Media Planners new role

The growth of automated media buying is set to push media planners into new strategic or advisory roles, a survey has argued.

Warc and the Festival of Media Global 2013, an event dedicated to the $500bn global media industry, surveyed 100 media agencies, owners and brands to ascertain their views on the impact of automated media buying.

On the question of how the media planner's job would change, 55% of respondents said they expected it would become that of a consultant or advisor, while 31% thought it would merge with other roles such as strategists or account managers.

Respondents were less sure on how media agencies were adapting to the new platforms. Some 38% felt agencies were embracing automation and looking at ways of working progressively with the trend, but 25% said they felt they were being slow to embrace automation and were acting defensively.

In addition, 14% suggested that media agencies would now have to work harder to prove their worth as a result of the trend. "Innovation is needed in an increasingly digital media world," said one respondent.