Interview With Gemma Abrahams, Media Planner/Buyer At Nexus/H

Media planning and buying consists of the following.

• take campaign briefing from client and build the business strategy by liaising with creative team, client and consumers
• identify the target audience
• identify the best media for advertising a particular product or service
• set advertising budgets and oversee costs
• liaise with media sales staff and arrange for the advertisements to be seen and heard by the highest possible number of the target audience at the lowest possible price
• assess the effectiveness of the campaign
• in some agencies, planning and buying are separate functions and carried out by different individuals, however this isn't the case at Nexus/H.

Nexus/H is a full service agency, meaning creative and media is looked after by the same company, all under one roof. Many large agencies in London look after either one or the other.

It is commonplace for a media planner buyer to specialize in one media; as the team here is relatively small we all plan and buy across all media; press, online, radio, outdoor, TV.

My media career started at Carat, and Vizeum (both part of the Aegis group) in London, where I worked across a number of clients including HboS, Panasonic, AMEX and AOL Broadband.

The commute into London from Sussex is a long one, and after 2 years is off-putting. Nexus/H was appealing as it is a well respected agency with some great brands. Working in an agency outside of London is great; lovely surroundings, no train / tube stress, and still very much in the "thick" of the media mix.

Since joining the industry in 2005, it is clear that media consumption is changing and it is the responsibility of the planners to be aware of this and reflect their media strategy accordingly.

The national press figures are down yoy, with online and digital very much increasing.

I consider myself pretty organised and good with figures; you need this to be a planner/buyer. Also, it is worth noting; back up everything. If you have a conversation about a rate / booking, follow up with an email outlining the conversation - it's easy to get caught out!

Seeing your ads go live when you've done something pretty cool / spent a lot of time negotiating / persuading the client to do it. I negotiated an online campaign for Suzuki Swift in August for Channel 4's Big Brother site; we road-blocked (took every ad format on the site) for the last 5 Friday's of the series, including the final. The ads were tailored around Big Brother, and "Time for a Swift Exit" message. This solus branding for the entire 24 hour period ensured maximum standout for the brand, targeting a highly relevant audience for the sporty hatchback.

You also get a LOT of 'jolly's' in media. I have been taken to Marrakesh for the weekend, for a spa day in Harrods and most recently I have been to see Lee Evans at the O2. There is a lot of social time involved in media and networking is key - parties are commonplace, as are lunches!!

Read the trade press and see what's going on in the market. NMA (New Media Age), Media Week, Media Guardian and Campaign are the main ones, along with Marketing and Marketing Week. Also log onto Brand Republic for up to date trade news and information.

Know what you're going into; media planning and buying doesn't deal with the creative aspect!

Either marketing, or move across to the advertising side.

Do I have a meeting tomorrow? Who is it with?

Working in media is pretty laid back and there isn't generally a dress code; as long as you look smart most outfits are OK including jeans. However if you're meeting clients, you will be expected to wear smart clothes.

Vodka & cranberry juice, always with a slice of lime!!

1. Suzuki's 2009 brief for a new car launch!
2. Cunard's 2009 brief for their new campaign; likely to have new creative!
3. An in-game advertising proposal for a division of the Royal Navy
4. Regional radio brief for Suzuki dealerships
5. A cup of tea and a chocolate digestive!!