We chose ‘Connected’ as the theme of this year’s Best Plan exercise to reflect the importance of having the multiple touchpoints in today’s integrated media plans work together – effectively – and to complete the circle: get noticed, get the message through, and get results.

We were looking for plans that play to the strengths of each media opportunity by using unique creative, and that take full advantage of micro-targeting. Agencies were asked to submit plans from the past year that they believed really connected with consumers: that engaged them, encouraged brand interaction, immersed them in a brand experience, and zeroed in on a key demo with highly targeted media selection. Certainly it was a tall order, but we received 34 case studies that did all that and, in some cases, more.

We found that with the most brilliant campaigns, creative and media came together seamlessly. We also discovered that ‘media’ is now in the eye of the beholder. Components of the plans ranged from place-based and in-store, packaging and display, to user-generated content and experiential concepts. In this, the first half of Media Deconstructed, we share: Carat’s novel approach to reaching executives for Philips; PHD’s ways with women for Sunsilk and Dove; and Starcom’s urban efforts for Johnnie Walker.

Next issue, the final installment of Media Deconstructed will reveal Canada’s top youth plans.