Selection of Advertising Agency
If handled correctly, advertising is a significant and vital aspect in the eventual success of marketing, given that the other components of the marketing mix have been effectively planned and executed, and while maintaining a realistic image of the different competition factors in mind.
It is clear from the case histories that have already been collected that one advertising campaign may out-pull and out-perform another advertising campaign by as much as five times the amount. The inventiveness shown in the conception of the campaign as a whole and the media strategy that underpins it is what ultimately determines its success.
You, as a marketer and/or advertiser, will, of course, have the natural expectation that your advertising will provide the intended outcomes. Because you are spending a significant amount of money on advertising, you will need to be cautious when choosing a reputable full-service advertising agency that can assist you in getting the most out of the money you spend on advertising so that you can maximise your return on investment. Here is a map to help you navigate this treacherous journey.
As you make your way around several agencies on your selection tour, you run the risk of encountering any of the two dangers listed above. These are: A shrewd customer will not want to work with an agency that is solely interested in talking. He is looking for one that can also listen.
The strategy of “meet some of our employees” is not a smart one to use. So much information on the risks. If you currently have an agency but aren’t getting enough use out of it, the following are some cool ideas to maximise its potential and increase your profits.
Client Clangers
(i) Announce that your competitor’s advertising is much better than your own. Your agency may be too tactful or too frightened to point out that you turned down a similar scheme two years ago.
Your competitor’s slogan seems much more apt after he has invested Rs. five lakhs to remind you of it. How would your agency’s suggestions look to your competitors after you had invested a similar sum on them?
(iii) Tell your agency you’ve received a very good mailing shot from a rival but you can’t let them see it because you’ve passed it on to your chairman. That will really stir them up.
(iv) Or mention casually that A, B & C Associates have a new scheme, of creative sitting-rooms. This may start your agency’s creative team cantering off to ABC Associates with their specimens. They’d just love to sit and be creative.
(vi) If you really want to set your agency agog, sit through their latest presentation, and when it ends, ask expectantly, “Haven’t you anything else? I was just getting interested”. Of course, you could jump on their layouts in muddy boots; but it takes a colourful personality to carry this off with suitable panache.
(vii) Insist on getting more than your money’s worth from the agency. Soon they will be so worried about staying in business that they will cease to worry about your advertising.
(viii) Demand daily contact with the agency. The people who are willing to dance attendance in this way are usually only suitable for the last waltz.
(ix) Call for more contact men to be available. This often means getting several minions to do one man’s job multiplying the messengers doesn’t necessarily improve the message.
(xi) When mentioning to the agency’s chairman that you tried all yesterday to contact someone in the agency who knew about your business and could only get the account group’s temporary typist, add that “D” Advertising Service handle twice the billing with half the people, and that you can always get the head man immediately.
You have only to get into the spirit of these suggestions, and your agency will fully justify itself by its future performance.
But, seriously speaking, you can help your agency to help you.
The following steps will cut out 80 per cent of the misunderstanding and frustrations that frequently mess up agency/client relations.
(i) Settle your company policy. Once you know where your company is trying to go, it is much easier to see how marketing and advertising can help it to get there.
(ii) Work out your marketing policy. You should do this in co-operation with your agency, so that they understand and agree with what they are going to be asked to do.
(iii) Fix your advertising policy. Once again, you will work this out with your advertising agency so that both you and they will be clear how it fits in with your marketing objectives.
(iv) Brief your agency to get down to work.
For a Company
1. Objectives of Firm:
Company’s general and advertising objectives are the prime considerations in media selection. Those media capable to meet company’s expectations are likely to be selected. Advertising objectives may be to inform, remind, convince, create prestige, or to increase sales and profits. Different media have varying capacity to meet these objectives.
2. Costs Media and Company’s Financial Position:
Media selection decision is highly influenced by media costs and firm’s ability to pay. Company has to pay for buying space or time and preparing advertising copy fit for the media to be selected. TV, radio, films are costly in terms of buying time and preparing advertising copy. Print media are relatively cheaper in both space and preparation of advertising message. Some outdoor media are quite low in cost. As per media costs and company’s financial capacity, the appropriate media should be selected.
3. Reach or Number of People Exposed to the Message:
It is an important criterion to choose among ad media. Reach means the number of different people exposed to a particular medium at least once during a specified time period. Mass media are capable to reach millions of people by just one exposure. Television has more exposure capacity compared to outdoor media in a particular time.
Local media can expose the message to limited persons. In the same way, frequency (the number of times within a specified time period the average person exposed to the message), and impact (the impact created on audience by an exposure through given medium) are also key criteria to choose among advertising media. Reach, frequency, and impact are important variables that determine cost-effectiveness of various media.
4. Company’s Advertising Policy and Approach:
Company’s advertising policy and approach determine which of the media should be selected. For example, if company’s policy is not to spend more money for advertisement and to offer the product at a low price, it may go for cheaper media.
5. Type of Buyers:
People to be influenced should be taken into account while selecting the media. Buyers can be classified into various classes as discussed in market segmentation. Each medium has its special viewers, readers, or audience. For the firm, it is important to know whether the target groups can be exposed by the particular medium.
Television is the most common medium, but can be made more particular by selecting the special programme. Magazines are capable to appeal particular sex, age groups, or professionals. Daily newspapers are again very general in nature.
6. Condition under which Customers are Influenced:
Readers’/viewers’ mood and interest determine receptivity of message. Television is the best-fit medium to associate advertising message when people are watching or enjoying related programmes. For example, advertising TVS Victor motorbike on television during the live telecast of the TVS Cup One-day Series.
However, it is difficult to determine mood or interest of readers for daily newspapers. It is relatively easy to determine mood of people during a specific programme in radio or television. In case of outdoors media, the place is very important to judge mood of people. For example, hoardings, posters, or banner near gardens or picnic places are more likely to be attracted.
7. Circulation/Coverage:
The area covered by (or number of people exposed to) the medium is an important criterion. Some media are capable to cover the globe while some can cover only the limited locality. For example, the local newspapers cover limited areas, the national newspapers like The Time of India and The Economic Times cover the whole nation.
Similarly, certain magazines have national and international circulation. And, the same is true with audio-visual and outdoor media. As per geographical concentration of customers, the suitable media should be selected.
8. Repetition or Frequency:
Repetition or frequency implies the number of times within specific time period an average person is exposed to the message by specific medium. Most of the outdoor media hold the message for relatively long time. Magazines or periodicals publish monthly or quarterly; mostly they publish advertisements only in a particular edition.
The more is the repetition of advertising message, the more is the effect of the medium on people. Naturally, advertisement appears frequently is more likely to read or attend than if it appears only once. However, repetition in case of newspapers, TV, radio, etc., depends on company’s ability to pay.
9. Credibility and Image of Media:
In case of newspapers and magazines, the factor is critical. Naturally, advertising message appears in the reputed newspapers or magazines carry heavy impression and effect than substandard media. People don’t trust the appeal published in the lower standard media. Prestige of media becomes the prestige of advertiser. Firms opt for credible or prestigious media to carry the advertising message.
10. Past Experience:
Company’s own past experience may be instrumental to decide on advertising media. For example, if company has satisfactory experience of using a particular medium, there are more chances to use the same medium and vice versa.
11. Experience of other Companies:
Experience of other companies is one of the important considerations in media selection. Company may try to know what other companies say about applicability and usefulness of various media. Views of other companies must be followed with care and caution.
12. Expert Opinion:
Marketing experts or consultants who work on professional basis can be consulted to suggest an appropriate medium to carry the message. These experts, on the basis of analysis of market situations in relation to products to be advertised, can recommend the suitable media. Since they have experience and expertise in the field, they are in better position to judge the suitability of each of the media in relation to product and company’s financial position. They charge fees for their consultancy services.
13. Type of Advertising Message:
Each advertising message needs specific advertising vehicle. If a message is simple, print media are sufficient. If a message is complicated, and the company wants to demonstrate and explain, audiovisual media suit the needs.
14. Others:
Apart from above mentioned factors, there are certain factors that affect media selection decision.
They are listed as under:
- Effectiveness of Media
- Availability of Media
- Government Rules and Regulations
- Time and Place
- Type of Products, etc.
Media selection is a crucial decision. It determines the cost-effectiveness of media. Failure of advertising programme, in many cases, is attributed to use of inappropriate media. Advertiser should consider all these factors carefully and should select the most favoured or suitable media.
