Archive for the ‘drtv’ Category

Is Television Still Relevant?

Tuesday, November 3rd, 2009

As movies, TV shows, the news, and homemade videos continue to stream free and often commercial-free online, the idea that television is on the way out has occurred to more than a few marketers.

This attitude is reinforced by the recent innovations in social media, which have often been far more effective in conversion dollar for dollar than TV ads.

Yes, there is hope for TV
However, there’s still hope for television, and there’s reason to believe it’ll hold out for quite awhile longer. For one thing, there’s the community factor. There are certain TV shows that people watch as events, such as sporting events or American Idol.

People enjoy being a part of the group, and they don’t want to miss it and watch later. They want to see it now, along with all the other fans.

The problem television is facing is the ability to adapt to the needs of people who do want to watch later. Instead of having those people look up those videos on DVD, some companies are looking to options online for capturing those audiences and keeping TV relevant, like the streaming-video site Hulu, which features full-length shows, movies and – most significantly for television producers – ads.

Television will stick around as long as we feel the need for community, which is probably forever. The question is how it will shape and change around the other new innovations that crop up.

Ads Hide Within iPhone Applications

Tuesday, September 29th, 2009

The iPhone is undeniably a status symbol, but it may also be a marketer’s dream. Several major companies including Burger King Holdings Inc. and Lions Gate Entertainment Corp. are using the iPhone to promote their products.

One of the most innovative ways these companies are using the iPhone is through the purchasable and optional applications available for the device. Instead of standard mobile advertising, which can involve a banner ad on the regular screen or a tagline following a text message, companies are now crafting ads that can be disguised as applications.

Users can play games or manipulate images on the iPhone, and the applications can be very popular. If the application is also completely saturated with a company’s advertising, they reach their consumer.

The big challenge? Creating an application that’s compelling enough to stand out among thousands of others. If consumers can get the same game without advertising, they will. It means that companies may be investing some of their marketing budget into figuring out ways to entertain their customers as well as entice them

Internet TV Front and Center

Sunday, May 17th, 2009

Most media buyers will tell you that online video is the advertising medium to watch this year.

eMarketer expects web video advertising spending will increase 45 percent to $850 million in 2009, a year when other media are expected to decrease in value.

How many are really watching? According to Rob Norman, CEO of GroupM Interaction Worldwide, “The big issues are who’s watching video online, and who’s making it.”

He goes on to say: “And who’s making the best sense of it from the seller’s side and the people who are owning the inventory and the advertising side. Online video has become a significant distribution for the consumption of regular TV programming, but it’s not yet been replaced by an effective advertising model.”

Big media changes are coming. Sites like Hulu that carry full-length T.V. shows and movies are growing more popular in revenue and viewership. But Hulu is only a small portion of the total online video viewing. YouTube still carries around 40 percent of videos viewed on the web.

“The upcoming upfront will be a witching hour and no one knows yet what the real impact of corporate behavior is going to be,” added Norman.

Syndie Advertising Sales: How They Stay Strong

Thursday, April 23rd, 2009

Syndication ad sales is one sector doing very well in the advertising market because sponsors are able to represent categories that consumers find necessary despite the struggling economy.

The argument for free Wi-Fi
“I can’t speak for everybody, but we’re less dependent on the industries that are having the most trouble,” said Howard Levy, executive VP of Disney ABC Domestic Television.

“No matter what happens in the economy, people, if they have [high] cholesterol, they’re still going to take a cholesterol drug. And they still have to wash their floors.” Levy added, “I’m not saying that I’m not totally protected in a soft economy, but we’ve been less impacted than maybe some others.”

Why syndicated works
Syndicated programming is attractive to media buyers and their clients for a variety of reasons. One reason emerged from last year’s Writer’s Guild of America strike better than other television programming.

Syndicated television programs usually have shorter commercial spots, so they may be less affected by DVR recording than broadcast programs. But so far in 2009, daytime syndicated shows have been showing signs of struggle in the ratings department.

Is the Economy Affecting Big Ticket Sports Drtv Ads Sales?

Saturday, March 28th, 2009

Big-ticket sports have long been considered a recession-proof medium, but the economic downturn is having a negative affect on the TV sports marketplace.

The vulnerability of this marketing sector became clear as fourth quarter ad sales were down 15 percent according to several drtv media buyers and network executives. Long-term sponsorship packages have long been like a safety net, practically guaranteeing financial stability.

But as the market becomes more fragmented, the TV market seems to be shutting down.

Industry changes
Financial services and domestic auto have practically fallen to the wayside, although foreign auto has picked some of the domestic auto slack. Hyundai has remained quite active, buying time on a variety of sports. Two good examples of this are TNT’s Thursday Night NBA showcase and ESPN’s college and pro football properties.

Even though profits from the banking and credit card industries are dwindling fast, the insurance sector is still pulling its weight with companies like Geico, Nationwide and Progressive still going strong.

Super Bowl ad spots
The fact is, big sports drtv ad sales is no longer a seller’s market.

Even spots available during the National Football League games are affected by the troubled economy and going for discounted rates. NBC recently admitted that there are still eight Super Bowl spots still available. Currently returning sponsors from last year are Anheuser-Busch, Hyundai, Coca-Cola and Pepsi-Cola. General Motors has pulled back as a result of the current auto industry crisis.

Using Infomercials to Launch Your Product or Service

Sunday, October 5th, 2008

If you have a product or service that you want others to know about, consider using infomercials as a way to educate consumers and convince them to purchase from you.

An experienced infomercial consultant can make sure your campaign is profitable… Someone who is experienced in the world of infomercials can guide you throughout the process of launching a successful infomercial campaign. This infomercial expert will advise you about which local and national networks and time slots will reach more of your target audience to ensure that your infomercial campaign is profitable.

For instance, your consultant might suggest a mix of local broadcast stations with national cable and satellite networks to ensure that your audience has an opportunity to learn all about your product or service.

An experienced infomercial consultant should understand your product or service and have some prior experience consulting others with similar products or services. For example, if you are selling a cleaning product, your consultant should have a successful track record with similar products in that “space.”

Keep your eyes on the competition… A seasoned infomercial consultant should research your competition and their infomercials to find out what channels and time slots they use. This knowledge can help you develop a strategy that works best for your campaign.

Of course, an infomercial consultant with strong negotiating skills is essential. Your consultant should be able to secure the best time slots to help you reach the most consumers for the best rates possible.

Internet Advertising Makes Way for the Mobile Market

Friday, September 5th, 2008

Advertisers looking to reach their target consumers are finding it necessary to diversify their marketing strategy beyond television advertising.

Getting to the right audience in a timely and valuable (in the audience’s eyes) way is more important than ever. Consumer expectations as far as the information they want and need are higher than ever—thanks to the Internet.

Advertisers can no longer rely on one means of advertising, such as television advertising, to effectively reach their target audience. They are also using and reaping the benefits of blogs, link exchanges and search engine advertising methods (among others). These promotional techniques work well when mixed with television advertising and other direct campaigns.

More than one at once. Most people are accustomed to receiving their information simultaneously from at least two different sources, including the Internet, and mobile technology makes this even easier.

Go mobile. Consumers are relying more and more on mobile networks and mobile technology to connect to the Internet while on the go.

Google, for one, is positioning itself as a leader in mobile advertising. “Over time, we will make more money from mobile advertising,” said Eric Schmidt, the CEO of the search giant, who added that that mobile advertising could soon overshadow the PC market in terms of reach and prevalence.

Advertising Dollars to Reach the Female Demographic pt 1

Tuesday, May 13th, 2008

The facts are amazing: Even though women still earn less money than their male counterparts (78 cents for every dollar a man gets), women make more than 80 percent of the buying decision in all homes. No wonder infomercial advertisers strive to capture the attention of females. But what complicates matters for marketers is how women shop. Unlike men, women research items more extensively and are less likely to be influenced by ads. This means marketers need to fine-tune their advertising messages and be seen in marketing venues that women deem credible.

Today, companies are paying more attention to the style and form of their products in an effort to appeal to women, and marketers are shifting away from only running television ads in favor of promotional efforts in venues women trust, such as reviews in women’s magazines and spots on TV shows like Oprah and Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.

Such activities prove that marketing today is getting more fragmented. What used to work in the past won’t necessarily work today. So in order to have your product or service reach the female market-even if it’s not a female-oriented product-you need to view marketing a bit differently than you did a few years ago.

A recent article in Advertising Age magazine details how women spend their leisure time. In it, columnist Mike Vorhaus asked women of all ages to identify from a list of activities their favorite leisure activity. What he found in the female category impacts all drtv advertisers who have a product that targets women-or who simply want to get a piece of the buying power that women possess.

Status Check: Online Political Advertising

Wednesday, March 12th, 2008

Tracking the use of online campaigning by this year’s presidential candidates is seemingly a loss cause. The prevalence of social networking, viral video and blogs makes it nearly impossible to gauge, until later and perhaps after-the-fact, the impact the Internet has had (or will have) on this year’s election.

(Even four years ago, would anyone have known or even imagined a CNN presidential debate in which Facebook or You Tube figured so prominently?)

A recent report by ClickZ.com says that the use of measurable online campaign methods, such as paid display advertising, is on the rise. Since about January 2007, presidential candidates have been using the Internet and Internet ad space as means of reaching out to potential voters.

The amount of campaign dollars put towards the online effort is still low in comparison to traditional efforts such as broadcast advertising and television ads.

Despite WGA (Writers Guild of America)Strike, Networks Still Come Out Ahead

Monday, February 18th, 2008

According to a recent article in the Hollywood Reporter, the Writers Guild of America strike isn’t harshly affecting TV and the networks.

Instead, the article reports that television advertisers are sticking to their guns and standing by the networks. In fact, while most advertisers had the option to back out of up to 50% of their upfront purchase in late January, few actually acted on that option.

The WGA website also claims that even if advertisers and media buyers requested their money back, it wouldn’t be a significant issue for these TV networks. In the article, MPG Senior VP Group Account Director Jason Janefsky, is quoted as saying, “The networks don’t care if advertisers exercise options or take money back. They can spin the inventory for a higher unit cost.” In other words, no skin off the networks’ backs.

Additionally, the networks are saving, from a financial standpoint, on all those cancelled writers contracts, along with the elimination of its non-writing staff. Despite the writers strike, now in its third month, the networks continue to move forward with a positive outlook and healthy hopes for the future.