It All Adds Up To Cleaner Air - Marketing Materials and Placement Tips

Marketing Materials and Placement Tips

A variety of marketing materials for the It All Adds Up to Cleaner Air initiative have been developed for your use. These materials will help you to leverage resources and help to attract the attention of the media and your community.

The following materials are available in the It All Adds Up Free Materials library:

Television Advertisements—three television advertisements (English and Spanish) that may be used as paid or public service announcements
Radio Advertisements—professionally produced radio advertisements (English and Spanish) in various lengths and a variety of "live-read" radio announcer scripts
Print Advertisements—a large selection of print advertisements with the It All Adds Up logo
Collateral & Graphical Materials—camera-ready artwork for developing materials for local media and other audiences (e.g., button/label templates, icon illustrations, letterhead template, etc.)

Television Advertisements

Television advertisements play a specific and important role in this initiative. Television combines sight, sound, and motion to convey a high impact message that can effectively reach large audiences and elicit emotional reactions. Advertising in this medium is most effective when a simple theme is repeated.

Research with the public has suggested that celebratory messages have maximum impact. The messages present an array of easy options that encourage the public to trip chain (combine errands and short trips), choose alternate modes of transportation, and maintain their automobiles. These are actions that many viewers are already taking because they are sensible or convenient. While viewers may not have been motivated by a desire to contribute to better air quality or less traffic congestion, this approach acknowledges their actions and encourages them to continue or expand those activities. It also conveys a subtle message to those who are not yet making these choices.

The It All Adds Up ads vary in length and seek to increase awareness of the relationship between transportation choices and air quality. They are designed to dovetail with your local calls to action and to be equally effective in non-attainment areas and those that have limited public transportation options. Transportation choices depicted are widely available across the country.

Television Ads available for downloading include:

Alternate Choices TV Ad in Spanish (View the Script): Professionally produced TV ad to promote walking, bicycling, and mass transit
Alternate Choices TV Ad (View the Script): Professionally produced TV ad to promote walking, bicycling, and mass transit
Trip Chaining TV Ad in Spanish (View the Script): Professionally produced TV ad to promote trip chaining
Trip Chaining TV Ad (View the Script): Professionally produced TV ad to promote trip chaining
Vehicle Maintenance TV Ad in Spanish (View the Script): Professionally produced TV ad to promote vehicle maintenance
Vehicle Maintenance TV Ad (View the Script): Professionally produced TV ad to promote vehicle maintenance

Please note: When adding your community logo to the master, it is critical that the copies of the spots include the encoding (used for national tracking) and closed-captioning.

Radio Advertisements

Radio ads stir the imagination with voices, sound effects, and music. They are an economical choice for reaching a large audience. Radio is an effective medium for providing specific, timely information and announcements. It All Adds Up offers several recorded radio spots and announcer scripts for radio broadcasters to "live read" on the air.

Recorded Radio Advertisements

The recorded radio ads are similar to the television ads in that they support broad themes to raise the public's level of awareness of the issues.

The recorded radio advertisements available for downloading include:

Alternate Choices—30-second Produced Radio Ad (View the Script): Professionally produced radio ad to promote walking, bicycling, and mass transit
Alternate Choices—60-second Produced Radio Ad (View the Script): Professionally produced radio ad to promote walking, bicycling, and mass transit
Trip Chaining—30-second Produced Radio Ad (View the Script): Professionally produced radio ad to promote trip chaining
Trip Chaining—60-second Produced Radio Ad (View the Script): Professionally produced radio ad to promote trip chaining
Vehicle Maintenance—30-second Produced Radio Ad (View the Script): Professionally produced radio ad to promote vehicle maintenance
Vehicle Maintenance—60-second Produced Radio Ad (View the Script): Professionally produced radio ad to promote vehicle maintenance

Please note: Each ad ends before the line, "It All adds Up to Cleaner Air…" because the stations prefer to ad the tagline and your sponsorship/contact information themselves. Simply provide the radio station with the broadcast-quality dub, a copy of the radio ad scripts, and instructions for the tagline.

"Live Read" Radio Advertisements

"Live" announcer ads are a tactical approach that use specific facts and encourage a call to action. This section includes scripts for four "live-read" ads:

Live-read Radio Scripts on Alternate Transportation (PDF, 705K): A variety of ads (:30, :20, :15 and :10) you can easily customize with local information and tape or have community leaders or radio personalities read live
Live-read Radio Scripts on Alternate Transportation (PDF, 270K): A :60 radio advertisement you can easily customize with local information and tape or have community leaders or radio personalities read live
Live-read Radio Scripts on Travel Information Systems (PDF, 483K): A variety of ads (:30, :20, :15 and :10) you can easily customize with local information and tape or have community leaders or radio personalities read live
Live-read Radio Scripts on Trip Chaining (PDF, 582K): A variety of ads (:30, :20, :15 and :10) you can easily customize with local information and tape or have community leaders or radio personalities read live
Live-read Radio Scripts on Trip Chaining (PDF, 272K): A :60 radio advertisement you can easily customize with local information and tape or have community leaders or radio personalities read live
Live-read Radio Scripts on Vehicle Maintenance (PDF, 272K): A :60 radio advertisement you can easily customize with local information and tape or have community leaders or radio personalities read live
Live-read Radio Scripts on Vehicle Maintenance (PDF, 642K): A variety of ads (:30, :20, :15 and :10) you can easily customize with local information and tape or have community leaders or radio personalities read live )

Radio stations prefer having ads of various lengths, because available time slots vary. Therefore, each of the live-read ads come in :30, :20, :15, and :10 versions. Duplicate the scripts, including your organization's name and contact information, and provide them to radio announcers.

If your organization sponsors traffic or weather updates, provide reporters with a :10 ad to be read at the end of the update, when they announce your sponsorship.

"Live Read" radio ad scripts available for downloading include:

Radio Ad Scripts (DOC, 27K): These ads can be easily customized with local information and then taped or read live by community leaders or radio personalities
Radio Ad Scripts (DOC, 28K): These ads can be easily customized with local information and then taped or read live by community leaders or radio personalities
Radio Ad Scripts (DOC, 28K): These ads can be easily customized with local information and then taped or read live by community leaders or radio personalities
Radio Ad Scripts (DOC, 28K): These ads can be easily customized with local information and then taped or read live by community leaders or radio personalities
Radio Ad Scripts in Spanish (DOC, 26K): These ads can be easily customized with local information and then taped or read live by community leaders or radio personalities

Print Advertisements

The print ads complement the broadcast ads and allow for a variety of message placement opportunities. Using a tactical approach that grabs the readers' attention, the It All Adds Up print ads present 'daily-life' scenarios to which readers can connect.

The initiative includes a wide variety of print ads from which to choose, depending upon your available transportation choices and the specific message you wish to highlight. In the course of your advertising campaign, all the core messages should be delivered in order to reach the broadest audience.

The print ads cover:

Trip Chaining
Maintenance
Alternate Choices
Travel Information System

The print advertisements available for downloading include:

"What's Your Air Quality IQ?" (PDF, 72K): Amusing air quality quiz to distribute at events and in mailings
Alternate Transportation Bus and Shelter Advertisements (INDD, 1277K): Ads promoting car maintenance and exercise that your partners may want to sponsor
Alternate Transportation Print Advertisements (PDF, 233K): Ads promoting walking, bicycling, and in-line skating for use in advertising and other outreach
Alternate Transportation Print Advertisements (PDF, 150K): Ads promoting walking, bicycling, ridesharing, carpooling, and mass transit for use in advertising and other outreach
Alternate Transportation Print Advertisements (INDD, 2416K): Ads promoting walking, bicycling, and in-line skating for use in advertising and other outreach
Fact Sheet on Alternate Transportation (DOC, 50K): Tips and statistics you can use "as is" or incorporate into your collateral materials
Fact Sheet on Trip Chaining and Telecommuting (DOC, 39K): Tips and statistics you can use "as is" or incorporate into your collateral materials
Roadtrip Checklist (PDF, 458K): Simple steps to consider taking before heading out for a road trip
Telecommute Flyer (PDF, 50K): For promoting the benefits of working from home at events and in mailings
Telecommute Tip Sheet (PDF, 48K): To help workers approach their employers with a telecommute plan
Ten Simple Steps Flyer (PDF, 496K): For use at events, in mailings, advertising, and other outreach
Three Simple Steps Flyer (PDF, 521K): For promoting the summer simple steps: Care for your car, care for yourself, and spread the word
Three Simple Steps Flyer in Spanish (PDF, 4699K): For promoting the summer simple steps: Care for your car, care for yourself, and spread the word
Three Simple Steps for Fall Flyer (PDF, 1238K): For promoting the fall simple steps: Take mass transit, bike or walk, and share a ride or carpool
Three Simple Steps for Spring Flyer (PDF, 547K): For promoting the spring simple steps: Care for you car, care for yourself, and spread the word
Trip Chain Checklist (PDF, 354K): To help plan multiple activities in a single trip
Trip Chain Print Ads (PDF, 1024K): For use in advertising and other research
Trip Chain and Telecommuting Print Advertisements (PDF, 3296K): Ads promoting telecommuting for use in advertising and other outreach
Two Simple Steps Flyer (PDF, 835K): For promoting the winter simple steps: Trip chaining and telecommuting
Two Simple Steps Flyer in Spanish (PDF, 394K): For promoting the winter simple steps: Trip chaining and telecommuting
Vehicle Maintenance Print Advertisements (PDF, 102K): Ads promoting vehicle maintenance for use in advertising and other outreach
Vehicle Maintenance Print Advertisements (INDD, 1351K): Ads promoting vehicle maintenance for use in advertising and other outreach
Vehicle Maintenance Print Advertisements (PDF, 190K): Ads promoting vehicle maintenance for use in advertising and other outreach

Each print ad is produced in two sizes: 6.5" x 10" and 4.5" x 6.5". Space is reserved for you to customize the ads with your organization's logo(s). If the publications you are working with do not adhere to these standard measurements, ask whether they can "size it down," "blow it up," or "float it" so that it will fit within the desired space. If the publication does not have this capability, you can have them reproduced commercially in the needed size. The originals are screened at 85 lines per inch and printing copies on 80 lb. glossy stock is recommended.

It All Adds Up to Cleaner Air Logo

Logo sheets (both color and black-and-white versions) of the It All Adds Up to Cleaner Air visual identity are included in this section of the kit. They are also available for downloading in the Free Materials library. The logo can be incorporated into a number of formats, including newsletters, bumper stickers, buttons, labels, brochures, posters, promotional/novelty items, and other materials.

The It All Adds Up Logo is available in various formats for downloading, including:

10 Simple Steps Placemat (PDF, 338K): For promoting the 10 Simple Steps at restaurants
Alternate Transportation Bus and Shelter Advertisements (INDD, 2404K): Ads promoting walking, bicycling, and mass transit that your partners may want to sponsor
Alternate Transportation Bus and Shelter Advertisements (INDD, 1277K): Ads promoting car maintenance and exercise that your partners may want to sponsor
Alternate Transportation Bus and Shelter Advertisements (INDD, 3121K): Ads promoting car maintenance and exercise that your partners may want to sponsor
Alternate Transportation Print Advertisements (INDD, 2416K): Ads promoting walking, bicycling, and in-line skating for use in advertising and other outreach
Illustrations: 1-Color Camera-Ready Artwork (PDF, 153K): For newsletters, bumper stickers, buttons, labels, brochures, posters, promotional/novelty items, and other materials
Logos: Camera-Ready Art for Black and White Usage (PDF, 503K): For newsletters, bumper stickers, buttons, labels, brochures, posters, promotional/novelty items, and other materials
Sample Labels and Buttons (PDF, 410K): For promotional items, mail packages, VHS tapes and other materials
Sample Letterhead (PDF, 340K): For promoting your involvement in the It All Adds Up initiative
Sample of Logo Usage with Blue or Dark Background (PDF, 622K): For newsletters, bumper stickers, buttons, labels, brochures, posters, promotional/novelty items, and other materials
Three Simple Steps for Fall Flyer (INDD, 1384K): For promoting the fall simple steps: Take mass transit, bike or walk, and share a ride or carpool
(Download the accompanying EPS File)
Three Simple Steps for Spring Flyer (INDD, 1751K): For promoting the spring simple steps: Care for you car, care for yourself, and spread the word
Vehicle Maintenance Print Advertisements (INDD, 1351K): Ads promoting vehicle maintenance for use in advertising and other outreach

Collateral & Graphical Materials

The collateral materials provided support your outreach program and help you design your own pieces.

The 10 Simple Steps Flyer (English) and the 10 Simple Steps Flyer (Spanish) can be used in a variety of mediums, from t-shirts to press kits. They provide a simple way to get across key messages about the program. Local facts or information can be printed on the reverse side.
Icon Illustrations are the icons found on the print ads. You may use them to develop other materials to support your initiative.
A Letterhead Template and Button/Label templates provide artwork for one-color letterhead and novelty items that you can produce.
"What's Your Air Quality I.Q.?" is a quiz, designed as a fun, informative communications tool, that can be printed on various materials (placemats, newsletters, fact sheets); used as a radio quiz; or distributed to employers for an Earth Day "competition."
"10 Simple Steps Flyer" Placemat/Trayliner is provided in two-color artwork. A variation of the "10 Simple Steps" flyer, it is a creative tool for communicating program information.

Exemplary Community Products

A number of It All Adds Up communities from across the country have distributed their message in unique and exemplary ways. They've placed air quality messages on placemats, door hangers, beach balls, thermometers, game boards, vehicle visors, tire gauges, and much more. Please visit Exemplary Materials page to see samples.

Combining these creative pieces and activities with traditional marketing methods, such as television and radio, has enabled these communities to reach a larger audience, creating more awareness and impetus for change. Feel free to duplicate their efforts, or use these examples as inspiration for projects in your own community. Visit Success Stories to read about these and other winning campaigns.

Putting It All Adds Up Marketing Materials to Work for You

Once you have acquired professional-quality marketing materials, the next step is to identify the most effective ways to disseminate those materials. Whether you are attempting to find the most appropriate placement for an advertisement or the best method of distribution for your flyers, effective and careful allocation of your resources is fundamental. The following section offers suggestions on how to stretch your advertising budget through partnership and sponsorship, and how to work with a media placement agent to buy advertising that yields results.

Raising/Leveraging Funds to Place It All Adds Up Messages

Corporate Sponsorships

Partnering with businesses and organizations in your community will increase financial support, endorsement, and message dissemination. In return for supporting your program, your partners receive the positive image that comes from being associated with a reputable, cause-related campaign. Through your campaign's advertising, they receive exposure and the opportunity to reinforce any environmental messages they may be promoting. It's a win-win relationship.

Opportunities and tips for securing business partnership or support of your program include:

Attract partners by presenting them with materials suitable for customization with their logo or information, such as the 10 Simple Steps Flyer.
Companies and organizations donate advertising space. For example, a grocery store may print a trip-chaining ad on thousands of grocery bags. Ads may also be printed on utility bills, paycheck stuffers, milk cartons, or store flyers.
Companies may sponsor ads by putting them into their own "ad rotation," which means they request that an It All Adds Up ad be printed/aired periodically within the time they have already purchased for their ads. For example, Sun Oil could tell the local CBS affiliate to air the maintenance ad after every 5th of its oil ads, Reebok could tell NBC to air the "Alternate Choices" ad after every 6th of its shoe ads, and McDonald's could tell ABC to air the "Trip Chaining" ad after every 10th of its food ads. In each case, the company would be entitled to add its logo/identification to the end of the ad.
Merchants may offer discounts/incentives for customers participating in It All Adds Up efforts (such as carpooling, trip chaining).

Illustrative Sponsorship/Partnership Building Efforts

Following are two examples of highly successful outreach efforts:

In New York City, with advice from the NYC Corporate Counsel, Commuter Link (the local transportation management agency) sent the following solicitation to all employers in the NYC area with 250 or more employees:

Dear title (e.g., VP, McDonald's Corp., etc):

On behalf of the New York City Department of Transportation, the New York State Department of Transportation, and the New York Metropolitan Transportation Council, I would like to invite you to participate in an exciting clean air awareness initiative.

New York City is one of several metropolitan areas in the country that has received a federal grant to increase the public's awareness of the connection between travel choices, air quality, and traffic congestion. The project uses advertising copy and graphics, radio and TV public service announcements, and special events to reach a mass audience, focusing on the following major themes:
- Transportation choices at the local level have a direct effect on air quality and traffic congestion,
- Congestion and air pollution have a significant effect on our health and quality of life, and
- Small steps each of us take can add up to make a difference - NOW!
By addressing the problem of air pollution in the New York City region, we will assist in combating asthma, which is rising most rapidly in children under the age of four. As part of the It All Adds Up to Cleaner Air initiative, we will broadcast ozone alerts announced by New York State and will recommend that individuals and organizations:
- Take mass transit, carpool, walk, or bike to work or other locations
- Avoid excessive engine idling
- Trip chain - combine errands into one trip so the catalytic converter does not cool off
- Postpone refueling vehicles until evening and then avoid overfilling or spilling
- Keep vehicles well-maintained and regularly check tire pressure
- Encourage the use of alternate fuel vehicles
We already have received expressions of interest from various local and national organizations and corporations interested in making a free donation of services for the It All Adds Up to Cleaner Air initiative. We expect to obtain additional funds to make this a multi-year initiative. We hope to hear from you in the next few weeks to discuss in greater detail how we can partner for an effective air quality awareness initiative.

If you wish to sponsor an event, pay for posters and flyers, or assist the initiative in any way, please contact CommuterLink at 718-886-1343 (Fax: 718-886 1151). For further information, please visit: www.nyc.gov/calldot or www.commuterlink.com/ozone.html.

Sincerely

John Galgano
Director
CommuterLink
E-mail: jgalgano@commuterlink.com

As a result of energetic follow-up, McDonald's, Reebok, ESPN, ExxonMobil, Ford Motor Co., and Fleet Bank sponsored the ads in many high-visibility locations. Placements for It All Adds Up messages included trayliners in all 200-300 NYC McDonald's, billboards in all 5 NYC boroughs, bus shelters, sold-out games at Shea Stadium, Times Square, and a major expressway through Manhattan.
An effective way to leverage the prestige and community concerns of your newspapers and radio and TV stations is to enlist them as partners in your initiative. For example, the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission (in the Philadelphia/Northern New Jersey region) sent the following letter to members of the Pennsylvania/New Jersey Ozone Action Partnership:

Dear (Ozone Action Partnership member):

The Ozone Action Partnership has decided to continue its program of extraordinarily successful announcements on KYW3-TV for the summer of 2001, and we wanted all of our partners to have the opportunity to sponsor these messages. In addition to our television announcements, which merited an award from the U.S. Department of Transportation and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, this year we have arranged with KYW1060 News Radio to allow sponsorship of radio announcements as well.

The It All Adds Up to Cleaner Air campaign was designed to heighten awareness of air pollution and the transportation-related voluntary actions people can take to limit the emissions that cause ozone. The three television advertisements emphasize trip-chaining, car maintenance, and alternatives to driving. They were shot on location in the region. The radio ads use the same general scripts and cover the same three topics, but are twice as long to accommodate radio scheduling.

We are offering each of the Ozone Action Partnership members the chance to contribute to this campaign by buying one or more shares at $4,000 each. A share will result in your organization's name being read-and displayed in the television ads-at the conclusion of the announcement, along with the names of two other non-competing organizations. Therefore, the purchase of one share will buy mention on $12,000 worth of television advertising and $4,000 worth of radio advertising.

Please join us for lunch at the KYW3-TV studio, 5th and Market Streets in Philadelphia, on November 16th at 11:30 AM. Members of the KYW3-TV news team and broadcasters from KYW1060 News Radio will be on hand to welcome you. Enjoy a tour of the studio, see and hear the advertisements, ask any questions you have, and share lunch with other partners.

Please contact Ron Roggenburk of the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission at 215-238-2845 before November 9th if you plan to attend, or if you need more information. You may also reply via email at rroggenburk@dvrpc.org if you prefer. If your organization includes someone else whose approval is required to pledge to this campaign, please invite that person to attend also.

Please do not hesitate to call me with any questions at 215-580-7930. See you on November 16th.

Sincerely,
John McGee
Chairman of the Board
Ozone Action Partnership

This effort resulted in almost $200,000 worth of TV and radio ad sponsorship over two ozone seasons.

Reaching Out to Local Businesses and Organizations for Support

Following are some organizations, businesses, and groups that would be likely to identify with the It All Adds Up messages and goals. Expand these lists according to the opportunities in your community. Brainstorm with your members to identify as many potential partners and supporters as possible.

Trip chaining-combining errands into one sensible trip to reduce traffic congestion and air pollution:
- American Lung Association, local chapter
- State environmental or public health agencies
- Local government agencies
- Movie rental stores
- Hospitals and health systems
- Food establishments-fast food, pizza, coffee shops, delicatessens, Chinese restaurants
- Grocery stores
- Drug stores
- Dry cleaners
- Parent-teacher associations
- Banks
- Hardware stores
Vehicle maintenance-keeping vehicles properly maintained to reduce breakdowns and pollution:
- Society of Automotive Engineers/Service Technicians Society, local chapter
- Tire merchants, such as Merchant Tires
- Oil change service centers, such as Jiffy Lube
- Vehicle service stations, such as Midas Mufflers
- Car dealerships
- Auto parts companies, such as Track Auto
- Gas stations
- State nature societies
- State air and waste management associations
- American Cancer Society, local chapter
Alternate transportation choices-sharing rides, biking, walking, and riding mass transit to reduce congestion and pollution:
- Libraries
- Health and automobile insurance companies
- Employers who offer commuter benefits
- Retailers located near public transit
- Administrators and environmental clubs at local colleges
- State Departments of Transportation
- Bicycling groups and health clubs
- Parking authorities
- Radio stations
- Outdoor and recreational clothing stores
- Urban development groups
- Public transit operators

Securing PSA Placements

Guidelines for securing free placement of the print and broadcast materials through your local media outlets are presented in the "Media Outreach" section of this toolkit. Information on how to write a "pitch" letter for your PSAs is included in the PSA section of outreach materials chapter.

Securing Discounted Ad Placements

(Note: the following information was adapted from the Guidelines for Generating a Non-Commercial Sustaining Announcement, An Ozone Transport Commission Document, by Judy Landers and Kathy Brockett, September 28, 1998.)

Tapping Into NCSAs

Advertising can be an essential part of promoting your program and reaching your target audience(s). One way to reduce the costs is to place your ads as Non-Commercial Sustaining Announcements (NCSAs).

An NCSA is a marriage between a no-cost PSA and a standard paid commercial broadcast advertisement. NCSAs are administered by your state and/or city Association of Broadcasters, an organization made up of management representatives from local television and radio companies. Every radio and television station across the country is required to supply some air time for public service ads. They are likewise required to sell "discounted" air time to state and federal agencies. With NCSAs, the Association of Broadcasters serves as your contractor by customizing or producing your ads (if not already produced), purchasing air time, and distributing and administrating your NCSA.

NCSAs: Getting more for your money!

An NCSA allows you to obtain an exchange on the promotional dollars you have to spend. Each area has a different ratio, up to 5.5:1, which is determined by the state or city Association of Broadcasters. For example, Maine's Bureau of Air Quality had a budget of $40,000 for a three-month vehicle pollution awareness program. By establishing an agreement with the Maine Association of Broadcasters, the Bureau of Air Quality was able to obtain a 4:1 "buy," turning their $40,000 into $160,000 worth of air time.

NCSA Content: What to Include to Ensure Your Ad Will Air

In general, any public service message that engages and educates the general public on an issue, such as It All Adds Up, is eligible. If you have funds to develop additional ads, seek advice from your local Association of Broadcasters regarding message concept development, and/or appropriateness of content.

Although :10, :15, and 1 minute ads are generally accepted, focus group research has shown that :30 ads are the most effective, and they are the easiest to place into television and radio schedules. Thirty-second ads also are more likely to be used as "free fillers" during the term of your contract.

The :30 versions of the It All Adds Up television and radio ads were developed with time allocated for your customization.

The Process: Securing NCSAs

Contact your local Association of Broadcasters.
- Discuss the It All Adds Up program and advertising and how the NCSA program works in your area.
- Determine if any of your local or state agencies have run NCSA programs and what assistance they can provide in terms of contacts and advice on contractual procedures.
- Obtain a contractual agreement with your Association of Broadcasters, including the details and costs related to producing and airing your radio and television ads. NCSA contracts usually cover no less than three months and no more than one year.
Securing Paid Placements
(Note: the following is adapted from the American Association of Advertising Agencies, Guide for an Effective Media-Service Relationship with Media-Buying Companies.)

Paid placements of advertisements enable you to control the dates and times the ads are placed. Placing paid advertisements in your area may require that you coordinate a media buy directly through your TV and radio stations; however, we recommend using the services of a media-buying company or a local advertising agency that has a media-buying division.

When shopping for an advertising company to make media buys, it is important to look for:

A minimum of five years of successful performance
Satisfactory client/advertiser, advertising agency, and financial/credit references
A professional full-time, full-service, in-house media department
A willingness to design a media plan in accordance with your marketing plan and to execute the media plan based on your approval
Acceptance of client or ad agency participation in schedule approval and post-buy review (e.g., review of station tracking reports of your spots)
A willingness to indemnify and hold clients harmless in any media payment claims.

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