So advertising is part of your integrated strategy? You have many options today – consumer vs. trade; broadcast, print or online; promoted social advertising; national, regional or local? Communica has built a far-reaching media department with the experience and offerings to assist companies of all types plan their media efforts as part of an integrated communications program.
“We have created a media department with a broad range of planning, negotiating, placement and measurement expertise, in all types of media,” said Communica’s Tricia Knight. “Our management team offers clients over 55 years of combined planning and buying experience, and we apply this experience to crafting a plan that matches placements to our clients’ business goals.”

After extensive research into a client’s market and industry, Communica develops a media plan that is tailored to the specific goals of the client’s communications program. We also have fostered personal relationships with media organizations’ publishers, editors and marketing representatives, so that we can find the perfect match for our clients’ needs, and never miss out on prominent openings. By understanding industry trade shows, relevant magazines, hot topics and current and upcoming opportunities, we make sure that our clients are constantly in the loop.

“We take a very structured approach to planning a media schedule for a client,” said Knight. “First comes development of a media plan that matches a client’s current markets, media buy objectives, media strategies and other communications efforts. We then begin to work directly with media to leverage each placement in each media channel, in order to negotiate the best cost and other opportunities. Our negotiations cover much more than getting the best price for the advertising placement,” Knight said. “We work with representatives to take full advantage of any opportunities to reach and engage with our clients’ customers, wherever they are. Data is at the heart of our promoted social campaigns. Starting with audience insight, we develop a strategic approach that is based on very specific demographics, interests and behaviors.

“We’re doing a wide range of advertising for our business-to-business and business-to-consumer clients,” Knight said. “We’re doing a great deal of display and mobile banner advertising today, both behaviorally and contextually. We’re able to deliver specific messaging that is very responsive to the needs of the viewer or reader. Today, it’s more cost-effective than ever to be able to target, identify and respond to customers on a one-to-one basis.”

Communica has developed a proprietary approach to promoted social, leveraging the ability to strategically target and shift ads based on how well an audience is performing. “As a result, we are building audiences for our clients, ensuring relevance and adding value to advertising investments,” Knight said.

Post-buy analysis is a critical element to any media buying strategy, because it ensures that clients are receiving the best value for their money and impacting the market with the most appropriate messages. “We use media software, such as STRATA®, which is able to not only assist with the identification of appropriate media, but also can generate immediate analysis for mid-cycle adjustments,” Knight said. “This is how we can assure our clients we are taking a comprehensive and strategic approach to advertising.”