Take the case of the most coveted space in the metropolis...the EDSA Guadalupe billboard at the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Manila. Site was booked by UniversalMcCann for and in behalf of client, The Coca-Cola Export Corporation. Contract began on February 16, 2008. By March 16, 2008, UniversalMcCann should have renewed this site with the site owners. Right of first refusal belonged to UniversalMcCann and not to TCEC.
Easier said than done.
The problem was that the renewal was overtaken by the recent change of hands in media agency of record status for client, TCEC. This happened on March 8, 2008 when Starcom was announced as the winner to a three way pitch to handle the popular beverage company's account. Still, despite Coke material being posted on the Guadalupe site, the booking was and is, by virtue of the binding documents, a UniversalMcCann-and-site supplier deal.
As such, if UM renewed the site on March 16, 2008, the media agency would maintain the right to post any of its clients' material after Coke ends its tenure on May 17, 2008. So, to be more specific, UM could post Globe, or Levi's, or Johnson & Johnson.
Why did I write this post? I guess the main reason for doing so is only to point out that as an out-of-home media planner, one should not just be adept in understanding the medium. One should also understand the technicalities of contracts that serve as the basis for executing the media placements. At quick glance, media planning and lawyering are two professions which are worlds apart. Uniquely though, in out-of-home media, the seemingly separate interests converge and bear great synergy.
This case of the Guadalupe billboard is just a perfect example.
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