Customer Reviews

Advertising Media Planning

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I've worked in the media departments of two major advertisers and a major advertising agency--and I use this book all the time when I need help on any training sessions I am conducting. It is very thorough with all information you need, but also concise enough not to get bogged down.

For my own use, I find the section on Media Planning Resources on the Internet and invaluable tool to find more information.

A must for any media planner's or buyer's bookshelf!

Unless you want to refresh your memory on what GRPs, impressions, and reach and frequency are, or unless you want to know the definitions of these terms, this book isn't for you.

An earlier edition of this book was one of my first books when I have just entered the ad media planning field and I found it really interesting.

However, now that I have more than 8 years of working in the field, it seems to be a bit superficial. There's limited information on the debates between effective frequency, recency, and the proposed 'mid-point' of effective recency. There's also limited discussions on the role of ad media research as the media world explodes (e.g., R&F for the Net?), or the role of different channels/media beyond TV, radio, press, direct mails, and magazines.

One of the mysteries of the UK ad scene is that there is no good, up-to-date, practitioner-written textbook on media planning, so the arrival of an updated version of an established US text is doubly welcome.

Jack Sissors and (mostly, as a result of Mr Sissor's ill-health) Roger Baron have done a very thorough and comprehensive job of explaining and illustrating the basics, from how to get information about any given medium to how to put together a strategy and a detailed plan.

Unsurprisingly, the material is purely US-based, and therefore includes, for example, considerable discussion of the problems of reconciling different area definitions; but analyses such as how to weight a plan by region or medium can apply, suitably modified, anywhere.

There is a wide range of suggestions for (mostly) websites from which to seek detailed information, some of which may be both unfamiliar and useful to non-US readers - the MPA's analysis of the effects of position and ad size in magazines is a good example....

Many of the references may seem old, but, as the authors make clear, they have gone back to the classic originals of basic thinking - and much of this still holds good today.

The new edition is up-to-date, with quite extensive discussion of the internet as a medium, and slightly more limited coverage of cross-media and multi-media planning. Conversely, data fusion barely gets a mention - and is not in the index. Nor are optimisers, which are not discussed in any detail - merely treated as a tool of the trade - or modelling, which gets a brief half page on p374.

If the book has a weakness, it is in the area of evaluation, which gets several mentions, but little detailed discussion. In an era where effectiveness has marched up advertisers' list of priorities, this may need addressing next time.

Nonetheless, any would-be media person should read it, and learn.

As a student, and soon to be graduate of Boston University's College of Communication under advertising, I found that this book (along with the study guide) were essential in learning the life of media planning for the first time. WHile others complain of its being out of date, it still provides important inside strategies and roller-coaster feeling involved with advertising and media. It's information, key terms, and vehicle breakdowns clarify questions. This is the best intro/how to book concerning media planning because of its in-depth analysis and numerous case studies-what if scenerios. It is a great starting point!

Roger Baron's book goes to great lengths to cover all the basics having to do with the media planning discipline. This book should be required reading for all entry level media professionalls as well as those considering a career in media planning. Well written, good flow. Highly recommended.

'Advertising media planning' is a must read for any individual intersted in entering the advertising world or even for those seasoned veterans who would like to brush up on the finer aspects of media planning. While the book is somewhat dry at times, the basics are black and white. I liked that this book can also be used as a reference guide for media terms and definitions and highly recommend it.

Roger's new book is a terrific update of his previous textbooks. I'm pleased to see that the book now covers important new initiatives like the Nielsen Council For Research Excellence Consumer Mapping Study, commercial audiences, PPM, channel planning, set top boxes, cross-platform analyses, and issues associated with innovative, creative media strategies and executions. Personally, I'd like to see a bit more on the role of market mix modeling in determining budgets and media selection as well as a sense of the difficulty most media have performing in the models. Perhaps next time -- or maybe that's a different book. In any case, this is a nice book and it provides a good overview of the complex world of media planning and buying.

This marks my 33rd year in the media field and yet I found literally dozens of interesting and useful bits of knowledge in this excellent book. A key asset: it is remarkably current, for example discussing the impact of social media and other new touchpoints. But its real strength is in the basics, providing thoughtful takes on the planning process. It is also an easy read, not heavy-handed nor verbose. Charts and tables are grounded in real case studies, enhancing the text. What a pleasure to read (and scribble throughout) this highly recommended edition.

With so much pressure on planning agencies these days, it's hard to find the time and money to provide adequate training. The solution is the seventh (2010) edition of the classic media textbook: Advertising Media Planning by Roger Baron and Jack Sissors from McGraw-Hill.

Advertising Media Planning was initially published in the late Seventies by Jack Sissors, a professor at Northwestern University. He's had several well-known media industry co-authors for different updates.

In 2001, Professor Scissors turned to fellow Chicagoan, Roger Baron, SVP and Media Research Director of DraftFCB to be his co-author for the sixth edition. That edition was translated into Russian, Turkish, and Chinese even though the book focuses on US media. In fact, one fourth of the edition's sales came from outside of the United States. Professor Scissors passed away in 2004; now the book is entirely Roger Baron's work, though Roger continues to share authorship with the Professor, placing both names on the cover.

The book covers perennially thorny media planning issues like intermedia comparisons (Which medium is the most effective?), targeting (Who are my best prospects? How can I weight target segments correctly?), frequency (How often do prospects need to see an ad for it to work?) and many others.

Besides thorough coverage of traditional media which has been updated with the latest industry practices and illustrated with major advertiser case histories, there is extensive coverage of both digital media and new planning technologies. You'll find coverage of organic and sponsored search, mobile media, Internet banners and rich media, and multi-platform campaigns. The book explains many newer topics such as channel planning, interactive television, data fusion, the DVR's impact on TV commercial viewing, and much more.

CircMatters asked Mr. Baron how he saw the future of media planning and those that practice the art. "I see a bright future," said Baron. He explained why: "The needs of marketers have not changed. Advertisers spending hundreds of millions of dollars need to know those dollars are used as effectively and as efficiently as possible. Today's media world is so complex, and changes so quickly, that more than ever, it requires the services of full time, professional media planners."

I'd add this to the last sentence of that answer: ...provided those media planners are well-trained and know what they're talking about. Check out the book on Amazon. It's a bargain at twice the price.

Jack Hanrahan

Hanrahan Media Services LLC

Publisher of CircMatters

This is a great introductin to media. From reach and frequency through the use of CMR to pull competitive media data, this book covers everything. The information is straightforward and ordered, and the writing is to the point. Included, there is a glossary that covers every definition you've forgotten. And there are a lot. This is an excellent book for someone who has taken time off from media and is looking to get back into it, or just a great reference tool for a person in the advertising industry. I highly recommend it.