering the number of
audience covered by such media. It is possible that a media seems to be costly, but if it
can cover large number of audience, then cost per audience will be less. In case,
advertisement is to be given in newspapers, then cost of different newspaper is computed
on the basis of cost per one lac of its circulation.

10) Media-Frequency:

Media-Frequency refers to average number of times the audience is exposed to

media-vehicle in a specified period of time. Higher media-frequency is preferred. Greater
the frequency, more are chances of advertisement message making deep impression on
the minds of consumers.

IMPORTANCE OF MEDIA PLANNING:

Importance of Media Planning helps the advertiser in selecting most appropriate

media. The following important factors of media planning

1) Optimum utilization of resources:

Advertising involves huge cost. Through media planning, the advertiser can use
available resources in an optimum manner. In media planning, such combination of
media is selected and such time is selected, that helps the advertiser in
communicating the advertising message to largest number of target audience at
lowest possible cost.
2) Helps in achieving advertising objectives:
Media plan is a part of overall advertising plan. Media planning is designed so as
to achieve marketing and advertising objectives of the organization. Media planning
includes all such decisions like selecting appropriate media, appropriate media mix
and deciding the scheduling of advertisement.
3) Selection of Appropriate Media:
In media planning, different media are compared on the basis of cost per reader,
cost per viewer, media-image, media-coverage, media-rating, etc. While selecting
media the advertiser ensures that selected media matches with the features of target
audience, for example, if our target audience are literate, then print-media can be
selected; if target audience is a specific professional group, then professional journals
and magazines will be appropriate media.

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4) Selection of Optimum Media Mix:
Media planning helps to select media mix. Using different media combination
ensures wide and intensive coverage of target audience. It improves the chances of
achieving objectives.
5) Helps in Allocating Advertising-Budget :
Media planning helps to decide the amount to be spent on different media.
6) Ensures Appropriate Timing of Advertising:
Advertising can ensure best results only when ads are shown at the right time.
Media planning includes media scheduling, i.e.. it decides the time and space of
advertisement in media. It decides the month, day and time of advertisement.
7) Media Plan Helps in Control:
In media plan some standards of performance are fixed. These standards are with
regard to coverage target audience. Such standards help the management in
evaluating effectiveness of media, i.e., actual coverage is in accordance with
standards or not.

ADVERTISING AGENCIES:
Definition Of Advertising Agencies:
According to George E. Belch “Advertising agency is a service organization
that specializes in planning and executing advertising programs for its clients”
FUNCTIONS OF ADVERTISING AGENCY:

1) Contacting Clients: Agencies first and foremost task is to contact and select
clients who are desirous of advertising their products or services.

2) Advertising Planning: Another function of advertising agency is planning, the ad for

its clients.

i) Study of client's product to identify its inherent qualities in relation to

competitor's product.
ii) Analysis of present and potential market for the product.
iii) Study of trade and economic conditions in the market.
iv) Information about season when maximum sale can be made.
v) Information about level of competition. competitors spending on advertising.
vi) Knowledge of channels of distribution.
vii) Formulation of advertising plan.
3) Creative Function:
Creative function is the most important of all advertising functions. This creative
function helps in designing original and unique ad-copy.
4) Developing and Preparing Advertising copy:
Ad agency is a specialized organization and involves specialists such as writer,
artists, market analysts, website-designers, animators, film director etc., These
persons help to prepare effective ad copy for its clients.
5) Approval from Client:

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 After that the ad copy is prepared, it is shown to client for his approval. In
case any changes suggested by the client, it has to be incorporated to is
satisfaction.
6) Media selection and media scheduling: Various factors like media cost, media
circulation, media coverage, nature of product , nature customers, ad-budget of
client, needs of clients, etc., are considered by ad agency for selecting media for
its clients.

7) Ad-agency helps its clients in selecting media, allocating the clients ad budget and in
planning media scheduling. In media scheduling date and time of issuing ad in the media
is decided.

8) Ad-Execution: After obtaining approval from client, the advertising copy is handed
over to media for its execution.

9) Evaluation Function: The next major function of ad-agency is to evaluate the

effectiveness of advertisement for the benefits of its clients.

10) Marketing Function: The advertising agency also performs marketing functions
such as selecting target-customers designing product packages, developing channels of
distribution, determining prices: new product development, conducting marketing
research, sales promotion, publicity, improving public relations, etc.

11) Research Function: It includes continuous research regarding different media, their
circulation, media-cost, collecting information about rating of various TV programs,
serials so on.

12) Accounting. Function: Accounting function of agency includes billing to client,

collection of dues from clients, making payment to media, etc.

Benefits of advertising agencies:

Benefits of advertising agencies

Benefits of advertising agency to its clients Benefits of advertising agency to media owners

·Eliminates the need for advertising department ·Assures risk- free business
·Services of experts ·Takes away the sales job
·Reduction in media cost ·Undertakes the advertising scheduling
·Helps to solve advertising problems
·Non- advertising activities
·Effective advertising campaign
·Helps in allocating advertising budget more effectively
·Conducting market research
·Brings in economy and excellence
·Shares its rich experience

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FACTORS INFLUENCING SELECTION OF ADVERTISING AGENCY
i. Location:
Local and nearby ad – agencies should be preferred.
ii. Size:
Both large size agencies and small size agencies have their own merits and
demerits. Both has to be considered.
iii. Agency working for competitors:
Advertiser should avoid giving his advertising work to an agency that handles
the advertising work of his competitor
iv. Image of agency:
Before selecting ad –agency advertiser should enquire about its image, integrity,
its ethical standards, and its relation with clients, etc…
v. Services offered by ad – agency:
The ad – agencies should see that the services offered by ad – agencies are
serving its needs or not.
vi. Creative skills and new ideas:
Creativity is the main element of advertising. If the agencies ads are unique,
creative and original, then such agency should be selected.
vii. Past record of agency:
Past record of ad – agency should be checked which selecting.
viii. Quality and caliber of staff:
Ad – agency has various specialists like copy – writers , market analysis , media
experts , art –directors , researchers , artists , models , etc ..That agency is more
suitable which has experienced, efficient team.
ix. Financially sound:
The ad – agencies which are financially sound – and have good turnover have
better contacts with media – owners.

ADVERTISING BUDGET:
Advertising budget is a financial document that shows the total amount to be spent on
advertising and lists the way this amount is to be allocated.

FACTORS INFLUENCING THE SIZE OF THE ADVERTISING BUDGET

Various factors influencing advertising budget are:

Objectives to be attained;
How much the company is going to spend is determined by the objectives to be attained.
1. Coverage expectations;
Advertising coverage implies the number of persons to be reached .
2. Stage in the product- life cycle:
Every product has its life – cycle consisting of four phases, namely, introduction,
growth, maturity and decline. The advertising budget is allotted based on the products life
cycle stages.
3. Size of the company :
It goes without saying that a bigger company with vast financial resources within its
easy reach will have definitely liberal advertising budget.
4. Funds available:
An absolute limit is put on the advertising budget by what a company can
afford irrespective of its age and size.

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 5. Competitive activities:
It is the ability to size up the competitor or competitors and their activities than the
ability to spend that pays rich dividends at times
ADVERTISING APPEALS
Advertising appeal is a distinctive claim of advertising. Creating advertising
appeal for a good or service begins with identifying a reason for people to buy it.
advertising agencies then build advertising campaigns around this appeal .

ESSENTIAL OF GOOD ADVERTISING APPEAL :

1) Thematic: A good appeal has good theme behind. It should have something
worthwhile to say. Theme means the substance or the stuff of the advertisement.
2) Communicative: An appeal made by the advertiser is to be communicative. When it
succeeds in telling what it intends to convey, it is said to be communicative.
3) Interesting: An appeal should be capable of creating curiosity and interest and that
Interest to be sustained longer.
4) Believable: The theme should be credible. Fantastic and tall claims made would not
be accepted by the prospects.
5) Complete: In order to convey and convince, the advertiser is to present the product or
service idea in its entirety. That is, he is supposed to tell each and everything about
his product or the service.
CONSIDERATIONS IN SELECTING ADVERTISING APPEAL:
Selection of advertising appeal is important in designing of ad-copy. All appeals do
not suit all products/all types of customers. Effective ad appeals are unique, catchy
and different. It should match with the target audience. Following points should be
kept in mind while selecting the ad appeal/ad theme:
1) Ad appeal should be believable, convincing interesting and attracting
2) It should be simple so that it can be understood even by an average target
audience.
3) It must match with the characteristics of target audience. For example the target
audience is middle income group, then rational app emphasizing on low price will
work. If target audience consist of appeal high income group then emotional appeal
with pride/prestige appeal w peal will be more effective.
4) Ad appeal must match with the product features. The main/unique product feature
should be highlighted in the appeal.
5) Ad theme must be original, unique, and not just copy of competitors.
6) Ad theme should be changed with change in market conditions. product
7) Ad theme should be strong enough to affect change in attitude and of target
audience.
Social effects of advertising:

Positive social effects of advertising:

1.Information;
Advertising provides sufficient information pertaining to new products, their
satisfaction that ensure

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2.Product improvement:
Advertising helps in improving product quality.
3.Production:
Advertising has facilitated increased production.
4.Consumption:
People have started to consumer more articles then before as a result of
advertising
5.Socio- economic welfare:
People of all countries have satisfied their socio – economic needs through
advertisements.

Negatives social effects of advertising:

1.Deceptive advertising;
Advertising should win the confidence of consumer to perform its job
effectively. Fraudulent and misleading are considered as deception.
2.Harmful effects;
Advertisement has harmful effects on society. Certain advertisements creates
false impression in the minds of the consumers.
3.Confuses the people;
Advertising cerates confusion in the minds of the people.

4. Forceful selling;
Advertising leads to forceful selling by exploiting the sentiments and desires of
consumers.
5.Message problems;
Advertising uses some messages which are irrelevant to the requirements of the
people.
6.Moral influence;
Advertising message is, in many cases, unrealistic.

ADVERTISING COPY:
Ad- copy is the written or spoken message which the
advertiser wants to communicate to its target audience through any type of
advertisements. Advertising copy is the product of collective efforts of copywriters,
artists, layout designers, models, directors, market researchers, etc.,. The advertising copy
should be capable of turning potential and prospective buyers into actual buyers.

OBJECTIVES OF ADVERTISING COPY:

Advertising objectives must set to guide the creation of
advertisements. Without such set of objectives, advertisements become ‘hit or miss’
prepositions. It can be direct action objective or indirect action objective.

Objective of ad copy

Direct action objectives Indirect action objectives

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 1. Direct action objectives:

Direct action objectives of a copy is to cause immediate direct action on the

part of the consumer. i.e., as soon as the advertisement is read by the prospect; he
responds to it and decides to buy the advertised product or service. Majority of the retail
advertisements and direct advertising aim at direct action.
2. Indirect action objectives:
Indirect action objective of copy is to create indirect action on the part of
prospects. Such a copy hopes to establish favourable attitude towards the company and
such favourable response may be delayed.

ESSENTIALS OF EFFECTIVE AD COPY:

1. Attractive:
It should be attractive to catch the attention of target audience.
2. Interesting:
Ad -copy should create interest of target audience to read /view the advertisement.
3. Retention value;
It means message given in the advertisement should be easy to memorize.
4. Suggestive;
Suggestive value means suggesting target audience that how advertiser’s product
will help them to solve their problems.
5. Educative;
The ad – copy should educate the target audience regarding uses of new products,
improvements in existing products etc…
6. Believable;
The ad- copy should be believable and trustworthy.
7. Appropriate appeal:
Effective advertisement should include appropriate appeal to influence the feelings
/emotion of target customer.
8. Miscellaneous characteristics:
i. Brief:
In an effective ad- copy, ad message should be brief and to the point.
ii. Language:
The advertisements should be presented in a language that is understood by majority
of target audience.
3. Simple and easy to understand: Advertising appeal, ad- theme should be simple and
easy to understand for the average target audience.
4. Entertaining:
Entertaining –ad can easily hold the attention of audience towards the advertisement
and audience does not feel bored even telecast of such ads.

TYPES OF AD COPYWRITING;

1. Scientific copy:
Scientific copy is of technical nature and provides detailed information about
and the producer.
2.Descriptive copy:
, This type of advertising is of non technical nature and is presented in a manner
which any layman can easily understand for example, “Lifebuoy for health, where is
lifebuoy there is health”

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3.Narrative copy:
Under narrative copy, an appeal is made to prospects with the help of a function
story. the story is humorous and carries the message in an appealing manner which will
be remember easily by the public.
4.Institutional copy:
Institutional copy aims at selling the name of the advertiser or the firm which is
producing or selling the products. For example, an advertisement from ACC cement reads
as “it is good, if it is ACC”.
5.Personality copy:
The personality copy attempts to encase the opinion of an important personality
about the product. He may be an eminent political leader, expert cricket star or film star.
6.Questioning copy:
Questioning copy includes a series of questions expected to be answered by the
readers.
7.Educative copy:
Educative copy is designed to educate the general public about the qualities of a
particular product.
8.Humorous copy:
This type of advertising copy attracts the attention of its readers by its humorous appeal.
9.Prestige copy:
This type of advertising copy dose not advertise directly, but creates favorable
atmosphere about the product or the firm for its sale.
10.Suggesting copy:
A suggestive copy tries to suggest the readers directly or indirectly to pursue them
to purchase a particular product.
11.Reason- why copy:
This type of advertisement copy explains the readers as to why it is necessary to
purchase a particular product.
12.Announcement copy:
This type of advertisement copy is used to introduce a new product or the new uses
of the product.
14.Human interest copy:
Human interest copy appeals to the emotions and the senses of the readers.
15.Fear copy:
A fear copy appeals to the sense of fear and arouses deep interest in protecting
property, life and day – to –day needs.

The contents in this E- Material has been taken from the text and reference books as given in the syllabus

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