TiVo Promotes Ads It Hopes You’ll Talk to, Not Zap

When I found this article on TVNewsday, I knew I had to post it. This might be my favorite article to post this year because it is such a relevant topic to the class. TiVo is working on interactive ads that show up even when you are zapping through commercials. Even though you still have to click to follow them, is this too intrusive? And might this be a productive way to defend the power of DVRs?



By STEPHANIE CLIFFORD
Published: April 22, 2009

The company that attacked television advertising is trying to resuscitate it.
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A TiVo interactive ad. In this one for the Disneynature film “Earth,” a viewer must click to get more information.

TiVo, which allows viewers to digitally record programs and fast-forward through ads, is trying to sell ad spaces on its screens.

It is in a footrace with other companies, including Cablevision, Cox Communications and DirecTV, to offer interactive alternatives to the zapped-through television spots. The ads are called interactive because they ask the viewer to do something — enter in a new channel number, press a button on the remote — to get more information.

“In the last 18 months, the momentum has just lifted,” said Jacqueline Corbelli, the chief executive of BrightLine iTV, which designs interactive ads. “It’s started to become a staple of very large advertisers.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/23/business/media/23adco.html?_r=1

Is Brand Google in Trouble?

One of the many interesting things I took out of our Guld text was the idea of equity position in a particular market. A brand that holds equity position in a market is the brand that first comes to mind when in need of a product or service. I’m sure we are all familiar with this notion (e.g think “fastfood”=Micky Dee’s; think “bleach”=Clorox; think “furniture”=Ikea)
I’m sure we can all agree that google has global equity position in the search engine market. I think we can liken this to the struggles of any other (local) brand, especially one of equity position in a particular market just on a much smaller scale.
The article talks about the threats the company is facing and the different directions it is being pressured by industry advisors to take.
There are two things I saw that was very interesting:-the idea of a consumer brand versus industry brand. What are the differences? Please expatiate on this as much as you can in your responses.
Also what do you think about Microsoft’s launch this summer? How do you think the competition between the two elephants will fare (in the early, mid, and later stages)?


Here’s the full article:- http://adage.com/digital/article?article_id=136093


Is Brand Google in Trouble?
Media, Rivals Aim to Stir It up for Search Giant, but to Consumers It's Still a Beloved Brand
by Michael Learmonth and Abbey Klaassen Published: April 20, 2009
NEW YORK (AdAge.com) -- A little internal test at the Mountain View, Calif., search giant goes like this: You take Google search results, slap them on a Yahoo search page and ask users which results they like better. Inevitably, Google wins -- even though they're the same results. Such is the power of the Google brand, arguably the company's most important asset.
But after a decade of near-universal love, Google is facing its toughest test. It's still got a great product and a good story but it's big enough that competitors are slinging arrows from all directions. And while it's cultivated a fun, easy and helpful brand persona, its culture is highly data-driven and insular. It's a combination that helped it win Round 1 of the search war, but may make managing Brand Google a whole lot tougher going forward

We've talked about the upfront presentations...for broadcast networks and cable programming services. Here's ABC's response to cable channels pitching their services as better ad values to traditional broadcast networks. (Keep in mind, Disney/ABC owns numerous cable channels.) Here's a network guy defending his turf against cable. Note the stats he cites, illustrating ABC's comparative advantage over cable, refer to channels like TNT and TBS--both general appeal channels, similar to a broadcast network and both owned by TimeWarner. There's nothing in the article about the various ESPN channels or ABC Family or Disney Channel.

Here's the full link:

http://www.tvweek.com/news/2009/04/abcs_upfront_fightin_words.php

TV Week, April 19, 2009 8:00 PM

ABC’s Upfront Fightin’ Words

In Cable vs. Broadcast, Mike Shaw at ABC Likes His Chances

By Jon Lafayette

Broadcast is firing back at cable networks that are trying to take a bigger slice of the upfront advertising pie.

Reacting to bold statements from cable executives that advertisers are overpaying when they buy commercials on the broadcast networks—and buyers who predict that money will move away from broadcasters—Mike Shaw, president of ad sales and marketing at ABC, felt the need to state his case.

“It’s no more cable’s year than it was last year,” Mr. Shaw said bluntly. “I’m having a hard time seeing how I’m going to lose money in this marketplace.”

Given the struggling economy, advertisers need to ensure their marketing dollars are working as hard as they can, Mr. Shaw said.

Study Shows TV’s Impact on Consumer Purchasing Behavior

This article explained a study that was conducted to find out how television affects consumer behavior. This ranged from awareness to actually purchasing the product. The results showed that television has the most influence on a consumer's awareness but when it comes to a consumer's purchase, it depends on the category of the product. I think that seems accurate because it is common for people to see products on television for the first time and may become interested in them. However, when it comes to actually purchasing the product there probably won't be as many doing so compared to just becoming aware or interested in the product. The study was very interesting to read since it was just done recently and the percentages were closer than what I expected.

April 15, 2009 7:00 AM
By Jon Lafayette

With the upfronts just around the corner and the economy in need of stimulation, a new study by the Television Bureau of Advertising offers insights into how advertising affects consumers as they make their way toward purchase decisions.

The report, called “How Media Works: Advertising and the Purchase Funnel,” was conducted by Yankelovich for the TVB to determine the role TV plays as part of a multiplatform environment for advertising.

At a time when economic conditions make it more important than ever to maximize their advertising expenditures to get consumers to purchase their goods, the study examines the role of television advertising in driving consumer actions throughout the purchase decision process; how television interacts with other media platforms and how purchase decisions are made as a result of interactions with media.

http://www.tvweek.com/news/2009/04/study_shows_tvs_impact_on_cons.php

How Web Sparked Obama Win

This article really helped me realize just how much the internet is really affecting our everyday lives. It talks about how because Obama's presidential campaign focused a lot on the reaching people through the internet he was able to attract more voters. Viral videos and blogs were huge in this campaign. I think this article shows just how advertising on the web is becoming the new "in" way to advertise. People are constantly using the internet and it is a great way to bombard them with your product or service. I think it will be interesting to see how advertising is going to change in the future.

How Web Sparked Obama Win
The Obama team's Web savvy made all the difference.

NEW YORK - A Pew survey released late yesterday showed that more than half of all adults in the U.S. used the Web during the 2008 race for the White House for "political purposes," from checking for news to sharing videos or Facebook postings. It also revealed that Obama's backers used the Web far more extensively than McCain's supporters, for everything from planning meetings to donating money.

These are not exactly shocking facts and they do not really do justice to the full impact of the Web in Obama's victory last year.

When the nearly two-year presidential race ended on Nov. 4, 2008, the solid win for Obama no longer seemed a surprise. Going back one year, however -- and finding Hillary Clinton labeled the clear front-runner -- puts the Obama victory in perspective. Joe Scarborough wasn't the only pundit back then to pat Obama on the head for a nice effort and tell him to prepare to get ground up and "spit out" by the unstoppable double-Clinton machine. Instead, Obama, with the help of an unprecedented grassroots funding and organizing effort, battled that machine to a standstill, then knocked out McCain a few months later.

How did that happen? The Democratic insurgent made few poor moves, remained calm while avoiding, or wiping off, the mud thrown at him, and continually surprised the pundits, who overestimated both Clinton and McCain (and Sarah Palin) past the point that most voters abandoned them.

Then there was the Web.

A major party's nomination of an African-American for president, and the Republicans' first selection of a female candidate for vice president, were not the only historic aspects of the 2008 election campaign in the United States. This was also the first national campaign profoundly shaped -- even, at times, dominated -- by the new media, from viral videos and blog rumors that went "mainstream" to startling online fundraising techniques. You might call it Campaign 2.008.

http://www.adweek.com/aw/content_display/news/agency/e3ief6bd78f4bc262dbb38e4349eecd332b?pn=1

It's all about inventory... As we've talked about, local news builds a station's community identity and it gives the station 100% of the available commercial inventory for sale to advertisers. Here's an article from Bloomberg.com with confirmation and further explanation.

Of course, in a media saturated world, how many newscasts can a market support? Especially as we see viewers/consumers access news online and through mobile devices. There's added pressure for stations to build their websites. If they don't do this, someone else will.

Click the link for the full read.
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601109&sid=aPY4sRZ7ygCQ&refer=home#


U.S. TV Stations Attract More Viewers With News Than ‘Seinfeld’

By Andy Fixmer

April 16 (Bloomberg) -- Instead of paying for reruns of “Seinfeld” at 11 p.m. and “Access Hollywood” at 4:30 a.m., News Corp.’s WJBK-TV in Detroit decided to air more local news.

Since making the changes last year, the Fox station’s late- night news is attracting 65 percent more viewers ages 18 to 49, those most sought by marketers, according to Nielsen Co. data. The morning newscast is up 33 percent.

CBS wins Friday on a night of originals

Hey guys...this is a real short article but I always find it interesting to see how the networks stack up against one another. It usually doesn't match up to what I would expect, so I like to see what's out there!

Network averages a 2.2 rating in adults 18-49

By Abigail Azote
Apr 13, 2009

A night of original programming delivered a win for CBS on Friday among viewers 18-49, according to Nielsen overnights. CBS wrapped the night with a 2.2 average overnight rating and 7 share.

http://www.medialifemagazine.com/artman2/publish/Overnights_50/CBS_wins_Friday_on_a_night_of_originals.asp

An Ad Costs How Much??

The prices for Super Bowl ads always appear in news copy and this sometimes creates a false impression about ad prices. Forbes reports that ad pricing depends not only on the size of the audience but also the kinds of eyeballs who are watching the show. (Consider the audience for Hereos on NBC. The show's audience is now 2 million viewers smaller--it's in 59th place among viewers--for advertisers, the show attracts some of the right viewers and still generates some of the most expensive advertising rates.

Read all about it below:

http://www.forbes.com/2009/04/08/television-advertising-american-idol-business-media-tv-moneymakers.html

or http://notlong.com/stats/?nickname=forbes-ad-prices&password=zdt-vrkg

Television Advertising

TV's Biggest Moneymakers

Lacey Rose, 04.08.09

From American Idol to Grey's Anatomy, a look at the 15 most expensive ad buys in prime time.

In Pictures: TV's Biggest Moneymakers

This time last year, CBS' The Mentalist seemed like just another crime drama in the pipeline. Without A-list talent or a franchise supporting it, advertisers saw little reason to shell out for the show. In fact, a 30-second spot on the freshman series commanded a hardly-impressive $107,000, on average, this season.

Twelve months and 16 million weekly viewers later, high-performing newcomers like The Mentalist--a top-five show in its first year--are poised to see their price tags soar. At the same time, reliable holdovers like News Corp. ( NWS - news - people )-owned Fox's American Idol will continue to fetch top dollar, while waning favorites like Walt Disney ( DIS - news - people )-owned ABC's Ugly Betty will likely take a hit.

NYT Threatens to Shutter Boston Globe

Hey class, I'm lead blogger for the week and I found this article from TV Newsday about the Boston Globe being threatened to shut down. The title of the article shocked me because when I think of big time newspapers, I think of the Boston Globe. Many think that it is just a strategy from the New York Times Co. to help cover some of the $1.1 billion of debt that they have racked up (much in part to the Globe). However, regardless of the outcome, it definitely sends a shock that the newspaper industry could be heading in a bad direction (well isn't all business at this point?) with one of the premiere newspapers in jeopardy. I'm also waiting to hear about any backlash from the people of Boston.

Here's the link: http://www.tvnewsday.com/articles/2009/04/05/daily.1/


Associated Press, Apr 5 2009, 6:44 PM ET

NEW YORK (AP) — When it bought the Boston Globe for a record $1.1 billion in 1993, the New York Times Co. added one of the nation's most acclaimed and profitable newspapers to its empire.

But analysts say the 137-year-old Globe has been a money-loser in recent years, and the Times, now $1.1 billion in debt, is threatening to shut down Boston's pre-eminent paper unless it gets $20 million in union concessions.

WHDH-TV snubs Leno as 10 p.m. program

As we start to talk about Local TV, I came across an article of an estranged affiliate-network relationship. WHDH-TV, the NBC affiliate in Boston, plans to preempt Jay Leno's upcoming news talk program with local news. Jay Leno's program is scheduled to air at 10 pm (9 Central), the same time that an hour local news show is being planned for WHDH. The NBC network is not happy and could ultimately remove WHDH's affiliation. WHDH's station manager cites higher potential ratings as reasons to preempt Jay Leno. However, NBC views their relationship with WHDH as contractual, and seems pretty determined to not let a rebel affiliate in a major market affect them. I think WHDH is making a name for them self, which may ultimately increase ratings. However, its hard to see WHDH coming out ahead and their rating could easily decline in the fall.

The link to the Boston Globe article of WHDH's plans:
http://www.boston.com/ae/tv/articles/2009/04/03/whdh_tv_snubs_leno_as_10_pm_program/

An article of NBC's reaction to WHDH:
http://www.thrfeed.com/2009/04/nbc-leno-will-air-in-boston-one-way-or-another.html

Disney/ABC CEO Robert Iger was the keynote speaker at the annual Cable TV Show--the cable industry's verion of NAB and NATPE. Part of the article is shown below but perhaps the most interesting sentence is this: "Iger said he was open to the Anywhere, Anytime Any device concept of making content available over multiple devices, including the computer, but said that authentication was key to the strategy." As I interpret this, this device could be a television set or a computer or a smart phone...and if it's anytime, anywhere it probably won't require a local broadcaster to distribute the signal.

http://www.multichannel.com/article/191166-Cable_Show_2009_Iger_To_Cable_Show_Me_The_Online_Model.php

Cable Show 2009: Iger To Cable: Show Me The Online Model

Disney CEO Says 'TV Everywhere' Subscription Model "Difficult to Embrace"

Mike Farrell -- Multichannel News, 4/2/2009 10:09:34 AM MT

Washington — Walt Disney Co. CEO Robert Iger told the cable industry in a roundabout way Thursday that it must find an online model that works sufficiently for both programmers and distributors, appearing to dismiss a subscription model proposal, TV Everywhere," made earlier this year by Time Warner chairman and CEO Jeff Bewkes.

In his keynote speech at Cable Show '09 open general session here Thursday, Iger praised the cable industry, but also warned that nitpicking on the issue of online video could be devastating for the industry.

"Let me state the obvious: Cable television is vitally important to our company, Iger said. "It provides us with a crucial connection with consumers. And it is a critical creative engine that drives value across a number of our businesses and across markets and territories around the world."

But he added that the prevalence of online video cannot be ignored.