Typically, the way in which brand proprietors buy their media continues to be built on the three-way relationship between your brands themselves, media proprietors and media agencies. However, with the appearance of various platforms and channels which are encouraging marketers to consider additional control of the and purchase their very own media direct, there has been an growing commoditisation of media.

As I fully support marketers going for a greater curiosity about and much more charge of where their media money goes, I believe we’ve got some approach to take before buying and selling media direct becomes standard.

It’s very entirely possible that technical media like online is going to be bought directly by brands to some greater extent later on, because this medium frequently supplies obvious reporting data with click-through rates easily to hands. However, the concept this model is going to be folded to encompass TV, Radio, Outside and Cinema, along with other more niche channels, just isn’t achievable.

Commodity buying and selling requires a set fee of product (airtime, online ads space), set period of time along with a cost. Although this can occur with a few media like online, and to some degree radio (through sites for example Bid4Spots.co.united kingdom), other kinds of media including TV, magazine advertorial and sponsorships, include add-ons and qualitative aspects which make them an infinitely more complex proposition than the usual simple figures game.

The strength of these media for brands isn’t just about purchasing the relevant space for his or her audience as cheaply as you possibly can, but exactly how that space will be accustomed to bring smart suggestions to existence. Brands are away from the business of using this method, and seeking to do this will be a dilution of the core focus – they not have the time, expertise or infrastructure to do this role effectively. In addition, if all media was bought direct by clients, this might greatly stifle creativeness on television and it is this important component which makes great media campaigns stick out. The very best media campaigns aren’t about cost, they’re thanks to the creative flair, understanding of this marketplace and also the imagination introduced with a good agency.

From the purely financial perspective, brands can negotiate on cost, and also the auctions help this, but they’ll not have the majority buying clout to create the costs lower in the manner the press agencies do. Economies of scale will invariably favour the specialist buyer. Also most brands won’t know enough so that you can say exactly what the true worth of the press they’re buying would be to them, and for that reason cannot say if this is an excellent cost or otherwise. Most only will do not have the specialist understanding about TVRs, deal ratios, OTHs and coverage and frequency etc.

Finally, because of so many media channels already to select from and so much more appearing with an just about every day basis within an ever-growing marketplace, brands cannot expect to maintain this evolving landscape in the manner a media agency can.

Nevertheless this does not necessarily mean that brands should quit all responsibility for media for their agencies. I strongly believe a client’s knowledge of media is essential to the prosperity of its campaigns. The greater clients know about what media proprietors can provide and just how media works, the higher contribution they are able to have in discussions using their agency partners. I’d argue there is a vital education role needed from media proprietors first, before they ought to expect clients to leap into buying and selling.