What does a media planner do?
Media planners coordinate advertising campaigns across various media channels, including television, radio, print, billboards, and the web, based on a media plan that they develop in advance according to media performance indicators such as audience and media coverage, GRP (gross rating point) cost, and the number of visits and impressions on a web page.
What are the main steps involved?
The media planner develops media recommendations in which they define the strategic communication approaches to be adopted, taking into account several factors: the product, the target audience, the campaign objectives, the resource strategy (i.e., the communication channels to be used to disseminate the advertising message), the communication budget, and its allocation. They negotiate with advertising agencies to purchase advertising space and the best time slots that will enable them to effectively reach their target audience. They also evaluate the most effective media outlets to better capitalize on their investments and finally ensure the proper execution of the media plan using control tools. In the context of PR, the media planner is responsible for selecting qualified journalists, depending on the type of activity, to ensure press coverage.
What skills are required to do this job?
First, the media planner must have a good knowledge of the media environment, both locally and internationally. They must also master the techniques required for a successful media strategy: planning and purchasing (traditional media, digital media planning and execution), commercial negotiation techniques, the ability to define a communications budget in line with the objectives to be achieved,
and
the ability to analyze and interpret media data. Finally, they need to have good interpersonal skills, a good knowledge of Excel spreadsheets, and a good level of English, in cases where they are required to coordinate a campaign with international agencies.
What academic background do you have yourself?
I graduated from a business school in marketing communication in Ivory Coast. But there is no specific training for the profession of media planner. However, it is preferable to have attended a communications school in order to be more successful in this profession.
Do you work with a team? Do you collaborate with other departments?
Media planners work under the supervision of a media director. They also work in synergy with other departments such as the sales and creative departments. They may also lead campaigns with other regional partners as part of large advertising agency groups.
What are the different aspects of your job? What are the main challenges?
The job of media planner involves a whole range of aspects: numerical skills, analytical and discerning abilities, good concentration, and strong organizational skills. Media planners choose the best media for the product and target audience, taking into account the advertiser's budget constraints. They give brands visibility and help increase sales.
Today, some advertisers, due to budgetary concerns, are embarking on this perilous adventure themselves, even though they have neither the qualifications nor the tools necessary to run a successful media campaign. Media planning is a profession in its own right that must be integrated into the operations of any company that uses media to promote its services. It is often a big mistake for brands to negotiate their media buys directly with media outlets, especially when they do not have the recommendations of a specialist in the field.
Has the profession of media planner in Côte d'Ivoire undergone major changes in recent years?
The profession of media planner has undergone remarkable changes in Côte d'Ivoire with the liberalization of the audiovisual sector and the entry of digital terrestrial television (DTT) into the market. Today, television and radio stations stand out from one another through their attractive, innovative, and diverse content: all targets and trends are significantly represented, allowing them to attract as large an audience as possible. This competition benefits media planners because they have to make a variety of media proposals to advertisers.
The advent of digital advertising has also contributed to this evolution. With the boom in social media, media planning, which used to focus mainly on traditional media, has reinvented itself by quickly adapting to the challenge of the moment: digital transformation. From now on, we will no longer talk about planning, but rather about programmatic advertising.