What does it take to be named Young TV Planner of the Year at the Thinkbox TV Planning Awards?
Do winners share some common characteristics - from an entrepreneurial streak to their favourite genre of TV watch? What do they value most about TV? How has winning influenced their careers so far - and what’s their vision for the most exciting thing coming to TV next?
We got in touch with winners from the past four years. What do their answers tell us about what it takes to be a stand-out young TV planner?
Find out who’s on the shortlist for Young TV Planner of the Year at this year’s TV Planning Awards in Campaign in May. The awards are run by Thinkbox, in partnership with Campaign.
Entries have just closed; winners will be announced at an afternoon ceremony in London on Wednesday July 10.
2020 Winner:
Charlotte Knope, broadcast director, Running Total Media, Manchester
What’s the best thing you’ve watched in the last year?
I absolutely loved Bad Sisters on Apple TV – definitely bingeable within the free trial window for those yet to give Apple a go!
What does it mean to have won the Young TV Planner of the Year award?
I took part in the awards back in the dark covid days of 2020. Being lucky enough to go on and win was a stand-out moment of hope in a time of real personal and professional uncertainty, which I am incredibly grateful for.
What have you gone on to do and how has your career evolved since you won the award?
At the time of winning, Running Total’s broadcast department was billing £10 million annually. We ended 2023 as one of the biggest growth agencies in the regions, having billed £22 million in broadcast media.
I have a fantastic team around me, and this growth would have happened with or without the award. But back in 2020, this recognition from Thinkbox really helped to legitimise us as an agency. We were taken more seriously in a new business context as a result.
Tell us about a TV campaign you’ve worked on since you won that you’re most proud of
We have been working with online bathroom retailer Victorian Plumbing since 2018. Last year, we launched its new “Boss Your Bathroom” creative which is now coming into its second year on air. Despite TV’s broad reach, with Victorian Plumbing, we are continually demonstrating how TV and BVOD (broadcaster video on demand) can be used to efficiently target ABC1 25-54s, and harder to reach audiences more generally, which is very satisfying.
What marks TV out as an excellent advertising medium?
The word attention is currently very popular in digital media as a metric that qualifies quality placement. I’m proud to work in TV because attention is almost a given. As a TV planner, you can almost guarantee at least 70% big screen, non-skippable, sound-on delivery for your clients. Yes, levels of attention can be optimised against, but working in a medium that dominates the biggest screen in the home is something I’ll always be thankful for.
What is the most exciting development in TV that people should keep an eye on?
There are now tools that allow us to read reach and frequency on a daily level that will revolutionise the way we plan TV. Clients use TV because they believe in its ability to reach audiences at scale. If you can optimise TV delivery based on how many relevant people you have already reached in a campaign, then we can start to understand the true value of a TV rating.
2021 Winner:
Becky France, executive business director, OMD UK
What’s the best thing you’ve watched in the last year?
Happy Valley – what a show!
What does it mean to have won the Young TV Planner of the Year award?
It is undoubtedly one of the highlights of my career; I am so proud of it! The award gave me recognition within my agency, but also in the wider industry, and my profile has grown as a result.
What have you gone on to do and how has your career evolved since you won the award?
The award has opened the door to a lot of other opportunities: I’ve been invited to speak at industry events and panels, including Campaign’s “TV: The Next Episode”; I’ve been invited to judge industry awards, giving me access to all the amazing work happening across the industry, and I’ve worked closely with our junior talent at OMD to grow their careers, something I find so rewarding.
Tell us about a TV campaign you’ve worked on since you won that you’re most proud of
“Raise Your Arches” was one of McDonald’s most talked about campaigns ever, and such a great one to work on. We planned a high-reaching campaign for the amazing creative that had TV at the heart. We employed multiple tactics to maximise reach including a bespoke TV schedule at launch, incremental cover tactics across BVOD and Adsmart. The campaign demonstrated the power of TV and its ability to embed a brand in culture. I had friends raising their eyebrows whenever they wanted Maccies - that knowing look says it all!
What marks TV out as an excellent advertising medium
TV has the mass-reach power of no other channel, creating moments where the nation watches together. Whether reality TV like Married at First Sight, huge sporting events like the upcoming Euros, or gripping dramas such as Succession, TV has the ability to unite people, creating a shared moment for advertisers to tap into.
What’s the most exciting development in TV that people should keep an eye on?
The data and measurement capabilities of broadcasters are ever growing and, alongside the integration of first party data, they’re creating exciting developments for advertisers. The ability to talk to audiences at different parts of the purchase funnel poses real opportunity.
2022 Winner
Rachel Douglas, director, Ad Astra Advertising
What’s the best thing you’ve watched in the last year?
Happy Valley. I am obsessed with Sarah Lancashire.
What does it mean to have won the Young TV Planner of the Year award?
I still can’t believe I did to be honest. I’d never put myself forward for anything like that in the past and it was such an honour to win. The Thinkbox team has always been so supportive and the resources they provide are excellent. I can’t wait to see this year’s shortlist.
What have you gone on to do and how has your career evolved since you won the award?
It’s been quite a whirlwind! Winning the award meant that I was able to meet so many talented people within our industry and lean on them for advice and support. There were so many great opportunities to widen my industry knowledge.
In mid-2023, my business partner and I set up Ad Astra Advertising and have been lucky to have worked on some amazing campaigns already. It’s been a steep learning curve but worth every minute.
Tell us about a TV campaign you’ve worked on since you won that you’re most proud of
I’ve absolutely loved working with PensionBee on its current sponsorship of Primetime on National Geographic. It’s an amazing brand to work with and they really believe in the power of TV. I’m excited to be able to showcase the value of sponsorship, with the perfect brand alignment.
What marks TV out as an excellent advertising medium?
For me, TV is the only form of advertising that audiences know they can trust. The ad clearance process is strict, and rightly so. Strong regulation is key to protect brands and build credibility with viewers.
What’s the most exciting development in TV that people should keep an eye on?
Great TV planning goes nowhere if the creative isn’t right. Audiences are inundated with ads every day and brands need to find a way to cut through the noise. Thinkbox has produced some great research that shows that creativity and humour in ad copy helps to make brands more relatable.
I’m hoping that this year we will see more brands take this message on board and bring the fun back into advertising.
2023 Winner:
Lydia Saxby, AV Account Manager at Wavemaker
What’s the best thing you’ve watched in the last year?
I watched Catastrophe at the start of the year and it was so good that I rewatched it again about a month later. Brilliant show.
What does it mean to have won the Young TV Planner of the Year award?
It has been a really affirming experience. Winning the award has made me feel even more confident in my career knowing that my work and contribution has been recognised and celebrated. It’s just a fantastic feeling, especially when it’s by TV royalty (Thinkbox that is, not Ant and Dec.) Even being shortlisted was a privilege and it’s made me even more excited for what’s next in my career.
What have you gone on to do and how has your career evolved since you won the award?
The past year has been a bit different than usual because I welcomed my baby boy at the end of May. I think he was eight weeks old when I accepted the award, so it was nice to be able to attend the ceremony and have a break from babyland for the evening!
I’m returning to work in June and I’m looking forward to getting stuck back in, working with my amazing team and clients. I will also be joining the Thinkbox TV Planning Awards judges panel for this year’s awards which will be my first time in the judge’s seat. I’m excited to see what each agency has to bring!
What marks TV out as an excellent advertising medium?
TV has this amazing ability to inspire and move audiences just from their sofas. I think we all know of an ad that has bought a tear to our eyes or challenged our thoughts on a belief or attitude. The unbeatable mass reach we can deliver through TV is also a tool for inspiring change and challenging viewers. It can be bold, fierce or even simple - the creative options are unlimited - as long as you’re Ofcom-and-Clearcast-approved of course!
What’s the most exciting development in TV that people should keep an eye on?
I think in the years to come we are going to see an increase in SVOD (subscriber video on demand) services covering live TV events and that is going to become a popular advertising opportunity for brands. We’ve already seen this with the Premier League on Amazon Prime but Netflix has also signed a multi-year contract with the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) awards, giving it exclusive coverage of the event. This will definitely become a strong revenue stream and is a new branch of more premium and exclusive content.