It used to be so simple. The big creative idea built the brand while media filled the auxiliary role of delivering the TV or print campaign to an expectant audience.

Yet media fragmentation, the proliferation of channels and the associated distribution options, has shattered this simple picture. As Jon Suarez-Davis, the global media chief at Kellogg’s said, “The media department is the new creative department.”

A clever selection of channels can bring great ideas to life for brands of all sizes. Cider brand Kopparberg built a media journey around its very own Urban Forest music festival, where a Spotify partnership amplified the experiential activity to fans nationwide.

Advancements in software can also help brands to target audiences and adapt messages based on external factors like the local weather or trending topics . Burton, Molson Coors and Pantene have all run Twitter and Facebook campaigns using APIs that deliver real-time relevant information to customers.

While the rise of programmatic buying can help improve a brand’s SEO, there remains a need for human insight in media targeting to capitalize on human unpredictability and our craving for spontaneity.

Brands and marketing continue to thrive on big ideas but clever use of media planning and buying creates a big impact even for those unable to afford the multi-million pound TV campaigns. As Gary Vaynerchuk once said, “If content is king, then context is God.”

Read on for examples…