A couple of days ago, a colleague called me with something interesting.
She’d been digging into a media schedule and found that the buy was made through a third-party broker—most likely one of those “remnant agencies.”
If you’re not familiar with that term, here’s how it works:
Remnant agencies go to radio and TV stations and say, “Give me whatever ad space you have left over, at the lowest possible price.” Then they place your ads in super broad “rotators” like 6 a.m.–7 p.m. or 6 a.m.–midnight.
On paper, this can look like a bargain—tons of possible spots for a rock-bottom rate. But here’s the catch:
Why Remnant Buys Can Backfire
- No Control Over Placement
You don’t get to choose exactly when your ad runs—so your message might air at a time when your ideal customer isn’t listening. - Lower Priority in Oversold Markets
If a station oversells inventory, those “leftover” ads you bought may not run at all. And you won’t find that out until after the fact. - No Audience Targeting
Without research and strategic planning, you’re essentially hoping your audience might be tuned in, instead of ensuring they are. That’s taking a risk of flying blind. - Bad Fit for Seasonal Campaigns
If your selling window is short—think seasonal businesses, special events, or time-sensitive offers—you can’t afford to waste impressions on the wrong audience at the wrong time, or worse—your ads not running at all.
The Smarter Alternative
When we buy media, we take a very different approach. Every placement is:
- Based on audience research—we buy where your customers actually are, even down to the hour.
- Strategically scheduled—we choose exact dayparts and times that maximize attention.
- Optimized for your goals—whether that’s awareness, foot traffic, or sales, every dollar is planned with purpose.
It’s not the fastest or cheapest way to buy media—but it is the most effective. Because your campaign deserves more than “whatever’s left over.”
Bottom line: Remnant buying can make sense for filler campaigns without deadlines. But if your business lives and dies by peak seasons or timely promotions, “cheap” can become very expensive.