ATL/BTL (above/below the line)
The old agency split between above-the-line media advertising (TV, print, radio, outdoor, bought for reach) and below-the-line activity (promotions, direct mail, PoS, paid on results or fees). The line was an accounting convention for how agencies got paid; in an integrated media world the distinction survives mainly as shorthand for broad brand media versus targeted activation.
Where it's used
Still used in agency and client vocabulary and in some budgets. Useful for working out what an older brief means. Most modern plans run through the line.
Example
A soft drink launch, split the old way
Illustrative scenarioAbove the line: a TV spot, national outdoor and radio, bought to reach everyone. Below the line: sampling in supermarkets, shelf displays, a coupon mailing. Today's digital work blurs it: a YouTube film acts above the line, a retargeting ad below it, and the same media team buys both.