TV, Radio and DOOH Media Planning: Practice and Tools

# How to Build Effective Media Planning for TV, Radio, and DOOH: Tools, Metrics, and Cross-Media Campaign Practice for the Kazakhstan Market and the Region --- ## Introduction: Why Traditional Media Still Matter In an era of digital transformation, many marketers rush to shift budgets exclusively toward online channels. However, practice in the Kazakhstan market and the broader Central Asian region demonstrates that **TV, radio, and DOOH (Digital Out-of-Home)** remain powerful tools for reaching mass audiences and building brand awareness. The challenge lies in building these channels into a **unified, measurable, and optimized system** — rather than treating them as separate "islands" of communication. --- ## Part 1: The Specifics of the Kazakhstan and Regional Market ### Audience Structure | Channel | Reach | Primary Audience | Viewing/Listening Pattern | |---|---|---|---| | TV | 85–90% of the population | All segments, 35+ | Evening prime time, weekends | | Radio | 60–70% | Working-age adults, 25–54 | Morning/evening commute | | DOOH | 70%+ in cities | Urban residents, 18–45 | Throughout the day | ### Regional Nuances **Kazakhstan:** - Bilingual environment (Kazakh/Russian) — requires dual creative strategy - Significant difference between Almaty/Astana and regional cities - High penetration of cable and satellite TV - Growing DOOH network in major cities **Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan:** - Lower DOOH penetration - High importance of local radio stations - Strong influence of national TV channels --- ## Part 2: TV Media Planning ### Key Metrics **GRP (Gross Rating Point)** > The total volume of contact delivery, calculated as the sum of all ratings across all placements. ``` GRP = Rating × Number of Spots ``` **TRP (Target Rating Point)** > GRP within the target audience only. The most important metric when optimizing budgets. **Reach and Frequency** - **Reach (охват)** — the percentage of the target audience that saw the ad at least once - **Frequency** — the average number of contacts per reached viewer **Effective Frequency** For most categories: **3–5 contacts per flight** is considered optimal. Fewer contacts — not enough to form recall. More — wasted budget. **OTS (Opportunity To See)** ``` OTS = Reach × Average Frequency ``` **CPP (Cost Per Point)** ``` CPP = Budget / TRP ``` **CPT (Cost Per Thousand)** ``` CPT = (Budget / Audience) × 1000 ``` ### TV Planning Process ``` Step 1: Define Goals ↓ Step 2: Set Target Audience ↓ Step 3: Select Channels ↓ Step 4: Develop Scheduling Model ↓ Step 5: Calculate Media Indicators ↓ Step 6: Approve Budget ↓ Step 7: Buy Airtime (Direct or Programmatic) ↓ Step 8: Monitor and Optimize ``` ### TV Buying Models in Kazakhstan **By Ratings (GRP-buying)** - The main model for major federal and national channels - Enables stable delivery planning - Requires reliable measurement data (Kantar, Nielsen) **By Airtime (Time-buying)** - Common for regional channels and cable - Simpler to plan but harder to predict coverage **Sponsorship packages** - Product placement - Branded segments - Effective for building image associations ### Scheduling Strategy **Concentrated schedule** - Maximum frequency in a short window - Suitable for launches and promotions **Pulsed schedule** - Alternating active and passive weeks - Optimal for supporting established brands **Seasonal schedule** - Tied to sales peaks - Common in FMCG, retail, tourism --- ## Part 3: Radio Media Planning ### Why Radio Is Underrated Radio is frequently excluded from media mixes based on the assumption that "no one listens anymore." In reality, for the Kazakhstan market: - Radio remains the **№1 medium during the morning commute** (07:00–09:00) - Average weekly reach: **60–65%** of the urban population - Radio advertising has a **higher message retention** in an audio-only environment ### Key Radio Metrics **Average Quarter Hour (AQH)** > The average number of listeners in any given 15-minute interval. **Cume (Cumulative Audience)** > The total number of unique listeners per week. **TSL (Time Spent Listening)** > Average listening duration per week per listener. **Affinity Index** ``` Affinity = (% Target Audience among Listeners / % Target Audience in Total Population) × 100 ``` > A value above 100 indicates that the channel is more suitable for your target audience than average. ### Radio Scheduling Model | Time Block | Audience | Priority | |---|---|---| | 06:00–09:00 | Commuters, office workers | ★★★★★ | | 09:00–12:00 | Homemakers, retail workers | ★★★★ | | 12:00–14:00 | Lunch break, office | ★★★ | | 14:00–17:00 | Afternoon drivers | ★★★ | | 17:00–20:00 | Evening commute | ★★★★★ | | 20:00–24:00 | Home, entertainment | ★★ | ### Radio + Digital Synergy A powerful approach: **radio drives digital search** ``` Radio spot with CTA ↓ Listener searches brand on Google/2GIS ↓ Retargeting is activated ↓ Conversion ``` This model is particularly effective for local businesses and retail. --- ## Part 4: DOOH Media Planning ### The DOOH Ecosystem in Kazakhstan **Format types:** - **Billboard (6×3 m)** — classic roadside format - **Citylight** — backlit panels at pedestrian level - **LED screens** — large-format dynamic displays - **Indoor DOOH** — shopping centers, business centers, airports - **Transit DOOH** — screens in subway cars, buses, taxis **Key operators in Kazakhstan:** - Gallery (Almaty, Astana) - Russ Outdoor - Local operators in regional cities ### DOOH Metrics **OTS (Opportunity To See)** > Estimated number of impressions based on traffic data. **Contacts** > The number of people passing a surface within the campaign period. **Affinity by Location** > The percentage of the target audience among those who pass by, based on mobile data. **Frequency of Exposure** > How many times per week a "typical resident" of the area encounters the surface. **Share of Voice (SOV)** > For digital surfaces: the percentage of time allocated to your creative within the total rotation. ``` SOV = (Your Spots per Hour / Total Spots per Hour) × 100% ``` ### DOOH Buying Models **Static (Classical)** - Two-week periods - Fixed placement - Suitable for image campaigns **Programmatic DOOH** - Purchase by impressions - Targeting by time of day, weather, events - Flexibility to optimize creatives in real time **Trigger-based** - Showing ads during a football match - Displaying content when it's above +30°C - Targeting commuter peaks ### DOOH Route Planning ``` Define Target Audience ↓ Identify Key Locations (residential areas, business centers, shopping routes, transport hubs) ↓ Analyze Traffic Data (mobile data, traffic counters) ↓ Select Surfaces ↓ Calculate Coverage and Frequency ↓ Approve Creative Requirements (resolution, duration, animation) ``` --- ## Part 5: Cross-Media Planning ### Why Cross-Media? A single media channel rarely achieves sufficient reach of the target audience at optimal frequency. Cross-media planning solves three problems: 1. **Expanding reach** — different channels reach different segments 2. **Frequency management** — avoiding overexposure in a single channel 3. **Message reinforcement** — multiple touchpoints across different contexts ### The Synergy Effect Research (Nielsen, Kantar Millward Brown) shows that combining channels increases effectiveness more than using each channel separately: | Combination | Brand Recall Uplift | |---|---| | TV only | +18% | | TV + Radio | +26% | | TV + DOOH | +29% | | TV + Radio + DOOH | +38% | ### Cross-Media Planning Model **Step 1: Budget Allocation (Baseline)** ``` For a brand campaign: TV: 50–60% of budget DOOH: 20–30% of budget Radio: 15–20% of budget ``` *The allocation depends on goals, category, and competitive environment* **Step 2: Reach Curve Analysis** Determine after how many TRP the marginal return begins to decline for each channel, then redirect budget to the next channel. **Step 3: Overlap Management** Use cross-media research to understand how many people contacted more than one channel and adjust frequency accordingly. **Step 4: Message Architecture** | Channel | Message Role | Format | |---|---|---| | TV | Core story, emotional impact | 30-second video | | Radio | Reminder, CTA reinforcement | 15-second audio | | DOOH | Visual anchor, navigation | Static/dynamic | ### Sequential Contact Model ``` Week 1–2: TV — mass reach, awareness Week 2–4: TV + DOOH — frequency reinforcement Week 3–6: Radio — reminder, action Week 5–6: DOOH — final push before purchase ``` --- ## Part 6: Tools and Data Sources ### Audience Measurement **Kazakhstan:** - **Kantar TNS Kazakhstan** — TV ratings, radio data - **Gemius** — digital audience - **Nielsen** — retail audit, consumer insights **For DOOH:** - Mobile operator data (anonymized) - Wi-Fi analytics at locations - Manual counting + extrapolation ### Planning Tools | Tool | Application | Complexity | |---|---|---| | Infosys+ | TV planning, reach/frequency calculation | Medium | | R-Keeper Media | Scheduling, buying | High | | Excel + GRP models | Small budgets, regional markets | Low | | Broadsign | DOOH programmatic | High | | Kinetic | DOOH planning | Medium | ### Competitive Analysis - **AdMetrica** — monitoring advertising activity - **TNS AdEx** — spending analysis by category - **Manual monitoring** — tracking competitors on key surfaces --- ## Part 7: Metrics and KPI System ### Campaign KPI Hierarchy ``` Business Goals (sales, market share) ↓ Marketing Goals (awareness, preference, trial) ↓ Media KPIs (reach, frequency, GRP, CPT) ↓ Execution KPIs (posting compliance, technical delivery) ``` ### Main KPI Table | KPI | Formula | Acceptable Value* | |---|---|---| | TRP | Sum of ratings × spots | Per campaign plan | | Reach 1+ | % of TA contacted | 70–85% | | Effective Frequency | 3+ contacts | 40–60% of reach | | CPT | Budget / Audience × 1000 | Category benchmark | | SOV (vs. competitors) | Your GRP / Category GRP | ≥ SOM | *Values vary by category, season, and market ### Effectiveness Measurement **Pre/Post Research** - Brand tracking before and after the campaign - Measuring awareness, recall, preference **Sales Correlation** - Comparing sales dynamics to GRP delivery - Regression analysis **Attribution for DOOH** - Geofencing: tracking store visits after exposure - Promo codes on creatives --- ## Part 8: Practical Cases ### Case 1: FMCG Brand Launch in Kazakhstan **Task:** Launch a new product, achieve 70% awareness in 3 months **Solution:** - TV: 400 TRP per month, primetime focus - DOOH: 50 surfaces in Almaty and Astana, shopping areas - Radio: support during peak hours, Kazakh and Russian **Result:** - Awareness: 68% after 10 weeks (target: 70%) - Trial: 23% among aware consumers - CPT: 15% lower than the benchmark due to integrated buying --- ### Case 2: Regional Retail Chain **Task:** Drive store traffic in 5 regional cities **Solution:** - Radio: 3 spots per day on the top local station in each city - DOOH: 3–5 surfaces near stores, traffic reinforcement on Fridays - TV: regional blocks on local channels (low cost, high local affinity) **Key creative decision:** Uniform message with local adaptation (Shymkent vs. Karaganda vs. Aktobe) **Result:** - Traffic increase: +18% on promotion weekends - Radio provided the best CPT for regional coverage --- ### Case 3: Financial Services — Trust Campaign **Task:** Increase trust and preference among the 35–55 segment **Solution:** - TV: content integration + 30-second spots - No DOOH (low affinity for the target audience in the selected segments) - Radio: expert format, analytical programs, native advertising **Key insight:** For financial services in Kazakhstan, **native formats** significantly outperform direct advertising in terms of trust metrics. --- ## Part 9: Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them ### Mistake 1: Planning Channels Separately ❌ Each channel team works independently ✅ Unified planning in a single reach/frequency model ### Mistake 2: Ignoring the Bilingual Context ❌ Only Russian-language creatives ✅ Dual-language strategy with cultural adaptation ### Mistake 3: Evaluating Success by GRP Alone ❌ "We delivered 500 GRP — great campaign" ✅ Analyzing the entire KPI funnel through to business results ### Mistake 4: Same Creative Across All Channels ❌ One video repurposed for TV, radio, and DOOH ✅ Channel-specific creative adapted for context of consumption ### Mistake 5: Ignoring Post-Buy Analysis ❌ Campaign ends → report is shelved ✅ Post-buy is the foundation for the next planning cycle --- ## Conclusion: The Cross-Media Planning Framework ``` ┌─────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │ STRATEGIC GOAL │ └──────────────────────┬──────────────────────┘ │ ┌──────────────┼──────────────┐ ▼ ▼ ▼ TV Planning Radio Planning DOOH Planning (reach base) (frequency/CTA) (local anchor) └──────────────┼──────────────┘ │ ┌────────▼────────┐ │ CROSS-MEDIA │ │ OPTIMIZATION │ └────────┬────────┘ │ ┌──────────────┼──────────────┐ ▼ ▼ ▼ Reach/Freq Synergy Cost Management Effect Efficiency └──────────────┼──────────────┘ │ ┌────────▼────────┐ │ MEASUREMENT │ │ & LEARNING │ └─────────────────┘ ``` Effective media planning for TV, radio, and DOOH is not a collection of three separate plans — it's **a unified communication ecosystem** where each channel plays a defined role, and their combination creates an effect greater than the sum of the parts. For the Kazakhstan market specifically, successful campaigns rely on: - **Deep understanding of local audience behavior** - **Bilingual approach to communication** - **Integration of modern measurement tools with regional data** - **Flexibility to adapt to each city's specific conditions** --- *Materials may be used for building in-house media planning practices, client briefings, or as a basis for educational programs in marketing and communications.*

Why Media Planning Has Become More Complex — and What to Do About It

Just ten years ago, media planning for TV, radio, and DOOH came down to three Excel spreadsheets and a couple of phone calls to sellers. Today, the picture is fundamentally different: an advertiser simultaneously works with linear TV, digital out-of-home advertising, radio stations, and streaming platforms, while expecting a unified report on reach and contact frequency.

In the Kazakhstan market, according to ACAR data and local media research, TV's share of advertising budgets still exceeds 40%, yet the DOOH segment is growing by 15–20% annually. The situation in Turkey is similar: the largest holdings — Kanal D, Show TV, Star TV — are recording a shift of some budgets toward multi-screen placements. This means that a media seller unable to offer a client a cross-media solution is losing market share.

The core problem is data fragmentation. GRP and TRP data from TV, radio listenership figures, and DOOH structure traffic all live in different systems with different units of measurement. Consolidating these data streams into a single media plan requires either significant manual effort or a specialized platform.

Core Metrics: What to Measure and Why

Before choosing tools, it is important to agree on metrics. Here is the standard set relevant to all three channels.

Television

Radio

DOOH (Digital Out-of-Home Advertising)

Consolidating these metrics into a single dashboard is the first step toward comprehensive advertising campaign analytics. Without this, it is impossible to either correctly evaluate the effectiveness of a flight or intelligently reallocate budget across channels.

Media Planning Tools: From Excel to Automated Platforms

Market practice reveals three levels of media planning maturity.

Level 1: Manual Approach

The media plan is assembled in Excel based on data from each seller. The advantage is a low entry threshold. The disadvantages are a high probability of error, slow iteration, and complete dependence on the timeliness of data from partners. When working with 5+ channels, this approach becomes unmanageable.

Level 2: Specialized Media Planning Systems

In mature markets, systems such as TVC, Adex, and TNS Gallup Media are widely used (in Kazakhstan — Ipsos and Kantar data). These provide standardized audience data but generally cover only one type of media and do not address the challenge of cross-media planning.

Level 3: Integrated Platforms and Advertising Sales Automation

The most advanced approach is using a platform that combines advertising inventory management, media planning, and campaign analytics in a single interface. This is where real yield management becomes possible: the system has visibility into inventory load across all channels, calculates the optimal mix, and proposes pricing that accounts for remaining inventory.

Platforms of this class, such as OpenMediaLogic, enable media sellers to automate media plan creation in response to client requests, monitor GRP plan fulfillment in real time, and generate post-buy reports without manual data collection.

Cross-Media Campaigns: How to Build Them in Practice

Cross-media campaigns are not just a trendy term. They are a response to real audience behavior: a consumer sees a commercial on TV in the morning, hears a jingle on the radio in the car, and encounters a banner on a digital structure near a shopping center. A coordinated presence across all touchpoints increases brand recall by 30–40% compared to a single-channel campaign (Nielsen Cross-Media data).

In practice, building a cross-media campaign involves several stages.

Yield Management and Programmatic DOOH: New Opportunities for Sellers

Yield management in media advertising is the management of inventory pricing and availability with the goal of maximizing revenue. The tool is well known in aviation and hospitality, but is only now gaining traction in the advertising markets of Kazakhstan and Central Asia.

For a TV channel or DOOH operator, yield management means: not selling prime time at a fixed price six months in advance, but dynamically managing pricing based on current load, seasonality, and demand. According to operator estimates, implementing dynamic pricing increases inventory revenue by 10–25% without any growth in sales volume.

In the digital out-of-home segment, programmatic DOOH puts this logic into practice. An advertiser sets audience, geolocation, and display time parameters, and the system automatically distributes impressions across suitable structures based on current load. For a DOOH operator, this means increased inventory fill rates and the ability to monetize residual impressions that previously simply went to waste.

Ad-sales automation is a prerequisite for implementing these mechanisms. Without an automated inventory and pricing management system, yield management remains theoretical.

Practical Conclusion

Media planning for TV, radio, and DOOH in 2024–2025 is no longer about spreadsheets and manual data exchange. The markets of Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Turkey are moving toward integrated cross-media solutions, where a media seller's key competitive advantage is speed and precision: quickly forming a proposal, backing it with data, and providing transparent advertising campaign analytics after the flight.

If you want to move from manual media planning to full advertising sales automation — including advertising inventory management, yield management, and cross-media analytics — explore the capabilities of the OpenMediaLogic platform. This is a practical step for media holdings and sellers who want to manage inventory as a business asset, not as a collection of line items in a rate card.