What's the difference between a media planner and communications planner at a modern creative agency?

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Media planners are strictly focused on “where should we run ads, how much money should we put towards certain channels/partners”

Comms planners in creative agencies straddle media and creative. They marry the content with the context. Once creatives land on a creative idea, comms planners figure out HOW that idea should stretch into certain channels based on what’s going on in culture/how people engage with those channels.

The beginning phases of the process would be slightly similar across both roles (figuring out where we should run, how to hit client objectives) but then after a certain point they fork out in different directions (media towards budget allocations and locking in media plans, comms planners towards creative development and ensuring ideas can live up to their greatest potential in those places)

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Same answer for rollout portion of your question. Comms planners will lead rollout as that will inform exactly what creative needs to be developed/how we want someone to move through the campaign.

BUT it’s their job to get media on board with their rollout. And if they’re not on board with their rollout, it’s their job to reach an agreement and go back to creatives to fill in any holes of assets that may be needed to fill a media plan

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The comms planner focuses on what the campaign should say while the media planner focuses on where the message should appear.

Messaging strategy is a part of comms planning, but only one part of comms planning

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