Not All Reach Is Equal
Media buying has traditionally been driven by volume. Buy thousands of spots, stack up the TARPs, hit the quota, then call it “reach”. But here’s the uncomfortable truth: not all reach is equal.
But what is “reach”?
In media advertising, reach refers to the number of people who are exposed to the advertiser’s campaign. On the surface, it sounds straightforward – the more people reached, the better. However, the reality is that those numbers don’t always reflect who is seeing the campaign, or how well they match the advertiser’s target audience.
Consider this: broad campaigns play an important role in building awareness, but true value comes when reach also aligns with the advertiser’s target audience. It’s not just about how many people see the campaign, but how many of the right people do.
Enter Guaranteed Audience buying
Guaranteed Audience buying is a media purchasing approach where broadcasters commit to delivering a specific audience demographic or size (measured in TARPs or viewers 000s) for a fixed price. If the agreed targets aren't met, broadcasters typically provide makegoods to fulfil the commitment. This model often proves more cost-effective than traditional spot buying by reducing uncertainty around audience delivery. However, while the numbers are guaranteed, the quality of engagement and connection with viewers can still vary. Without frequency capping, the same person may be exposed multiple times, which doesn't always align with the advertiser's goal of broadening reach or matching their campaign to specific content moments.
So Why Does This Matter?
Audiences today are more fragmented than ever, and advertisers now have more options to balance broad reach with precise targeting. Traditional volume-driven models remain important for building mass awareness (particularly through linear TV), while BVOD and digital formats make it possible to reach specific audience segments with greater accuracy. Guaranteed Audience buying adds another layer of certainty by ensuring agreed audience objectives are delivered for a fixed price. This approach provides efficiency through reduced wasted impressions, transparency into how media spend translates into verified audience delivery, and confidence that campaigns will meet their demographic objectives even if the depth of audience connection may vary.
At Broadcast M.A.P., we help advertisers focus on what drives results: quality of reach. In today’s market, the difference between spending and succeeding is knowing exactly who is being reached.