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Brian Steinberg
Addressable Ads Could Reinvigorate TV
Submitted by Benton Foundation on November 17, 2008 - 8:38amLast updated: November 17, 2008 - 8:39am
Rather than bombarding millions of TV viewers with the same ads for things many of them may not be looking to buy, marketers could in the next two to three years send different ads to different households -- making certain, for example, that Procter & Gamble wouldn't have to pay for Pampers ads watched by a couple with no wee tykes and General Motors wouldn't have to show ads for its Hummer vehicles to a house full of Prius enthusiasts.
Local TV Stations Anticipate Severe Downturn in '09
Submitted by Benton Foundation on November 11, 2008 - 9:08pmLast updated: November 11, 2008 - 9:09pm
Local TV stations, already wrestling with technology that changes how people watch their programs and the resulting fallout of ad dollars, have even worse news to consider: The TV-station trade association, the Television Bureau of Advertising, has severely recast its 2009 forecast for local TV advertising downward, suggesting that local stations are about to see their situation go from bad to worse.
The Broadcast Ad Model Is Broken. Now What?
Submitted by Benton Foundation on October 27, 2008 - 7:56pmLast updated: October 27, 2008 - 7:56pm
If today's TV buying is the model for the future, advertisers are in trouble. Virtually all parties involved -- marketers, media buyers and the media themselves -- agree that in a video-on-demand world in which consumers control what they watch and when, the current broadcast advertising model is broken, or at the very least inadequate.
Media Companies Brace for Slowdown
Submitted by Benton Foundation on October 21, 2008 - 2:34pmLast updated: October 21, 2008 - 2:34pm
Media executives are all anticipating a brutal 2009 first quarter, and so are trying to be prudent in their planning by making whatever cuts they can now. It's reflective of how nervous executives are, and how little comfort they found in a poll at the recent gathering of the Association of National Advertisers that found that half of marketers don't plan major changes in their spending for next year (33% of the major marketers surveyed said they intend to maintain their level of marketing spending next year, and 27% said they would spend more).
How Wall Street's Black Sunday Will Affect Ad Spending
Submitted by Benton Foundation on September 16, 2008 - 5:27pmLast updated: September 16, 2008 - 5:27pm
The news that three well-known firms -- Lehman Bros., Merrill Lynch and American International Group -- are either ceasing to be, being purchased or facing concerns about raising capital rocked Wall Street but so far has had surprisingly few repercussions on Madison Avenue.
Why NBC Is OK Having Google Sell Cable TV Ads
Submitted by Benton Foundation on September 15, 2008 - 7:52pmLast updated: September 15, 2008 - 7:53pm
So what persuaded NBC Universal to make the ad sales deal with Google now? For one thing, it gives the company access to new viewer research and, potentially, a broader array of advertisers.
'Remote-Free TV' Debuts With Fox's 'Fringe'
Submitted by Benton Foundation on September 9, 2008 - 8:33pmLast updated: September 9, 2008 - 8:34pm
Fox will run a new program, "Fringe," with fewer ad breaks and charge more than usual for them. The "Fringe" plan runs counter to how most TV is sold. Over the years, the average amount of airtime devoted by broadcast networks to either commercials or promotions for network shows has risen to about 15 minutes per hour, according to MindShare, a WPP Group media-buying concern.
Monday Convention Coverage Draws 22.3 Million Viewers
Submitted by Benton Foundation on August 28, 2008 - 11:34amLast updated: August 28, 2008 - 11:35am
The 10 to 11 p.m. hour on the first night of the Democratic National Convention attracted approximately 22.3 million viewers, according to Nielsen Media Research, compared with the approximately 18.5 million who watched it in 2004.
Digital TV: How to Be Prepared
Submitted by Benton Foundation on July 27, 2008 - 6:43pmLast updated: July 27, 2008 - 6:44pm
Four trade groups -- the American Association of Advertising Agencies, the Association of National Advertisers, the National Association of Broadcasters and the Television Bureau of Advertising -- have formed a coalition to keep the advertising community informed about changes related to the Feb. 17, 2009 transition to digital TV.
Crafting TV Ads for the Digital Age
Submitted by Benton Foundation on June 24, 2008 - 8:47pmMarketers are already scrambling to figure out how best to adjust their 30-second TV spots for viewing via the web and on iPod screens. But as the nation prepares for the big shift from analog to digital TV on Feb. next year, what could be a major conundrum has opened up for advertisers who love to make use of the wider high-definition screen.
