Set-top boxes, social buzz, and decompressing with vampires
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 Kyle Wesemann, a digital media supervisor for Deutsch Inc. in Los Angeles. Kyle's media planning career began about 6 years ago, but she has dedicated the past 4-plus solely to Deutsch---one of the only traditional ad agencies to still handle media in-house. In her current role, Kyle oversees the media planning for mobile device manufacturer HTC.
Yahoo! Ad Blog: You've been in the business for a while now. What are the biggest changes you've seen during your years as a media planner?
Kyle Wesemann: The digital media planner has to wear so many hats now! There are so many areas where you have to be an expert, and it's difficult to be able to apply your knowledge and give a great recommendation to the client for everything. So the job is starting to be broken up by mobile media and social media and display.
YAB: Are there any industry trends that really light you up right now?
KW: I'm a big data geek, so social trends and being able to target people based on social behaviors fascinates me. I think it's really exciting to analyze TV schedules in relation to social buzz, and I love learning about new data providers and new ways to use data in the digital space.
YAB: What issues or challenges are top of mind for your clients?
KW: Definitely the competitive landscape. We're up against some big players who have a lot of money to spend, so we've been trying new ways to go in the white space but also amplify our messaging across the same audience through different types of targeting technologies.
YAB: Looking ahead, are there particular technologies you think might help your clients?
KW: TV amplification, where we're analyzing set-top boxes and recreating those audiences online to increase frequency. And also the reverse of that---analyzing TV schedules against the social stratosphere to see when our brand is buzzing most in relation to the TV program. Both can help us make more impactful, engaging TV buys.
YAB: How do you explain what you do to your mom?
KW: I've tried to explain to her that I help keep the Internet "free." You know, at least partially. And that I'm giving her a more relevant message based on things that she's doing online. I've spent many Thanksgivings putting her mind at ease that we're not tracking her every move.
YAB: What do you think sets your agency apart from other agencies you've seen in action?
KW: I've been at Deutsch for 4-½ years, which is kind of like 10 years in agency land. I really love the creative environment here and how they encourage learning. I think working at a full-service agency has helped expedite my learning around every other department, so I understand everyone else's processes and deadlines. We all work so well together, and we all have one goal, which is to make the campaign successful.
YAB: You mentioned earlier how complex media planning can be. What do you do to de-stress?
KW: I love to travel. I just went to Greece and I think Costa Rica is next. I also just go home and have a glass of wine and watch my favorite TV shows. I really enjoy True Blood, and I'm a big Law & Order and Criminal Minds junkie.
YAB: So you de-stress by watching murder and vampires?
KW: I know…it's really weird!
