Tapia Advertising Blog

Video: Beer Ads Promise Proprietary Tech to Get Booze Into Your Face!

2011-05-12T12:09:00.000-06:00

Breckenridge Brewery Introduces 'Gravity-Activated Pouring'

To convince drinkers it's the coldest beer in town, Coors Light has for a while made a big fuss over its "cold-activated" cans and bottles on which special thermochromatic ink turns the mountains blue when the beer is sufficiently chilled. Anheuser-Busch followed up recently with its new "ice-cold easy indicator" for Busch Light. And then, this year MillerCoors upped the ante with its new "super-cold" indicator, in which a bar on Coors Light turns blue when the beer reaches a near-frozen state.

Whatever happened to just touching the damn beer?

This novel concept is put forth in a new ad campaign by a small brewer in Colorado. In one spot, Breckenridge Brewery reveals its "proprietary cold test," which consists of head brewer Bob Harrington touching a bottle of Summerbright Ale and deadpanning: "It's cold." Another spot plugs Avalanche Ale's "gravity activated pouring" bottles: "When you tip it, beer goes straight in your mouth. When you tip it back, the beer stops flowing." Without saying it by name, another ad clearly makes a dig at "triple hops brewed" Miller Lite, by declaring that Breckenridge's Lucky U IPA is "seven-druple hopped."

The brewer, which makes just 40,000 barrels a year, spent a measly $10,000 producing the parody campaign, called "Truth in Beervertising," which includes four ads that will air on Denver Fox affiliate KDVR during local news and Broncos football games. The agency is Cultivator Advertising & Design, Denver.

Gravity Activated Pouring System

Hear the Voice of the New Aflac Spokesduck

2011-05-04T08:36:00.001-06:00

Insurer Chooses Successor for Fired Gilbert Gottfried

Aflac has chosen its new duck voice, and though there was speculation during the audition process that the insurer might opt for a female spokesduck this time around, it wasn't meant to be. After more than 12,500 live and online auditions, Aflac chose Dan McKeague, a 36-year-old father of three, to take over as the voice of the insurance company's famed duck icon in commercials.

He replaces comedian Gilbert Gottfried, who was ousted after some not-so-warmly-received wisecracks he made over Twitter about the Japanese Tsunami.
Japan counts as Aflac's largest market, where the company is the No. 1 insurance company in terms of individual insurance policies in force. In the U.S. it bills itself as the No. 1 provider of guaranteed-renewable insurance.
Mr. McKeague, who lives with his family in Minnesota, is a sales manager for a couple of local radio stations. He was chosen from more than 12,500 entries to a contest that was initiated a few weeks ago with the help of Aflac's agencies, Kaplan Thaler Group and Digitas. Those entries were whittled down to a list of 20 finalists. The 20 were then further whittled down to eight before Aflac selected Mr. McKeague.
Here's a video of Mr. McKeague's reaction to getting the news he won:

He's gotten to work right away; he is expected to make his vocal debut in an ad tonight called "Pigeon."
"Dan impressed us with his vocal range and acting ability," Aflac Senior VP-CMO Michael Zuna said in a statement. "He understands that he is making marketing history representing our company, our 72,000 independent sales agents and our well-earned reputation as a company that does business the right way."
Aflac is essentially betting the farm on Mr. McKeague when it comes to their marketing. The spokesduck is the centerpiece of its communications with consumers, and it has relied on the icon to boost awareness with a brand in the confusing category of insurance. In the last decade, the Aflac duck has starred in more than 50 TV ads and many radio spots, which helped elevate Aflac's brand recognition from slightly more than 10% to 93%, the company said.
Full disclosure: I was shocked to discover that, despite giving it my best quack, Aflac didn't choose me. As they say in elections, the Academy Awards and the Miss America competition -- all of which I can assure bear no similarity to the raucous, auditions I participated in earlier the month -- it was an honor just to be nominated.

By:

TruTV Rewards 'Operation Repo' Fans for 'Liking' Show With Facebook-Only Episode!

2011-04-26T20:52:00.000-06:00

Network's Successful Social Campaign Aimed at Reaching 500,000 Likes Is a Milestone for the Industry.

In the brave new world of social TV, viewers get rewarded for liking a show with -- what else? -- more show. For the first time, a program has created a Facebook-only full-length episode as the fans' prize for reaching 500,000 likes. Turner's TruTV asked fans to rally en masse on the "Operation Repo" Facebook page, and in return they got an episode made just for them. The fan episode will be available on Facebook immediately following the season's spring finale, which airs April 27, at 9 p.m. ET. For those who don't know, the show follows a repo team that has been together for more than seven years and has repossessed everything from hot rods to hot-air balloons -- and viewers love it, no matter how "staged" or "re-enacted" some reviews claim the show's antics are.

'Operation Repo'

While numerous shows have posted sneak-peek episodes or additional scenes on their Facebook pages -- or episodes that have also aired elsewhere -- TruTV is giving its all to Facebook in this case. This kind of Facebook content has been showing up more and more, most recently by old-media stalwart The New Yorker. Last week, the magazine -- which requires a print subscription in order to see all its content online -- decided to also post a story from its print edition on its Facebook page, available to anyone who liked its page. The story stayed available for about a week and garnered the magazine about 17,000 likes. Of course, while the number of likes for The New Yorker is less than half those on the "Operation Repo" page, the final number is not the point. Engagement is.

"The 'Operation Repo' challenge is a perfect example of how TruTV is able to activate its very loyal and engaged fan base," said Mary Corigliano, who heads brand strategy at the reality network. She said the challenge started in January to celebrate the show's eight season. As of today, almost 540,000 fans have liked the show -- and Facebook is not the only place where "Operation Repo" is doing well. After its premiere in April 2008, it has become one of the network's biggest hits. This season, "Operation Repo" averaged 1.9 million viewers and ranked as basic cable's top program for its time slot among adults 18-49, truTV reported.

Ms. Corigliano said that even though the show's producers got ready to put together the Facebook-only episode by filming potential scenes in advance, the episode would not have aired had the fans not completed the challenge set forth by TruTV.

It's early days in the world of social TV -- and Nielsen numbers confirm that old-fashioned TV is king with more people watching the medium than ever before, up to 35 hours a week. But this week's purchase of TV app IntoNow by Yahoo for as much as $30 million shows the space is hot. Obviously, Facebook fan pages create a direct link between the show and its fans -- nothing like this kind of two-way communication has ever been available before. Ms. Corigliano called Facebook a source of "instant gratification" for the fans and the network.

By: Irina Slutsky

Battle Of The Beers! Coors Light Silver Bullet Train Hurtling Toward Bud!

2011-03-29T13:27:00.000-06:00

First, Diet Coke beats Pepsi. Now, Coors Light is close to dethroning Budweiser as the nation's best-selling brew behind Bud Light.

"Budweiser is going down, baby," MillerCoors Chief Marketing Officer Andy England promised distributors at the brewer's convention in San Antonio last week.

But he didn't stop there: He brashly predicted that not only will Coors Light surpass Anheuser-Busch's Budweiser this year, but that Miller Lite will leave Bud in the dust in 2012.

A-B can try and stop it, he said, "but with brand Bud in decline and Coors Light heading for its seventh consecutive year of domestic volume and share growth, that would be like, well, trying to stop a train."

Fighting words, for sure, intended to stoke competitive fire at the spring pep-rally-like convention for distributors heading into the all-important summer beer-selling months. The event, attended by some 4,000 people, included guest appearances by Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, up-and-coming Nascar driver Brad Keselowski and hip-hop artist Ice Cube, who will appear in ads for Coors Light this year, part of MillerCoors' pledge to increase marketing spending by $50 million this year. In 2010, MillerCoors spent $396 million in measured media on its brands, down from $419 million the year before, according to Kantar Media.

But rhetoric aside, can the Silver Bullet really rocket past the King of Beers this year? Analysts said the odds are better than good. "Coors Light once again is the shining knight in silver armor so far in 2011," Harry Schumacher, editor of Beer Business Daily, recently wrote. "If Coors Light continues this trajectory, expect it to surpass Budweiser this year as the No. 2 beer brand." Coors Light ended 2010 with a 8.5% market share of all beer shipments, closing in on Bud's 8.7% share, according to Beer Marketer's Insights. Bud Light has 19.1% share, and Miller Lite is in fourth place with a 7.5% share.

If Coors Light makes the move, the story won't be so much about the brand's rise as Budweiser's big drop. Coors Light, which largely bucked sluggish beer trends brought on by high jobless rates among blue-collar drinkers, was a full share point behind Bud at the end of 2009. Its shipments increased 1.1% in 2010 to more than 18 million barrels, while Bud shipments fell 7.3% to 18.5 million barrels, according to Beer Marketer's Insights.

"We don't say it's a slam-dunk" that Coors Light will pass Bud, "because things can happen," said Beer Marketer's Insights President Benj Steinman. But "the chances are very good considering the long-running decline of Budweiser and the growth in recent years of Coors Light."

That growth was powered by its "world's most refreshing beer" message carried out through gimmicks such as cold-activated cans and bottles on which the mountains turn blue when the beer is cold. This year, it introduces a new "super-cold" indicator, in which a bar on the can turns blue when the beer reaches a near-frozen state.

Budweiser, meantime, has struggled to find a message. In 2009 the brand moved away from its 2-year-old "Great American Lager" platform that emphasized brewing process and quality in favor of the "It's What We Do," ads that sought to play off the beer's long-running presence in the American psyche. But the effort failed to halt the brand's two-decades-plus sales decline. Anheuser-Busch changed course again late last year, hiring independent agency Anomaly for an ad campaign called "Grab Some Buds," which seeks to reach out to younger drinkers with music-filled spots featuring scenes of cookouts, baseball, rock concerts and a young couple kissing at a bar.Ice Cube will appear in ads by Chicago-based multicultural agency Commonground, in which he stares down Coors Light bottles in a battle of who's colder. The spots hold promise of crossover appeal, judging by the spirited reaction last week by the overwhelmingly white, middle-age audience of distributors, who gave most of MillerCoors' other new creative only polite applause. (The agency of record for Coors Light is DraftFCB, which will continue to pump out other ads for the brand.)

Maureen Ogle, author of "Ambitious Brew: The Story of American Beer," said the brewer needs to pick one message and stick with it: "They just need to make up their minds on what they are doing." She also suggested competition is hurting A-B. It is "just being hit on too many sides by too many appealing alternatives," such as craft beers.

In a recent earnings call, executives said they were able to slow Bud's decline to "low-single digits," compared with the "mid-to-high single digits" decline of previous years. "Brand health metrics ... went up for Budweiser after many years of being sideways," said Carlos Brito, CEO for global parent Anheuser-Busch InBev. A-B executives did not respond to a request for comment for this story.

Coors Light will lose one asset this year that arguably helped its ascent -- its deal with the NFL as the official beer sponsor. The pact terminated at the end of this season and now belongs to A-B, thanks to a six-year deal worth an estimated $50 million a year for Bud Light.

As for Miller Lite, the brewer will continue its "Man Up" campaign by DraftFCB, which positions the brand as the light beer with the most taste and mocks men who choose other brands.

At retail, consumers who buy Miller Lite products can earn "taste points" on a website, redeemable for prizes. Armed with iPads, swimsuit-clad female Lite Guards will be deployed to bars to encourage guys to become fans of MillerCoors Facebook pages.

By E.J Shultz - Ad Age

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Aflac Goes On Duck Hunt To Find New Spokes-Quacker! Potential Quackers Can Audition Online With An Audio Clip!

2011-03-29T12:17:00.000-06:00

Call it the "American Idol" of the insurance industry.

After letting go comedian Gilbert Gottfried, the screechy voice of Aflac's ad icon for 11 years, the insurer has gone duck hunting, launching a nationwide search for America's next great quacker.

In the first 24 hours after the open casting began March 24, some 28,500 people had viewed the insurer's job description on Monster and QuackAflac.com. About 1,500 had submitted an application through both sites. The company hopes to make a decision by the end of April.

"We wanted to open this up to well-known talent as well as undiscovered talent to see what we might get," said Laura Kane, VP-external communications for Aflac. "Agents tell us that when they make a call to customers, people can't say Aflac without quacking it."

Potential quackers can audition live April 4 and 5 in New York; Los Angles; Chicago; Las Vegas; Austin, Texas; and Atlanta. Participants can also apply online by including a video or audio clip.

In the interim, the company is running a TV ad it dubs "Silent Movie," featuring the duck without the signature voice. The ad is retooled from a 2005 campaign Aflac ran, which included several ads in homage to classic movie genres.

Aflac parted ways with Mr. Gottfried just days after the disaster in Japan, following a series of insensitive tweets. Among his Twitter comments: "I just split up with my girlfriend, but like the Japanese say, 'They'll [sic] be another one floating by any minute now.'" Mr. Gottfried has since removed the offending comments and apologized on Twitter.

Those jabs hit too close to home for Aflac. Japan, the only other country aside from the U.S. that the company operates in, represents about 70% of the company's revenue. Aflac has between 4,500 and 5,000 employees and 115,000 agents in Japan alone.

"Overwhelmingly, people think we did the right thing. But we are hearing from people who thought we needed to reconsider it. We're not," said Ms. Kane. "We think Gilbert did a great job, we just need to move on."

More than likely, consumers won't even notice the duck's new voice. "To the degree people are even aware of the change, there might be even a brief boost in awareness," said Steven Weisbart, senior VP-chief economist at the Insurance Information Institute. And with voice-overs, especially if it's for an animated character, "a celebrity voice doesn't always give added value," said Robert Passikoff, founder-president of consultancy Brand Keys.

Aflac puts big bucks behind the duck -- $81 million in measured media last year, according to Kantar.

It's no surprise that Aflac has no plans to muck with the duck. Prior to the 2000 campaign, Aflac had about 11% brand awareness. By 2006, the company had 95% brand awareness, meaning that 95% of people surveyed recognized the Aflac brand.

The company declined to disclose the change in the number of policies sold since the introduction of the duck. But according to the Insurance Information Institute, Aflac in the accident and health insurance category was No. 1 among U.S. companies in 2010, with 9.04% of the market, ahead of Aetna, Cigna and MetLife. In 1999 -- the year before the duck became the mascot -- the company had 7.88% of the market share in the category.

"The duck is here to stay," said Ms. Kane.

By Maureen Morrison - Ad Age

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CBS Wants To Kiss & Make Up With Sheen! Will He Return To 'Men'

2011-03-22T20:30:00.001-06:00

As absurd as it may sound, Charlie Sheen could be headed back to "Two and a Half Men."

The reunion seemed impossible just a few weeks ago, when Sheen was fired after multiple outbursts against the show's creator, Chuck Lorre, and seemed to be on the verge of a major breakdown. But in the days since, it's become clear that Sheen isn't crazy. He might well be the shrewdest and sanest guy in Hollywood. If not that, he's one very good actor in the part he's created for himself.

And now, all of a sudden, it appears CBS wants to rehire him, according to multiple reports yesterday. The network is said to have met with Sheen's representatives and offered him his job back with the one condition that he make up with Lorre and Warner Bros., which produces "Men." Sheen has filed a $100 million lawsuit against Warner Bros. and Lorre. On the face of it, Sheen's return to CBS would seem improbable. He's made disparaging remarks about CBS CEO Les Moonves, and he's called nearly everyone associated with the show a troll.

But this is, after all, television and Hollywood, where the improbable is a way of life and the worst sorts of feuds can be worked through when there's enough money at stake, which is very much the case with Sheen and the very successful "Two and a Half Men." The move makes sense for four reasons. First, Sheen has become such a sensation that his return to "Men" would guarantee the show becomes an even bigger hit. CBS could ask for, and get, huge price increases for the sitcom at the upfront, as season nine with Sheen back on board would certainly be the most anticipated premiere of the fall.

Second, for all the trouble Sheen can be and has been, CBS has always handled him, and it can handle him again. Last year production was shut down for Sheen to go to rehab and he was accused of threatening to kill his then-wife, Brooke Mueller. CBS re-signed him to a two-year contract with a hefty raise anyway. Though the show will probably continue without him, the network's rumored two top choices to replace Sheen, John Stamos and Rob Lowe, have both said they are not interested.

If "Men" were to be canceled, CBS would have a huge gaping hole in its Monday night schedule that it is not prepared to fill. And fourth, Moonves is a smart, calculating executive. He clearly sees the value of getting "Men" back in production. But more important, he obviously believes Sheen would agree to come back, despite all the nasty things he's said.

Moonves has never appeared to take Sheen or his bizarre behavior all that seriously, even as he was being fired and as various psychiatric authorities were holding forth on his mental condition. Whether Sheen will accept the offer after weeks of ranting about his former show is anyone's guess. Right now he seems to be having fun keeping people guessing. Yesterday the actor issued a cryptic tweet to his more than 3 million Twitter followers in which he suggested, as rumored, that he was in talks to do a deal with Fox.

RadarOnline is reporting that CBS wants him back!

CBS wants the star back at work on Two and a Half Men, Radar says, quoting "a well-placed insider" who says CBS President and CEO Les Moonves has been speaking with top execs at Warner Bros. Television, the company that produces Men and also fired Sheen!

By Toni Fitzgerald
Mar 22, 2011

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Before You Get Excited About "Netflix TV", Read This! The Media World Is Going Ga-Ga Over The Programing Prospect Of Netflix!

2011-03-19T20:16:00.000-06:00

The media world is going ga-ga over the prospect of Netflix possibly getting into the business of transmitting original high-end programming, raising the notion of the red-envelope company transforming itself into the HBO of the broadband video set. Yet for all the heated talk of a possible "Netflix original," this high-flying tech firm could still run into the same old problems that have snagged other purveyors of TV favorites for decades.

Yes, the merest whiff of speculation about Netflix picking up a Kevin Spacey-and-David-Fincher-backed series from studio Media Rights Capital called "House of Cards" is getting everyone hot and bothered. The Wall Street Journal's Deal Blog recently posted the headline "Netflix: Hollywood's Worst Nightmare," even though Netflix has yet to confirm 80-skate different blog reports and other journalistic dispatches surrounding this affair.

Keep in mind this simple fact: Among broadcast networks, nearly 80% of new programs fail. You can count on 10 hands the number of high-falutin projects coming out of Hollywood's boob-tube assembly line that have missed the mark -- remember CBS's "Bette" sitcom starring Bette Midler? NBC's General Motors-supported spy drama "Your Own Worst Enemy," featuring Christian Slater? How about this season's flop "Lone Star" on Fox, once touted as the must-see drama of 2010? Cable networks can keep something on the air a little longer, but they, too, won't hesitate to yank a series if a substantial fan base doesn't cotton to it pretty quickly, prestige be damned. Fare thee well, AMC's "Rubicon."

What we mean to say is this: Quality and big names are no guarantee of a show's success, or of the success of a backer of that show, for that matter.

You also have to take into account that Netflix would have to promote the program in an entirely different fashion than any TV network, a process that could work to the company's detriment. Sure, Netflix has more than 20 million subscribers in the U.S. and Canada -- a nice number, but one that falls short of the weekly audience for a single episode of Fox's "American Idol" or even CBS's "NCIS."

Now add this to the stew: Netflix's viewership watches different pieces of programing at different times. The bulk of the TV networks' audience watches the same show at the same time (to be sure, a good number are now watching shows on computer and DVR at different times as well). What we mean to show is Netflix's big challenge of having to promote a new, original series virtually one-on-one -- advertising the program to individual viewers, rather than an audience base tuning in en masse. That's not easy to do -- and seems even more daunting when you consider the fact that even shows that get promoted during a big-ticket sports broadcast sometimes fall flat on their face. After all, for all the promos that run on NBC's high-rated "Sunday Night Football" broadcasts, you'd think the network would have more hits on its air.

There's another wrinkle. Media Rights Capital, the studio behind "House of Cards," has had a mixed record on TV. Yes, the company has produced some successful and critically acclaimed material for both the big and small screens. Even so, MRC was the company that the CW turned to back in the 2008-2009 TV season to help it program Sunday nights, then a true thorn in the network's side. MRC's portfolio of programs -- shows with names such as "Easy Money" and "In Harm's Way" -- were "below expectations," CW Chief Operating Officer John D. Maata wrote in a note to affiliates just a few weeks after the programs debuted on CW. CW opted to air reruns of old shows and old movies in the programs' stead.

Netflix's ability to create a new market and pipeline in just the space of a few years is admirable and, honestly, worthy of hype. Yet as the company ponders changing itself from a distributor of content to a producer of same, it will face the same bumps that more experienced outlets wrestle with every day.

By Brian Steinberg

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Crazy Herman New Website!

2011-03-19T14:21:00.001-06:00

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Schools Explore Locker Advertising As Idea For Extra Revenue - Featured Photo Is The Locker Ad For Underwater World At The Mall Of America

2011-03-17T14:18:00.014-06:00

St. Cloud will become the latest school district in Minnesota to tackle a discussion about advertising in schools. It’s a discussion Superintendent Bruce Watkins says he’d prefer not to have, but he said selling ads may be more acceptable than some of the budget reductions that might otherwise have to be made.

St. Francis became the first school district in Minnesota to sell advertising on lockers, walls and open spaces and made national news doing it. Becker, about 18 miles southeast of St. Cloud, approved a similar measure in December and is waiting for the first set of ads to be installed. Centennial in Circle Pines and Monticello school district, about 40 miles southeast of St. Cloud, looked at it but decided against it or to at least wait.

Now Watkins, who leads a district facing a budget shortfall of $1.5 million to $3 million for its 2011-2012 school year and another shortfall the following year, plans to bring the idea to the seven-member school board Wednesday. Twice the issue has popped up before the board’s finance committee without gaining much traction. “I think we wish it didn’t need to be a consideration,” Watkins said. “Under the best of circumstances, this wouldn’t be an option of any interest.” Still, Watkins said if it could save school programs or avoid teacher layoffs, it is worth a look. The board is scheduled to hear information from Watkins about the option.

In Becker, the school district has a contract with School Media of Coon Rapids for advertising on lockers, benches, floors, walls and open spaces, said Superintendent Steve Malone, who is in his first year. Becker is looking to close a $900,000 shortfall. The district is expected to receive $140,000 under the contract. “Given the financial crisis facing Minnesota public schools, it is important to seek creative solutions to maintain programs,” Malone said. The ads that will appear in all four Becker schools are limited to health and wellness topics. A committee of parents, teachers and administrators must approve every ad, Malone said.

St. Francis school district blazed the trail for advertising in schools when the school board approved it in October. The decision launched a story in Time magazine. Ads are in five Minnesota school districts and in schools in five states; schools in another seven states are expected to sign on, School Media co-founder Greg Meyer said. The recent budget struggles of schools have helped the 2-year old company grow. “That is why we started the company, to offset the cuts these school districts are needing to take,” Meyer said. Ads in schools are starting to show up more as schools look for ways to maintain programs and services with limited state and local tax dollars. Idaho and Utah are looking at allowing advertising on school buses.

In 1990, a similar debate took place when Channel One News, an in-school TV program, looked to get into 8,000 schools for a new program that included advertisements. In Monticello, school board members considered installing ads but decided to wait until it had a policy in place that would provide guidance, Superintendent Jim Johnson said. “You want to be careful of what type of advertising,” Johnson said. “Once you open your building up, if you don’t have any policy in place, where do you stop?” The concern is that the ads might make their way into classrooms, Johnson said.

St. Cloud school district has a policy for accepting advertising that was approved in 2005 and updated in 2008. It allows advertising in schools to pay for educational programs and activities. It must be nonintrusive, limited and meet community standards. Long-term contracts must be approved by the school board. School Media reaches agreements with school districts to sell ads to business that promote healthy lifestyles or educational, nutritional and wellness products. The amount of revenue generated depends on the percentage of school space where ads can be placed. One sample ad on the company’s website is for produce at Cub Foods. In its board room, Monticello has a set of lockers, which feature an ad for Underwater World at the Mall of America, that it used to show how ads might look.

“Our criteria is about as strict as it can come in advertising. You won’t see a bag of chips or Big Mac or bottles of soda and so forth. Our criteria is based on education,” Meyer said. “If kids are eating better, exercising, if they are taking care of themselves with these products, it is a pretty positive reflection of the community.” Centennial school district in Circle Pines last year rejected the idea on a 3-3 board vote, Superintendent Paul Stremick said. It would have brought between $200,000 and $300,000 into the school district, he said. The district is in the process of reducing its budget by $2.5 million.

“I don’t think anybody liked it. Nobody thought it was the best thing to do. It was definitely an option that needed to be considered. If everyone had their druthers they wouldn’t put advertising in schools,” Stremick said. “You need to weigh that against providing a quality education for the students. A couple hundred thousand (dollars) would be two or three teachers.” That’s the way Watkins sees it. He wants to make sure he explores every idea that could preserve staff positions and programs. “I think we will try every option we can find,” Watkins said.

By: Dave Aeikens - St Cloud Times

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Chrysler Sues Over Marketing Slogan - "Imported From Detroit."

2011-03-16T11:04:00.006-06:00

DETROIT—A slogan fight is on in Detroit after Chrysler Group LLC filed suit late Tuesday to stop a local business from selling clothing branded with the words: "Imported From Detroit."

The auto maker, which unveiled the "Imported From Detroit" slogan at the end of its successful Super Bowl XLV ad, wants a federal court judge to bar Moda Group LLC from selling T-shirts and other clothing featuring the slogan "Imported From Detroit" at its Pure Detroit store chain.

According to a copy of the lawsuit, Chrysler contends Pure Detroit began selling the "Imported From Detroit" attire shortly after the airing of the Super Bowl commercial and falsely advertised that it had "exclusive rights" to market the merchandise.

Chrysler's two-minute spot, which features Detroit rapper Eminem, touts the auto maker's new Chrysler 200 vehicle as it rolls through a variety of Detroit street scenes. The commercial ends by flashing the tagline– Chrysler: "Imported From Detroit."

The auto maker claims it had already registered the "Imported From Detroit" trademark for clothing in January, more than a month before Pure Detroit began selling the shirts. Chrysler is selling clothing with the logo through it own Web site. A portion of the sales goes to charity.

"Chrysler has attempted in good faith to encourage Pure Detroit to stop infringing Chrysler's rights and to contribute a portion of its gains to charity, but it has refused to do so," the auto maker said in a statement Wednesday. "This action seeks to stop Pure Detroit from exploiting the 'Imported From Detroit' tagline and account for the profits it has made."

A call to Pure Detroit's main store in downtown Detroit yielded no response to the allegations. Pure Detroit is operated by owners Kevin Borsay and Shawn Santo, who are also named in the suit.

Last month, Ford Motor Co. sued Ferrari SpA for alleged trademark infringement after the Italian auto maker named its new Formula 1 racing car the F150. Ford claimed the name was too close to the name of its F-150 pickup truck. Ferrari agreed to stop using the name.

By Jeff Bennett

Simon Cowell Secures $300 Million Advertising Deal For US X Factor!

2011-03-14T10:29:00.006-06:00

SIMON Cowell is once again in the money.

The music mogul — who’s believed to be worth about $200 million — has helped secure a $300 million advertising deal for his US X Factor TV talent show.

It marks the largest pre-launch advertising revenue of any US program ever, according to Britain’s Daily Mirrornewspaper.

Three big brands have signed up, including Pepsi.

“Simon is yet again in the money. With a 14% share in the stake, he looks likely to walk away with over $46 million — before the first show has even aired,” a source said.

Recent reports claimed Cowell, 51, is going on a strict diet after piling on the pounds during a recent trip to the UK.

“He’s been having meals Brits love such as spaghetti Bolognese and fish fingers and chips,” a source told British newspaper The Sun.

“Being back in Los Angeles, he said it’s much easier for him to lose it as he will swim every day and his fiancee Mezhgan Hussainy will make sure he eats healthily.”

Monday March 14, 2011 - ShowbizSpy

New Condoms Put Ads On The Latex! Apparently SEX Really Does Sell! Literally!

2011-03-12T14:33:00.010-07:00

NEW YORK -- A condom maker is taking the truism "sex sells" very literally.

A new line of the contraceptives puts advertising not just on the wrapper, but the latex itself.

Graphic Armor Inc.'s new Picture Condoms meet all FDA requirements and it claims they're the first to feature full-color images on the latex. They're starting with a condom branded with the rock band Kiss that shows Gene Simmons' tongue unfurled. Another Kiss version featuring bandmate Paul Stanley is slated for June.

Adam Glickman, CEO of condom retailer Condomania, says the creators are in talks with entertainment companies, energy drinks and designers to put logos and messages on the condoms.

They come in a 3-pack for $7.99.

The Associated Press
Friday, March 11, 2011; 4:23 PM

Tweeting for Dollars: Charlie Sheen's 'Cash Cow' Page Spotlights New Age of Advertising

2011-03-07T13:52:00.007-07:00

For Charlie Sheen, 140 characters may be worth a million dollars. Out-of-work actor Charlie Sheen recently confessed plans to join Twitter -- with the intention to make $1M from the “cash cow.” He’s not alone. Celebs across the country are trading tweets for tender, leading some to fear social networking has become more a means to push products than connect with friends.Last week Sheen announced that he was partnering with Tweet brokering company Ad.ly. after the cancellation of “Two and a Half Men.”The actor told TMZ that he was looking to make a fortune through the site, adding "I'm unemployed." In less than a week, Sheen boasted more than two million followers on Twitter, setting a new Guinness World Record. But Sheen isn’t alone in his quest to earn the big bucks via the social networking site.

Celebs like 50 Cent, Snoop Dogg, Kim Kardashian and Audrina Patridge are all on Ad.ly.’s payroll. So lucrative is the business that Kardashian brings in a whopping $25K per Tweet.“As TV, radio, magazine, and newspaper circulations decrease, more people are consuming media on the internet. Advertising dollars will be poured into social networks, blogs, and traditional media sites because that's where the audience is going, it's cheaper for them, and they can measure their campaigns effectiveness,” Dan Schawbel, personalbranding expert and author of "Me 2.0" told FOX411’s Pop Tarts. “Facebook's advertising revenues are predicted to be $4 billion in 2011, which shows you the true power of where the industry is going.”Founded in 2006, Twitter began as a grassroots microblogging service, quickly attracting a following from celebrities.SingerJohn Mayer told us last year that he planned to quit the site as soon as it became too commercial, a promise he fulfilled last September when he deleted his account.“Twitter is fun, but I’m going to get off as soon as it becomes like, ‘Skippy Peanut Butter Presents Twitter,” he told Tarts in 2009.Since then, his predictions appear to have come true. Kardashian has plugged various endorsements and 50 Cent recently came under fire after making a cool $8.7 million after encouraging his followers to invest in a money-losing penny stock.For his part, Sheen has yet to be paired with a company, the Wall Street Journal reported.“We're just trying to let the dust settle and field the inquiries," Ad.ly CEO Arnie Gullov-Singh said of Sheen's new tweet-for-pay career. "The biggest problem we're having now is figuring out what it's worth. Everything he posts turns into a trending topic."But while this modern-day style of advertising certainly boosts the bank account of a celebrity, does it also do big things for corporate America’s bottom line? Ad.ly lists over 150 advertisers connected to the program, including the likes of Best Buy, Sony, Covergirl, American Airlines, Old Navy and AOL.“It's debatable if a tweet from a celebrity will be influential enough to stimulate purchasing behavior and it has yet to be proven. Kim Kardashian was paid $25,000 by Armani for a sponsored tweet that generated 40,000 users to Armani's website in less than 24 hours,”Schawbel told Tarts. “There is no doubt that a celebrity tweet is perceived as an endorsement and it gives brands more visibility on social networks, which are growing fast. [But] that doesn’t mean that any products were sold.”

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2011/03/07/tweeting-dollars-charlie-sheens-cash-cow-page-spotlights-new-age-advertising/#ixzz1FwtnosBz

AT&T Will Start To Send Text Ads To Phones Based On Location

2011-02-28T13:22:00.009-07:00

In a first for a wireless carrier, AT&T Inc. said Monday that it will use its phones' location-sensing ability to target text ads with coupons and other offers to participating subscribers in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago and San Francisco.

Kmart, part of Sears Holdings Corp., is one of the chains that have signed up for "ShopAlerts by AT&T." That means AT&T could send discount offers to subscribers who are close to a Kmart store. AT&T is only able to locate its subscribers to within a mile or so, so its ability to sense that subscribers are in a receptive mood for the offer - like when they're heading to shop - is limited. The service locates subscribers based on which cell towers communicate with their phones, rather than using the more accurate Global Positioning System chips that many phones have. This means ShopAlerts will work with any phone, not just smart phones that can run third-party applications.

JetBlue Airways Corp. is another participant in the program and could use AT&T's service to send promotions when passengers are approaching an airport. Other participants are Hewlett-Packard Co., SC Johnson, Kibbles 'n Bits, Nature's Recipe and the "Got Milk?" campaign.

AT&T subscribers who want to get the ads need to sign up on the company's website. For now, they won't have an option to choose what type of offers to receive, according to AT&T. According to the service, subscribers will get a maximum of four messages per week.

Sending ads to phones based on their location is a long-held dream of retailers, but the technology has been slow to emerge. It's difficult to tap into the GPS chips of phones, because they drain battery life. Some companies that provide location-oriented apps do sell ads.

In August, a startup called Shopkick Inc. announced a program with big retailers such as Macy's Inc. and Best Buy Inc. to provide customers with coupons when they "check in" to a store by firing up an app on their smart phone, which senses a short-range inaudible signal specific to each store.

By PETER SVENSSON

Ohio Man Runs A TV Commercial To Propose To His Girlfriend

2011-02-25T23:20:00.006-07:00

It's getting harder out there for a guy who wants to raise big public fanfare around his marriage proposal. In the media-saturated American scene, you see proposals turning up in newspaper ads, skywriting appeals and--of course--the venerable stadium Jumbotron. So how does a lovestruck beau make his offer really stand out? Why, he asks his lady to marry him in a TV commercial, of course. And that's just what David Jones--a Cleveland-based video producer, conveniently enough--did yesterday to in a successful bid for the hand of his girlfriend, Dee Horton.

On Thursday, Horton and her co-workers at a Medina, Ohio hair salon tuned in to the midday newscast on Cleveland's WJW-TV. Jones had told her that he'd be portraying some sort of superhero in a commercial. But as she went about trimming a client's hair with one eye on the broadcast, she soon realized that she was the sole member of this particular commercial's target demographic. "A lot of people say we're living on love, like it's a bad thing," Jones said in the commercial. "How about you and I show the world what true love is all about?" He then pulled out a ring and proposed, and a few seconds later Jones emerged in the salon with a WJW camera crew, and dropped to his knees to propose in person.

You can watch the WJW report on the proposal by clicking on the link below:

http://www.fox8.com/videobeta/8857cd86-8d5a-47b2-80a1-57c9d033aba8/News/Fox-8-Cameras-Roll-During-Surprise-Proposal

Jones had earlier said that he wanted his proposal to be "something neither one of us would ever forget," and he clearly achieved his goal. For her part, Horton said that she contracted cancer shortly after she and Jones began dating, but he stuck by her side and cared for her as she endured surgery and radiation treatments. We wish them all the best. (Photo and video via: Fox 8 WJW in Cleveland)

By Brett Michael Dykes

CBS shuts down #1 Rated TV Series 'Two And A Half Men' over Sheen rant

2011-02-25T10:44:00.006-07:00

CBS Axes production on 'Two and a Half Men'

"Two and a Half Men" is done for now, and possibly forever.

Yesterday CBS and Warner Bros. canceled the sitcom for the rest of the season, following a bizarre radio interview yesterday in which the troubled star attacked show creator Chuck Lorre in an anti-Semitic rant.

The show, television's highest-rated comedy, had been on production hiatus the past month while the hard-partying Sheen went to rehab yet again. It was to resume production next week.

But instead of participating in his at-home rehab program, Sheen has spent much of the past few weeks spouting off on syndicated radio shows, insisting he was ready to go back to work but that his bosses wouldn't let him.

His antics were juvenile but expected, and tolerated, until yesterday, when Sheen stepped well over the line, even for him.

"There's something this side of deplorable that a certain Chaim Levine — yeah, that's Chuck's real name — mistook this rock star for his own selfish exit strategy, bro," Sheen said yesterday on the syndicated "Alex Jones Show." "Check it, Alex: I embarrassed him in front of his children and the world by healing at a pace that his unevolved mind cannot process.

"Last I checked, Chaim, I spent close to the last decade effortlessly and magically converting your tin cans into pure gold. And the gratitude I get is this charlatan chose not to do his job, which is to write."

Lorre's real name is Charles Levine; Chaim is the Hebrew word for Charles.

CBS issued a terse statement last night in response.

"Based on the totality of Charlie Sheen's statements, conduct and condition, CBS and Warner Bros. Television have decided to discontinue production of 'Two and a Half Men' for the remainder of the season," it said.

And it's difficult to imagine the show coming back next season, after what Sheen did next. He sent a rant to TMZ in response to CBS's statement in which the actor further attacked Lorre and called for his fans to "walk with me side-by-side as we march up the steps of justice to right this unconscionable wrong."

Sheen, who makes a reported $1.2 million per episode, went into rehab for the first time last year, shutting down production of the show. He's also been hospitalized several times this season, suffering from various ills related to his excessive partying.

Up till yesterday, the network had maintained that Sheen did his job, and well, when he was on set. But network executives were clearly concerned over his behavior off the set, which has become increasingly erratic. CBS Entertainment president Nina Tassler discussed those concerns during last month's Television Critics Association tour.

"Men" is the most-watched comedy in primetime and in syndication, where Warner Bros. stands to lose millions in revenue by bringing the season to an abrupt end, with just 16 of 24 episodes filmed.

But CBS, Warner Bros., Lorre and Sheen clearly need to work out whether there's any future for the show. More counseling for Sheen is not the answer.

And without Sheen the show would not survive, as one of the titular "Men" and the character whom straight man Jon Cryer plays off of.

CBS probably will not officially decide the show's fate until May, after Sheen has had some cooling off time and the network decides if it can repair its relationship with its troubling star, or whether it wants to.

In case you're wondering what else Sheen said on "Jones," here's a few of the craziest bits:

* He called Thomas Jefferson a "pussy" after Jones told him he sounded like the third president.

* He called Alcoholics Anonymous a "bootleg cult" with a 5 percent success rate.

* He said, "I have a disease? Bulls**t! I cured it ... with my mind."

By Toni Fitzgerald

Anti-abortion billboard in New York sparks off furious row

2011-02-25T10:32:00.005-07:00

The antiabortion billboard above Watts Street and Sixth Avenue read: ‘The most dangerous place for an African American is in the womb.’

The controversial billboard in SoHo that linked an anti-abortion message with an image of a young black girl has been taken down, the company that owns the advertising space confirmed Thursday.

“It’s in the best interest to take it down,” said Peter Costanza, general manager of Lamar Advertising in New York. “I don’t want any violence to happen.”

The ad, located at Watts Avenue and Sixth Avenue in Lower Manhattan, reads, “The most dangerous place for an African-American is in the womb.” That message is above a picture of a black girl wearing a sleeveless sundress.

Costanza said he received a report that critics of the sign harassed people at a nearby restaurant. He said he’s not taking a stand on the content of the ad but was concerned about plans for a protest.

Life Always, the antiabortion group that placed the ad, said it “strongly disagrees” with its removal because the “message holds true, and truth has a place in the public square.” The ad, which was to be up for a month, cost $20,000; the group is not expected to be charged.

City Council Speaker Christine Quinn said the girl’s mother, Tricia Frasier, did not know her daughter’s image would be used for this type of political message. “I spoke with Tricia Frasier, who is pleased that her daughter’s image will no longer be seen on 6th Avenue”

Quinn said Frasier is pleased her daughter’s image will no longer be seen “in this offensive and inflammatory billboard that enraged so many of my constituents.”

The speaker is slated to meet with Frasier and some council members on Friday to discuss ways to protect the girl’s image in the future. “In the name of common decency, I call on all anti-abortion groups to pledge never to use this image again,” Ms. Quinn said.

Hal Kilshaw, a spokesman for Lamar, said the company is concerned about setting a precedent that controversial signs will be removed at the first whiff of protest. But he said the company needed to weigh the sign’s backers’ first-amendment rights versus “concerns about fairness to tenants in the area.”

Billboard Gets Pulled Due To Cult Reference- "Were Like A Cult With Better Kool-Aid"

2011-02-22T16:35:00.007-07:00

A northern Indiana restaurant that erected billboards referring to the 1978 Jonestown cult massacre in which more than 900 people died has removed the signs following complaints that the signs were offensive.

Jeff Leslie, vice president of sales and marketing at Hacienda, acknowledged that the billboards were a mistake. He said the South Bend-based company ordered the signs removed less than two weeks into Hacienda's new advertising campaign.

"Our role is not to be controversial or even edgy. We want to be noticed -- and there's a difference," Leslie told the South Bend Tribune. "We have a responsibility to (advertise) with care, and that's why we're pulling this ad. We made a mistake and don't want to have a negative image in the community."

The billboards included the statement, "We're like a cult with better Kool-Aid," over a glass containing a mixed drink, as well as the phrase "To die for!"

In November 1978, more than 900 members of Jim Jones' People's Temple drank cyanide-laced, grape-flavored punch in a mass murder and suicide in the group's compound in Guyana.

Patricia Barbera-Brown of South Bend, who lives a few blocks away from one of the billboards, said she was so shocked when she initially read the message that she drove around the block.

"I thought perhaps I had misread the sign," she recalls. "It brought back quite a few horrible images and memories, and the very notion that a local restaurant would trivialize such a worldwide tragedy to simply increase their sales of cocktails is outrageous to me, and it offended me to the core."

She sent an e-mail to Hacienda's executive telling them the billboards weren't "funny at all," calling them "extremely offensive and very irresponsible marketing."

Hacienda executives responded in writing, apologizing for offending her and informing her that the billboards would be taken down.

Like many restaurant companies, Leslie said Hacienda uses billboard advertising to connect with the community and resonate with customers. He said that company leaders look every year at their restaurants, the economy, their customers, and the competition to determine an idea or theme to use for advertising.

As they brainstormed about how people belong to clubs and teams, he said they discussed how an entity can develop a cult following of like-minded people.

"It went the wrong direction, hit a nerve, and we have come to realize we should not have done this billboard. We lose the core message," he said.

Katherine Sredl, assistant professor of marketing at the Mendoza College of Business at the University of Notre Dame, agreed that the company's message came across wrong.

"They want people to think there are more things to love there than the food, but it's not the right humor for its clientele," she said.

Famous Advertising slogan “finger lickin’ good” can’t be seen any more!

2011-02-21T08:40:00.005-07:00

One of the most famous advertising slogans of the world will not be there any more. Since the decade of fifty’s KFC or Kentucky Fried Chicken, has called its meals as "finger lickin' good" , but, in a seeming attempt to keep up with healthier eating trends, will now use the phrase "So Good".

KFC has promised to display the calorie count of its main items. It also promised to launch its first grilled product and will use rapeseed oils to reduce saturated fats.

The smiling face of Colonel Harland D Sanders will not be bringing healthy eatingto mind and the idea that KFC, the fast food chain he founded in the 1950s, may be a force for good in society can mean too much for many people to swallow.

That is what the company wants to achieve, however, and why it is dismissing its 50-year claim that its chicken fillets and burgers are "Finger Lickin' Good".

The new slogan, "So Good," has the objective to highlight the other things that the company does and that it believes are beneficial. It must be said that this supplier of popcorn chicken and zinger burgers is not alone in trying to change with the times.

With customers constantly getting Warnings about an "obesity epidemic" and relentless health education programs, are demanding healthier options, while regulators from the (WHO), World Health Organisation to the UK's Food Standards Agency are creating pressures on food companies to clean up their act.

The most innovative element in KFC's changes, for example, is the first promise by a major fast food chain to show the calorie content of every item along with the prices on the menu boards above counters.

By Sanjeeb Banerjee

Share at your own risk: Are you advertising your home to burglars? Somethings you might want to share are not always the smartest things to share!?

2011-02-18T16:14:00.006-07:00

Some people update their social networks with every detail of their lives, revealing intimate details such as their date of birth, home address and when they're off on holiday.

A study by LV= revealed that 36pc of social networkers do not lock their profiles, meaning anyone – including criminals – can access their status updates. Some even admitted posting photographs of their homes.

Last year, the insurer More Than carried out a survey of reformed burglars and found that 12pc said they would use websites like Facebook and Twitter to find out when their potential victim is out of the house. Telling the internet that you're off on holiday is as good as shouting "I'm out – burgle me".

A burglary is not just distressing; making a claim will drive up your future insurance premiums as well. That means you could still be paying for one thoughtless tweet or wall post for years.

There has even been some suggestion that an insurer could refuse to pay a home insurance claim if you had revealed online that you would be away – after all, you are expected to take reasonable care of your property. The Association of British Insurers says it is not aware of any company declining a claim for this reason. However, it does urge householders to think twice before sharing their private information and movements with strangers online.

It's not just burglars that you need to think about when you update your blog or tweet your plans. The press is full of stories of people inviting a few friends to a house party through Facebook, only to have thousands of strangers descend on their home and trash their property. This kind of damage will not be covered by every home insurance policy, it will depend on the extent of your cover.

As a nation, we are becoming increasingly comfortable with sharing more and more information on the web – but it's important to consider your personal security and to make sure your privacy settings are up to date. Otherwise, your casual online chatter could end up giving a burglar all the information they need to make you their next victim.

Julie Owens is head of insurance at moneysupermarket.com

Journal Broadcast Revenue Up 22%

2011-02-15T11:27:00.004-07:00

Journal Communications reported fourth quarter 2010 television station revenue of $37.4 million, a 32.1% increase over the same quarter a year before. Radio revenue increased 6.2%, combining with television for a 22.1% increase in broadcast revenues for the quarter.

Total broadcast political and issue advertising revenue was $9.4 million in the quarter, compared to $1.5 million in the same quarter of 2009.

TV stations way up, and company may be in acquisition mode!

Excluding political and issue advertising revenue, broadcasting revenue increased 5%. Local and national advertising revenue increased 3.9% and 3%, respectively, primarily due to an increase in automotive ads. Retransmission revenue was $1.6 million in the quarter.

For the full year, broadcasting revenue increased 13.3% to $194.4 million. Revenue from television stations for the full year increased 18.7% to $125.1 million.

"Overall for the quarter, revenue of $103.7 million increased 7.8% and operating earnings increased 22.6% to $18.8 million," said Steven Smith, chairman and CEO of Journal Communications. "Broadcast political and issue advertising of $9.4 million contributed to our strong fourth quarter results. Excluding political and issue advertising, broadcast revenue grew 5% driven by the continued rebound in automotive advertising, up 16% in the quarter."

Journal Broadcast Group owns 33 radio stations and 11 TV outlets. Smith is focused on growing station performance this year, and perhaps acquiring stations. "Looking ahead to 2011, in broadcast, our top priority is to grow our share of revenue in each market," he said. "Our priority in publishing is to continue to provide a relevant, high impact daily newspaper while enhancing and building our digital business. We will continue to seek in-market growth opportunities in traditional or digital media, make capital investments that drive growth and look for new market broadcast acquisitions."

By Michael Malone -- Broadcasting & Cable

Top-Rated Grammys Since 2001 Also Regain Grip on Young People

2011-02-14T13:39:00.006-07:00

Awards Boast Youngest-Skewing Telecast Since 2004

LOS ANGELES (AdAge.com) -- Need further proof that social mediahas rescued live TV? Witness last night's Grammy Awards, which dominated not just Twitter's trending topics all of Sunday night and well into Monday morning, but the Nielsen ratings as well.

Sunday's night's telecast was the most-watched Grammys since 2001, with preliminary numbers showing that an average of 26.55 million viewers tuned in -- a 3% increase vs. last year's telecast. It was also the youngest-skewing telecast since 2004, with seven-year highs among 18-to-49-year-olds (up 1% vs. last year) and 18-to-34-year-olds (up 4% vs. last year.)

Such high numbers are likely due to the strength of early performances from artists such as Justin Bieber and Lady Gaga and a tribute to Aretha Franklin, but might have sustained due to surprise upsets from Grammy winners such as Esperanza Spalding (who won Best New Artist over Mr. Bieber) and Arcade Fire (the Canadian indie-rock band who won Album of the Year) later in the show.

Here's one moment that may have helped: Cee-Lo channeled Elton John's "Muppet Show" appearance to perform "Forget You" with Gwyneth Paltrow.

However, as TVByTheNumbers.com points out, the Grammys' ratings resurgence has not led to an increase in ad revenue in recent years. After the cost of 30-second spots peaked in 2005, at an average of $703,900, ads for the Grammys have been on the decline, according to the blog's data from Nielsen Audience Composition Reports and Nielsen Galaxy Explorer. Spots during the 2010 telecast went for an average of $425,727, according to the chart, an 11-year low. Final spot costs for this year's telecast have yet to be tabulated, but you can now expect spots to command a premium next year.

Renewed ratings momentum for the Grammys should bode well for the Academy Awards, which as Ad Age reported last week is seeking a younger viewing audience both on-air and online with an ambitious live-streaming effort planned for Oscar.com. ABC is charging an average $1.7 million for commercials during the 83rd annual telecast, a two-year high for 30-second spots.

by Andrew Hampp
Published: February 14, 2011

ADVERTISING CHAMPS! Volkswagen, Chrysler, E*Trade & Other Super Bowl Advertisers Score Big in Social Media

2011-02-14T13:22:00.004-07:00

The Super Bowl Social Brand Scoreboard Report measures the ROI and digital impact of Big Event ads

COSTA MESA, Calif., Feb. 14, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- This year's Super Bowl game set records for a TV audience, averaging more than 111 million viewers. So how did the overall brands fare? Who was able to capitalize on that audience and carry over success into brand interest and engagement? Which advertisers "won the web"?

These are some of the questions answered in the Super Bowl Social Brand Scoreboard report from digital agency ymarketing. The report measures how well this year's Big Game advertising dollars influenced online and social consumer behavior.

Because this year saw many advertisers encouraging participation on social media networks like Facebook and Twitter, the report highlights key benchmarks such as an increase or decrease in volume of social media metrics such as Facebook fans, Twitter followers, YouTube viewings, Social Sentiment, search volume and more. So while Sunday's Super Bowl between the Green Bay Packers against the Pittsburgh Steelers is already decided, the battle of these big brands for consideration in the mind of the consumer has only just begun.

In the Report:

20+ million Views on YouTube – Read how Volkswagen's Little Darth Vader won the Web.
97% Gain in Facebook Likes – Learn how PepsiMax's over-the-top stereotyping, comedy and sexism paid off.
5,835 New Twitter Followers – Discover how E*Trade's baby ads are still popular with the public.

"While we love reading and hearing the thoughts of Super Bowl ad critics, we believe there is a deeper story unfolding via Tweets, Wall Posts and Video Ratings," says Donald Nosek, VP of Business Development at ymarketing. "We think using online consumer behavior as a proxy to select the winning Super Bowl advertisers is a viable approach; and this report shows that."

Companies that advertised include: Anheuser-Busch, Audi, Best Buy, BMW, Bridgestone, Chrysler, Coca-Cola, Hyundai, Mars, Mercedes-Benz, PepsiCo and Volkswagen.

The scoreboard will give companies a statistical snapshot of the connection between big event advertising and online marketing. The full report is available at http://www.ymarketing.com/SuperBowl2011

SOURCE ymarketing

The WEB WAR Continues! Facebook locks Google out of advertising on its social network

2011-02-11T19:10:00.007-07:00

Late last year, Google surprised everyone by suddenly blocking Facebook from being able to import contacts from new users’ Gmail accounts.

When it happened, everyone knew that we were watching two tech giants exchange their first earth-shaking blows for the future of the web. It’s only gotten worse from there as the two colossi have poached one other’s employees and actively bid against each other for important strategic acquisitions like Twitter.

But today, things might have gotten real, as Facebook has decided to shut Google out of their social network entirely by demanding that Facebook app developers only use in-app advertising from approved vendors. Guess who isn’t approved? Google.

Well, not Google specifically, but their two major properties in Adsense and Double Click, which combine to form basically the largest advertising force on the web. If you are a Facebook app developer and your app is serving up ads from Google, you’ve got until February 28th to change your ways or you’re going to get booted.

Why isn’t Google on the list? Judging from a statement by Facebook, it may be because Google found Facebook’s terms outlandish and unreasonable.

“If your ad provider is not on this list, we encourage you to contact them to determine if they are planning on signing our terms,” writes Allison Hendrix of the Facebook app verification team.

Given how important security is to Google, is it any wonder that they didn’t want to “sign terms” with Facebook?

Feb. 11, 2011 (5:23 pm) By: John Brownlee

Activision axes Guitar Hero franchise

2011-02-09T20:34:00.003-07:00

Did you hear that? It's the fat lady, singing her heart out.

Activision released a bombshell today during their latest earnings report by announcing that the once-vaunted Guitar Hero franchise will be unceremoniously put to rest for the forseeable future.

"Due to continued declines in the music genre, the company will disband Activision Publishing's Guitar Hero business unit and discontinue development on its Guitar Hero game for 2011," the company said in a statement.

It's just the latest bad news to hit the ailing music game genre. The most recent Guitar Hero game, Warriors of Rock, failed to ignite the sales charts, and in December of 2010, media giant Viacom sold off Rock Band developer Harmonix. Just last week, longtime Rock Band publisher MTV Games was officially shut down.

In addition to Guitar Hero, Activision has halted development on its True Crime: Hong Kong action game.

"These decisions are based on the desire to focus on the greatest opportunities that the company currently has to create the world's best interactive entertainment experiences," they explained.

In a conference call, Activision said about 500 employees -- roughly 7% of its work force -- will be laid off by the cancellations.

It's not all doom and gloom, however, as Activision also revealed plans to support its Call of Duty franchise by forming a new internal studio. Dubbed "Beachhead," the team is tasked with creating a "best-in-class online community, exclusive content, and a suite of services" for the best-selling shooter series. The company will also be investing in a new online multiplayer game from World of WarCraft makers Blizzard.

First released on 2005 for the Playstation 2, Guitar Hero ushered in a lucrative era of music gaming. According to Activision, its 2007 iteration, Guitar Hero III, set an industry record by being the first video game to earn over $1 billion in retail sales. It's all been downhill from there, however, as the one-two punch of an economic downturn and an oversaturated music game market resulted in stagnant sales and dwindling consumer interest in the franchise.

by: Ben Silverman