Impinging upon a media planner's work

Was at a meeting with some media planners last week, trying to convince them that they should use our media vehicle for their plans, when one of the young planners turned around and asked me, “Mubin, do you really think we’re not convinced about your publication?” When I answered that I believed they were quite convinced, he queried next, “And do you think we would not take it if we had the choice?”

And that had me stumped!

I mean, it is an unspoken truth that media planners are arguably the most overworked and least paid group in advertising. And here was a young planner who was now hinting (and overtly – I might add - in the ensuing discussion) that there were not only pressures from the client, but also otherwise, that were impinging upon his work.

Media Planning has seen a huge exodus over the past few years, to the extent that most agencies are now working with a couple of senior level people, and then a lot of ‘bachchas’. Clients are screaming about the lack of quality; and we all know the reasons why – and are turning a blind eye to it, in the immediate interest – the here and now.

And now this new angle, which I could clearly see was turning a young (2-3 years of work experience) media planner into a cynic.

I’m afraid, very afraid!!!