Each selection procedure for a media agency is a unique project and is tailored to the client's needs. The maximum knowledge of the media market as well as the negotiation skills of the auditors of Media Strategy brings transparent, precise and fast procedures to clients, which significantly saves them the costs and significantly increase the value of media space. This added value exceeds the price of the media consultant service several times over.
At the beginning and during the entire media pitch, we listen to the client's needs and ideas. We put the client's ideas and visions into official documents in such a way that they are in accordance with the rules, media customs and official conditions of individual markets or the global market. Our clients often inspire us! In the initial phase, we prepare a whole range of tender documents. First, we propose a longlist of media agencies to the client, which shows the strength of the buying pool, competitive conflicts and behind-the-scenes information from the market. Based on this information, we recommend to the client the participants in the selection process (shortlist of media agencies). Together with the client, we prepare a cover letter that describes the entire process in detail and defines the deadlines for the individual parts of the tender, or a detailed media brief that describes information about the client's brands, the client's marketing and purchasing goals, and much other information that are important to tender participants. We discuss with the client the form of buying tables (including the filling in of local suppliers of media space and the entire purchasing and remuneration system that will be used in the future), the definition of individual tests - buying, strategy, case studies, TV or digital planning and a contract with a media agency. At the end of the media pitch preparation, we agree on the evaluation criteria and their weights with the client. The quality of the entire selection process largely depends on thorough preparation. The more information the client provides to competing media agencies, the better quality outputs can expect.
The tender process itself If we are entrusted with the administration of the entire media tender, communication with media agencies is fast and flexible. After sending all the tender documents to the selected agencies, we respond to the agencies' questions within hours. Thanks to accurate and clear answers and realistically set deadlines, media agencies can prepare the best media strategy, the most favorable price terms and the most accurate case study, which are presented to clients in person or via video call. We think creatively about every step and several moves ahead.
We classify media strategies recommended by agencies together with the client using a comprehensive evaluation system. We evaluate case studies and pricing conditions within a week at the latest. The evaluation points out the weaknesses and strengths of the media agencies, including recommendations for modifying the procurement documentation for the next rounds of the process. We suggest to the client how and when to negotiate, we can determine the point when further improvement of the purchasing conditions is at the expense of the quality of media space supplies.
The competitive conditions of the best media agency can be devalued by a poorly prepared and negotiated contract. The contracts that we have been designing for clients and developing for over 20 years contain the latest trends and think about the latest unexpected situations that appear in the markets. All the wording of the contracts is passed through our media expertise. The contract also contains clauses on future media audits and the agency's remuneration system. At the client's request, we can also include a lawyer specializing in media contracts in our team.
A media audit is a means of control, transparency, improving media agency performance and increasing return on investment (ROI). We most often audit digital, TV, out of home (OOH), radio, print and cinema, or indicators across media. We tailor the key performance indicators (KPIs) and methodology to each client according to their needs. In the case of global clients, the methodology is uniform for all countries. Each output of the media audit contains key points for improvement and how to achieve them. Clients can access automated outputs on an annual, semi-annual, quarterly or monthly basis (which is an increasingly popular option as they can respond to changes throughout the year). We work at the level of the advertiser - media consultant - media agency - media owner.
We compare the actual deliveries of the media agency to the advertiser with the contractually guaranteed conditions, our independent data, media plans or outputs from the suppliers of media space. We can determine the reason for non-delivery with respect to the market situation.
The quality of communication is crucial in today‘s sold out markets. The job of a media auditor is to tell if you are in the ideal medium for your target group, in the best position, at the time of year and time that this target group is watching, combined with a favorable price.
We will check that you are paying for exactly what you ordered. Thanks to our benchmarking of prices and media parameters, you always know exactly in which price spectrum of the market you are and where the price should be for the parameters you require from the media agency.
We check the compliance of all documents from the media agency (media plans, post buy and invoices) with the documents of the suppliers of media space and contractual guaranteed conditions signed by the client.
After our review, you can give the green light to the campaign with a clear conscience. We will check whether your detailed plan is in line with the strategic plan and all guaranteed conditions.
We are able to determine if the agency's fee for its services is relevant in the given market. We can set up a clear and transparent remuneration system based on the agency's year-round performance in all media types and client satisfaction.
Thanks to detailed experience in individual markets, we can determine the minimum value of the client's bonus for agency volume (AVBs), which should be returned to the client.
We verify that all processes at the client and media agency level are fully transparent.
The contract for media services is the cornerstone of the relationship between the client and the media agency. A poor contract with a media agency may not be a burden in successful years, but it can be very expensive in critical and unpredictable situations that may arise.
We offer clients our draft contract with a media agency, which has been developed for over 20 years, which defines media terms, covers the fulfillment of the client's guaranteed media conditions as well as the purchase system and considers all possible pitfalls that may arise in relation to the media agency. We are constantly improving our draft contract and implementing the latest trends and experience into it.
We assess existing contractual relationships, which are often skewed against the client. Here we identify the weak points of the contract and recommend a new clear wording with possible compensation mechanisms in case of non-fulfilment.
In cases where the client does not have its own legal department, our team can also include a lawyer who has been cooperating with us for a long time and specializes in media contracts and advertising in general.
Advertisers are often faced with an important media decision that can affect a brand's success and strategy for many years to come. Our team is ready to provide you with relevant arguments and information on the basis of which you will be able to make a decision.
We support our clients and their brands in entering new markets that may have different media conditions.
We negotiate the best media conditions for advertisers with media agencies. We benchmark the current buying and media conditions or parameters.
Thanks to detailed knowledge of the markets, we can calculate real current or predict future inflation in all media types and much more depending on the client's requirements.
Pitch platform is an online tool that evaluates the results of international media pitches for a media agency. It clearly shows the values of all key media parameters and the differences between individual competing media agencies 24/7. The outputs of each market are fully comparable to other markets. The tool is editable by the media auditor according to the specific requirements of each client and each market.
Nego Compass is a unique tool that will help you negotiate the best terms in all the media types you use on local markets. It also helps to improve the conditions of weaker markets in global tenders, where one media network agency is obligated. The tool is compatible with the media conditions of each market and intuitive for media agencies. It maintains the discretion of compared offers to the maximum extent.
Insight dashboard is a web interface for media audit outputs. The system enables quick evaluation through a unified system comparable across markets, but with an emphasis on the unique specifics and indicators of each market and type of media. Each output contains a summary of positive and negative aspects of the client's media communication. Next, conclusions leading to the improvement of the media performance of the client's brands and calculations of possible compensation amounts.
TV Price Pool Audit (TV PPA) is the official benchmarking process that runs in three waves a year (in most important times before TV conditions negotiation). TV PPA members are a wide variety of clients consisting also from clients of other media auditors. Confidential clients’ data are always processed via notary office.
What brings Price Pool Audit to members? Real market CPP level in client purchase volume (GRP) cluster, plenty of TV parameter benchmarks and a huge portion of strategic information or data which are fundamental for the most effective TV conditions negotiations. TV Price Pool Audit helps clients achieved the best possible TV conditions on the market.
*TV Price Pool Audit® is registered trademark of Media Strategy a.s. in the European Union register in Salamanca
Media Strategy Network, an alliance of independent media auditors and strategic media consultants, was founded in 2001. It currently consists of 18 local offices with a total of more than 70 media audit experts who cooperate on a daily basis. We believe in long-term partner relationships within the network and sustainable growth. We have proven from practice that detailed knowledge of local markets together with high experience in conducting international media pitches for a media agency or international media audit systems brings clients the best possible buying, strategic and media quality conditions that can be achieved on the market.
