Sponsor (Jan-Mar 1964)

■ AM G. WHITE iresident, associate media director and ■er of the media department ningham & Walsh in Netv York, he the agency in 1953. \to that, he tvas broadcast media ir at Pedlar & Ryan, and a limebvyer \ton & Bowles, started his career in ind programing at CFRB {Toronto i . ally within pre-determined maximum and minimum A/S ratios. And demographic breaks may be subdivided by psychological groupings — which will result in startling changes in copy and media devices. Perhaps somewhat later will come fully automated media research, providing instantaneous broadcast and print advertising exposure information — and permitting the computer to adjust merchandising and advertising pressure within socio-economic groups, by geographic region, by heavy user or light user groups. For instance, a commercial or pages or posters (or even couponing) would be automatically intensified against the target group of customers; or, if pressure is to be lessened, the computer would select the less costly message class. At this stage, the timebuyer will have become a media "selector," assuming responsibility for all the nuances of electronic media blending. He will be supported by specialists in research methodolgy, in marketing practices, in computer programing and the many other facets of the world of tomorrow. The seeming complexity of this electronic future will be resolved through the efficiency of the hardware — no longer will we be concerned with the machinery. The 1940 timebuyer looked as SPONSOR/ JANUARY 27, 19()4 kance as radio grew from a few hundred to a few thousand outlets — later the early tv buyer was suddenly confronted with 500 tv stations which came from nowhere after the freeze — and simple EDP equipment of 1960 ( already regarded as somewhat primitive ) has solved these problems with ease. Already, we take it for granted that computers of the future will take care of any conceivable marketing and media complexity which will arise. The 1970 timebuyer — we prefer to think of him in his new role of media specifier — will have a vastly broadened "job specification." He will: A. Assume responsibility for broader areas in the media field — • just as the Air Force has been assigned the important role in space even though pilots and propellers are obsolete, the timebuyer ivill move into all major media areas as they become automated and electronic; B. Take the lead in anticipation of further dramatic changes in radio and TV — both in programs and facilities; he will require analyses of coverage and justification of rates related to mercurial market changes; C. Be a prime mover in media research theory including — • radio and tv audience data by brand usage, • ad page effective audience-perissue, • optimum reach and frequency combinations by product category user groups; D. Exert a powerful influence in advertising schedules • by initiating daily adjustments indicated by instantaneous market data (moving sales and share data by market areas and buying groups will require adjustme7its in A/S ratio; shipment and inventory by area will indicate need for prompt increases or decreases); E. Scrutinize each day competitive advertising and promotion: • first, so as to conform his schedules to changes in competitive activity, and second, to capitalize on competitive moves with opportunistic moves related to the market need-of-the-moment: F. Eliminate waste coverage — • market research data will pinpoint potential purchasers within each socio-economic group; • media research will permit elimination of ineffective weight against non-users; G. Measure response to varying ad units and environment. These measurements will be related to several considerations, such as — • selling effectiveness of various ad units singly and in combination, • effectiveness of shared screen vs. full-screen electronic messages in 4/color, 3D telescreen outdoor posting or wall-screen home tv, • relative effective values of selective programing or editorial commercial adjacency vs. general appeal by socio-economic and user groups, • relative effective values of selling messages in island vs. shared vs. multi-commercial blocks in all media; H. Project media research data — for instance: • in development of fluid market segment coverage formulas by media singly and in combination; in expenditure by market segments related to the most effective sales messages by media combinations. 1963's average "consumer" is said to be exposed to 1200 to 2500 seUing messages daily. By 1970 this may increase twofold or tenfold; but exposure will be far less useful to the media analyst than measm-es of perception. The law of supply and demand indicates that new media devices must be perfected so as to provide advertising opportunity necessary to move old and new products to expanding mass and specialized markets at home and abroad. Finally, we must emphasize die need for judgment and control. Most media "banks" will be electronically motivated; market and media research will be on memory tapes, not monumental tomes. In that highly automated era the logical candidate to assume authority for use and control of this complex is today's marketing oriented timebuyer — the media specifier with liis unique insight into the almighty power of the ad dollar. ■ NEXT WEEK: the fifth in this special SPONSOR series of articles concerning timebuyers will be by Kudner's vice president and media director, Donald E. Leonard. 41