The study of ad placement is known as media planning. A media planner’s primary responsibility is to determine what type of advertisement to create and where to run it. Assistant media planner, media buyer, and senior media planner jobs are all common in the industry. Many people have specializations within these jobs, such as digital media, print media, television, and radio media. Each job is designed to assist a client in gaining the appropriate audience exposure.
Most advertising and media firms consider an assistant media planner to be an entry-level position. These media planner jobs are primarily support roles for those who are actually buying ad space and planning campaigns. Running reports based on research and often handling smaller tasks associated with the media buying process are some of the most important responsibilities in this role. A bachelor’s degree in communications or business is usually required for this position.
The media buyer, also known as a media planner, is one of the most important media planner jobs. This position requires an individual to collaborate with a client to determine a campaign’s needs and objectives. This person must also collaborate with the advertising department to develop copy, scripts, or entire commercials for the client. Finally, to get the finished product out to the public, this person must frequently negotiate with media outlets such as television stations, newspapers, and websites. This position also necessitates a bachelor’s degree and, in most cases, years of experience in the media planning industry.
Because of its management responsibilities, the job of senior media planner is unique. Senior media planners frequently work with complex and high-value clients, but their primary focus is on managing the media department. This job entails receiving updates from media planners on various projects, monitoring the budget, and collaborating with other members of the management team to develop the company’s strategy. A master’s degree and years of media planning experience are frequently required for this position.
The core media planner jobs are comprised of these three positions, but they are frequently subdivided into smaller niches. These jobs, particularly the media buyer’s, are focused on specific types of media. Jobs in digital media planning are concerned with using the Internet, television media jobs are concerned with commercials, and print media jobs are concerned with magazine and newspaper advertisements. Some jobs combine all of these mediums, but many others split them up among different planners so that each one can focus more effectively.