Media planning supervisors are high level marketing professionals responsible for determining how an organization best can convey its message to its target demographics. In some organizations, media planning supervisors are responsible for orchestrating marketing campaigns using a number of different media, such as print, television, and Internet, while other organizations use media planning supervisors who concentrate on specific kinds of media. To become a media planning supervisor, you should earn a degree in a field such as marketing or journalism, which allows you to understand principles and practices essential to all media operations. It also is important for a person who wants to become a media planning supervisor to become familiar with all facets of marketing processes in a particular industry.
People who find jobs as media planning supervisors tend to have strong understandings of the industries and markets in which they work. For example, a media planning supervisor who works for a chain of food stores might have many years of experience placing advertisements for supermarkets in newspapers and magazines and corresponding with television ad representatives about costs of specific time slots. Not only must a media planning supervisor understand how to use media to his or her advantage, but this person should also understand who his or her customers are, what they prefer to spend money on, and which shows they watch, websites they visit, and periodicals they read.
To become a media planning supervisor, you should find a position in some facet of marketing after graduating from college. In more competitive job markets, it might be a good idea first to earn a master's degree in a related field, though some people perform this step once they already have gained some professional experience. A good entry level position for a person who wants to become a media planning supervisor might be as a person who buys ad space, though others might start as copywriters or graphic designers.
An individual who wants to become a media planning supervisor needs to stay absolutely current in his or her industry. This means that this person needs to keep up with the newest market research and media, especially media favored by his or her customers. For example, a media planner who works for a video game development company needs to know about all of the new websites and gaming options. It is common for a person who wants to become a media planning supervisor to join professional organizations and to attend trade shows and seminars where he or she can learn about new developments firsthand from those who develop, market, and sell them.
