Media Buying
Looking for a media buyer in NZ?
Most searches for "media buyer" land on an agency's pitch page. I've been a media buyer. I've also been the person paying one. Here's what that taught me.
What a media buyer actually does
A media buyer negotiates and places your advertising across TV, radio, digital, outdoor and print. They hold the relationships with media owners, get you rate cards, and manage the bookings.
A media strategist sits one step earlier. They work out which channels your audience actually uses, what the right spend split looks like, and how buying decisions should serve your business goals, not just fill a schedule.
In most NZ agencies, one team does both. That's normal. What matters is who they're negotiating for.
The part most media buyers won't tell you
Media buyers in New Zealand typically work for agencies that receive volume rebates from media owners: payments based on how much media the agency buys across its whole client roster, not on how well any single campaign performs.
This is documented industry practice. It means a media buyer's recommendation and their agency's most profitable placement aren't always the same thing. You're rarely told which one you got.
What I do instead
I buy media the same way any experienced buyer does: rate negotiation, channel placement, campaign management. The difference is structural. Super Media has no volume rebates, no platform partnerships, and no financial relationship with any media owner. Every placement is chosen because it's right for your audience, not because it pays better on the back end.
You get the buying expertise without the conflict sitting underneath it.
Start here
Do you need a buyer, a strategist, or both?
Most NZ advertisers assume they need a full agency relationship. Often what they actually need first is an independent read on whether their current buying is working. A free Superscan tells you where your spend is going, what it's delivering, and whether your current buyer or strategist has got the mix right, before you commit to anything new.
Run Superscan free →Media buyer and media strategist — common questions
What's the difference between a media buyer and a media strategist?
A strategist decides which channels and how much budget each should get, based on your audience and business goals. A buyer executes that plan by negotiating rates and placing the bookings. Super Media does both, independently, without the rebate relationships that shape most agency buying.
How much does a media buyer cost in NZ?
Agencies typically charge a commission or fee based on your media spend, often 10 to 15 percent, on top of whatever rebates they collect from media owners. Super Media works on a flat, transparent fee with no rebate income, so the investment reflects the work, not a percentage of your budget.
Do I need a media strategist if I already have a media buyer?
If your buyer is also setting your channel strategy, it's worth asking who's checking that strategy against independent data. Most NZ businesses have never had their channel mix benchmarked by someone outside the agency doing the buying.
Can Super Media just do the buying, not the full strategy?
Yes. Programmatic buying and full-service buying are both available on their own, or alongside a strategy engagement.
Talk to an independent media buyer with no agenda
30 minutes. No obligation. Find out what independent media buying could do for your business.