Mar 09 2008
Buy the Media First?
So David Kenny of Digitas thinks that you should, “When an ad campaign starts with media at its center, he said, marketers can focus on a particular media outlet and how consumers use it, then plan a creative appeal that works well in that venue.” This is what kills me about so called experts from large agencies. David is basing his logic on the concept that we should buy based on where “know” the consumer is. The problem with today’s fragmented media landscape and shift toward consumer empowerment is that you can’t but media based on where we think the consumer is. Consumers are now looking for content. Don’t belive me? Well you explain YouTube 
Consumers want to be wowed by great content.
If you buy your media first, the creative will need to be tailored to the media outlet. That’s a huge mistake, because you’ll ultimately have to water down and/or retrofit the creative idea to meet the specs of a specific, network, site, or ad-unit.
I’m floored that he get’s paid in the hi-hi 6 figures (if not 7 figures), as the CEO of Digitas and still can’t get the fact that people want to consumer media when and where they WANT to. Buying the property first makes the assumption that the person will be engaged enough to look at your now watered down ad.
Now, not everything he says in this article is complete bull shit. You have to get the media planning folks more involved with the creative team. When the two disciplines are working together really well, media can drive creative and vice versa. That’s when you get things like the Simpson’s Kwikee Mart 7-Eleven take over campaign or the McDonald’s Sun Dial concept from Leo Burnett.
Actually, let’s disect the Sun Dial campaign. If we had taken Kenny’s direction, media would have bought some outdoor advertising first. Then Leo comes up with this awesome Sun Dial advertising execution. They bring the idea to media and media says, “Shit, sorry, I don’t think it’s going to work, because while we bought some billboards they aren’t in the right location to make your sun dial work the right way. Bummer, maybe next time.” Now the flip side of that is media recommends outdoor and creative knows that outdoor is on the table. However, before media actually buys the placements, they check in with creative and it’s a good thing they do. Why? Because creative has a fantastic sun dial concept and needs media to work some magic. Media, now knows exactly where to buy the real estate, and you get a fantastic execution.
I’m sure David is really smart; well I hope he is if he’s the CEO of Digitas, if not Publicis stock holders should be pissed. However, from my perspective, he’s in the wrong.
