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I cut my teeth in my media career on the paid media side of the media fence. It seemed that there was something inherently simple about the ability to pay to get placement in front of a brand's target audience.

I began my career at Digitas and then moved on to Morpheus Media. It was at Morpheus Media that I discovered that paid media was, in fact, an art; an art that, in the digital world, increasingly leveraged science. It was a this cross section of art and science that I found a new way to look at planning and buying media; and it was not simple at all. Creative media strategy became my M.O. and I preached the gospel of this ideology day in and day out.

As the world of paid digital media became more precise, and laser sharp targeting became the rule (as opposed to the exception), I began to notice something; many planners and buyers were becoming dependent on automated tools, and were fixated on creating consumer connections through science. The art seemed to be diminishing. While the science portion of targeting was compelling to me, I realized that the industry was beginning to weigh heavy on the side of science, and while I strongly believe (d) in the power of targeting--I felt that I needed to do my part in pushing the industry forward. I decided I would focus my time on the art of media+marketing. I would spend more time on something that was being lost in the science of media; emotion.

Fast forward to 2009.

I know stand with one foot weighted more heavily on the marketing/PR side of the fence. I listen as the PR 2.0 zealots preach the gospel of earned media, conversation and community. I have drunk the Kool-Aid and truly believe that 10 relationships are more important than 5 million impressions.

Do I believe there is no place for paid media? Absolutely not!

Do I feel that paid media is inherently less effective than earned media? Again a resounding, no.

I have begun to draft a construct that I feel represents the interplay between paid media and earned media. This construct is, by no means complete, but I wanted to get it started in order to get feedback. Do you see things in here that make sense to you? Do you feel you can build on this construct?

This diagram was meant as a conversation starter, now I want to hear from you.