A day in the life of a media planner: Mediahub

Feature

Media planning can feel like an elusive practice to those outside of agencies, so The Media Leader wanted to get a peek at what a standard day looks like. Here is what Mediahub’s Pranjali Gaonkar daily diary looks like.

I’m Pranjali Gaonkar, I joined Mediahub as a Media Executive in July 2023, working on our Value Retail and Celebrity Cruises accounts. I’m responsible for managing creative media briefs and collaborating with media partners to deliver effective, results-driven campaigns.

I’ve loved building strong expertise in campaign management while developing my skills within a fast-paced, client-focused environment. I enjoy the mix of strategy, creativity, and collaboration that comes with the role, and I’m always looking for ways to add value and grow both personally and professionally.

This month has been a milestone as I’ve been promoted from media executive to media planner buyer, marking my first career promotion. This means a great deal to me, as it reflects both my own growth and the incredible support I’ve received from my team and mentors along the way.

Good morning

8:45am: I’m in early to take advantage of our delicious and free agency breakfast!

My morning ritual is reviewing Teams and emails, then straight into Asana to track and traffic campaigns with our media partners. I also take a few minutes to jot down my priorities for the day, a small habit that makes a big difference. It’s a habit that keeps me organised and makes sure the team can count on me to keep things moving.

9:00am: We always start the day with a 15-minute team check-in to share updates and align on priorities across the account.

I get satisfaction from seeing how my own work connects to the bigger picture, whether that’s tracking results or identifying where I can add value.

Every Tuesday we have the Bicester Village client call, where I provide updates on project status, highlight key developments, and outline next steps. During the call, I also capture feedback for follow-up, and ensure alignment on priorities and deliverables.

10:00am: Mondays are reporting-heavy as we review campaign performance. The rest of the week opens up more time for creative tasks and campaign planning.

I enjoy having that mix. It keeps the work varied and gives me space to think both strategically and creatively.

As a team, we regularly explore new opportunities to enhance our campaign planning. Recently, we met with Rakuten to review their offerings, and what stood out were the interactive QR code formats for immediate engagement and the screensaver ad format. We are continuing discussions and conducting QA with Rakuten to determine whether these options align with our strategy and target audience.

11:30am: Mid-morning often includes a catch-up with my manager or time to check in on longer-term goals.

These conversations have felt especially meaningful recently, as I was promoted. Sharing this news with my parents back in India was a proud moment, and their excitement has made me even more motivated to take on new challenges.

Good afternoon

12:00pm: We also get free lunches, and I sit in the canteen with colleagues to recharge. Occasionally we enjoy lunches with media partners; this is an opportunity to build your connection with people outside the company.

1:00pm: After lunch, I make myself a peppermint tea, a small ritual, but one that helps me settle back into work mode and ease into the afternoon.

1:30pm: I set aside dedicated time for learning. I use internal resources like Flite training, and more recently I’ve been focusing on CLM courses that tie in with my role.

It’s important to invest in my own growth and I appreciate Mediahub’s focus on this. We also get to attend media events which are always informative and offer the chance to expand our expertise and network.

2:30pm: Some days I’m deep in campaign planning, other days I’m working on creative tasks or training local market teams on our new tools, for example, Next Best Decisioning.

I try to make a point of stepping away from my desk for a quick walk; even five minutes helps me come back with fresh energy.

4:30pm: Thursdays often end on a social note. Whether it’s drinks in the office or something fun like a sip-and-paint event, it’s a great way to connect with my colleagues outside of project work.

5:00pm: Before finishing up, I do a final check of Teams and emails to tie up anything urgent. I also take a few minutes to plan my priorities for the next day.

Pranjali Gaonkar is media planner buyer at IPG Mediabrands agency Mediahub.