Media Analysis - Generation Media discusses the ever-evolving media landscape

What should my media mix look like?

Being everready and relevant is key as we head into 2022. The media landscape continues to change and fragment so you need to be flexible, says Generation Media director of business development Alex TaylorSmith

Now Toy Fair is over, it’s time to refine those media battle plans for the year ahead. As we do this, it’s vital to also look back and take forward key

learnings to inform the media strategy “of 2022. With an ever-evolving and For those fragmented landscape, what should your brand’s media mix look like in 2022? Here’s some top tips to consider: looking to really test whether fortune favours Build AV awareness with multiple layers: the bold, we time spent viewing video content by four-to-nine-yearolds, it offers advertisers the golden opportunity of creating a viral video. For those looking to really test whether fortune favours the bold, we predict the Metaverse will hold huge potential for children’s advertisers. Getting there first could hold golden opportunities. Be relevant socially with parents: Parents spend an average of two hours and 11 minutes on social media multiple times daily. As social media provides an intimate two-way conversation, where you earn eyeballs rather than buying them, consumers have begun to expect a deeper level of connection with a brand. This relationship is particularly important within the toys & games sector, as buying for children is often emotionally-driven, and 87% of parents consult social media platforms before they make a purchasing decision. Earning these eyeballs on social requires strategy: persistent, impersonal, and overly salesy messaging can be ineffective and reflect poorly on a brand. Always be ecommerce ready: With 64% of UK parents surveyed going online to shop last Christmas (Giraffe Insights, Kids & The Screen – 2021), and with virtual shopping baskets filling up quicker than ever before, it’s more important than ever to ensure you have a robust ecommerce strategy. What’s most important is to ensure that ecommerce investments work in conjunction with other areas of the media mix, delivering an omnichannel approach to to generate maximum efficiency. Summary: Planning 2022 marketing activity is going to be challenging for a whole host of external and environmental considerations. When Starting at the very top of the traditional funnel, building awareness of your product and/or brand will continue to remain a vital part of any marketing strategy this year. As reported last month, we saw children's (aged four to 15) linear viewing to children’s commercial channels decline 22% YoY (year-on-year). These YoY declines for traditional TV are of course nothing new, but the need for advertisers to layer-in additional AV channels has never been so apparent, with 2020/2021 representing the tipping point. But where are children viewing content? For the most common audience of children aged four to nine, dominating the landscape from a pure viewing occasions perspective, it’s no surprise to see SVOD [Subscription Video On Demand] platforms such as Netflix and Disney+ at the top. When isolating to commercial channels, YouTube and linear TV continue to fight for dominance, followed by BVOD [Broadcaster Video On Demand] services and TikTok. Test & learn with new platforms: Whether it’s as simple as AB testing different creatives or testing approaches to new/look-a-like audiences, test & learns are vital to discover more about your brand. Last year, numerous brands took to the likes of TikTok to showcase their products and brands in new and innovative ways. Here, a TVC [television commercial] message just doesn’t cut it, and user-generated content that breaks through the traditional one-way communication is key. Regardless of the fact that TikTok only represents 1% of predict the Metaverse will hold huge potential for children’s advertisers. Getting there first could hold golden opportunities “ it comes to media, the landscape continues to offer challenges as well opportunities for those that Source: Giraffe Insights Little use research, AI technology, and Voices, November 2021, % of time proprietary tools in good measure. spent watching video content To hear more about Optimus AI - our new suite of planning, buying and reporting tools - please get in touch with me or the Generation Media team.