Advertising

Purchasing Services Contact: Vicky Walker

I have tried to give you some of the many details that are involved in placing ads.  Up to the point of placing a Faculty position and/or AP position the procedure at Purdue has not changed.  The Faculty position ads have to go through the Affirmative Action office and if approved they will assign a AAO posting number.  The AP position ads are approved in Personnel to be sure the ad states the correct requirements of the job.  An “information or event ad” doesn’t need approval by AAO or Personnel.  This ad needs to state that Purdue University is an Equal Access/Equal Opportunity employer.  (EA/EO University)

Since the “Issues” concerning placing ads via Ariba have not been thoroughly researched and have not had all questions answered, publication vendors are not being entered as Ariba vendors at the West Lafayette campus.  The following are some of the main concerns.

1)       ATTACHMENTS:  Unless attachments are emailed with an Ariba DO order, most likely the attachments will not get matched up at the receiving end of the transaction.  Most publications like to receive ads via email or on line (Web).  When the vendor verification information is sent to a particular vendor a question is asked regarding order placement.  Some vendors will respond showing a particular email address that is a person’s address, not an order placement dedicated e-mail address that will be checked on a regular basis.

2)       DEADLINES:  Deadlines are a primary concern when placing position ads.  The publications work on a tight schedule and there isn’t room for error.  In Ariba, the order could have transmission problems that are not noticed immediately.  Also, if the ad is placed in Ariba and the vendor is non-Ariba, the vendor verification can take anywhere from 1 – 5 days to be entered into the system.

3)       INSERTION ORDERS AND AD PROOFS:   There are many publications that require a signed Insertion Order before the ad will be placed.  Depending on where that insertion order and proof is faxed will determine how long it will be before it will get approval and signature to okay submission.  The end user (Department) is responsible for this approval (in case there are errors).

4)       TYPES OF ADS:  The department must determine how they want the ad placed.  A display or column ad is priced at so much per column inch.  As an example, the cost of a 2 X 3 column inch display ad, priced at $110 per column is priced at approximately 2 x 3 x $110 = $660.  If the ad includes the use of artwork (logo) the cost will be more.  Usually the ad is faxed or emailed to a contact person and/or specific fax or address at the publication requesting a quotation.  It needs to be made clear that the ad is NOT to run until price is approved.  Note:  advertising in some publications can be very costly.  If the cost is more than your department is willing to pay, the contact will work with you to cut the size.  A line ad (the normal types of ads that just wrap) are priced differently.  An example, it could cost a flat fee of $195 plus $1.00 per word; or it could just be a flat fee; or it could be so much per word.  Each publication prices differently.  Some publications limit the size of the ad.  There are many variations of ad types.

5)       TEARSHEETS:  I always request tearsheets to be sent with the invoice to show proof the ad ran.  This is required by Affirmative Action when they do an audit of a department to be sure they are advertising in “minority” publications.  Whether the ad is paid by Procurement card or a Purchase Order is set up (ads over $5,000), a publication will send an invoice.  Sometimes payment information (mastercard) is done at this time.

I haven’t covered all aspects of advertising, but as you can see the above are concerns.  I will be glad to help you any way I can.  I am advising departments to use a credit card to place advertising.  If a Form 12 is sent to the Purchasing Department, regardless of the cost, at this time, the ad will be placed using a Purchasing Procurement card or a purchase order will be set up.