Unit of competency details

Unit descriptor 

This unit describes the performance outcomes, skills and knowledge required to interpret an advertising brief to develop a media plan within a given budget.

No licensing, legislative, regulatory or certification requirements apply to this unit at the time of endorsement.

Application of the unit 

This unit applies to individuals working in a supervisory or management advertising role within an advertising team or media organisation. It may also apply to someone working within a direct marketing role who is responsible for planning media requirements for direct marketing campaigns or offers.

Prerequisite units 

Employability skills 

This unit contains employability skills.

Elements describe the essential outcomes of a unit of competency.

Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element. Where bold italicised text is used, further information is detailed in the required skills and knowledge section and the range statement. Assessment of performance is to be consistent with the evidence guide.

ELEMENT 

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA 

1. Define media requirements

1.1. Identify the target audience characteristics  from the advertising brief and prepare a detailed consumer profile  which uses the same terms as those used to describe media audiences

1.2. Analyse product market factors  to determine the reach and frequency requirements of advertising media selected

1.3. Analyse the creative requirements  of the advertising message and determine the media implications

1.4. Identify media merchandising requirements  from the advertising brief

1.5. Confirm the media budget and identify legal and voluntary constraints 

2. Select media vehicles

2.1. Weigh up the relative merits of identified media vehicle  alternatives taking past media performance into account

2.2. Evaluate and test new or alternative media vehicles  with other advertisers and against proven vehicles

2.3. Select media vehicles  that target the required audience, meet media requirements  and fulfil merchandising requirements within budget

2.4. Select media vehicles  that meet the creative, reach and frequency requirements of the advertising message to be achieved within the budget

2.5. Ensure selected media vehicles  meet legal and ethical requirements

3. Determine the media schedule

3.1. Ensure the duration and timing  of the media schedule meet the requirements of the advertising brief

3.2. Determine the distribution  of messages over the duration of the schedule to meet the requirements of the advertising brief

3.3. Create a media schedule  to the satisfaction of the advertiser

3.4. Develop alternative media schedules for the advertiser within the budget

3.5. Determine testing schedule for the media plan and continually modify media plan in accordance with results obtained

4. Produce a media plan

4.1. Create a media plan which defines the media requirements of the advertising brief and provides evidence to support each requirement

4.2. Specify the recommended media and vehicle/s, and the rationale  for their selection in the media plan

4.3. Ensure the media plan contains a budget allocation  per medium per advertising period

4.4. Identify the anticipated impact of the advertising and measures to assess its effectiveness  in the media  plan

REQUIRED SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE 

This section describes the skills and knowledge required for this unit.

Required skills 

• communication skills to consult on the media schedule
• evaluation skills to compare and weigh advantages of one medium over another, and to match characteristics with media requirements
• literacy skills to interpret the characteristics of different media and to match them to the requirements of the advertising brief.

Required knowledge 

• data analysis and matching techniques
• legal and ethical requirements relating to the advertising industry
• organisational products and services offered
• organisational budget and resource constraints
• principles and characteristics of advertising media, types of media and advertising strategies
• identification and overview knowledge of key provisions of relevant legislation from all levels of government that affects business operations, codes of practice and national standards, such as:

• anti-discrimination legislation
• consumer protection laws
• copyright legislation

• ethical principles
• fair trading laws

• privacy laws
• Trades Practices Act

• terms for describing media audiences.

EVIDENCE GUIDE 

The Evidence Guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge, range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for the Training Package.

Overview of assessment 

Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit 

Evidence of the following is essential:

• production of a media plan for an advertising campaign for at least one product or service which:

• defines the media requirements of the advertising brief
• specifies rationales for media vehicles chosen
• contains budgetary allocation for each advertising medium

• measures to assess effectiveness of media vehicles selected.

Context of and specific resources for assessment 

Assessment must ensure:

• access to an actual workplace or simulated environment
• access to office equipment and resources
• access to the advertising brief.

Method of assessment 

A range of assessment methods should be used to assess practical skills and knowledge. The following examples are appropriate for this unit:

• analysis of responses to case studies and scenarios
• assessment of documented media plans
• demonstration of techniques
• direct questioning combined with review of portfolios of evidence and third party workplace reports of on-the-job performance by the candidate
• observation of presentations of media plans
• oral or written questioning to assess budget knowledge
• review of media schedule.

Guidance information for assessment 

Holistic assessment with other units relevant to the industry sector, workplace and job role is recommended, for example:

• BSBADV511A Evaluate and recommend advertising media options.

RANGE STATEMENT 

The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Bold italicised wording, if used in the performance criteria, is detailed below. Essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment (depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts) may also be included.

Target audience characteristics  may include:

• analysis of current customers
• attitudes
• cultural factors
• demographics
• duplication or presence on customer and outside lists
• existing product usage
• geographics
• lifestyle
• psychographics
• social factors
• values

Consumer profile  may include:

• behaviouristic information such as:

• benefits sought by buyer
• loyalty status
• readiness stage
• user status

• combinations of geographic, demographic and psychographic information often including data on media consumption and retail outlet usage overlaid
• demographic information such as:

• age
• education
• gender
• income
• marital status
• number of children
• nationality
• occupation
• statistical descriptions

• geographic information such as:

• Census Collector District (CCD)
• census information
• home address
• nation of residence
• postcode
• state or territory of residence
• work address

• psychographic information such as:

• activities
• attitudes
• interests
• lifestyle
• opinions
• values

Product market factors  may include:

• whether a product or service:

• is convenient
• is differentiated or undifferentiated
• is established
• is frequently or infrequently purchased
• is highly competitive
• is new
• has a high or low level of audience involvement

• whether the message characteristics are:

• ongoing
• simple
• unique

Creative requirements  may include:

• action
• cluttered or uncluttered medium
• colour
• electronic or physical form
• fast production time
• intrusive medium
• local, national or international medium
• longer and more profitable space requirements
• longer and more profitable time requirements
• paper stock
• pictures or illustrations
• prestigious medium
• printing requirements
• production technique costs
• response forms
• sound
• words only

Merchandising requirements  may include:

• association with a particular media vehicle to give the perception of safety and value
• identification with a particular local community
• number of required responses

Legal and voluntary constraints  may include:

• codes of practice such as those issued by:

• Advertising Federation of Australia
• Australian Communications and Media Authority
• Australian Competition and Consumer Commission
• Australian Performing Right Association
• Commercial Radio Australia
• Free TV Australia

• cultural expectations and influences
• ethical principles
• legislation, including occupational health and safety legislation
• policies and guidelines
• regulations
• social responsibilities such as protection of children, environmental issues
• societal expectations

Media vehicles  may include:

• aerial advertising
• billboards
• cable and satellite television
• cinema
• direct mail
• direct response
• exhibitions and trade fairs
• internet
• point-of-sale
• radio
• sales literature
• sales promotion
• sponsorship
• television
• the press
• video
• video games
• videotext

Media requirements  may include:

• number of target audience reached
• required number of responses, including:

• current customer base versus expected attrition and growth target
• conversion factor for multi step offers/campaigns

• required cost per response

Timing  may include:

• continuous advertising throughout the year
• pre-launch advertising
• pre-sale advertising
• seasonal advertising

Distribution  may include:

• advertisements evenly spread over the time schedule
• advertisements in waves, with heavy advertising followed by light or no advertising
• generation of a budgeted number of responses at no more than the budgeted cost per response

Media schedule  includes:

• number of advertisements
• placement of advertisements
• size/length of advertisements

Rationale  may include:

• dissimilarity to any proven media and/or media vehicle, but worth a controlled test based on similarity between media/vehicle audience and organisational customer base
• proven ability to reach target audience in the past
• proven ability to generate profitable responses in the past
• similarity to proven media vehicle/s
• similarity between media vehicle/s, audience and organisational target audience or customer base

Budget allocation  may include:

• allocation of online budget based on maximum cost for pay per click
• allocation per medium based on number of times media and/or media vehicle can be used within the period while maintaining the budgeted average cost per response
• budgeted number of responses required for the period
• maximum daily budget

Measures to asses its effectiveness  may include:

• attitude measurements
• awareness measurements
• cost per response
• gross profit per contact
• inquiry measurements
• market tests
• media audience measurements
• number of responses
• opinion measurements
• physiological measurements
• readership measurements
• recall measurements
• sales measurements
• split cable tests
• split-run tests
• tests of different creative executions
• tests of different direct marketing offers
• tests of different media vehicles
• theatre tests

Unit sector 

Competency field 

Business Development - Advertising

Co-requisite units