It’s 2025 and AI technology is taking off big style. From streamlining processes to scheduling appointments efficiently, AI has been changing the way we operate in the world of business and work. The evolving role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and other technologies in media planning, buying, and optimisation will soon revolutionise the way marketers approach this key marketing channel.
For brands seeking to remain competitive across the UK and US markets, The Media Planning & Buying Agency are here to help future-proof your media strategy.
The Movement Towards Automation and AI in Media Planning & Buying
AI is set to play a pivotal role in transforming how media planning & buying is approached. Here’s how:
1. Better Targeting with Predictive Analytics
Predictive analytics is one of the most powerful ways AI will impact media planning & buying. AI software can analyse vast amounts of consumer data to predict future behaviour patterns and help marketers to understand who their target market is and also what they’re likely next steps.
AI tools are able to identify the best times and places to display ads to specific individuals, guaranteeing your ads reach them at the most opportune moment.
AI software can analyse data such as past behaviour, social media activity, and even purchase history to predict when someone is most likely to convert. This then allows for more precise targeting and eliminates much of the guesswork previously experienced.
2. Real-Time Optimisation
Traditional media buying has always been time consuming when having to monitor and adjust campaigns in real-time.
AI technology will enable marketers to make quick adjustments to ad placements based on live performance data. On top of this, AI can automatically shift budget allocations optimise creatives or change bidding strategies to ensure that campaigns are always performing at their best.
This level of fast, real-time optimisation will make campaigns far more efficient, allowing brands to make the most of their media budget whilst minimising waste.
3. New Levels of Creative Personalisation
Studies have shown that personalisation continues to be a key driver of engagement. By analysing previous consumer data, AI technology can help marketing professionals create more personalised ads tailored to individual preferences, behaviours, and buying patterns. AI usage will enable brands to deliver more relevant and compelling messages to their audience.
This in turn will lead to high click through rates (CTR) and better conversion rates.
4. Improved Budget Management
With AI-driven media buying tools and software, marketing professionals can allocate their budgets in the most cost-effective way by automatically adjusting bids based on factors like demand, audience performance, and market trends. This allows marketers to maximise their ROI.
The Power of Data in Campaign Success
Data is key in advertising. Whether you’re running a multi-channel media campaign in London or a CTV rollout in the US, data underpins every decision.
1. First-Party Data is Key
In 2024, Google began the process of fading out third-party cookies on Chrome. Brands must now rely on owned data to drive performance. Working with a media planning & buying agency can help you integrate CRM, website, and app data to inform your media plans allowing you to stay ahead of the curve.
2. Unified Measurement & Attribution
Advanced analytics now allow brands to track the entire customer journey; from first impression to final conversion across digital and traditional channels. With the changing digital landscape, Boston Consulting Group came up with a new way to think about customer journeys. Their framework is based around 4 key digital media behaviours: streaming, scrolling, searching, and shopping.
Starting with these behaviours, BCG recommends that marketers create ‘influence maps’ to tailor strategies that match to each person’s unique journey.
By combining audience definition and influence maps with AI tools and software, markets can develop individual media plans that generate the greatest possible impact by taking into account influence at different points along the journey.
This is key for understanding the true impact of every touchpoint.
3. Localised Market Insights
The precision offered by geo-temporal data introduces a nuanced understanding of consumer movements and habits. This data doesn’t just reveal location; it also provides context. It transforms raw data into actionable insights.
In OOH advertising, this means selecting billboards and screens that coincide with audience movement patterns, ensuring that campaigns reach their intended audience in the right physical and temporal context.
The application of geo-temporal data isn’t limited to OOH advertising, it’s equally valuable in digital spaces where timing and relevance significantly impact consumer engagement and conversion rates.
Media strategies should adapt to regional nuances, however. In the UK, traditional channels like print and radio still carry weight. In the USA, programmatic CTV is growing rapidly. Leveraging data-driven insights ensures your campaigns resonate in both markets.
Some Things Won’t Change: Why Strategic Creativity Still Matters
Despite all of the revolutionary AI technology becoming available, some things will remain the same. High-quality creative will continue to drive greater impact. With AI helping to reduce the cost of testing and experimentation, the impact of good creative on marketing outcomes will be easier to ascertain. This will lead to more time being effectively spent in discussions with creative and marketing leaders.
It’s important to keep in mind that technology alone cannot guarantee a campaign’s success. That is not a rejection of innovation but a reminder that technology should serve as a means to an end, not the end itself.
As the media landscape becomes more fragmented, the need for cohesive, intelligent strategies becomes even more important. A modern media buying agency must blend:
- Technology and human expertise
- Global reach with local relevance
- Data science with creative strategy
At The Media Planning & Buying Agency we deliver tailored media buying and planning solutions that futureproof your brand, whether you’re launching in New York, scaling a campaign in Manchester, or doing both simultaneously.
Ready to modernise your media strategy? Talk to our team about future-facing campaigns that make an impact.
