Strengths and Weaknesses
of Each Medium
Television
Strengths
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Weaknesses
Mass Reach
Audio-visual appeal
 High production cost
Appeals to senses
Emotional
Intrusive
Targetable by program/content
selection
 Switching off
Demonstration
Credible/prestigious
High awareness
Low CPM
Impact
Creates desire
 High costs of entry
Television
Best Uses
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Foundation for other media
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Mass reach
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Frequency with a strategic
buy
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Brand equity
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Image building
Tips
 Ensure adequate weight
levels
 Minimum 750 GRP / 6 week
campaign
 Billboards are an efficient way
to buy TV at a discounted
cost
 :30 and :15 buys are eligible
for audience dividends on
Global Television
 Must buy local BC stations to
cover off the whole province,
unless using billboards
Television
Creative Tips
Tips
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Keep it simple
 Involve the viewer
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Have one basic idea
 Use emotion
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Make your point clear
 Consider production value
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Make it unique..different
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Get viewer attention
(.e. sight, sound, motion and
emotion)
 Prove the benefit
 Identify yourself well
Internet/Mobile/Social Media
Strengths
 Reach qualified & captive audience; can even
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Weaknesses
 Fragmented online audience
target people who have already visited your
website
 Banner blindness
Target campaigns geographically,
demographically & by keywords
 Cluttered environment
Get measurable results in real time
Quick creative & campaign changes
Cost effective:
 You get what you pay for
 Limited waste
Various campaign types (display advertising,
text ads, video pre-roll ads, retargeting to
people who have visited your website, interest
category targeting, page takeovers)
Various pricing models:
 Cost per click (CPC) - pay for clicks only
 CPM - pay per 1000 impressions
 CPA - pay for conversions only
Internet/Mobile/Social Media
Best Uses
 As a compliment to other media in
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larger campaigns
As a key medium for clients with a
small budget
Promotion of contests or time-limited
offers
Boost web site traffic
Boost online sales & leads
Boost search engine visibility
When you need measurable results
metrics
Tips
 Hire a professional
 Optimization is critical - online
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campaigns must be monitored &
adjusted
Make creative/offer relevant to a
social media audience
Have measurements tools in place
Utilize rich media format
Create landing pages for each online
campaign / promotion to provide a
good experience for people who click
on your ad
Keep creative messaging simple, to
the point, & always have a call to
action statement
Radio
Strengths
Weaknesses
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Targetability
 Local
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Frequency
 No visual
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Portability
 Background medium
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Personal
 Expensive reach builder
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Economical for local markets
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Short lead times
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Community involvement
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Strong promotional vehicle
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Low cost of entry
Radio
Best Uses
Tips
 Build frequency
 Focus on frequency
 Top-of-mind awareness
 Ensure a minimum of a 2-4
 Tell your story
 Promotions
 Local market targeting
frequency per station,
depending on whether it is a
PPM or Diary market
 Look at sponsorships,
segment tie-ins
Radio
Creative Tips
 Focus on the single, most important idea
 Create FOR the listener
 Engage and entertain
 Capitalize the power of sound
 Dare to be different
Daily Newspaper
Strengths
Weaknesses
 Timeliness / news value
 Expensive frequency builder
 Allows for copy detail
 No emotion
 Broad reach
 Poor reproduction (some)
 Editorial / section targeting
 Wasted circulation
 Credible news environment
 Short shelf life
 Geographically targetable
 Material changes are simple
Daily Newspaper
Best Uses
Tips
 Short lead time
 Do not crowd creative, leave
 Long, detailed copy
 Great for retail advertisers
 Talks to today’s potential
buyers
white space
 Negotiate positioning
 Shape your ad to dominate
the page
Daily Newspaper
Creative Tips
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Keep it simple
 One idea
 Short Headlines
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Make it relevant (current)
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Visuals make an impact
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White Space ads impact
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Be distinctive
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Create an emotional response
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Humour works
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Highlight benefits not features
Community Newspaper
Strengths
Weaknesses
 Market selectivity
 Longer lead times
 Local appeal
 Circulation vs. readership
 More flexible than dailies
 Slow frequency build
 Allow for copy detail
 Expensive for broad reach
 Editorial / section targeting
 Classifieds produce results
 Inexpensive for community
coverage
 Limited waste
Community Newspaper
Best Uses
Tips
 Targeting specific markets
 Try for editorial coverage
 Long copy
 Do not crowd creative, leave
 Community feel
 Retail
white space
 Negotiate positioning
 Shape your ad to dominate
the page
Magazine
Strengths
 Image
 Visual component
 Targeted to reader interest
 Good reproduction quality
 Regional flexibility
 Significant pass-along
readership
 Opportunity to sample
 Long life
 Ads are part of the reading
experience
Weaknesses
 Long lead times
 High production costs
 Slow frequency builder
 Not for time-sensitive offers
Magazine
Best Uses
Tips
 Image building
 Bleed creative
 Narrow target psychographic
 Look at editorial calendars for
and geographic
related features
 Negotiate positioning
 Offer product for stories,
contests, etc.
Magazine
Creative Tips
 Keep it simple
 Interactivity
 Make the most of the medium
 Create visual interest
 Out-of-the-Box ideas
Outdoor – Posters
Strengths
Weaknesses
 Frequency
 Market restrictions
 Dominance
 Limited message
 Mass city coverage
 Wasted circulation
 Market / route / site
 Long lead times
selectivity
 Long life / continuity
 Simplicity
 Backlit superboards offer
unique creative opportunities
 Effectiveness compromised by
weather/seasons
Outdoor - Posters
Best Uses
Tips
 Image building
 Be specific on locations
 Reach a specific area
 Drive the plant
 Reminder / support other
 Negotiate extra months ask
media / image transfer
 Frequency
for “space available” bonus
on top of your deal
 Supply extra paper to be used
as filler
 Make sure locations are lit
Outdoor - Posters
Strengths
Weaknesses
 Cost-efficient reach
 Limited message
 Mass city coverage
 Long lead times
 Frequency
 Weather / visibility
 Market / area selectivity
 Not available in all markets
 Quality reproduction
 Production cost
 Backlit creative showcase
Outdoor – Transit Shelters
Best Uses
Tips
 Frequency
 Be specific on locations
 Image building
 Drive the plant
 Neighborhood coverage
 Negotiate extra months
 ask for “space available”
bonus on top of your deal
 Supply extra paper to be used
as filler
 Make sure locations are lit
Outdoor
Creative Tips
 Consider letter readability and colour readability
 Rule of thumb: no more than 5 words
 Get the creative distance-tested by the supplier
Direct Mail
Strengths
Weaknesses
 Geographically targetable
 Wastage - if consumers throw
 Personalize your message
with users name
 Not limited by message
length
 Measurable response and
database builder
away DM piece
 Clutter
 Intrusive
Direct Mail
Best Uses
Tips
 In conjunction with other
 Personalize when possible
media
 To build database
 Current database
 Time limited specific offers
 Ensure creative stands out
Other Media
 Washroom advertising
 Wild postings
 Wall projections
 Grocery store advertising
 Sports marketing
 Campus advertising
 Ethnic media
 Airport advertising
Other Media
 Mall advertising
 Elevator advertising
 Hotel television advertising
 Floormedia
 Parking lot advertising
 Moving billboards
 Outdoor video screens
 Taxi Hubcap advertising