The Term “Universe”
Primarily, according to modern knowledge and ideas about the cosmos, the term “universe” is a collection of matter, space, and time from the point of view of infinite diversity in forms. In other words, the “universe” is the entire infinite and eternal world surrounding a human, which holds a lot of secrets and mysteries. Therefore, it is reasonable to perceive such a concept as a set of facts and details or the sum of all existence: known or assumed objects and phenomena.
Hence, searching for the intended target audiences requires utilizing this term as an auxiliary tool for searching, analyzing, classifying, interpreting, and evaluating relevant data based on which it is possible to draw further conclusions about the relations with a particular group. As a rule, this information is associated mainly with people’s interests, intentions, preferences, and experiences (Marketing Evolution, 2022). In this case, one should comprehend that each person is a microcosm, a small universe: individual and unique but at the same time having common features with other microworlds. Thus, one should conduct a thorough investigation to determine these similarities in order to distinguish an audience. Accordingly, it is essential to deeply understand the above aspects to more clearly define a specific “range of consumers” to effectively interact with the prospect of the future.
The Concept of “Message Weight”
“Message weight” refers to a target audience size, which all advertising instruments and mechanisms aim at. Most often, the amount of coverage of a specific media vehicle in a given media plan provides weight to a message. In brief, this concept expresses the total number of gross impressions; these “total impressions,” in turn, denote the absolute sum of views of exposures to a media plan.
As practice shows, message weight is calculated by determining the potential impact of a “letter” on a specific target audience. Such a procedure gives a general understanding of the quantity and quality of advertising sufficient to achieve particular purposes, including by identifying Gross Rating Points (GRPs) as one of the leading indicators of message weight (Obringer, n.d.). In this situation, it is suggested to comprehend such essential elements as “impressions,” “reach,” and “frequency” (Obringer, n.d.). Consequently, it is necessary to estimate using the specific formula: reach (% of a total market) * frequency = GPRs.
In addition, 400 GRP means a total sum of impressions concerning a target audience size. For instance, giving five exposures to 80% of a target market can provide a relatively good indicator of 400 GRP for a sustaining campaign. For the most part, this parameter is achieved through the use of radio and other relevant media. However, a high rating does not consistently demonstrate the effectiveness of advertising since sales of products or services are much more critical.
Lean Backward and Lean Forward Mediums
It is important to note that lean backward media represents a type of media (television, radio, or outdoor) in which a viewer “sit back.” This process illustrates the phenomenon in which people can receive information in a passive way. Therefore, during this tactic, a person shows a moderately long concentration when interacting with media, and new information is given relatively quickly and simply. In contrast, lean-forward media is a “multimedia format” that requires recipients to “bend forward.” Such a procedure is necessary for productive, effective, and efficient influence and control of a continuous data flow. For example, the internet, magazines, newspapers, or yellow pages are lean-forward media. This approach has a short period of concentration due to its active, dynamic essence and nature.
However, both “forward tilt” and “backward tilt” refer to manners of interaction and physical posture between media and individuals. As practice shows, these strategies largely depend on users’ activity and willingness to get what they want at a particular moment (AppsGeyser, 2021). In this case, the choice in favor of “passivity” or “activity” is determined by the method of exploring for knowledge at one time or another. Indeed, these two ways of “interchange” are equally important and necessary.
Pre-Steps in the Media Planning Process
It is known that promoting goods occurs more effectively if this is developed according to a pre-drawn-up work plan. Often, the media planning process begins with analyzing all the characteristics of goods, services, and a target audience. Hence, this approach helps a marketer assess a company’s current state of affairs, determining a vector of development. Ideally, a specialist should fill in the gaps in specific areas; it is impossible to make any media plan without understanding its main components (6 media planning, n.d.). Then follows an investigation of the goals and objectives of an advertising strategy, taking into account actions in marketing competitors.
Consequently, in the following stages of creating a media plan, a marketer makes decisions about the required number of advertising contacts and the coverage and frequency of impressions of an advertising message.Further, a firm develops a promotion plan and defines placement locations for each type of promotion and planned budget. At the same time, predicting an audience’s possible reactions to an advertising message is necessary. In addition, it is desirable to examine the information obtained from the results of already conducted advertising campaigns on the Internet, details about the attendance of functionality of a website and ease of navigation on it, and other available facts that will help develop a great media plan.
OOH and a Traditional Media Planning Practice: Differences
As a rule, out-of-home (OOH) advertising, as the oldest form of marketing, differs from the traditional practice of media planning in terms of a variety of forms and classifications of relations with a person. Such promotion structures are entirely different in size, shape, location, materials used in the manufacture, and image transmission technologies. Comparing effects obtained from contact with such various advertising appeals is problematic. Nevertheless, it is clear that OOH’s main characteristic is that “outdoor” does not need to be specially bought, as it happens with newspapers or magazines, as well as turning on the radio, TV, or going online.
Appealing to OOH allows one to reach a wider audience by showing viewers confidence through innovations and data analysis. In addition, it is necessary to understand that outdoor advertising, unlike “classical methods of communication with a client,” is an advertising medium with which contact occurs in a movement of an advertising message and a contactee relative to each other. Thus, the expert says that today outdoor advertising is innovative, affordable, relevant, reliable, adaptive, and cost-effective, having less chance of “becoming obsolete” (Leishman, 2020). In general, the effectiveness of outdoor advertising is beyond doubt, but a qualitative assessment of its efficacy often presents incredible difficulties since the use of standard methods of media planning is impossible.
References
6 media planning strategies to grow your marketing efforts. (n.d.). Web.
AppsGeyser. (2021). Apps: a lean forward or lean back experience?. Web.
Leishman, E. (2020). Why OOH is thriving and other traditional media isn’t. Web.
Marketing Evolution. (2022). Steps to find your target audience. Web.
Obringer, L.A. (n.d.). How marketing plans work. Web.