Ensuring your media fits

Booking media is about more than just ensuring you select the correct publication, website, television program or radio station for your target audience. You also need to consider if the size or duration is correct for the creative concept.

By restricting your advertising agency with a specific size you can hinder their creativity – the thing you are paying them for. For example, some time ago we came up with a great concept for a client that involved running a long narrow ad on the far left and also on the far right of the double spread. The concept invited the consumer to bring the two pages together to get the whole picture. If the client had already booked a half page this concept would never have even been developed. Instead they got a highly memorable ad which was far more effective in creating recall of the brand because it involved the consumer.

In press, sizes such as a 10cmx7col running on the bottom of the page or a 40cmx3col on the right hand edge command attention which is fantastic. The only issue is when the content doesn’t fit this format. For example, if you are advertising a new land development and have a great range of panoramic photographs you want to show off, then it doesn’t make sense to book a long skinny ad running the length of the paper. You will only be able to show your images very small or just show a fraction of them.

Television can run into the same problems. There is no point booking 15 second ads if the concept ends up requiring more time to get the message across. Similarly your advertising agency might come up with a great concept that works really well with a specific program, something that won’t be possible if you have booked a different station or time.

When booking media always consult your advertising agency first and make sure your media fits the concept.