In my media marketing career spanning the past three decades, I found it intriguing these days, as to why the brand custodians (Consisting of the brand in -charge along with the communication planners) are not harnessing or making full use of the power of media (and its resources) they use consistently, for brand building. Each one of us would concede the fact that the traditional mass media today is omnipresent and wield tremendous power(still!). All it takes a consistent, warm and cordial (plus a genuine, open-minded and honest) approach, which results in great bonding for the brand custodian with the media fraternity that leads to a strong interface. To people who are cordial, open and forthright, it is evident that our mainline media would respond very positively, as we have seen time and again for various brands/organizations.
It is not about just unbelievable rates; the best of ad placements and value adds or bonus insertions. To start with, it could be about discovering the best editorial ambience, the winner innovations (whose effectiveness frequently goes far beyond sheer numbers) that fetch lucrative rewards in terms of great mileage and finally about reinforcing you brand’s advancement with energetic PR. And the credibility of PR coverage is far ahead of any claims any advertiser makes about his/her brand through an ad campaign-a known and acknowledged fact, more or less. And no doubt whatsoever, that your PR Initiatives would derive formidable support through a firm media interface. I vividly recall, in the good old days visiting an agency to pick up a press release, that would surely get carried the next day. Is this the same case, still? No prizes for guessing.
And how are all these breakthrough results possible? Through just a consistent, genuine interaction with the media owners/representatives. Meet them, actively converse. let the dialogue be on. Study the Media vehicle thoroughly, understand the relative strength of each one of them (nothing impossible or tough, mind you! the brand custodians of yesteryears used to do this admirably well.). All it takes is some willingness on your part to do it and awareness of the rich possible rewards of doing it!
Make Media your partner in the brand building exercise. Unleash the humongous scope of PR and its credibility since it is hugely untapped. Of course, the positive results are bound to manifest everywhere in your brand’s march forward through mass media. Your willingness to go this extra mile, will script your brand success against severe competition. In earlier years, the brand custodians literally had the media fraternity eating out of their hands, because of the fond and close association, exchange of information and ideas etc. Give the media owner time and space to personally present his media vehicle to you to highlight the editorial backdrop, along with the special/ innovation formats. Leave the doors open, so that they have access to you. No need at all, to guarantee or oblige him with any business to him (unless you decide so), he is ready to meet you unconditionally.
Make the media interface to work for you and your brand-and remember, wholesome communication planning of IMC (Integrated Media communication) goes far beyond just sheer numbers and media weights. It is about a quality -oriented approach and networking, which of course,
WOULD DELIVER THE NUMBERS TOO…!!
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