The lines around creative media strategies are being intertwined everywhere we turn. It is often said that “media is the new creative,” but the most critical piece of information to remember about the digital age in which we now live is that a successful content strategy, through effective media targeting and placement, is critical, and it can help to elevate the credibility of a brand. Delivering the right content to the right audience requires proper planning, analyzing, placement, production, management, maintenance and optimization, and, of course, credible and valuable content. We must remember the goal with every step: to satisfy our consumers’ unquenchable thirst for knowledge.
In addition to a stellar media content strategy are the extensions of this strategy that naturally occur via socialization of the media tactics. For example, for one of our clients, Pitney Bowes, we designed a media program in 2009 (and currently planning for 2010) that included a strategy through media placements, aligned content and messaging with the appropriately targeted digital property. Our plan also engaged a key Web site editor or publisher to blog about our provided content and message, putting their spin on the message, and releasing to their media extensions (social avenues). The approach was measured by the results generated by the more traditional digital media placements (high impact and sustaining), but incremental to the foundation were all the social extensions rooted in the content provided through the crux of the media program.
Content should be fully integrated into the strategic media planning process.
Frannie Danzinger, Senior Vice President – Media, North America, gyro