Media Selection in Marketing Positioning

Why Media Selection and Avoiding Generic, Mass Marketing Are Crucial for Marketing Positioning

When it comes to effective marketing, media selection is one of the most critical decisions you can make. It’s not just about picking any platform to shout about your product or service; it’s about carefully choosing the right media and communication channels to reach and engage your target segment. Done well, this process ties directly to your marketing positioning and can elevate your campaign’s success. Done poorly, it risks rendering your efforts ineffective and forgettable.

The Marketing Made Clear Podcast

This article features content from the Marketing Made Clear podcast. You can listen along to this episode on Spotify:

Targeting and Media Selection: The Foundation of Success

Targeting is the bridge between segmentation and positioning, and media selection is the vehicle that drives your message to the intended audience. The media channels you choose must align with the behaviours, preferences, and habits of your target audience. For instance, focusing your campaign on social media will be fruitless if your ideal customer isn’t active there. Similarly, doubling down on TV advertising may not yield results if your audience primarily consumes content through streaming platforms.

It’s also essential to select channels that cover the entire marketing funnel:

  • Awareness: Use channels that introduce your brand to potential customers.

  • Engagement: Opt for media that facilitates meaningful interactions.

  • Conversion: Ensure there are channels designed to drive purchase decisions.

  • Retention: Leverage platforms that help nurture loyalty and encourage repeat business.

By selecting the right mix of channels, you’ll optimise your chances of delivering the right message at the right time, ensuring your positioning resonates at every stage of the customer journey.

Positioning Is in the Detail

Positioning is closely linked to media selection because it dictates how your brand is perceived in the minds of your audience. If your targeting is off and your media selection is based on guesswork, you risk falling into the trap of generic, mass marketing. As Philip Kotler so eloquently put it:

“Mass marketing is putting the product in the market and going to mass on Sunday and praying someone buys it.”

While this may have been a viable approach decades ago, today’s consumers demand relevance and personalisation. And that’s where generic campaigns falter. Let’s add another layer of insight here: mass marketing often relies on averages, the average consumer wants X, Y, or Z. But basing your strategy on averages leads to one predictable outcome: an average campaign.

Here’s one for the quotable list:

“Mass marketing is based on averages. The average consumer wants this, that, or the other. But if you base everything on averages, you’ll end up with a particularly average campaign or offering.”

Feel free to quote me on that—just make sure to reference it!

The Blurred Lines of Targeting and Positioning

Media selection doesn’t operate in isolation; it’s inherently tied to positioning. Yet targeting is transient in nature. It’s about navigating from segmentation to positioning. The lines between them blur because your chosen media ultimately influence how your audience perceives your brand. For example, positioning your product as premium but advertising on low-budget channels sends mixed signals to your audience.

This interconnectedness highlights the importance of strategic media planning and reinforces why a one-size-fits-all approach will never suffice.

The PESO Model: A Framework for Precision

While this article focuses on the importance of avoiding generic approaches, it’s worth noting the PESO model—a framework that categorises media channels into:

  • Paid
  • Earned
  • Shared
  • Owned

Each of these has a unique role in the marketing mix and deserves thoughtful consideration to ensure the right message reaches the right audience. I’ll dive deeper into the PESO model in a future episode, but for now, remember: your media mix is a critical part of your brand’s positioning arsenal.

The Takeaway

Effective media selection is a cornerstone of successful targeting and positioning. It’s not just about where your audience is; it’s about delivering the right message in the right place, at the right time. Avoid the pitfalls of mass marketing and embrace the power of precision. After all, an average campaign leads to average results, and in today’s crowded marketplace, who wants to be average?