CIA creates Communications Channel Planning with sister agency Added Value

<p>CIA is claiming a first among media specialists; it has combined </p><p>its expertise with that of sister brand consultancy agency Added Value </p><p>to create Communications Channel Planning (CCP) which it said would </p><p>"revolutionise the industry norm". </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>It is the first time that media and brand resources have been pooled in </p><p>such a way. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>CCP regional director Julia Singleton said, "The complimentary skills of </p><p>a leading brand-growth agency and a leading media channel specialist is </p><p>a powerful combination and one which no other communications group has </p><p>harnessed. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>"The result is a process which forms the essential link from high-ground </p><p>brand positioning through to communicating the brand using all possible </p><p>brand contact points - traditional advertising only being one part of </p><p>the total mix." </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>At the core of CCP is its usage of proprietary tools, systems and </p><p>processes to give clients a stronger, more impactful campaign than was </p><p>possible before. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Such a complex strategic solution was not needed just five or 10 years </p><p>ago when media was basically made up of television and print. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Today, however, its existence can be justified many times over because </p><p>of the fragmentation of media and the explosion of brand choice, which </p><p>engender the need for greater media specialisation. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>"CIA's Communications Channel Planning is a process that is founded upon </p><p>compelling consumer insights and involves innovative mechanisms for </p><p>generating differentiated and positive 'consumer meeting points', which </p><p>in turn dictate channel priority, tasks and objectives. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>"This allows each channel to deliver greater consumer and marketplace </p><p>impact as each element is required to contribute to, and be supported by </p><p>every other - thereby weeding out inconsistency and inefficiency," Ms </p><p>Singleton said. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Because CCP covers traditional communications channels as well as the </p><p>new ones thrown up by the New Economy, it allows for more logical </p><p>channel mix and usage recommendations. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>One of the lynchpins of CCP is research and CIA is commissioning a major </p><p>proprietary research study within Asia-Pacific, with the objective of </p><p>providing a knowledge bank of key insights into channel usage, impact, </p><p>relevance and brand contact within and across the channels. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>The research serves to underpin CCP's knowledge and expertise, and </p><p>represents a more than USdollars 1 million investment in the region. </p><p>Many might argue that other agencies do this anyway, but Ms Singleton </p><p>said there was a difference. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>"All MNC agencies have their own planning processes, but they </p><p>concentrate upon the message and achieving creative impact and not upon </p><p>the brand-consumer contact points, which is now the key issue for </p><p>marketers," he said. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>"Having impactful and relevant creative work is still important - but if </p><p>it is delivered in the wrong channel at the wrong time, it really </p><p>doesn't matter." </p><p><BR><BR> </p>