Advertising Media Planning and Buying Textbook

NEW! Media Planning & Buying in the 21st Century (3rd edition) is a leading textbook for students and early career professionals about the process of marketing-media planning, media buying and media sales in the 21st century. It is the most comprehensive and up to date media book available explaining the basics of media in simple English and a 21st century integrated marketing communications (IMC) perspective.

The book includes 26 chapters leading readers step by step in the development of an actual media plan. Chapters include entry level definitions and perspectives; the media revolution; the concepts of audience, impact and media costs; media math; media in marketing, how media work; target marketing and geographic development; the tools of IMC; role of traditional vs. digital media; internet marketing; developing a strategic media plan; media negotiations and buying; media sales; the future, and a few surprises.

Let the buyer beware! We are in the early stages of a media revolution with exponential change everywhere-- which impacts every aspect of the marketing communications and advertising media planning process. Examples: changes in demographics; demand for integrated marketing communications and interactivity; demand for accountability; new technologies and media innovations; certain traditional media will likely flounder; media convergence will continue; and consumers will gain even more control over their media/ advertising consumption.

As if learning about the exciting changes like those cited above wasn't enough, here's a new and perhaps unexpected challenge for advertising media professors, students, and professionals alike. In the good old days, media planning and buying and selling used to be a "goody two shoes" occupation, i.e., there was little to no fraud found in buying or selling media, no fake audiences, no cheating, no illegal cooking the books, no computer programs dedicated to stealing from advertisers. Disagreements, yelling and screaming, yes; but intentional dishonesty and breaking the law? No. Multi-million dollar deals with television networks were sealed with a phone call or a handshake. There was mutual trust between buyers and sellers. If a magazine rep promised a page 1 position, you could take it to the bank.

Today, we are once again living in the Wild, Wild West. We are saturated with internet sales hype, dubious audience definitions, and rampant on line ad fraud perpetrated by a large handful of crooks. With bogus clicks and fake impressions and no transparency, advertisers are being cheated out of at least $10-11 billion or more annually by fraudsters. What's worse, this fraud is taking place in the open. Industry leadership knows about it, but has done nothing because everyone profits from it (except advertisers).

Ronald D. Geskey, Sr. spent over 30 years in account & media management at leading worldwide ad agencies and teaching advertising and media at some leading U.S. universities; including: Leo Burnett/Chicago, Texas Tech, D'Arcy, Campbell Ewald and General Motors R*Works. Ron worked with clients such as Allstate, Midland Bank, Green Giant, KFC, Heinz Ketchup, Glad Bags, 3M Company, Conwed, Chevrolet Motor Division, Chevrolet dealers, and General Motors. Ron has a masters in marketing/communication from Southern Illinois University, and other post graduate work at Northwestern, Michigan State, and Wharton.