The concept of paid, owned and earned media (POEM) underlies everything communications professionals do. But digital, and particularly social, media are challenging traditional POEM strategies. Brands are no longer involved in one-way communication, but a dialogue; markets have fragmented into many different platforms, networks, and, ultimately, individuals; and consumers have greater access to brands and media than ever before.

According to a white paper produced by research firm Kantar Media that suggests a new way to build a media strategy, it is important for brands to place the “brand experience” rather than the “brand story” at the centre of any strategy.

The report points out that the days of one-way passive communications are over and that now media strategies must converge paid, owned and earned media, while practicing multi-touch point communications across connected channels and boosting audience participation through shared.

The report introduces the concept of the “Media Halo”, a model that focuses on the role of the brand experience, before being carried out through paid, owned and earned media and into their social extensions: “Promoted Media” (in-stream or social paid promotions vehicles such as Twitter’s promoted products and Facebook’s Sponsored Stories), “Operated Media” (platforms managed by the brand) and the “Extended Echo” (any social media conversations that take place beyond the borders of a brand’s Operated Media - eg off-page Facebook comments and tweets that don’t mention the brand’s handle)[1].



Wrapped around all of this is the “Halo” itself, which represents content that is shared across the POEM channels and their extensions.

“As communications spread further from the control of the brand – through in-stream social advertising, platforms managed by the brand but owned by others (eg, Facebook pages) and finally out into the broader social sphere – they influence many more people,” explains François Nicolon, global chief marketing officer, Kantar Media News Intelligence.

“Brands must accept this loss of control to a much wider audience developed by the ‘shared‘. By refusing to undertake this risk, brands deprive themselves from the viral potential. Thus, with the shared, it is important to understand that influence goes far beyond the original intended target. The future belongs to communicators who can engage with consumers, foster the advocacy of influential brand fans and create powerful cross-media brand experiences through converged technology. And taking advantage of this broader and integrated media mix opportunity with creativity and audacity.”

Background

For more information see Kantar Media’s white paper, Introducing the Media Halo: A New model for Paid, Owned, Earned and Social Media’, which can be downloaded here.

^[1]  Operated Media: platforms managed by the brand where consumers can comment, collaborate and share and partially-owned media such as YouTube channels, Facebook and Twitter pages. Promoted Media: in-stream or social paid promotions vehicles (eg Twitter’s Promoted Tweets). The Extended Echo: any social media conversations beyond the borders of a brand’s operated media, such as off-page Facebook comments and tweets without the brand’s handle or hashtag.