Tablet advertising, mesmerizing banner ads, and jogging with a Jack Russell terrier
Editor's Note: "Meet a Media Planner" is our ongoing series of Q&As where we find out what's on the minds of media planners at agencies across the country. Today we're talking with Kristin Masino, an account manager and media planner for bfw advertising + interactive in Boca Raton, Fla. After graduating with an English degree, Kristen nabbed a position as an account coordinator, which sparked her love affair with the advertising industry. Her current tour with bfw began four years ago and has given her an opportunity to serve the media needs of clients of industries across aerospace, finance, medical supplies, software and more.
Yahoo! Ad Blog: What part of your job at bfw makes you say, "This is why I love what I do"?
Kristin Masino: I really love learning about all the different industries. There's so much going on behind the scenes that average consumers don't even know about. Learning all the details of how all these different companies work has definitely been a great education.
YAB: Is there a particular media trend you find especially exciting right now?
KM: One of our clients has a blog---which is sort of surprising because they're in aerospace. That's not necessarily the kind of industry you'd associate with blogging. But the blog isn't typical; it caters to more of a business audience. And it works! People read it. Regardless of the audience, I think blogging can be great for clients because it can set a personal tone and convey personality. Blogs get people interested, maybe even more so than an advertisement would.
Our agency is also just getting into tablet advertising for all of our clients, so that's something new and exciting for us.
YAB: What excites you about tablets?
KM: Just the range of ways you can view an ad. It's a different canvas.
YAB: As a lover of advertising, is there a particular campaign out there right now you find especially intriguing?
KM: In terms of digital, I like the current Dove campaign. They have a ton of interactive banner ads that feature a girl in a bath towel waving at you and writing on a steamed-up shower door within the banner frame---which is actually like she's writing on your screen. You can't help but stare when she pops up on your computer.
For print, my favorite campaign is for Marc Jacobs. The ads are shot by the photographer Juergen Teller, and before you even see the Marc Jacobs logo, you just know they're part of his campaign. Even though they use traditional photography in a traditional marketing medium, the ads work because the photographs are so unique and eye-catching. I'm sure they would look great on tablets, too.
YAB: What do you find to be the most challenging part of media planning?
KM: About 75 percent of the work we do here is for B2B, and search advertising for B2B companies can be a real challenge. We have such niche audiences, so it can be hard to come up with the right search terms. We have to find terms that our specific target is searching---but that the general consumer audience isn't. It really becomes a matter of testing and optimizing to figure out which words work best. We also use a ton of negative keywords, as well.
YAB: When the challenges stack up at work, how do you like to de-stress?
KM: Running. I zone out and listen to music, and I don't have to think about anything except the pavement in front of me.
I ran my first half marathon last year, and I just did my first triathlon last month. I'm a terrible swimmer, but I made it. Next year I want to do a full marathon.
YAB: How many miles do you log per week?
KM: About 10 to 15, unless I'm training for an actual race. Then it's much more. I also try to take my dog with me at least a couple times a week so he can get some exercise. He's a Jack Russell Terrier, and sometimes I think he has more energy than I do!
