The Gesellschaft für integrierte Kommunikationsforschung (Society for Integrated Communication Research, or GIK) is starting the new year by updating its ‘best for planning’ (b4p) market media study. Alongside making a few adjustments to the detail, it focuses on two main points: the new ‘Channel Profiler’ planning tool and improved planning options for the topic cluster of sustainability.
‘Channel Profiler’: which channel should I use for which target audience?
The new GIK ‘Channel Profiler’ tool providers advertisers with answers to strategic planning questions such as ‘how does my target audience use media, how easily can I reach them through individual media categories and what proximity do these media channels have to my target audience?’ and many more. It also helps them select the best channel on which to present their messaging in order to reach the target audience they are aiming for.
The ‘Channel Profiler’ does this by displaying the media usage for the b4p target audiences according to category and subcategory as defined by the users themselves. These are designated using the tried-and-trusted performance categories of reach and affinity.
Expanded planning options for the topic of sustainability
In order to reflect the increasing relevance of the topic of ‘sustainability’, GIK expanded its survey parameters regarding the topic in b4p 2021. In addition to general statements on sustainability and environmental protection as well as product statements, new survey items were added in the areas of nutrition, fashion and beauty and mobility.
The b4p 2021 II update saw respondents assigned to one of seven classes according to their level of sustainability. They were assigned to the classes using scores based on their consumption behaviour and attitude.
The model of the target audience’s focus on sustainability indicates how strongly a person pays attention to his or her ecological footprint in day-to-day life. In order to get an idea of what this focus on sustainability looks like, the GIK research group focused on using information related to consumer behaviour and attitudes from a wide range of areas, such as nutrition, health and fashion. A factor analysis was used to identify a sustainability factor based on factor values. The respondents were then assigned to one of seven classes accordingly.
Media reach adjustment
The GIK team updated the reach of individual media in the b4p 2021 II update. Here’s an overview of what changed:
Out of home:
b4p has made it its business to provide performance indicators for billboard media for intermedia planning. In this context, ma billboard supplies the required reach, structures, and overlaps of the performance indicators to be mapped. The b4p 2021 II update contains billboard reaches adapted to ma billboard 2021.
Audio:
In b4p 2021 II, all of the performance indicators for traditional radio offerings, that is, p-values, contact totals and variances for WTK and WMK and for the three weekday groups Monday to Friday, Saturday and Sunday, were transferred from ma intermedia PLuS 2021 to b4p. Plus, all of the performance indicators for online audio offerings, online combinations and convergence combinations were transferred.
TV:
The b4p 2021 II update means it’s now possible to evaluate performance values at individual month level for the first time. This allows advertisers to factor in seasonal effects in TV planning. For TV, p-values, contact sums, and variances for WTK and WMK from ma Intermedia PLuS 2021 were overwritten on b4p 2021 II. These values should also be reflected in the relevant target audiences and in the stations’ distribution areas in accordance with the station’s specifications. The intramedial overlaps of the station should be remain in place.
Material
The study results of all previously published b4p trends issues as well as graphics can be found on the GIK website at www.gik.media/b4p-trends.