Categories: Articles

What Are Media Planners And Buyers Going To Do?

On a previous Blog posting, Give A Little Love To This Coke Ad, I made some indirect statements pointed to media buyers. I am wondering if people who work on the media side of advertising truly understand the deep consequences of what’s happening now?
I can’t say for sure that Coke, or its agency, posted this Grand Theft Auto-inspired commercial to YouTube. I can say that if the media buyers did not, then they’re stupid.
But who gets the last laugh?
Let’s say Coke’s agency did post the Grand Theft Auto-inspired commercial to YouTube. Now, they’re going back to the client to show the millions of downloads – which does not include the viral component or the many other video game and advertising sites that are now posting it – that cost them… zero dollars. Just some time to upload it, maybe spread the word a little and you’ve got millions of free impressions (and tons of publicity).
Where’s the motivation for Coke to run the spot on TV (which is where the real bucks are made for media buyers)? How can media buyers continue to make their commission if the real traction of these commercials are finding a home online, where it’s free to post and people will engage in it (if it’s awesome)?
This Coke ad is just another ad, in a long line of many, which proves how a 30-second spot with great creative can still work. The challenge is that the spot is working in a medium it was not created or intended for.
What are media buyers going to do if the best creative work is being spread for free and getting the recognition it deserves without a fixed air date or an end?
What service can media planners provide when a quick upload to YouTube will demonstrate (re: test) how much (or how little) the general public cares about an ad?
These are only a handful of immediate questions that I care to post. I guess I am looking to the media people of the world for some answers.

Mitch Joel

Recent Posts

The Ultimate Tech Gift Guide For 2024

Gifting tech can be risky. Do you go practical or trendy? Budget-friendly or splurge-worthy? Luckily,…

1 day ago

Daniel Levitin On Secret Chords And The Power Of Music – This Week’s Six Pixels of Separation Podcast

Episode #963 of Six Pixels of Separation - The ThinkersOne Podcast is now live and…

3 days ago

SPOS #963 – Daniel Levitin On Secret Chords And The Power Of Music

Welcome to episode #963 of Six Pixels of Separation - The ThinkersOne Podcast. Daniel J.…

3 days ago

Six Links That Make You Think #756

Is there one link, story, picture or thought that you saw online this week that…

4 days ago

Screenagers – Raised By YouTube, Fed By TikTok, Ignored By Us

Nearly half of American teens are online almost constantly. Read that again. This isn’t just…

1 week ago

Richard Cytowic On Simple Brains And Smartphones – This Week’s Six Pixels of Separation Podcast

Episode #962 of Six Pixels of Separation - The ThinkersOne Podcast is now live and…

1 week ago

This website uses cookies.