A/W

In the context of media planning , A/W stands for Alternate Weeks . It's a scheduling strategy that involves scheduling ads (TV/radio spots, print ads, digital releases) non-continuously, alternating between a week of presence (ON) and a week of absence (OFF).

What is it for / why is it important

This technique is primarily used to optimize limited budgets over medium- to long-term campaign periods. It allows brands to "extend" their market presence, sacrificing continuity (daily visibility) for durability (visibility spread across multiple months). The goal is to balance frequency and coverage over time, preventing the investment from drying up too quickly.

When to use it / in what context is it useful

It's used by media planners when the goal isn't an aggressive "launch," but rather to maintain brand awareness or serve as a reminder for already-known products or services. It's the opposite of Continuity (always-on) or Flighting (large blocks of presence alternating with large blocks of pause) planning.

Practical example

A home improvement company has a budget for a 12-week TV campaign. Instead of scheduling a small number of spots (e.g., 10 GRPs) each week for 12 weeks (risking being "invisible"), it could choose an A/W strategy: schedule 20 GRPs in week 1, 0 in week 2, 20 in week 3, and so on. This way, the "ON" weeks have a greater impact, and the campaign still covers the entire quarter.