Above the line

We built a series of partnerships with the major players from all media channels – print, outdoor, indooor, radio, TV – and we constantly grow our online media expertise. We are delivering not only standard banners display or performance campaigns but also special online projects, depending on the objectives set.

Above the line (ATL) in organizational business and marketing communications, are advertising techniques, or different strategies companies use to sell their products.

In a nutshell, while ATL communications use media that are broadcast and published to mass audiences. ATL promotions are also difficult to measure well, giving marketers valuable insights into their return on investment. These insights can then be used to inform to the audience and tailor the messaging based on the feedback received.

As mentioned above, the line was born out of an accounting definition in terms of above the line (capital expenditure) or below the line (current expenditure). Colloquially, ATL means mass media. However the media landscape has shifted so dramatically that advertisers have reconsidered their definition of mass media.

For some marketers the “line” divides the realm of “Awareness or Attention focused marketing” and that of “Interest + Desire focused marketing”. Since audience numbers in the Interest and Desire phase of the AIDA sales model narrow down to a fraction of the Awareness audience, the line could be drawn right below the awareness set of activities.

It could also be argued this is a reverse definition, i.e. the Line came before the above definition did. The Line more likely refers to the profit line of the agency, with above the line activities being more profitable (or at least profitable) for advertising agencies, and below the line activities of little value to agencies since they didn’t involve large budgets and hefty kickbacks from media buying houses.