Have you heard about the Media Mix & Rate Templates feature? It was released in 2021 and Advantage clients are successfully using it to streamline their media planning. We turned to media experts for insights about this exciting feature.

Let's start with the basics. What are Media Mix Templates?

Media Mix & Rate Templates can be system templates or templates created by a media planner or buyer to automate the creation of media plans. These templates based on media type, and are used to recommend overall media mix and will allocate budgets based on industry standards or tailored to client needs.

Can they be used for all media types?

Media Mix & Rate templates are available for all Media Types. In fact, each media type’s template set up is a little bit different and the types of details stored are based on each media type.

For Digital, Advantage includes an established library of templates containing recommendations on media mix and budget allocations designed by Simpli.fi experts who understand the market and how agencies can achieve goals for their clients. The planner/buyer can also create their own templates tailored to client needs that store budget percent allocations and rates. Budget details are stored by vendor, tactic, and internet type. CPM’s can be added by quarter or for the full year.

For Print media types (Newspaper, Magazine and Out of Home), the templates are used to store negotiated or planned rates by size or type. Rate details are stored by vendor, type, size and by quarter or full year.

You can see Digital and Print Media Mix & Rate templates in a detailed video on the Advantage User Community.

For Broadcast (Radio and TV), the templates are used to store CPP’s by market, demographic, length, daypart and quarter. These templates also allow the planner/buyer to set their daypart mix to be brought into plans that will automate cost allocation.

There’s a Media Mix and Rate Template video specifically for Broadcast on the Advantage User Community.

It sounds like they can make media planning easier and more effective. How this is accomplished?

These templates allow the planner/buyer to store costs and set budget allocations so when a plan is created, the system will create the plan details based on these templates. Creating a plan from scratch is no longer required! Any plan details needed that are not stored in the templates can easily be added.

This feature saves time by creating plans and estimate details automatically.

What are the benefits of using them as opposed to say, copying an existing media plan?

Actually, there is a benefit of using templates alone or adding them to a copied plan. I referenced adding any plan details that are needed to a plan estimate that are not stored in templates. Users can create a Media Plan template or shell in the Media Planning application adding all the levels needed for their plan. Just attach a Media Mix and Rate Template to the plan estimates that already exist and the system will bring in all the cost and budget details for them. There are benefits to both creating plans from scratch using the templates or from copying an existing plan and adding a template. Both options allow agencies the flexibility they need for plan creation.

How would an Advantage client get started with Media Mix & Rate Templates?

Advantage clients can be up and running with templates very quickly. The free Media Mix Template training videos in the Advantage User Community take you through each step of the set up. They show how to customize and use the templates, and how to create your own. And our Software Support team is here to help.

If you don’t see Media Mix Templates in Advantage Media Maintenance, it simply needs to be unblocked in Security. The videos show how to do this as well. Contact Software Support if you have questions.

To use Media Mix Templates with the Media Planning application, you’ll need Advantage Media Tools. Learn more about them by scheduling a demo of this powerful suite of media planning and buying tools.

Not an Advantage Client Yet? Contact Us!

Advantage is the only true all-in-one solution purpose-built for agencies and creative teams of all sizes. The system covers everything from Project and Production Management, Finance and Accounting, Time and Expense Management, and Media Planning and Buying.

We’ve been exclusively focused on helping our clients maximize productivity, efficiency and profitability for over 40 years, with hundreds of agencies counting on us to help run their business every day.

With Advantage you get a team of US-based agency veterans supporting you every step of the way.  All users have unlimited access to our live customer support line from 8am-7:30pm Eastern every business day.

Find out how Advantage can help you by contacting us for a complimentary demo or discussion about your unique needs.