ADVERTISING

Account Management 101

Fundamentals of advertising account management

PBA – Performance Based Advertising

1. Advertising is most productive when it is focused on changing behaviors, not attitudes.

Case Study:If McDonalds say ‘we’re a healthy alternative’ – we all know that’s rubbish, so it doesn’t really make me want to go.But if McDonalds advertise ‘$1 cheeseburgers’ – we’d be there in a second

Change behaviors, not attitudes

PBA – Performance Based Advertising

2. Advertising messages should be created for, and directed at, the heavy-using, high-yield customers in your category

I.e. advertise to the fast-food eaters who eat it a lot.

Nail this audience and you’re creaming it

3. In a nut shell:

“We don’t get them to try our product by convincing them to love our brand. We get them to love our brand by convincing them to try our

product.”

Research ClientBefore getting too far, find out everything there is to know about your client:

• Launch: - What’s core to their business?- What are they trying to create and how?- Any famous representatives?

• Results:- How did they go throughout their launch?- How about their first year?- Where are are going in the coming years?

IDENTIFY YOUR CLIENTS ‘PROBLEM’ – what are they trying to fix?

• Campaigns- Identify key campaigns and identify common themes- Does it fit a timeline?

Attention To Detail

• Very important throughout all work!• Names, likes/dislikes, systems, folder locations• When you sign off on artwork, you’re giving it your

personal ‘seal of approval’ – no mistakes!• Study the brand, the ads, the copy/language, colors,

logos, differences between mediums • Make lists to REMEMBER DETAIL

Job Folders• One of the most essential parts of your job as an account manager.• My philosophy is that one size does not fit all.• Customize your ‘Master Job Folder’ (which gets copied across to each

job you work on)• Ensure it’s simple to use, and simple to navigate.• Ensure you place everything relevant to that particular job in the

folders.• Ensure all files are named correctly so it’s easy to find them in the

future.• Archive old files and ads – you never know when you may need these.

Being a master of job folders WILL MAKE YOUR LIFE EASIER!

Emails

Through email, it’s easy to mistake ‘tone’

• Capital words = SHOUTING• Too many exclamation marks = unprofessional• Spelling errors a big no-no• Always start with a friendly ‘hope you’re well’ etc• Always finish with a ‘talk soon’ etc

MI – Material InstructionsUniversal Advertising Document

If you don’t already have one, set one up!Usually in excel.

• This doc translates all information provided by the client, the media teams, and third parties (like publishers or websites)

• This is the document everyone in the agency should know how to read

• Outlines ‘what creative’, ‘job#’, ‘deadline’, ‘specs’, ‘sizes’, ‘dispatch details’, ‘additional notes’

EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW - CONCISE

ASK WHY• Emails/jobs are received daily – some big, and some little

• ALWAYS ask yourself ‘why’ when receiving a job. More often that not, your client hasn’t asked this question and the entire reason for the job may be completely different to what you originally thought.

• This question will save truck loads of time and effort guaranteed.

• WHY = Why do you need it? What will it be used for? When do you need it by? How do you want it supplied? Where are we sending it?

“Do you have enemies? Good. That means you’ve stood up for something, sometime in your life!” Winston Churchill

Job Bag EstimatesProcess from start to finish

In some cases, when agency and client have a tight relationship, an estimate can be done at the end of a job. I.e. brief received, worked on the job and dispatched all artwork:

PART 1:1. Ensure all employees have finished entering time on timesheets and ask finance

to update the system2. Open your financial system – go to ‘Production’ then ‘Production Reports’ – ‘Get

Data’3. Find your job and preview the ‘Production JCR’ (or ‘JDR’)4. Take down all figures relating to the job – i.e. artwork time, dispatch (FP, HP,

DEST, DDES, laser prints, DAM, DPM, DFP, DAD, DWEB – add external costs as well if necessary

5. Write all info down on the job bag then tick this off

Job Bag EstimatesProcess from start to finish

PART 2:1. Within the same system, hit ‘Production’ then ‘Estimates’2. Either create a new estimate, or copy from an old one – super easy3. Be specific, ensure all time is covered and ensure you’re covered with specifics in

the job detail – you never know when the client may throw you a curve ball…4. Double check the estimate lines up with the job bag then sign it off – finished

It’s important to note that most agencies will estimate up front before a job has been touched. Most common when the client is relatively new and both parties are working out best practices. It’s also a little easier to forecast each job this way.

PURCHASE ORDERS

• Purchase Orders are made when external costs come into the business.

For Example – we’re doing a TVC and we record VO and have an external supplier do the editing. Later on we receive an invoice from the VO agency along with the third part editing team.

• Once we receive their invoices we’re able to then set up a PO#

• The PO# will reference the Job#, job description and price

• Handy tip – it’s not necessary to create multiple PO#s for the one job – simply add an additional line to the existing PO and you’re away

General Finance

• Clients are either retained or not.• In both cases, it’s best practice to track all hours spent on the job accurately.

• Are you estimating upfront, or after the job is finished?• Always vital to add ALL costs to a job (i.e. taxis, delivery, printing, distribution)

• Even if a job is closed and basically all square, it’s best to leave it open for an extra month just incase – you never know when you may need to revisit a job.

• Before completing finance for the month, ask finance to update timesheets – all records will then be up-to-date.

• Each agency will have unique billing codes and practices – it’s best to familiarize yourself with these as early as possible.

• Be careful with international clients and you deal with tax.

INTRODUCTION TO TV• Governing bodies: AU – CAD / NZ – CAB (NZ legals are very strict)• Developing retail scripts usually a quick and painless task. Usually

completed by copywriters – they’ll take an old/existing script and make relevant changes to the specific product.

• Ensure the language used is consistent with the brand.• Booking VO (voice over) well in advance is essential – needs to be

timed correctly in order to finish the edits, gain client approval and dispatch to stations.

• Opening and closing TVC frames are generally for the brand to shine• Final footage – our job to ensure it looks and flows well. I.e. not too

many cuts, logical flow, easy to comprehend voices, imagery compliments product on offer.

TV – MI ProcessMaterial Instructions

1. Receive Media Plan2. Create TV/Radio MI based on spots3. Completed MI sits in the job folder4. Once we have confirmed creative material, we decide whether

material can repeat or if it stays the same5. If new, we create a new job and file it under the correct folder.6. Scripts and approved edits sit in this new folder

EVERYTHING LINKS BACK TO THE MASTER MI

TV – hints and tips

• Careful with long/wide shots vs. close/face shots – a lot of back and forth looks strange

• Every 5 words on a super needs 2sec appearance time• Script timings ESSENTIAL – always read your scripts• V/O – always match this up to the footage, hear what you

see

TV – Uploading via AdStream• Login with appropriate username/password• NEW – Television commercial (how many are you sending?)• Enter key number (with no ‘/’s)• Enter details as you need to, client, product, campaign, production

team – whatever the agency likes to include• Advise which networks you’ll be sending the ad to• Standard – 8hrs / VIP – 4hrs / Red Hot – 1hr• The reference number is always the job# - best way to track jobs

GENERAL HINTS & TIPS• ALWAYS stick to brand guidelines – keep it simple, direct copy, logical layout and consistent imagery

• ANYTHING NEW MUST GO THROUGH CREATIVE DIRECTOR – be ready for feedback

• Use resources available to you – old ads, concepts, layouts, ideas, names, copy

• LANGUAGE – ‘Here it is…’, ‘artwork/creative/copy’, don’t ask questions you don’t want the answers to…

• When push comes to shove, it’s what the client wants – ALWAYS CHECK THE BRIEF

CLIENT = KING

• Don’t be afraid to flip something on it’s head, could be just the trick

• QUESTIONS – ‘What’s it for?’, ‘What are the specs?’, ‘When’s it due?’

WIP EVERYDAY IS THE BEST THING YOU CAN DO

Thinking oUtSiDe the BOX• Problems occur on a daily basis• The solution can often be found/or applied with the tools we already have

Think how we can use our tools in different ways, as this will:1. Add value to the tools2. Portray resilience at no added cost3. Save time (no need for new systems etc)4. Show that staff aren’t just running the mill, but a bit of ingenuity is apparent

Things like word, excel, outlook – we use this everyday.

HOW CAN WE ADD VALUE TO WHAT WE ALREADY USE?

How To Manage People• Anyone you manage is a reflection of your own work• If they stuff up, you stuff up

Basic guidelines for your team to follow:1. Acknowledge clients email and say ‘We’ll come back to you with any queries’.2. Find/use an old example related to new brief3. Brief copy writers/studio/art directors4. Compile any/all queries and send client a follow up email5. Relay information, receive new artwork and liaise with your client from there

Creative Advertising is subjective! There will always be a need for updates.Your job is update anything/everything that requires a change before you send it on.Always have a logical and positive reason for changes – these days everyone is a ‘creative genius’.

DM – direct marketing

• Set up an up-front cost – likely to be lots of third party costs (printing/distribution)

• KEY ASPECTS YOU NEED TO KNOW EARLY: SIZE –how big? QUANTITY – how many? PAPER QUALITY – gloss/matt/thickness DISTRIBUTION BREAK DOWN – being sent to one office, or split into

different domestic offices? ACCESSORIES – envelopes, stamps, etc DEADLINES

DIGITAL ADVERTISING 101

Common Digital Terms• Flash Banner – web design software that creates animation and interactive elements

which are quick to download• Stickiness – how long a user spends on the web page• Spider – program which crawls the web and fetches web pages in order for them to be

indexed against keywords. Search engines use these to formulate search results pages• Dwell Time – a measure of online ad campaign performance – shows how long a user

spends looking at an online ad• Affiliate Marketing – advertiser gives web banner to a brand/company website for them

to display. If a consumer clicks through and purchases from the banner, the host (affiliate partner) gain a commission for hosting the banner

• CPA – cost per acquisition – cost to acquire a new customer• PPC – pay per click – like Facebook ads, your budget is only met when users click on the

ad• VOIP – voice over internet protocol – i.e. Skype

http://www.mediascope.com.au/online-advertising-terms

Common Digital Terms• Standard Banner - regular flash animated SWF + backup GIF

• Polite Banner – same as a standard banner, but you have capacity to upload larger files – rich media. Once web page and standard flash file has loaded, the rich media will begin to load.

• Expandable Banner – 2x add placements on the one page. Normally 2x side skins. Left one loads first, and straight after the right one will load. These banners are linked so the creative can be tailored for two banners

• OTP – Over The Page – this is a rich media placement and normally costs a fair bit. One impression per day, and the creative will take over the entire website homepage – once creative is finished it will close down into an MREC/Half Page

• Pre-Rolls – 15sec/30sec TVC clips that air before videos on Youtube. Can use annotations

Common Digital Terms• http – Hyper Link Transfer Protocol• www – World Wide Web• html – Hyper Text Markup Language• url – Uniform Resource Identifier (URI)• cpu – Central Processing Unit• os – Operating System• pdf – Portable Document Format• ftp – File Transfer Protocol• usb – Universal Serial Bus• gif – Graphic Interchange Format• jpg – Join Photographic (Experts) Group• png – Portable Network Graphics• tiff – Tagged Image File Format• eps – Encapsulated PostScript• mpeg 4 – Moving Pictures (Experts) Group

Digital eDMs

• If using an existing HTML eDM as a base, the creative must be 99% identical for it to work

• Designs (PDF) should be 100% confirmed before going to build, HTML doesn’t have the flexibility of a program like photoshop

• Be careful of URLS• Always find out what analytics client require

Digital – Shazam!Want to use Shazam in digital, TVC advertising?!

1. Produce the commercial to standard specs

2. Send final/approved product through to Shazam and from there they will add in a background frequency to a unique pitch

3. In the backend of Shazam, this frequency would be recognized as the advertisement

4. When the ad is live, hit Shazam and you will be directed to the appropriate landing page

DOUBLE CHECK WITH SHAZAM

Along with many, many other interesting facets, these are some helpful points that helped me cover the basics.

Kind Regards,Ad Man