The way a potential target consumes media changes with the landscape. Due to this ever-changing fact, new and emerging media must be considered, along with traditional media of course, when planning media buys. These new mediums include online buys, Facebook fan pages, Twitter accounts, seeded blogs, video, gaming, mobile text campaigns, experiential (which is a media category of its own) and others (being created as you read this).

As an advertising agency, it is vital that we communicate the importance of understanding how messages can be integrated within these new—virtual and actual—areas. However one must carefully consider the product and service type, along with the target’s demographics and lifestyle habits to ensure the “right fit” media strategy and placement.

Almost every group is becoming more of a mobile consumer, so it’s essential to consider where, when and how fast they would be receptive to receiving marketing messages.

The keys in media planning are still fairly traditional:

• Define the target demographic
• Know the product or service
• Know the client (target)

Define the Target Demographic:
The better one can define their target audience, the more effective a media buy can be. It’s becoming necessary to look closer— to explore psychographic information of the potential consumer as well as more general demographics such as age, gender and geographic area. You need to know what they like to do; if they are soccer moms or people who have pets or if they’re retired. Then customize both the message and the media to reach them.

Know the Product or Service Point of Different:
Obviously, certain products and services are a better fit for some of the new and emerging media options available, while others have a higher success rate on tried and true traditional formats. For example, if you are trying to reach a younger demo, a mobile text messaging campaign may work extremely well; but to reach an older, more conservative demo, banner ads targeted by geography and content might be a better fit.

Know the client (target):
Keep in mind, for every rule, there is an exception. Just as with the target market, there will be advertisers willing to try something new and be open to putting their messages in new places; while others will be more cautious when considering venturing into new mediums and strategies before they see that it has worked for others. In advertising, it’s as important to do the research, as it is to be the first. Some might say it’s a gamble, but “calculated risk” is a winning equation that should be incorporated into every media strategy and plan. As advertisers, both sound research and trail blazing get our vote.

Further, media is as important as the message. A great message delivered to the wrong person at the wrong time in the wrong place is just, well…wrong.

It is essential for any agency offering media planning, buying and placement to be knowledgeable about all mediums, not just the ones their current clients use. Further, they should inform and educate the client and all team members (account services and creative) of what’s going on in the ever-changing media landscape. As an advertising agency with clients that run the gamut, we have the good fortune to keep up with all the new and emerging media. We have a living library of emerging media stories that assist all clients with options and ideas of how to get their message out. We’ve found all our clients, even the more traditional ones, truly appreciate the latest and greatest media trends, even if they don’t end up on their strategy-driven plan.