medieplan

A medieplan, or media plan, is a planning document used in advertising and marketing that outlines how a brand will use paid, owned, and earned media to achieve its objectives within a given budget. It translates marketing goals into a concrete strategy by selecting media channels, allocating the budget, scheduling placements, and defining measurement criteria. The aim is to maximize reach and impact while optimizing cost efficiency, and the plan serves as a blueprint for the media buying process.

A medieplan typically covers: objectives and target audience; media mix and channel choices (television, radio, print, digital, out-of-home, social, streaming); budget and cost assumptions; scheduling and flighting patterns; creative considerations and ad formats; procurement roles and timelines; governance and approvals; and a framework for measurement and optimization.

Development relies on audience research, market data, and channel metrics. Analysts estimate reach and frequency, project impressions, and calculate metrics such as gross rating points (GRPs) or target rating points (TRPs), as well as costs per thousand impressions (CPM), cost per click (CPC), and cost per action (CPA). The plan may include testing, seasonal adjustments, and rules for reallocating spend based on performance.

Execution follows the plan through media buying, trafficking, and reporting. Ongoing monitoring compares performance against key performance indicators (KPIs) such as reach, frequency, engagement, conversions, and return on investment, with revisions to improve outcomes. Medieplans are produced by marketing teams or advertising agencies and can cover a single campaign or an extended media calendar.