• by April 17, 2006

Years ago, someone decided that the agency model would be best served by separating media from creative services. Media departments grew apart from the all-powerful creative teams.

But lately media is in the ascending position. Media teams are gaining power for many reasons -- not the least of which is that consumer control over media via TiVo, BitTorrent, YouTube, iTunes and the iPod, satellite radio, and many other interactive platforms is making media strategy more critical than ever. Marketers are demanding the inclusion of more nontraditional strategies in media plans.

Media is now often seen as a forerunner, a creative idea generator, and a differentiator for brands. Media departments can parlay their expertise in identifying specific consumer groups in today's fragmented marketplace into meaningful creative strategies. Media can and should work collaboratively with creative and account planning teams.

If media departments step up to claim their newfound power and advance innovative creative and communications strategies, we truly will have come from the basement to the boardroom.

By Mike Karnjanaprakorn, Josh Brandau, Kerry O'Connell, Kumar Kanagasabapathy, and Chanda Johnson