We Know Media: Research, Trends, and Much More...

How do young consumers listen to music?

noreply@blogger.com (Ruth Burke and Associates) — Thu, 16 May 2013 21:29:00 +0000

While streaming music online is growing more popular among consumers, it’s easy to forget that traditional radio still has a strong footprint in the media market. According to eMarketer, the research company The NPD Group conducted a survey over 4^th quarter 2012 on the music listening of US consumers between the ages of 13 and 35.

Results showed that the terrestrial radio still lead as the primary method, by a small margin, to listen to music.

24% listened to radio primarily

23% listened to internet radio primarily

15% listened to digital files primarily

CDs and Satellite radio both had less than 10% of responders, 9% and 5% respectively, chose it as a primary method of listening to music.

Another find was that the car is still the main place where the majority of those surveyed listen to most music. A good reason is that listeners are able to use multiple devices in the car like the radio, smartphones, mp3 players, and in-car infotainment systems.

How does this affect advertisers? Consumers want music, and they want it their way. Whether it’s from their preferred radio station, favorite playlist, new CD, or online streaming, people are going to access the music. Therefore, advertisers will need to really understand their customer and be able to reach them on various music platforms at the same time. There is no need to pull money out of traditional radio; listeners are still listening. Instead, online streaming vendors may need to be evaluated as a radio station and included in the overall buy in order to reach the desired audience.

Cinema advertising network to roll out new consumer interactive products in 2013

noreply@blogger.com (Ruth Burke and Associates) — Thu, 09 May 2013 20:58:00 +0000

National CineMedia (NCM) has changed up a few advertising tactics in order to increase total revenue spend according to MediaPost.

As one of the largest cinema advertising networks in America, the vendor has begun the process of phasing out the Fathom Business Events operations. With events revenue fading out, NCM will invest in new products in order to increase total revenue.

One new product will be an interactive video display called a “Monster Wall.” The wall will be approximately 8 feet by 10 feet and encourage people to interact with it by way of game and entertainment content. “Monster Wall” will also house interactive advertising content for moviegoers, which will give advertisers another way of reaching potential consumers. So far, it’s being tested in large markets. Should it be deemed successful, it will be dispersed across the network’s other theaters.

Another initiative rolling out later this year is FirstLook Sync, which is a second-screen capability with smartphones. The idea is to have movie audiences interact with the movie content through this technology.

With all of the upcoming changes this year, NCM is estimating a 1-4% increase in total revenue compared to 2012.

Half of online video shares happen within the first three weeks of publishing

noreply@blogger.com (Ruth Burke and Associates) — Thu, 02 May 2013 20:59:00 +0000

As advertisers are more regularly running video advertisements online, it leads to the question, how will an advertiser know if this is successful? At this point, there is a two-pronged answer. The first is recording how often the video is watched in its entirety, versus being skipped. The second is watching to see if the video goes viral with social-sharing. Unruly Media Inc., a video technology company, recently researched the process of video sharing on social websites worldwide.

According to e-Marketer, the top categories that received the most shares were entertainment and fast-moving consumer goods and consumer products category. The smallest amount of shares was from the finance category.

Research also discovered the timeline in which most shares were performed. Unruly Media pulled information from the top 200 most shared videos in 2012. It found that:

10% of shares happened on the second day the video was available

25% of shares happened within the first three days

50% of shares happened over the first three weeks

66% of shares happened within the first three months

Overall, this can show advertisers the importance of making video available to the masses and making it relevant enough to share.

Does heavy media consumption negatively affect other media?

noreply@blogger.com (Ruth Burke and Associates) — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 18:13:00 +0000

If a consumer is a heavy user with one media platform, does that mean that they will consume less from another? Not necessarily, according to a study from Edison Research and Arbitron.

The Center for Media Research recently released results from a study that tracked media use consumption. The three top reaching media platforms are radio, online and TV, and the study focused on its heavy user habits. On average, persons 12+ consume 3:33 hours of television a day, 2:38 hours of the internet, and 2:04 hours of radio.

Results reflected that heavy online users spent about seven hours per day on the internet. By contrast, these heavy users consumed the average amount of TV at 3:35 hours and radio at 2:07 hours. Meaning, the steep skew towards online media consumption did not directly affect other media habits.

The trend continued with heavy TV users. This group averaged about 8:16 hours a day watching TV compared to 2:52 hours being online, and 2:12 hours listening to radio. All media was above the national averages.

Lastly, the heavy radio users spent about 6:23 hours listening, 3:31 hours watching TV, and 3:00 being online.

In conclusion, the study mentioned that the average time spent will all three media is 8:15 hours. This is up from the 7:03 hours average ten years ago. That being said, it leads one to believe that there is some media usage overlap to account for the increased consumption.

Which is easier to read- print, tablet or e-reader?

noreply@blogger.com (Ruth Burke and Associates) — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 18:55:00 +0000

What difference does it make whether one media is easier to read than another? It can make a big difference if you want someone to read something long enough to see your advertisement. Researchers at Johannes Gutenberg University in Mainz, Germany recently did a study to see which print form, print, tablets, or e-readers, are easiest to read.

According to MediaPost, the study divided the research participants into two groups with one being between the ages of 21-34, and the other being 60+. While the groups read from print, tablets and e-readers, researchers were tracking eye movement and brain activity. This was done to determine how much neural power is needed to read the same text but in different formats.

Results showed that there wasn’t much variance between reading formats for the younger-skewing group. However, the older-skewing group did have some differences. This group, on average, read text on an iPad tablet three or four seconds faster than the other forms. Also, when reading the iPad, the same group showed lower level of brain activity. Meaning, it was easier to read than print and e-readers. Researchers reasoned this could be because of the tablet computers’ backlit screens, which can make text stand out more from the page.

Overall, how can advertisers use this to their advantage? It would be extreme to cut out all advertising in print and e-readers all together if the goal is to reach the older-skewing demographic. Instead, it would be recommended to maintain coverage in existing media and possibly expand into other media forms like the iPad.

Is television reaching an older audience?

noreply@blogger.com (Ruth Burke and Associates) — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 16:33:00 +0000

With broadcast television, some networks skew younger than others, but how exactly are they ranking? From looking at the first two weeks of the fall 2012 season, it appears that most networks are growing older.

According to MediaPost, most of the median ages increased from the year prior:

· CBS: Median age of 57.8 years; 55.3 in 2011.

· ABC: Median age of 55.3 years; 53.4 in 2011.

· NBC: Median age of 47.8 years; 48.7 in 2011.

· Fox: Median age of 43.3 years; 41.8 in 2011.

· CW: Median age of 40.9 years; 36.6 in 2011.

· Univision: Median age of 40.4 years; 36.8 in 2011.

What does this information tell us? First of all, the data was pulled from the initial two weeks of the fall season. Therefore, it may have leveled out throughout the season. However, it does still show a trend towards an older audience.

It’s up to advertisers to figure out how best to reach their audience. For example, if the desired consumer is younger, look at younger skewing networks or look at younger skewing programming within all networks. Just because the median is slightly older, doesn’t mean that the younger audience has left. It simply means that the active audience is staying with certain programs and networks in spite of the fact they are getting older.

FXX to launch this fall to a younger demographic

noreply@blogger.com (Ruth Burke and Associates) — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 18:17:00 +0000

In recent TV upfronts, the Fox cable group announced plans to launch a new cable channel this September. Already running FX, the new sister channel will be called FXX.

According to MediaPost, FXX will target a younger skewing audience of people 18-34. In order to help bolster interest, two successful FX programs, “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” and “The League” will move to FXX. In addition, two original comedies, and a late-night show will be added to the programming. Eventually, the new channel hopes to expand to original dramas. The cable group intends to reach a distribution of 74 million homes within the first year.

With this addition, the Fox cable group will be able to reach the majority of the demographics with FXX reaching the younger audience of adults 18-34, FX reaching the young to middle aged adults 18-49, and the Fox Movie Channel, FXM, reaching the older audience of adults 25-54.

Advertisers will need to keep an eye on the new channel to see if the programming has enough leg to make it a success. In theory, this could be a new option to reach a young adult audience.

Do people still read the sports section?

noreply@blogger.com (Ruth Burke and Associates) — Thu, 28 Mar 2013 15:47:00 +0000

While some may think that the sports section in the local newspaper may not be as popular as a national online component, a new poll begs to differ. M/A/R/C for the Newspaper National Network interviewed men between the ages of 18-54 to see how sports news is consumed.

MediaPost states that the survey took note of regular newspaper readers and non-regular newspaper readers alike. Overall, sports enthusiasts ranked the following media sources for getting news:

76% go to newspaper websites

69% go to the print newspaper

66% go to ESPN.com

46% go to league sites

45% go to Yahoo! Sports page

45% go to ESPN Sports Center

33% listen to sports talk radio

23% go to Sports Illustrated or si.com

These results do point out that even though the online is utilized by a large audience, the print presence has not gone away completely. Therefore, if you are still trying to reach that sports enthusiast who is male and between 18-54, a media mix of the local newspaper sports section and the online counterpart do make sense.

Ethnic breakdown of popular media sites

noreply@blogger.com (Ruth Burke and Associates) — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 15:34:00 +0000

Since social media user demographics shift as new options enter the market or get more established, it can be useful to advertisers to check and see what the landscape looks like from time to time. AdvertisingAge recently reported on research from the Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project.

From a poll of 1,802 people, the following was revealed:

Twitter’s audience

· 26% of black internet users

· 19% of Hispanic internet users

· 14% of white internet users

· The percentages of users in the black and white categories have grown since 2010. The Hispanic category has stayed relatively consistent.

Instagram’s audience

· 23% of black internet users

· 18% of Hispanic internet users

· 11% of white internet users

Pinterest’s audience

· 18% of white internet users

· 10% of Hispanic internet users

· 8% of black internet users

Do people send emails from a Tablet more than a PC?

noreply@blogger.com (Ruth Burke and Associates) — Thu, 14 Mar 2013 14:11:00 +0000

For advertisers, it can be really helpful to know which device consumers use to access their information online. In knowing, it can help an advertiser be more efficient with targeting the message to the right audience.

The company Perion, which develops email client software, did some research to find which devices people use to access their email. Surveying 4,400 iPad users in the United States, the company focused on where people read and sent emails.

eMarketer reports that a higher percentage surveyed chose to read and send emails through the iPad than other devices like a PC, mobile or other.

Here is the percentage breakdown of which device people prefer to read emails from:

55% Tablet (iPad for this study)
32% PC/Mac
10% Mobile
3% Other

The following is the percentage breakdown of which device people prefer to send emails from:

48% Tablet

41% PC/Mac

9% Mobile

2% Other

Also noted in the survey was that 53% of iPad users check emails anywhere between 1-5 times a day. About 35% check 6-10+ times per day.

It is important to note that the study only spoke to people who have a Tablet; therefore, the numbers may be skewed to heavily favoring the device. So, if you are targeting an audience that is tech savvy, Tablets are high competition to PC/Macs. Therefore, it is definitely a device one should keep in consideration when putting together an online and/or mobile campaign for that niche audience.

Should advertisers pull TV budget because of cord cutting?

noreply@blogger.com (Ruth Burke and Associates) — Thu, 07 Mar 2013 20:26:00 +0000

A constant worry that advertisers deal with is how an audience utilizes media. Are some media dying? Are some growing ahead of others? What makes the most sense for the target audience? Part of our job is to constantly be immersed in the latest research.

One of the newer worries for advertisers is the new trend of “cord-cutting” TV, which is when people stop paying for television services like cable or dish and go online for content. According to a new report by PwC on cord cutting, this is not a phenomenon that should cause advertisers to pull out of TV entirely.

MediaPost reports that while people have been cutting the cord, downgrading subscriptions, or simply not subscribing, the impact of this to pay TV will be relatively small over the next five years.

Television industry leaders stand by the fact that TV advertising still has a measured 37% of influence over adults 18+. In comparison, newspapers have about 11%, Internet 6%, and mobile 4% influence for the same target audience.

It’s estimated that because of the increasing viewership of online TV content, traditional television viewership will see a .9% decline every year through 2017.

Overall, while this is a trend advertisers should keep track of, it is not a good enough reason to encourage pulling all TV ad dollars out of the market.

Who is looking online for medical information?

noreply@blogger.com (Ruth Burke and Associates) — Thu, 28 Feb 2013 20:59:00 +0000

As an agency that has quite a few healthcare clients, it really is important for us to know how people seek out medical information. A new study conducted by Pew Internet & American Life Project took a closer look at online trends in researching such information.

The study was broken down between the general US population and those who are internet users. eMarketer reports that 72% of internet users went online in search of health answers.

§ About 79% of women internet users researched information compared to 65% of men.

§ There wasn’t much difference in research among age groups. The age brackets 18-29 and 30-49 each admitted researching online at 76% and 75% respectively. There was a small dip among people 50-64 at 71% and people 65+ at 58%.

§ The ethnicity breakdown was 73% white, 69% black and 66% Hispanic.

§ Approximately 81% of online users who sought out medical information had a household income between $50,000 - $75,000.

§ Another 81% were college graduates.

§ Almost the majority of the searches were done on a specific disease or medical problem.

§ Other top researched topics were medical treatment/procedure, losing weight/controlling weight, and health insurance.

How do these results help this particular agency in navigating healthcare clients in the right path? Online campaigns would be best geared towards women between the ages of 18-64 who are researching specific medical problems. Therefore, we would not want to run a generic ad message if trying to reach women on a cardiac campaign. The message will have to be extremely relevant to the online user.

How many coupons were produced in 2012?

noreply@blogger.com (Ruth Burke and Associates) — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 17:31:00 +0000

Over the last five years, one word has played a significant part in consumer behavior. That word is “recession.” Because of the economic recession in 2008, consumers have based the majority of purchases off of a “need” rather than a “want”. To cope with the changing buyer intention, coupon manufacturers continue strategic sampling to see what shoppers really want.

According to the Center for Media Research, NCH Marketing Services reported that 305 billion coupons were produced by CPG marketers for 2012. This production count is the same as 2011; however, the kind of coupons produced were not the same.

In 2012, there were 4.4% more non-food category coupons than 2011. Some products include medications, personal care and other household items. There was about 6.5% fewer food related coupons in 2012. A reason for the shift could be coupons offer marketers a way to introduce new products and allow consumers to try it out at a lower cost.

It was reported that CPG products had about 2.9 billion coupons redeemed in 2012. This was down 17%; however, 79.8% of consumers reportedly use coupons. What does this mean for advertisers? Shoppers are still interested in coupons, but it’s up to marketers to experiment to see what kind of coupons are going to resonate with its audience and be redeemed.

Sirius XM radio sees growth in revenues and subscribers

noreply@blogger.com (Ruth Burke and Associates) — Thu, 14 Feb 2013 17:01:00 +0000

Satellite radio has steadily grown since it launched, and 2012 was a year that continued to see a rise in subscribers and revenue.

MediaPost reports that Sirius XM radio had the following 2012 numbers:

§ Subscribers grew from 21.9 million in 2011 to 23.9 million.

§ Total revenues accumulated to $3.4 billion in 2012 compared to the $3 billion in 2011. This is a 13% increase in revenue.

§ Just the ad revenues came in at $82.3 million for 2012. This is an 11.7% increase from 2011 at $73.7 million.

It is believed that the reason for the increase in total revenue is largely due to the growing number of subscribers. Part of that subscriber growth is attributed to automotive sales. Many brands have Sirius XM in the newer models, and about 45% of the vehicle owners choose to subscribe to the service after the free trial expires.

It is important to note that radio can be a medium that reaches consumers right until he/she leaves the vehicle and goes into a store. Therefore, knowing what options are available to the consumer is very beneficial for an advertiser.

How to choose an athlete endorser for your brand

noreply@blogger.com (Ruth Burke and Associates) — Thu, 07 Feb 2013 18:48:00 +0000

A typical consumer will see or hear an advertisement that has some kind of sports athlete endorsement. What advertisers need to know is what athletes are the best endorsers for a certain product or service. According to MediaPost, Nielsen and E-Poll Market Research recently gave out a list of the athletes that were deemed to have the best “endorsement potential.” Together, they created an N-score metric system to measure an athletes’ appeal to a certain category.

If an advertiser would like to reach teenagers, then locking down gymnast Gabby Douglas, swimmer Michael Phelps, gymnast Aly Raisman, basketball player LeBron James, or soccer player David Beckham as an endorser may help. These athletes rounded out the top five in the teenager category.

Michael Phelps, Gabby Douglas, David Beckham, Aly Raisman, and quarterback Tim Tebow can help advertisers reach the mom category.

In reaching dads, it is best to look at quarterback Peyton Manning, race car driver Danica Patrick, Gabby Douglas, baseball player Derek Jeter, or quarterback Aaron Rodgers for support.

According to the list, if an advertiser’s target audience is people 65+, Gabby Douglas, Tim Tebow or golfer Phil Mickelson may flatter the brand.

It’s interesting to note Gabby Douglas is the only athlete that ranks top five amongst the teenager, mom, dad, and people 65+ categories.

Overall, this just proves one of the most important points in advertising- know your audience. Choosing someone who is well-liked by teenagers and having them endorse a product for a person 65+ may not make sense for the product, the athlete, and most importantly, the audience.

See a Super Bowl ad in a theater near you

noreply@blogger.com (Ruth Burke and Associates) — Thu, 31 Jan 2013 17:17:00 +0000

In the few weeks between the New Year and Valentine’s Day, advertisers and Americans alike look forward to one major event- The Super Bowl. For some, they watch it for the sports, others for the entertainers, and lastly, for the commercials. If the highly anticipated commercials were released earlier than February 3^rd, would it take the fun out of it? Kia Motors America apparently doesn’t think so.

According to MediaPost, Kia is going to release its Super Bowl commercial early in movie theaters. This will be the second year the car-maker has implemented this strategy. The ad will be released in two parts across 19,000 theaters nationwide through the NCM Media Networks. The first part will be a :15 teaser running Friday, January 25^th to lead up to the full :60 spot premier on Friday, February 1^st. The ad will run during the FirstLook pre-show program. Titled “Space Babies” the commercial will promote Kia’s 2014 Sorento CUV.

Running a Super Bowl commercial in theaters prior to the actual game has never been done before until Kia. To see the effectiveness of this strategy, NCM Media Networks and Nielsen did some post-game research from the 2012 game. People who only saw the ad during the game had a 46% unaided recall rate. For those who saw the ad in the theaters prior and on TV during the game, the unaided recall rate increased to 70%.

What you can take from this is a strong strategy can pay off. Letting people see your Super Bowl commercial before the event can help generate awareness and anticipation.

Consumers turn to tablets after watching a TV commercial

noreply@blogger.com (Ruth Burke and Associates) — Thu, 24 Jan 2013 18:10:00 +0000

It’s no secret that a media mix allows advertisers to get the message in front of the audience on multiple screens, multiple times per day. What is the best mix? Honestly, it depends. It depends on the audience, their habits, their values, their location, etc. There is no “right” answer. However, studies are continually seeking out good combinations.

According to eMarketer, a new study has been conducted by Harris Interactive for The Search Agency about TV and tablet usage. The survey showed that television prompts users to research a product or service on a tablet.

§ 71% of the people 18-34 polled will use his/her tablet to look up information on a product/service after seeing a television commercial.

§ 81% people 35-44

§ 54% people 45-54

§ 56% people 55+

To add support to this outcome, Millward and Dynamic Logic did another study and found that people were motivated to turn to his/her smartphone or tablet to research brands, apps, websites, social networking pages, etc. by recommendation at a 46% response rate. Television tied for second with brand in-store online at 38%.

Advertisers should take this information and make sure that if television is in the media mix, then the client’s website, social networking sites, mobile sites, etc. need to be aligned with the same message. That way, if a person does research on the brand after seeing a commercial, the rest of the resources will complement the initial introduction.

New Years Resolutions... is there an app?

noreply@blogger.com (Ruth Burke and Associates) — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 19:19:00 +0000

Well into the third week of the New Year, firm resolutions set on the 1^st may not be as solid now. According to a new study by Prosper Mobile Insights, people are looking to outside help from his/her smartphone to keep resolutions intact.

For example, the survey noted that 24% of men and 30% of women intended to use his/her smartphone or tablet to help keep New Years resolutions. The top three categories/resolutions that people were attempting with their phones were being on time, keeping in touch with people, and budgeting.

eMarketer reports that 2013 may mark the first year in which smartphones make up 50% of the mobile phone market. That being said, experts believe it is likely that more people will become dependent on the devices’ capabilities.

Advertisers can take this information to better reach their audience. For example, if a person is interested in budgeting his/her money better, it may make sense for a bank to sponsor an app that helps track a budget. It’s up to the advertiser to really know the target audience and their behaviors.

What do you know about Generation X?

noreply@blogger.com (Ruth Burke and Associates) — Thu, 10 Jan 2013 22:15:00 +0000

What do you know about the spending trends of the typical American Generation Xer? Since it is sometimes called the “ignored generation,” you may not know too much about it. The Center for Media Research recently summarized a new study by SymphonyIRI called Q3 2012 MarketPulse. In it, it highlights the buying characteristics of American’s between the ages of 35 and 44.

Unlike its predecessors Baby Boomers and seniors, Generation X tends be more price conscious. This is more in line to the Millennials. The study proves this with the following results:

§ 37% of GenX and 45% of Millennials are willing to buy brands that are on sale over the preferred brands. Boomers and seniors were less likely at 27% and 22% respectively.

§ 32% of GenX and 39% of Millennials will select products that will create the most meals for the lowest cost. Boomers and seniors were charted at 27% and 19%.

§ 33% of GenX and 35% of Millennials purchased products because of the discounts given from the loyalty card. The study showed only 25% of Boomers and 16% of seniors did the same.

How is this information helpful to an advertiser? If your target demographic happens to fall within the Generation X age group, it may be a good idea to highlight the price of your product or service. Also, coupons or discounts may be a way to get the frugal generation to sample what you are selling.

Times Square billboards have a hefty price tag

noreply@blogger.com (Ruth Burke and Associates) — Thu, 03 Jan 2013 22:31:00 +0000

2012 is a thing of the past, and 2013 is here. While billions rang in the New Year at parties, at home with loved ones, or simply doing laundry, one thing is for certain, millions were tuning in to “New Year’s Rockin Eve” at Times Square in New York City. Besides watching the ball drop, did you notice anything else in the square? The billboards perhaps? Ever give a thought to how much those billboards cost on a yearly basis?

According to AdvertisingAge, the billboards on top of One Times Square in NYC are some of the most expensive outdoor advertising in the world. In the Wall Street Journal, it’s reported that Dunkin’ Donuts spends approximately $3.6 million a year for the digital sign. Brewer Anheuser-Busch spends $3.4 million a year on its board. There are some reports that annual contracts could be as lucrative as $4 million. This shows the incremental rate increase since in 2005, the average yearly investment for a billboard on One Times Square was $2.4 million.

How can an advertiser justify that kind of investment for just the space and not even the production charges? Consider this, if just looking at “New Year’s Rockin Eve” at Times Square, there were 22.6 million viewers tuned in to watch 2011 turn into 2012. Dunkin’ Donuts would have paid about $0.16 for each person/impression. That doesn’t include the millions that visit Times Square throughout the year or the thousands that were in attendance that night. Even if a tenth of those 22.6 million viewers (2.26 million) bought a 1lb bag of coffee for $8.99, that’s $20.3 million in revenue, and $16.7 million in profits. Makes it easier to understand the gamble, doesn’t it?

Research company and social media giant join together to create a new ratings service

noreply@blogger.com (Ruth Burke and Associates) — Thu, 27 Dec 2012 19:02:00 +0000

Communicating is an innate characteristic of being human. With the introduction of social media networking, we have been able to reach out to more people instantly than ever before. Conversations that would have taken place in the office or over the phone to discuss last night’s TV show are now on statuses, posts, tweets, etc. In order for advertisers to stay current, The Nielsen Company and Twitter have joined forces to create a rating system to measure social TV activity.

According to MediaPost and AdvertisingAge, the new social media TV rating service will be called The Nielsen Twitter TV Rating. It will measure the total audience for social TV activity on Twitter exclusively. With the rating service, it will include both the people who comment on TV programming and others who have been exposed to the comments.

It’s reported that Twitter currently has 140 million active users which equates to about one billion tweets every two-and-a-half days.

Industry professionals are hoping that this could establish a stable metric that can help define how social activity and television work together. As a result, better marketing efforts can be placed to create stronger programming.

2012 Cyber Monday reaches record high and what advertisers can learn from it

noreply@blogger.com (Ruth Burke and Associates) — Thu, 20 Dec 2012 22:24:00 +0000

We are in the midst of the expensive holiday season. Between setting up budgets for the next fiscal year, finalizing the accounting books for this year, shopping for presents for family, friends, clients, co-workers and trying to make it home on time, it can get hectic for consumers and advertisers alike. A part of our job that never rests is research. In that, it enables us to know what is going on in the media landscape and gives us the foresight to create the best possible media plan. That being said, reports have been released in regards to this year’s Cyber Monday.

According to eMarketer, comScore reports that ecommerce sales on Cyber Monday have consistently grown over the past seven years.

§ 2006: $608 million

§ 2007: $733 million (a 21% increase)

§ 2008: $846 million (a 15% increase)

§ 2009: $887 million (a 5% increase)

§ 2010: $1.03 billion (a 16% increase)

§ 2011: $1.25 billion (a 22% increase)

§ 2012: $1.47 billion (a 17% increase)

eMarketer has predicted that the 2012 holiday season online spending is going to reach approximately $54.47 billion, which is about a quarter of the year’s forecasted US retail ecommerce sales.

What does this mean for advertisers? If you are in the retail category, it means that a good behavioral targeting online campaign during November and December could be very lucrative for your return on investment. If you are in a different business category, like healthcare, you may experience smaller inventory selections and slower traffic. If that does happen to you, take heart and remember that inventory will likely be more readily available in January. The bottom line is know your audience and the trends in order to make the most of your advertising investment.

Research helps B2B advertisers with email blast subject lines

noreply@blogger.com (Ruth Burke and Associates) — Thu, 13 Dec 2012 14:19:00 +0000

As an advertiser, have you debated how to start out a subject line in an email blast? Is it too long, too short, just right? How is one to know? Luckily, if you are in the business to business (B2B) industry, some new research by Adestra can shed a little light on your dilemma.

Reported by the Center for Media Research, Adestra found that subject lines that are either less than 30 characters or more than 90 characters produced the best results. Email blast subject lines that fell between that area were classified as the “dead zone.” Apparently, the shorter subject lines produce premium results for transactional or direct-response type emails. These lines also proved to have higher engagement with readers. The longer lines worked best for emails that were more information-based in that it could better communicate benefits of the advertiser.

Also researched was personalized subject lines and how users relate to them. While they do have an immediate engagement, it can be just as quickly lost if the email content is not personalized.

Overall, advertisers can not expect a cookie cutter email blast to work. Experimenting with subject lines and personalization of content will enable advertisers to know what works best for the target audience.

Cable news networks see audience increase in November

noreply@blogger.com (Ruth Burke and Associates) — Thu, 06 Dec 2012 15:21:00 +0000

With this being an election year, it comes as no surprise that cable networks were affected by the coverage. According to MediaPost, some cable news networks saw a boost in viewership during the month of November. Regardless of the spike, ESPN still maintained overall dominance.

ESPN averaged 3 million viewers during prime time in the month of November; however, this is down approximately 16% from November 2011. Coming in second for viewership was the USA Network at 2.6 million, which is down 16% from last year as well. Fox News came in at third for 2.5 million.

The cable news networks had the following gains throughout the political season:

§ Fox News: 2.5 million viewers: 46% gain

§ MSNBC: 1.3 million viewers: 75% gain

§ CNN: 1.1 million viewers: 63% gain

It will be interesting to see in the upcoming months if the news networks can hold onto the increased viewership or if it will go away now that the election is completed.

Some consumers believe content marketing to be misleading

noreply@blogger.com (Ruth Burke and Associates) — Thu, 29 Nov 2012 21:12:00 +0000

One of the hardest things about planning advertising is how to make sure your message is in front of the right people at the right time and at the right amount of frequency. Otherwise, you may miss your target audience completely or worse, annoy them. Focusing on social media, how are advertisers supposed to reach an audience without being deceptive which can lead to negative brand views?

A recent study conducted by MediaBrix found that US internet users think some online content marketing misleading and in turn, off-putting. eMarketer reports that about 86% of those polled believed online videos to be content but were actually sponsored ads. It was reported that 85% of those misled by the sponsored ads either thought of the brand negatively or it had no change of opinion.

Looking at Facebook (57%) and Twitter (45%), users felt that sponsored stories and promoted Tweets were misrepresented to be content.

In general, people do not like to feel as though they have been duped. Therefore, it’s critical for advertisers to really evaluate the best way to present messaging in an honest way that will bolster brand loyalty. Social media is definitely a large part to marketing now; advertisers must be mindful of how it’s utilized.