Advertising Agencies
Their role as media buying and media placement agents
Advertising agencies have had to make dramatic changes to their overall business strategy and pitch over the last fifteen years or so. In the 1980's there only seemed to be a handful of media buying agencies that were actually making it in a very much 'consumer advertising' dominated marketplace.
With the dawn of Internet Advertising in the 1990's, things have moved on in terms of the variety of advertising media available and the advertising agency has had to move with the times. Even though advertising costs can substantially affect the publisher's bottom line, it is up to the agency to negotiate with the media companies and get the best deals for you.
The role of the media buying agency has also developed into a much more results led outfit, as clients insist that all campaigns and results are tracked for response, brand awareness or overall impact into the desired marketplace.
If you are looking to appoint a media planning and buying agent, then there are a few fundamental points to consider.
- The credibility and trading history of the agency
- Does the agency have experience of dealing in the media advertising marketplace you want to place advertising in?
- The geographical location of the agency (not so important)
- Does the agency have experience of dealing with clients who are also looking to reach a similar audience to you?
- What are their creative design skills like?
- Are they good negotiators?
The list can go on, but the main questions to ask are based on what you want to get out of the relationship and the service levels you require.
If you want the agency to create advertising designs, as well as set up and write PR and attend conferences, then you have to make sure that the agency can handle all of this for you. It is much better to get someone to handle everything under one roof than it is to appoint different companies for each task.
Remember, advertising agencies are there to build your brand, get you the best deals, give you awareness, get you sales leads, a visual impact in the marketplace and above all a good return on your investment - so choose well.
Also see:
Media buying agency
Media Buying News
Buying Media Services
Internet Media Buying
Media Buying Services