The challenges of Q4 media planning
As the toy trade gears up for Christmas, Toy World takes a look at toy Companies’ Q4 TV advertising campaigns. Media stalwart Dan Salem, Prism Digital Solutions, reports...
O
n your marks…get set… go. While we may have enjoyed this familiar phrase over the course of the Summer during the Olympics, when it comes to the race for Christmas,
the starting gun has well and truly been fired. With the Argos Catalogue out early, and
the traditional August burst of advertising to satisfy their needs almost over, the true test of a successful Q4 media campaign has yet to begin. With most advertising tied into a virtual
circle of brand building, product listing and retailer support as the media landscape evolves, how long can this old model continue to drive the market? And will new models emerge as manufacturers and distributers look to stand out in an increasingly commoditised media landscape and competitive retail market-place? There is no disputing the power of TV
advertising over kids when it comes to shifting toys, but with fewer sales points, and demands to increase their revenue streams year on year, TV companies are themselves facing challenging times ahead (especially as media consolidation into fewer sales houses has lead to more of a commoditised marketplace). How long will certain satellite channels be able to demand year-on-year price increases against a backdrop of falling ratings, and suggest that they are in a supply-and-demand marketplace? When less people are watching, are they really more valuable? It’s interesting to note that when the negotiations around shares of revenue take place at the start of the year, which are often driven by audience numbers, the fact that more people are watching a specific channel is always cited as the driver of their popularity are therefore put forward as the reason why they are worth more. Alongside this there are also a number of the smaller players with high conversions for certain audiences, which have proved to be highly successful for many brands with a limited budget, so the challenges to create the optimum media mix will continue to be a fluid and detail driven task for the planners. And for many toy companies this is looked after by the handful of specialised
media agencies, trading in the kids arena. But they are not necessarily the retail experts, who are increasingly dictating the TV advertising schedule.
Alongside TV, online offerings from the TV broadcasters are at least providing new opportunities, but with so much inventory available, and a host of more successful commercial offerings from the likes of Bin Weevils, Swapit Shop, Stardoll and more, rising to the top
of the kids media entertainment, traditional media planning will continue to be a challenge in its own right. And therefore when plans are approved so early in the year to satisfy retailers demands in their consideration to stock a product, does the current media planning cycle really offer the best solution for both manufacturers and retailers. With some retail buying decisions for
Christmas not made until June, and Spring/ Summer sales data also available mid-year, should annual media plans be driven on a quarterly basis, rather than creating version six of a plan that was approved a year earlier to satisfy the demands of retailers for Christmas. Delivering models for coverage and frequency, as well as integrated promotional ideas can be done in advance, but these should ultimately be driven by the needs of the individual toy brands and their overall success criteria. With over 50% of toy sales driven by the
Christmas season, and 80% of media spend over the same period, understanding kids’ behaviour and their thought process is equally as important as any retail requirements. Moreover, for the purchasers, price is an increasingly important factor in determining
where they should buy their children’s toys for Christmas, especially with the more recent success of internet shopping and the rise of the grocers in the toy marketplace. Does a retailer logo on the end of an ad really make an impact in the buying decision… With childrens’ notoriously short attention
spans, an effective Christmas advertising campaign needs to take place over a longer period, for adult-driven advertising. Aside from the creative treatment and media planning, the focus from a kids point of view is to ensure that; 1. Your products get onto their wish lists in early October. i.e. when they see it, they say “I want that!” 2. It stays in their mindset through
November, as they consider the alternatives… 3. It makes it onto the Christmas wish list which is handed to their parents/guardians in early December. However, with the annual retail discounting taking place before the Christmas lists have been submitted, and all the predictions from Christmas in July onto individual retailers’ Top 10 lists and PR activity, is it retailers or kids who are dictating what succeeds at Christmas?
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