Abstract:

The everyday activity of a media planner consists in organizing systems or combinations of means of transportation for the advertising messages toward the targets. In most other fields, such a system is considered as a good one when it : is cost effective preserves the quality of the goods delivers them at the right address in the right quantity at the right time. In our field, we add to these requirements a major one: the means of transportation we use (i.c. the media vehicles) have, not only to preserve, but to improve the quality -the effectiveness- of the messages they deliver. In addition, we are obliged to use these means of transportation exactly as they exist. The only freedom we have is in deciding that we use or not a given vehicle, and in determining the intensity of the usage. The tools the media planner needs consist in information able to guide him in the long scry of choices of opportunity and intensity which loads as close as possible to "the most effective" system of transportation for the messages (i.c. the media plan)