MEDIA SCHEDULING

Every advertiser wants to issue more advertisements to target audience to remind them of
products or services provided by him. But, advertisement budget puts a limitation on advertiser. For
optimum use of money available for advertising, appropriate media scheduling is done. Media scheduling
refers to decision regarding date or time when advertisement is to appear, frequency of ads etc. Media
scheduling starts after selection of media and media-mix. The advertiser will decide the no. of
advertisements to be given in a specified period of time in each media, i.e., he will decide the time-gap in
different advertisements and size of advertisements.

Phases of Media scheduling:

Media scheduling is done at macro and micro level:
1) Macro-level media scheduling: in macro-level media scheduling, yearly advertising budget is
allocated in different months depending upon the nature of product. If the product is seasonal,
then more ad-budget can be allocated for peak-season months and fewer amounts can be
allocated for off-season months. On the other hand, if product has steady demand throughout
the year then fairly equal amount of total ad-budget is allocated among different months.
2) Micro-level Media scheduling: After having decided the amount of advertisement
expenditure to be incurred in each month of the year, the work of micro-scheduling starts. In
micro-level media scheduling, it is decided that within a month, on what days and at what time
advertisement will be issued in media. While deciding day and time, the advertiser will ensure
that advertisement will be shown on such day and time when target-audience are free and can
be contacted by media most effectively.

Media scheduling strategies:

Following are the main media scheduling strategies:

1) Continuous Option: Under this strategy advertisement will run throughout the year. The
amount of advertising budget is divided equally among different months. This strategy is
usually used for the products which are sold during the year and for products of daily use. For
example, for tooth paste, shampoo, soaps, etc., continuous-option is adopted. In this strategy,
advertising is done on a regular pattern without gaps i.e., there is no non- advertising period.
This strategy helps the advertiser in constantly reminding the target audience about its product.
But in this strategy, advertising is not decided on the basis of actual requirements; rather adexpenditure is spread evenly throughout the year. It may result in over advertising in a period
when less advertising is required and under advertising in a period when more advertising is
required.
2) Flighting option: This strategy refers to advertising in time gaps. At some time periods, there
is heavy advertising and at other time there is no advertising, i.e., advertising in a certain
period and advertising not at all in another period. This strategy is adopted by companies
selling seasonal and festival related products like air conditioners, woolen garments, crackers,
etc. In this strategy, advertising is done in accordance with purchase cycles. Here, continuous
advertising is not done; rather advertising is done in flights. This will reduce advertisement
expenses.
3) Pulsing option: In this strategy advertisement will run throughout the year. But at certain time
period; ad expenses will be less and at other time period, ad expenses will be more. In this
option continuity of advertising is made, but the amount of ad expenses is not same throughout
the year. In this option there is no non-advertising period.
This option removes the limitations of continuous option and flighting option. This is better than
the first 2. In media scheduling strategies, pulse rate of advertisement is also decided. Pulse rate refers to the
time gap between 2 advertisements. Pulse rate can be any one of the following:

Seasonal pulse: ad is released more frequently in seasonal months and less in off-

seasons.
Start up pulse: more frequent advertising is done at the time of launching a new product
or service and then frequency of ads are reduced to normal levels.

Special pulse: these ads are spaced irregularly, i.e., very heavy advertising is done in a particular
period of time and less advertising in other time periods