Investment Management Certificate (IMC) Practice Exam

Which step is NOT part of the media planning process?

1. Buying media

2. Specifying media objectives

3. Conducting focus groups for content creation

4. Selecting the target audience

The correct answer is: Conducting focus groups for content creation

The media planning process involves several key steps aimed at effectively allocating resources to maximize the reach and impact of marketing messages. Among these steps, specifying media objectives outlines what the media plan aims to achieve, selecting the target audience identifies who the communications will be directed at, and buying media entails the actual purchasing of advertising space or time across selected channels. Conducting focus groups for content creation, while a valuable activity within the broader scope of marketing and advertising, is not typically categorized as a part of the media planning process. Instead, focus groups are more aligned with qualitative research that helps in understanding consumer perceptions and generating ideas for the content that will be presented in the media, rather than determining how or where to present that content. Thus, it does not directly contribute to the specific activities involved in planning media placement and strategy.