Media Buying / Planning Tools
Today in London sees the launch of abc media’s PlanMyMedia.com and in just over a month’s time Neo Advertising will finally launch the much anticipated Booking DOOH – a free online market place where DOOH Network owners and Media buyers will hopefully meet to do business also.
We have to say that we are very excited about both of these developments. PlanMyMedia.com correctly described by abc media as “the first retail media planning site of its kind in Europe” currently covers the UK retail space.
It’s not a pure play digital screen online tool though, unlike Booking DOOH, as PlanMyMedia includes in its database live radio stations, Point of sale, various on-line opportunities, magazine advertising and even direct mail.
Some of the retailers that we believe are up on PlanMyMedia include WHSmith, Spar, The Co-operative, Martin McColl, Wine Cellar, Post Office and Thomson – sectors being primarily food, travel and pharmacy.
Regular readers will know that all of those UK retailers have significant digital media assets at present and as abc media say in their press release “Increasing numbers of retailers are investing in becoming serious media owners” – so this new online planning tool is a big step forward for retail media, removing as it does one obstacle to booking retail media.
Stuart Tiedeman, Managing Partner, of abc media, told us “Retail media is a measurable and growing channel but has been too fragmented … measurability and reporting is what brands want, especially at a time when ROI is critical.”
Mind you the hard work starts for both of these sites when they actually launch as they then need to become a credible, relevant B2B business and most importantly become top-of-mind with media buyers, planners and brands. Not an easy task.
They will also need to get their venue numbers up significantly. PlanMyMedia’s 11,000 stores, with more than 8,000 digital screens is actually but a drop in the ocean when you think that there are around 80,000 – 100,000 retail screens in the UK out of an estimated 250,000 digital screens all told (includes all three sectors that we monitor; High Impact, Captive Audience and Retail).
Anyway at abc media’s launch today we see that Dunnhumby will be speaking and it looks like their will also be contributions from retailers, agencies and the research folks Retail Why.
We are told that most of the major agencies and some of the marketing press will be represented.
Jason Cremins, Chairman POPAIdigital commenting on this innovation told us “this is a great step forward for Retailers looking to generate revenue from their real estate. On their own, Retailers currently find it extremely hard to reach the critical mass required to attract advertising revenues, but by amalgamating Digital Media networks in this manner there is a real chance of generating significant media revenue streams”
October 23rd, 2008 at 13:47 @616
One problem with this Co-operative service, as it serves first he who runs the platform. Remembering that IT is like kids playdough, it can be molded, shaped and pointed into any direction. This seems like a great package for the controllers of the so called Co-operative, however big-picture if you not NEO/abc you will be rubbed out.
J Woolsey
Visual Motivations
October 23rd, 2008 at 14:13 @634
It’s great to hear that there is excitement over these two new ventures and thank you for covering this in your DailyDOOH! – We believe that we could all finally be at the tipping point which everyone has been waiting for, where demonstrably, retailers (AKA: Media Owners) are beginning to act in a cohesive manner, aiming to give a clear set of guidelines and ‘rules of engagement’ for media planners and buyers to interact with Retail Media.
The whole point of PlanMyMedia.com is that is NOT setting out claiming to have all the answers; as a catalyst, it may help us all establish a trading platform to allow common stakeholders to collaberate and help shape the future in terms of CPT, Weighting scorecards for each element of a retail media campaign, Reporting and Research…
A sincere thanks to all those individuals who joined us this morning, and those involved with the launch:
Starcom MediaVest – Spoke about their view on the ways in which Retail Media is becomming and acceptable ‘part of the mix’.
The Co-operative – Encouraged all retailers to act in a cohesive way and really listen to what media planners and buyers are wanting from them.
Retail Why (Part of Bezier group) – Spoke about the importance of understanding Shopper Behaviour and consumer insight.
Dunnhumby – Spoke about the clear benefit of shopper targetting.
abc media group – Gave an overview of the ways in which the website is helping as a catalyst to bring these pieces together as a one-stop-shop solution for our industry.
We look forward to continued development and feedback over the coming months…
October 23rd, 2008 at 15:10 @673
In reply to J. Woolsey. VMI’s comment. I think you are being a little harsh. The owners of the platform will benefit, it is after all their B2B platform but like many businesses, it works because of aggregation and sharing. We have no reason to think that abc media or Neo would not want as many networks and parties to join in, offer their venues up and share revenues across brands.
October 24th, 2008 at 10:01 @459
I have closely examined planmymedia and believe it is the most advanced development of its kind I have ever seen. The site gives fantastic plexibility to planners, media buyers, brand owners alike and is exactly what is needed to drive forward our industry. For the first time the start of the foodchain namely and product brand/marketing managers are able to play around on a web site and work out for themselves what they can get for their money accross traditional and digital media. If the rbands start to use this site the chances of media buyers being instructd to look at digital increase massively. Planmymedia should now expand its network portfolio to other DOOH network owners thus increasing the appeal and reach of the site whilst probably generating revenue for abc. This could be the mechanism that gives our national media clients the currency they have consistently asked for.
Phil Austin
CEO Can Media
October 25th, 2008 at 16:49 @742
Do we know what would be the main differentiators between Booking DOOH and a network aggregator service like Seesaw ?
October 25th, 2008 at 20:45 @906
Philippe. thanks for your question. Our understanding is that Bookingdooh will only list online networks that are able to report proof of play and that it will be a global platform (SeeSaw is just US atm).
From the sneak peaks we have seen of the system it looks very user friendly with a Google adwords look and feel.
We also believe that it will be very aggressive on sales commission and should leave the bulk of the revenues to the network owner.
October 28th, 2008 at 17:41 @778
Thxs Adrian. By the way, do you know more than what is on their website about AdSemble ?
Their Ad Cumulate auction-based system seems somewhat different.
I have not look at the inventory yet (just applied), so I do not know if they have critical mass or if they are mostly going for local advertising.