Planning Media Connections
Media are the bridges that carry messages back and forth between companies and customers. In essence, these bridges are opportunities to create customer contact points. As media choices continue to increase, media planning becomes more precise but also more challenging. And because media are a major expense, there is constant tension between maximizing the delivery of brand messages while minimizing the cost. But media are about more than just delivering a message. Media are how customer contacts are created—the media used can enhance or detract from the impact and meaning of brand messages. As a result, media planning can be as creative as designing an ad or event.
In this chapter, the focus is on the tools and the process of media planning. This chapter explains why selecting the right media enables companies to deliver brand messages effectively and to connect to their customers and prospects.
