DailyFinance http://www.dailyfinance.com DailyFinance http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://www.dailyfinance.com/media/feedlogo.gif DailyFinance http://www.dailyfinance.com en-us Copyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/Retailers start holiday ads early, bet on frugal shoppershttp://www.dailyfinance.com/2009/11/18/advertise-early-advertise-often-retailers-bet-holidays-on-ad-g/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2009/11/18/advertise-early-advertise-often-retailers-bet-holidays-on-ad-g/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2009/11/18/advertise-early-advertise-often-retailers-bet-holidays-on-ad-g/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Does it seem like the holidays arrived early this year? Maybe you noticed Costco (COST) stocking up on wrapping paper in September, or holiday television ads blaring during the weeks leading up to Halloween. Well, it's not your imagination, according to TNS Media Intelligence. Retailers this year started their national television holiday ad campaigns as much as four weeks before the traditional start of the holiday season, the media researcher says.

"Typically, retailer advertising is concentrated in the eight weeks before Christmas," said Jon Swallen, senior vice president of research at TNS. "What we saw was a backing up of the calendar by a full four weeks."

Continue reading Retailers start holiday ads early, bet on frugal shoppers

Retailers start holiday ads early, bet on frugal shoppers originally appeared on DailyFinance on Wed, 18 Nov 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>advertisementadvertisingamazonamazon.comddbholidayholiday shoppingHolidayShoppingretailretail salesRetailSalestelevision advertisingTelevisionAdvertisingTNS MEDIA INTELLIGENCETnsMediaIntelligencewalmartYellow TailYellowTailAimee PicchiWed, 18 Nov 2009 13:00:00 ESTParis Hilton's vacant? Billboard industry seeks new ways to fill empty spacehttp://www.dailyfinance.com/2009/11/12/paris-hiltons-vacant-billboard-industry-seeks-new-ways-to-fill/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2009/11/12/paris-hiltons-vacant-billboard-industry-seeks-new-ways-to-fill/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2009/11/12/paris-hiltons-vacant-billboard-industry-seeks-new-ways-to-fill/#commentsFiled under: ,

When advertisers slash spending, ad-dependent newspaper companies cut costs by reducing the number of pages they print. Billboard owners aren't as lucky. They're stuck with the unsold ad space. During past recessions, that space would stand empty, aside from bleak black type declaring "Available." But, in this recession, billboard companies are getting much more creative.

New Zealand-based billboard company, Media5, is getting plenty of press for this billboard in Auckland, which features a photo of Paris Hilton with the word "Vacant" emblazoned below her mug. Funny -- unless you're either Hilton or one of the country's hurting billboard companies. In fact, Hilton thinks its so unfunny that she is now threatening legal action.

Continue reading Paris Hilton's vacant? Billboard industry seeks new ways to fill empty space

Paris Hilton's vacant? Billboard industry seeks new ways to fill empty space originally appeared on DailyFinance on Thu, 12 Nov 2009 15:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>ad councilAdCouncilbillboardsCBScbs outdoorCbsOutdoorClear ChannelClearChannelnew zealandNewZealandoutdoor advertisingoutdoor advertising stocksOutdoorAdvertisingOutdoorAdvertisingStocksparis hiltonParisHiltonpsaPSAsAimee PicchiThu, 12 Nov 2009 15:20:00 ESTWebkinz fad fades: Web-linked stuffed toys aren't hot stuff anymorehttp://www.dailyfinance.com/2009/11/11/webkinz-fad-fades-web-linked-stuffed-toys-arent-hot-stuff-anym/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2009/11/11/webkinz-fad-fades-web-linked-stuffed-toys-arent-hot-stuff-anym/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2009/11/11/webkinz-fad-fades-web-linked-stuffed-toys-arent-hot-stuff-anym/#commentsFiled under:

webkinz-fad-fades-web-linked-stuffed-toys-arent-hot-stuff-anymoreWhen children write their letters to Santa this year, many will be skipping last year's hot item: Webkinz. The stuffed animals were so popular last holiday season it was hard for retailers to keep the toys on their shelves. The plush dolls appealed to children and parents by linking the physical toy with a virtual world, where kids play with online versions of their personal stuffed animals and spend virtual cash to clothe and feed them.

Since then, demand has fallen off a cliff. According to The NPD Group, sales for Web-connected play toys have plunged 41% this year through August, marking the biggest decline among the 13 categories tracked by the market research firm, which provided its data to DailyFinance. The drop-off was so stark that at least two retailers disclosed the dwindling sales of Webkinz as drags on their performance in recent earnings calls.

Continue reading Webkinz fad fades: Web-linked stuffed toys aren't hot stuff anymore

Webkinz fad fades: Web-linked stuffed toys aren't hot stuff anymore originally appeared on DailyFinance on Wed, 11 Nov 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>club-penguinConsumer ComplaintsConsumerComplaintsDisneyganzgroovy girlsGroovyGirlsHastingsholidayholiday shoppingHolidayGiftsHolidayShoppingnpdnpd-groupretailstuffed animalsStuffedAnimalstoy salestoysToySalestween brandsTweenBrandswebkinzAimee PicchiWed, 11 Nov 2009 15:00:00 ESTWalmart slams lid on customers' creepy online reviews of its casketshttp://www.dailyfinance.com/2009/11/07/walmart-slams-lid-on-customers-creepy-online-reviews-of-its-cas/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2009/11/07/walmart-slams-lid-on-customers-creepy-online-reviews-of-its-cas/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2009/11/07/walmart-slams-lid-on-customers-creepy-online-reviews-of-its-cas/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

The howling-wolf T-shirt phenomenon it is not. Walmart Stores (WMT) has closed the lid on customer reviews of its caskets. As DailyFinance reported this week, the retailer is selling 15 caskets, and more than 130 urns and cremains containers, through its website.

As debatable as that business proposition might be, it proved a sure thing with at least one type of consumer: not the bereaved, but the wags who lurk behind high-speed Internet connections, waiting for an opportunity to heckle retailers with tongue-in-cheek reviews.

Continue reading Walmart slams lid on customers' creepy online reviews of its caskets

Walmart slams lid on customers' creepy online reviews of its caskets originally appeared on DailyFinance on Sat, 07 Nov 2009 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>amazonburialcasketcustomer reviewsCustomerReviewsIn FocusInFocusmarketingretailreviewreviewssocial mediaSocialMediathree wolf moonThreeWolfMoonwalmartwalmart.comAimee PicchiSat, 07 Nov 2009 14:00:00 ESTFamily Guy: Microsoft blunders, and Apple may already be a winnerhttp://www.dailyfinance.com/2009/10/28/family-guy-microsoft-blunders-and-apple-may-already-be-a-winne/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2009/10/28/family-guy-microsoft-blunders-and-apple-may-already-be-a-winne/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2009/10/28/family-guy-microsoft-blunders-and-apple-may-already-be-a-winne/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Here's an idea for Seth MacFarlane, creator of the raunchy cartoon Family Guy on News Corp. (NWS)'s Fox Network: Take the script for the Nov. 8 episode that Microsoft just backed out of as sole sponsor. Find any mention of "Windows 7," cross it out with a pencil, and replace the term with the phrase "Snow Leopard."

If Microsoft (MSFT) is too scared to attach its image behind your off-color show, then there may be no better substitute than its archnemisis, Apple (AAPL).

Continue reading Family Guy: Microsoft blunders, and Apple may already be a winner

Family Guy: Microsoft blunders, and Apple may already be a winner originally appeared on DailyFinance on Wed, 28 Oct 2009 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>advertisingapplefamily guyFamilyGuyfoxjohn hodgmanJohnHodgmanmacmarketingnews corpNewsCorpparents television councilParentsTelevisionCouncilpcseth macfarlaneSethMacfarlanetelevisionwindows 7Windows7Aimee PicchiWed, 28 Oct 2009 19:30:00 ESTSkywriting advertising stunt for ABC program vanishes into thin airhttp://www.dailyfinance.com/2009/10/28/skywriting-advertising-stunt-for-abc-program-vanishes-into-thin/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2009/10/28/skywriting-advertising-stunt-for-abc-program-vanishes-into-thin/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2009/10/28/skywriting-advertising-stunt-for-abc-program-vanishes-into-thin/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Skywriting has fascinated us ever since the Wicked Witch of the West took to the skies with her smoke-sputtering broom to send a message to Dorothy. For most of the last century, promoters and self-promoters have used cloud-puffing planes to broadcast everything from cheesy ads to marriage proposals.

For Walt Disney (DIS)'s ABC, skywriting must have looked like a natural fit to promote its alien-invasion series V, a remake of the 1980s miniseries. The network's plan was to use skywriting to puff giant red V's over landmarks in 15 U.S. cities before the show's debut on Nov. 3. Imagine -- all those mysterious airplanes, etching cryptic messages in the airspace over the Statue of Liberty -- what could go wrong?

Continue reading Skywriting advertising stunt for ABC program vanishes into thin air

Skywriting advertising stunt for ABC program vanishes into thin air originally appeared on DailyFinance on Wed, 28 Oct 2009 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>abcadvertisingdisneygreenpollutionskywritingtelevisionv seriesVSeriesAimee PicchiWed, 28 Oct 2009 18:30:00 ESTDead at five! Obituaries move to TV, as stations find revenue in the recessionhttp://www.dailyfinance.com/2009/10/19/dead-at-five-obituaries-move-to-tv-as-stations-find-revenue-in/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2009/10/19/dead-at-five-obituaries-move-to-tv-as-stations-find-revenue-in/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2009/10/19/dead-at-five-obituaries-move-to-tv-as-stations-find-revenue-in/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

With local TV stations scrambling as advertising dwindles, it's prompting some to examine a money stream traditionally relegated to newspapers: obituaries. WNEM-TV, a Saginaw, Michigan, CBS affiliate owned by Meredith Corp. (MDP), may be the first TV station in the U.S. to air obituaries -- an idea it came up with this year when several local papers including The Flint Journal cut their frequency to three days a week. That cut-back worried funeral directors trying to relay information about services to residents, says Jeff Guilbert, general sales manager of WNEM.

A large newspaper's obituary fees can reach $1,000 for a notice, according to Advertising Age. But for just $100, families can buy into a two-minute segment about their loved ones on WNEM, which includes an obituary on ObitMichigan.com and televised information about the funeral home, Guilbert says.

Continue reading Dead at five! Obituaries move to TV, as stations find revenue in the recession

Dead at five! Obituaries move to TV, as stations find revenue in the recession originally appeared on DailyFinance on Mon, 19 Oct 2009 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>advertisingclassified adsClassifiedAdsclassifiedshartfordlocal tv newsLocalTvNewsmarketingmeredith corp.MeredithCorp.newspapernewspaper association of americanewspaper industryNewspaperAssociationOfAmericaNewspaperIndustrynewspapersobituaryrecessionsaginawtelevisionAimee PicchiMon, 19 Oct 2009 14:00:00 EST'Saturday Night Live' puts on a show sponsored only by Budweiser (no joke!)http://www.dailyfinance.com/2009/10/16/saturday-night-live-puts-on-a-show-sponsored-only-by-budweiser/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2009/10/16/saturday-night-live-puts-on-a-show-sponsored-only-by-budweiser/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2009/10/16/saturday-night-live-puts-on-a-show-sponsored-only-by-budweiser/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

It might seem risky for a marketer to integrate its TV spots with a show known for its advertising parodies. But that's not stopping Anheuser-Busch from buying up all the commercial time on this weekend's Saturday Night Live to shill Budweiser. The October 17 show will air eight to nine minutes of commercial time, integrated with the programming -- all of it devoted to introducing the Bud Light Golden Wheat brand extension from Anheuser-Busch InBev (BUD), according to Advertising Age.

The ad buy marks the first time in 35 seasons of the show that a single marketer has bought all its national commercial time, according to NBC. It's a clever ploy designed to grab attention for Golden Wheat, which the brewing giant introduced on October 5.

Continue reading 'Saturday Night Live' puts on a show sponsored only by Budweiser (no joke!)

'Saturday Night Live' puts on a show sponsored only by Budweiser (no joke!) originally appeared on DailyFinance on Fri, 16 Oct 2009 14:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>advertisementadvertisinganheuser-buschanheuser-busch inbevAnheuser-buschInbevbud lightBudLightgeneral electricGeneralElectricmarketingnbcnbc universalNbcUniversalsaturday night liveSaturdayNightLivetelevisionAimee PicchiFri, 16 Oct 2009 14:20:00 ESTMoney for nothing: Sales of imaginary 'virtual gifts' approach $1 billionhttp://www.dailyfinance.com/2009/10/14/money-for-nothing-sales-of-imaginary-virtual-gifts-approach/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2009/10/14/money-for-nothing-sales-of-imaginary-virtual-gifts-approach/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2009/10/14/money-for-nothing-sales-of-imaginary-virtual-gifts-approach/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Have you ever wondered who, aside from your mom, buys those $1 birthday-cake icons on Facebook? Turns out millions are willing to spend their hard-earned cash on, well, nothing. Sales on virtual items on Facebook, MySpace, and smaller social networks like Flirtomatic is expected to hit $1 billion in sales this year, a new report says.

Sales of Facebook "gifts" and virtual "goods" in games such as FarmVille are set to double from $500 million last year, according to a study by Justin Smith of Inside Network and Charles Hudson of Serious Business, and sales next year may hit $1.6 billion. Smith, who runs the blog InsideFacebook.com, says he and Hudson based the estimates on information they collected from game developers and other sources.

Continue reading Money for nothing: Sales of imaginary 'virtual gifts' approach $1 billion

Money for nothing: Sales of imaginary 'virtual gifts' approach $1 billion originally appeared on DailyFinance on Wed, 14 Oct 2009 15:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>advertisingconsumer spendingConsumerSpendingfacebookfacebookappsgamesmarketingmyspacesalesvirtualAimee PicchiWed, 14 Oct 2009 15:15:00 ESTPepsi, challenged: A bad campaign from a marketer big enough to know betterhttp://www.dailyfinance.com/2009/10/14/pepsi-challenged-a-bad-campaign-from-a-marketer-big-enough-to/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2009/10/14/pepsi-challenged-a-bad-campaign-from-a-marketer-big-enough-to/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2009/10/14/pepsi-challenged-a-bad-campaign-from-a-marketer-big-enough-to/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Chalk it up as a Pepsi challenge for the digital age: how to overcome a viral-marketing campaign gone bad. PepsiCo (PEP), the world's second-largest soda maker, is coming under fire for an edgy iPhone application meant to promote its AMP energy drink. Instead of inspiring 20 somethings to buy the orange-flavored AMP, the brand is getting flack from some consumers who call the application sexist and degrading.

A promotional video demos the free iPhone app, AMP UP Before You Score. Aimed at young male consumers, AMP UP coaches users on how to score with 24 categories of women. Once the user decides whether to hit on a cougar, a sorority girl, or 22 other stereotypes, the app suggests restaurants and pick-up lines -- and, like most viral-marketing campaigns, it includes a social-media feature that lets users "brag" about their conquests: "You got it? Flaunt it. Keep your buddies in the loop on email, Facebook or Twitter."

Continue reading Pepsi, challenged: A bad campaign from a marketer big enough to know better

Pepsi, challenged: A bad campaign from a marketer big enough to know better originally appeared on DailyFinance on Wed, 14 Oct 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>advertisingampapp storeAppStoreitunesitunes storeItunesStoremarketingpepsipepsicosexismsexistsoft drinksSoftDrinksAimee PicchiWed, 14 Oct 2009 13:00:00 ESTLocal Web advertising is the way to go in 2009, but less so next yearhttp://www.dailyfinance.com/2009/10/12/local-web-advertising-is-the-way-to-go-in-2009-but-less-so-next/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2009/10/12/local-web-advertising-is-the-way-to-go-in-2009-but-less-so-next/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2009/10/12/local-web-advertising-is-the-way-to-go-in-2009-but-less-so-next/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

For media companies dependent on (and getting pummeled by) advertising, a new report says there's a bright spot among the darkness: local online advertising.

Borrell Associates, a researcher focusing on local media, says online local advertising will increase about 11 percent this year, to $14.4 billion, and by about five percent next year, to $14.9 billion. The reason for this year's jump, Borrell says, is the flexibility of such sites as Local.com and Yodle to fine-tune their sales techniques to local markets.

Continue reading Local Web advertising is the way to go in 2009, but less so next year

Local Web advertising is the way to go in 2009, but less so next year originally appeared on DailyFinance on Mon, 12 Oct 2009 16:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>advertisinggannettin focusInFocuslocalmonstermonster.comnew york timesNewYorkTimesonlineresearchstudywebyodleAimee PicchiMon, 12 Oct 2009 16:20:00 ESTA new Genesee generation? Brewer sets out to remind consumers in campaignhttp://www.dailyfinance.com/2009/10/12/a-new-genesee-generation-brewer-sets-out-to-remind-consumers-in/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2009/10/12/a-new-genesee-generation-brewer-sets-out-to-remind-consumers-in/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2009/10/12/a-new-genesee-generation-brewer-sets-out-to-remind-consumers-in/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Remember Genesee? Maybe not. The name might ring a bell with older beer drinkers -- especially those living in or near its home field of upstate New York -- but these consumers may wonder whatever happened to brands like Iron City, Schlitz, and the Rochester-based Genesee Brewing Co. Genesee's new owner, North American Breweries, wants to fix that not only by reminding consumers that the brand is still strong, but reaching out to a new younger generation of Genny drinkers with a marketing campaign early next year.

Genny is just one of several older brands that NAB wants to boost, according to Peter Bodenham, its VP of marketing. Others include Seagram's Escapes, which NAB is licensing from Pernod Ricard USA; Genesee's line of Dundee craft beers; and Labatt USA, he says.

Continue reading A new Genesee generation? Brewer sets out to remind consumers in campaign

A new Genesee generation? Brewer sets out to remind consumers in campaign originally appeared on DailyFinance on Mon, 12 Oct 2009 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>advertisinganheuser buschanheuser-buschanheuser-busch inbevAnheuser-buschInbevAnheuserBuschbeerbrewerydundeekps capital partnersKpsCapitalPartnerslabattlabattbluemarketingmolsonmolson coorsMolsonCoorsnabnew yorkNewYorknorth american breweriesNorthAmericanBreweriesohiopennsylvaniarochesterseagrams wine coolersSeagramsWineCoolersAimee PicchiMon, 12 Oct 2009 14:30:00 ESTPink ribbon overkill: Are companies exploiting breast cancer campaigns?http://www.dailyfinance.com/2009/10/12/pink-ribbon-overkill-companies-exploit-breast-cancer-campaigns/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2009/10/12/pink-ribbon-overkill-companies-exploit-breast-cancer-campaigns/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2009/10/12/pink-ribbon-overkill-companies-exploit-breast-cancer-campaigns/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Walk into almost any store this month, and you'll be hit with a wash of pink products -- pink clogs, pink vegetable peelers, pink cleaning products, even pink food -- sold in support of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Consumers, feeling as if they're participating in the effort to find a cure for the disease, are snapping up pink-tinged everything. And, as a result, nearly all big consumer-products companies are tacking pink ribbons onto their products.

Yet not everything is coming up roses. Some breast-cancer advocates, patients and survivors are questioning whether the pink-ribbon movement has gone too far, with companies seeking higher sales from cause-related packaging without pledging much -- if anything -- in return. It's left up to shoppers to read the labels on pink-packaged products and determine whether their purchase will actually help a breast-cancer charity or foundation, they say.

Continue reading Pink ribbon overkill: Are companies exploiting breast cancer campaigns?

Pink ribbon overkill: Are companies exploiting breast cancer campaigns? originally appeared on DailyFinance on Mon, 12 Oct 2009 06:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>advertisingblissbreast cancerbreast cancer actionbreast cancer awarenessbreast cancer awareness monthBreastCancerBreastCancerActionBreastCancerAwarenessBreastCancerAwarenessMonthcancercharityconsumer spendingConsumerSpendingfoundationgildas clubGildasClubhersheyhersheysmarketingnational breast cancer foundationNationalBreastCancerFoundationphilanthropypinkprocter and gambleProcterAndGambleresearchswifferAimee PicchiMon, 12 Oct 2009 06:00:00 ESTCaptive audience: Florida jail is latest to sell ad spacehttp://www.dailyfinance.com/2009/10/09/captive-audience-florida-jail-is-latest-to-sell-ad-space/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2009/10/09/captive-audience-florida-jail-is-latest-to-sell-ad-space/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2009/10/09/captive-audience-florida-jail-is-latest-to-sell-ad-space/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Reaching a captive audience has long been a top priority for advertisers. After all, what better way is there to promote a product than right before a movie, when ticket buyers are settling in for two hours, or on a subway placard facing seat-bound commuters? Yet, a recent plan to sell advertising space on visitation video monitors at a Florida jail has some wondering whether such marketing efforts have gone too far.

The Charlotte County, Fla. Sheriff's Office hopes to bring in about $77,000 a year by selling ad space to the likes of attorneys or other companies providing services that might appeal to inmates or their visitors, making it perhaps the first jailhouse advertising program in the U.S., according to WINKnews.com, a web site for the television channel WINK in Southwest Florida. The reason for plan? Lt. Norm Wilson was facing a tighter budget and wanted to come up with ways to fund prisoner programs, the news site says. Wilson didn't return Daily Finance's call seeking comment.

Continue reading Captive audience: Florida jail is latest to sell ad space

Captive audience: Florida jail is latest to sell ad space originally appeared on DailyFinance on Fri, 09 Oct 2009 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>advertisingcampaign for a commercial free childhoodCampaignForACommercialFreeChildhoodeducationethicsfloridain focusInFocusinmatesjailmarketingmarketing to kidsMarketingToKidsmilkmilk cartonsMilkCartonsprisonschool busesSchoolBusesAimee PicchiFri, 09 Oct 2009 17:30:00 ESTBig Pharma yanks online search ads, and revenues plunge for six monthshttp://www.dailyfinance.com/2009/10/07/missing-links-pharma-cuts-back-on-online-search-ads/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2009/10/07/missing-links-pharma-cuts-back-on-online-search-ads/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2009/10/07/missing-links-pharma-cuts-back-on-online-search-ads/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Most consumers head to their computers when they need information on illness and treatment. But pharmaceutical companies have slashed spending on sponsored search results this year -- largely because the Food and Drug Administration's Division of Drug Marketing, Advertising, and Communications on March 14 warned top pharmaceutical makers that paid-search links violate the agency's fair balance guidelines requiring ads to outline drugs' side effects along with intended benefits.

Between the issuance of the warning and June, the number of sponsored links from pharmaceutical companies plunged 84 percent, according to online-ad tracker comScore. The cutback may affect the sales of some pharmaceutical companies, says John Mangano, a marketing VP at comScore.

Continue reading Big Pharma yanks online search ads, and revenues plunge for six months

Big Pharma yanks online search ads, and revenues plunge for six months originally appeared on DailyFinance on Wed, 07 Oct 2009 13:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>advertisingfdaglaxosmithklinein focusInFocusmarketingnovartisonlineonline advertisingOnlineAdvertisingpaid searchPaidSearchpharmaceuticalssponsored linkSponsoredLinkAimee PicchiWed, 07 Oct 2009 13:20:00 ESTComcast rises to the top in what may be a record bad year for media companieshttp://www.dailyfinance.com/2009/10/05/comcast-rises-to-the-top-in-what-may-be-a-record-bad-year-for-me/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2009/10/05/comcast-rises-to-the-top-in-what-may-be-a-record-bad-year-for-me/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2009/10/05/comcast-rises-to-the-top-in-what-may-be-a-record-bad-year-for-me/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

It sure has been a tough year for media companies, thanks to advertisers slashing budgets and consumers cutting back on spending. But just how bad has it been? According to Advertising Age, 2009 is on track to show the first-ever decline in media company sales since 1981, when the trade publication began a survey tracking the industry's top 100 companies.

The tumble in ad sales has actually helped one company move up in the AdAge ranking of media companies: Comcast Corp. (CMCSA). The cable operator comes out on top in the latest survey, helped by its steady growth in cable-service subscriptions. Comcast is now the biggest U.S. media company after Time Warner (TWX), which spun off its cable division and saw its ad sales plunge 15% in the first half of 2009. Time Warner had held the survey's top spot since 1995, the publication reports.

Continue reading Comcast rises to the top in what may be a record bad year for media companies

Comcast rises to the top in what may be a record bad year for media companies originally appeared on DailyFinance on Mon, 05 Oct 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>adageadvertisingcablecomcastGEgeneral electricGeneralElectricmediaonlineprinttime warnertime warner cableTimeWarnerTimeWarnerCableAimee PicchiMon, 05 Oct 2009 15:00:00 ESTAdvertising: Golf Digest, other titles eye scannable print ads for smartphoneshttp://www.dailyfinance.com/2009/10/05/advertising-golf-digest-other-titles-eye-scannable-print-ads-f/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2009/10/05/advertising-golf-digest-other-titles-eye-scannable-print-ads-f/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2009/10/05/advertising-golf-digest-other-titles-eye-scannable-print-ads-f/#commentsFiled under: ,

It's a tough time to be in the magazine business. Circulation has steadily declined since 2005. Advertising plunged 21 percent in the first half of the year. Online display advertising, one of the few media sectors to show growth during the period, gained just 6.5 percent, according to TNS Media Intelligence. And just today, Condé Nast said it's closing Gourmet and three other magazines.

Magazine publishers won't sit idly by and watch their subscribers -- and advertisers -- migrate online. Several publications, including Woman's Day, are incorporating new advertisements that allow readers to "snap" photos of bar codes with their smart phones, which may enter readers into a sweepstakes or send them free samples and product coupons. It's not the first time print publications have sought to capture some online magic. Early versions of the service failed to entice readers because, rather than offering something new, they merely linked to URLs, according to MediaWeek.

Continue reading Advertising: Golf Digest, other titles eye scannable print ads for smartphones

Advertising: Golf Digest, other titles eye scannable print ads for smartphones originally appeared on DailyFinance on Mon, 05 Oct 2009 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>advertisingblackberrycondenastgolfiphonemagazinemagazinesmarketingmartha stewart livingmartha stewart omnimediaMarthaStewartLivingMarthaStewartOmnimediamicrosoftsmartphoneAimee PicchiMon, 05 Oct 2009 13:30:00 ESTReality TV's big bottom line: Do these stars deserve such big paydays?http://www.dailyfinance.com/2009/10/02/reality-tvs-big-bottom-line-do-these-stars-deserve-such-big-pa/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2009/10/02/reality-tvs-big-bottom-line-do-these-stars-deserve-such-big-pa/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2009/10/02/reality-tvs-big-bottom-line-do-these-stars-deserve-such-big-pa/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

There's a little secret in the world of reality shows that may be undermining the very premise of the programs -- and it's not that the shows are as unscripted as their producers would like you to believe.

Once thought of as a cheap way to get programming on the air, reality shows like The Hills and The Real Housewives of New York City are facing increasing costs to meet the salary demands of their stars. In fact, some reality-show personalities are earning per-episode fees that approach or even exceed those of actors in scripted dramas or comedies.

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Reality TV's big bottom line: Do these stars deserve such big paydays? originally appeared on DailyFinance on Fri, 02 Oct 2009 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>advertisingcharlie sheenCharlieSheenjon and kate plus 8jon gosselinjon hammJonAndKatePlus8JonGosselinJonHammkate gosselinKateGosselinmariska hargitayMariskaHargitayreal housewives of nycRealHousewivesOfNycreality tvRealityTvsalariestelevisiontelevision ratingsTelevisionRatingsthe hillsTheHillstnsmediaintelligenceAimee PicchiFri, 02 Oct 2009 14:00:00 ESTHarbinger for U.S. ad spending? UK online ads eclipse TVhttp://www.dailyfinance.com/2009/09/30/harbinger-for-u-s-ad-spending-uk-online-ads-eclipse-tv/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2009/09/30/harbinger-for-u-s-ad-spending-uk-online-ads-eclipse-tv/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2009/09/30/harbinger-for-u-s-ad-spending-uk-online-ads-eclipse-tv/#commentsFiled under: ,

For the first time, Internet advertising sales in the United Kingdom during the first half of 2009 eclipsed those of television ad sales, according to a new study from the Internet Advertising Bureau and PricewaterhouseCoopers. Internet ad sales increased by 4.6 percent to £1.75 billion, or $2.78 billion, compared with a 16.1 percent plunge in television ad spending, which resulted in ad sales for the segment of £1.64 billion.

Could this be a harbinger of ad spending in the U.S.? Might the turbo-engine of online advertising demand similarly roar past the seemingly poky steam engine of U.S. television advertising? The short answer is that it won't happen anytime soon, although that's not to say it won't occur at some point.

Continue reading Harbinger for U.S. ad spending? UK online ads eclipse TV

Harbinger for U.S. ad spending? UK online ads eclipse TV originally appeared on DailyFinance on Wed, 30 Sep 2009 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>ad spendingAdSpendingadvertisingbritainInternetonlineonline adsOnlineAdsresearchtelevisionukAimee PicchiWed, 30 Sep 2009 19:00:00 ESTYoung and old alike object to online ad trackinghttp://www.dailyfinance.com/2009/09/30/young-and-old-alike-object-to-online-ad-tracking/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2009/09/30/young-and-old-alike-object-to-online-ad-tracking/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2009/09/30/young-and-old-alike-object-to-online-ad-tracking/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Think that young people don't mind having their behavior tracked across web sites? Think again. According to a new study, more than half of 18- to 24-year olds don't want ads tailored to their behavior.

The study, written by five professors from the University of Pennsylvania and the University of California, Berkeley, found that two-thirds of Americans, regardless of age, object to marketers tailoring ads to their interests. And while there's a belief that young consumers are more open to marketers using behavioral targeting -- the use of information gathered from a consumer's web-browsing and even offline activity -- that's simply not true, the study found.

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Young and old alike object to online ad tracking originally appeared on DailyFinance on Wed, 30 Sep 2009 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>advertisingannenbergbehaviordemographicsonlineonline advertisingOnlineAdvertisingresearchstudytrackingAimee PicchiWed, 30 Sep 2009 14:00:00 EST