MediaPost's TV Watch
A media critique by Wayne Friedman, Tuesday, June 28, 2011
The bane of any media or entertainment existence is where to find more growth -- specifically, TV advertising growth.
Through thick and thin, in bad and good overall TV markets, the NFL has endured well for its TV partners -- especially when it comes to TV advertising. Wildly strong gains were achieved this year -- amid an overall strong TV advertising market. In poor years, like in 2008 and 2009, the NFL still posted gains when every one else took cutbacks.
Who's to think that anything will slow this train down? (Only a sustained in-season lockout, I'm guessing).
So with this in mind, the preeminent professional sports league, the NFL, is floating the idea of yet another package of games -- an early season eight-game Thursday night schedule where it hopes to grab another $500 million to $700 million in rights fees from one lucky TV network. All of this is on top of the $4.5 billion it already gets collectively from Fox, CBS, NBC and ESPN.
If successful, this would mean the NFL would grow its media revenues from 10% to 16%. In effect, the NFL estimates there is a specific level of more TV advertising dollars to be had.
This new early season Thursday night package would match up nicely with an eight-game late season Thursday night package of games on the NFL's own NFL Network. Turner Broadcasting, a Comcast sports network (Versus, no doubt), or perhaps Fox's FX Network would seemingly be in the hunt.
Carving out a new package doesn't add more games to the schedule; it essentially takes away some games from existing networks. But this doesn't necessarily mean less advertising. The guess is the fewer regional games on CBS and Fox (right now they have six or seven, depending on the week) means the remaining games would expand into other markets. CBS and Fox each sell national TV advertising inventory.
Some had questioned whether the NFL will cut back on the fees that CBS, Fox, NBC, and ESPN pay. I don't think so.
Previously, the NFL started up a "Sunday Night Football" franchise on NBC from scratch, offering a full season of games. In recent years, the NFL opened up the late season eight-game Thursday night schedule on its own NFL Network -- as well as a DirecTV consumer fee-based package.
History is on the league's side. TV advertising revenue doesn't seem to be hurt when new packages are added. In the past, the NFL has found other ways to accommodate its TV partners, such as with more playoff games or other events. It could do the same again.
The NFL hasn't guessed wrong yet. Some of this is indeed tied to the lockout -- that is, owners are looking for more revenue. Then again, if a lockout happens -- and a whole season gets cancelled - things may be viewed differently.
To make back those losses, a more rapid expansion might be in the works. This might include what NFL players already say they are opposed to -- adding more games to the schedule, going to 18 regular season contests from 16.
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
7 Simple Steps to Extreme Personal Productivity
bNET
By Jeff Haden | June 28, 201
Increasing personal productivity is big business: Stephen Covey, David Allen, Tony Robbins, 43folders… those and countless others have combined to turn improving individual productivity into a massive industry.
Forget them.
If you want to complete a major project, tackle a task you’ve been putting off, or just knock out a lot of work in a relatively short period of time, there’s an easier way.
And it’s free.
Say you need to complete a task you estimate will take, oh, 10 to 12 hours. Here’s how to pull it off in one day:
Tell everyone your plan. This step is an absolute must since interruptions are productivity killers. So is the, “How much longer do you have to work?” guilt trip family members sometimes can’t help but lay on you. At a minimum tell coworkers and family, but consider letting important clients know as well. Send a quick email a day or two before explaining you will be tied up on Thursday and will respond to calls, emails, etc. first thing Friday morning. Some customers will contact you before Thursday; others will mentally note you can’t be reached. Either way it’s all good. And you get an additional benefit from telling others your plan: People important to you know what you intend to accomplish — and will know if you don’t succeed. Peer pressure can be a great motivator. Use it.
Decide how long you will work. Don’t plan based on, “I’ll work as long as I can,” or “I’ll work as long as I feel productive.” Set a concrete target. Commit to working 12 hours or whatever period of time you choose. Then the longer the time frame, the quicker the early hours seem to go by. When I worked in a factory we typically worked 8-hour shifts; time before lunch dragged and the last couple hours always seemed like death. During busy periods when we worked 12-hour shifts the mornings seemed to fly by. Something about knowing you’ll be working for a long time allows you to stop checking the clock; it’s like you naturally find your Zen (work)place. When you know you’re in for a long haul your mind automatically adapts. Trust me — it works.
Start really early — or extremely late. Have you ever taken a long car trip and left really early in the morning? Like at 3 or 4 a.m.? Those first few hours on the road fly by because you’ve stepped outside your norm. The same trick works with accomplishing a major goal. Start at 4 a.m. or indulge your inner night owl and start at 6 p.m. to work through the night. An extreme productivity day is not a normal day; set the stage by breaking free of your normal routine.
Withhold the fun, at least for a while. Some people like to listen to music while they work, others keep an eye on news. If you like to “treat” yourself when you’re working, don’t, at least in the early hours. When your motivation starts to flag that’s when a little music can provide a needed boost. Each treat is like a personal productivity bullet; shoot too early and nothing is left when you really need ammunition. Whatever typically carries you through your workday, hold off on it for awhile. Delayed gratification is always better gratification.
Recharge early. When you exercise, If you wait until you’re thirsty to drink it’s too late. The same is true when you work. Plan to eat or snack a little earlier than normal. If you sit while you work, stand before your butt gets numb. If you stand, sit before your legs start to ache. Any time you allow yourself to feel discomfort your motivation and resolve weakens. And speaking of food, plan meals wisely. Don’t take an hour lunch break: Prepare food you can eat quickly without lots of preparation or mess. The key is to refuel and keep rolling.
Take productive breaks, not rest breaks. Momentum is everything. Don’t take a walk, or watch a little TV, or goof around on the Internet. You will need breaks, but breaks should reinforce your sense of activity and accomplishment. Pick a few productive tasks you like to perform — and gain a sense of accomplishment when you complete — and use those for your breaks. Spending even a few minutes in the land of inactivity weakens your resolve.
Don’t quit until you’re done — even if finishing takes longer than expected. Stopping short is habit-forming. If you stop this time what will keep you from stopping next time? Success can be a habit, so make sure your first extreme personal productivity day is the start of a great new habit.
A great side benefit of an extreme personal productivity day: We unconsciously set internal limits on our output. A voice inside says, “I’ve done enough,” or, “That’s all I can do today,” or, I’m whipped — no way I can do more,” and we stop. But our internal limiters lie to us: With the right motivation, under the right circumstances, we can do more.
An extreme personal productivity day automatically ratchets your limits higher. After a few extreme productivity days you’ll perform better every “normal” day too — because you will have unconsciously raised your own bar.
By Jeff Haden | June 28, 201
Increasing personal productivity is big business: Stephen Covey, David Allen, Tony Robbins, 43folders… those and countless others have combined to turn improving individual productivity into a massive industry.
Forget them.
If you want to complete a major project, tackle a task you’ve been putting off, or just knock out a lot of work in a relatively short period of time, there’s an easier way.
And it’s free.
Say you need to complete a task you estimate will take, oh, 10 to 12 hours. Here’s how to pull it off in one day:
Tell everyone your plan. This step is an absolute must since interruptions are productivity killers. So is the, “How much longer do you have to work?” guilt trip family members sometimes can’t help but lay on you. At a minimum tell coworkers and family, but consider letting important clients know as well. Send a quick email a day or two before explaining you will be tied up on Thursday and will respond to calls, emails, etc. first thing Friday morning. Some customers will contact you before Thursday; others will mentally note you can’t be reached. Either way it’s all good. And you get an additional benefit from telling others your plan: People important to you know what you intend to accomplish — and will know if you don’t succeed. Peer pressure can be a great motivator. Use it.
Decide how long you will work. Don’t plan based on, “I’ll work as long as I can,” or “I’ll work as long as I feel productive.” Set a concrete target. Commit to working 12 hours or whatever period of time you choose. Then the longer the time frame, the quicker the early hours seem to go by. When I worked in a factory we typically worked 8-hour shifts; time before lunch dragged and the last couple hours always seemed like death. During busy periods when we worked 12-hour shifts the mornings seemed to fly by. Something about knowing you’ll be working for a long time allows you to stop checking the clock; it’s like you naturally find your Zen (work)place. When you know you’re in for a long haul your mind automatically adapts. Trust me — it works.
Start really early — or extremely late. Have you ever taken a long car trip and left really early in the morning? Like at 3 or 4 a.m.? Those first few hours on the road fly by because you’ve stepped outside your norm. The same trick works with accomplishing a major goal. Start at 4 a.m. or indulge your inner night owl and start at 6 p.m. to work through the night. An extreme productivity day is not a normal day; set the stage by breaking free of your normal routine.
Withhold the fun, at least for a while. Some people like to listen to music while they work, others keep an eye on news. If you like to “treat” yourself when you’re working, don’t, at least in the early hours. When your motivation starts to flag that’s when a little music can provide a needed boost. Each treat is like a personal productivity bullet; shoot too early and nothing is left when you really need ammunition. Whatever typically carries you through your workday, hold off on it for awhile. Delayed gratification is always better gratification.
Recharge early. When you exercise, If you wait until you’re thirsty to drink it’s too late. The same is true when you work. Plan to eat or snack a little earlier than normal. If you sit while you work, stand before your butt gets numb. If you stand, sit before your legs start to ache. Any time you allow yourself to feel discomfort your motivation and resolve weakens. And speaking of food, plan meals wisely. Don’t take an hour lunch break: Prepare food you can eat quickly without lots of preparation or mess. The key is to refuel and keep rolling.
Take productive breaks, not rest breaks. Momentum is everything. Don’t take a walk, or watch a little TV, or goof around on the Internet. You will need breaks, but breaks should reinforce your sense of activity and accomplishment. Pick a few productive tasks you like to perform — and gain a sense of accomplishment when you complete — and use those for your breaks. Spending even a few minutes in the land of inactivity weakens your resolve.
Don’t quit until you’re done — even if finishing takes longer than expected. Stopping short is habit-forming. If you stop this time what will keep you from stopping next time? Success can be a habit, so make sure your first extreme personal productivity day is the start of a great new habit.
A great side benefit of an extreme personal productivity day: We unconsciously set internal limits on our output. A voice inside says, “I’ve done enough,” or, “That’s all I can do today,” or, I’m whipped — no way I can do more,” and we stop. But our internal limiters lie to us: With the right motivation, under the right circumstances, we can do more.
An extreme personal productivity day automatically ratchets your limits higher. After a few extreme productivity days you’ll perform better every “normal” day too — because you will have unconsciously raised your own bar.
Saturday, June 25, 2011
Mobile Ads To Hit $4 Billion By 2015
MediaDailyNews
by Wayne Friedman, Thursday, June 23, 2011, 12:25 PM
Much of mobile advertising spending will be locally targeted in four years -- and higher-priced.
Locally targeted mobile ads will have a 70% share ($2.8 billion) of the expected $4 billion in overall U.S. mobile ad spending by 2015, according to Chantilly, Va.-based BIA/Kelsey.
In 2010, overall U.S. mobile advertising was at $790 million. Local mobile advertising's piece of the pie is $404 million -- 51% of the whole mobile advertising market.
BIA/Kelsey, the media consultant/researcher, says much of this gain will come from large brand advertisers that will adapt their marketing goals for the mobile device. That's thanks to a growing awareness of retail locations, driven by consumers' increasing smartphone ownership.
After large advertisers move in, BIA/Kelsey says small and medium-sized businesses will also push marketing efforts on mobile. All advertisers will benefit from the clearer return on investment and shorter purchasing funnel.
Mobile advertising sellers will also garner premium pricing on location-targeted ads.
Michael Boland, senior analyst and program director of BIA/Kelsey's Mobile Local Media practice, stated: "These premiums result from higher performance for locally targeted mobile ads when compared with non-local ads, due to higher relevance, immediacy and consumer buying intent, all of which are more prevalent in mobile than many other print and digital media."
by Wayne Friedman, Thursday, June 23, 2011, 12:25 PM
Much of mobile advertising spending will be locally targeted in four years -- and higher-priced.
Locally targeted mobile ads will have a 70% share ($2.8 billion) of the expected $4 billion in overall U.S. mobile ad spending by 2015, according to Chantilly, Va.-based BIA/Kelsey.
In 2010, overall U.S. mobile advertising was at $790 million. Local mobile advertising's piece of the pie is $404 million -- 51% of the whole mobile advertising market.
BIA/Kelsey, the media consultant/researcher, says much of this gain will come from large brand advertisers that will adapt their marketing goals for the mobile device. That's thanks to a growing awareness of retail locations, driven by consumers' increasing smartphone ownership.
After large advertisers move in, BIA/Kelsey says small and medium-sized businesses will also push marketing efforts on mobile. All advertisers will benefit from the clearer return on investment and shorter purchasing funnel.
Mobile advertising sellers will also garner premium pricing on location-targeted ads.
Michael Boland, senior analyst and program director of BIA/Kelsey's Mobile Local Media practice, stated: "These premiums result from higher performance for locally targeted mobile ads when compared with non-local ads, due to higher relevance, immediacy and consumer buying intent, all of which are more prevalent in mobile than many other print and digital media."
2012: TV Political Ad Buys Predicted To Hit $3B
MediaDailyNews
by Wayne Friedman, Tuesday, June 21, 2011, 3:49 PM
TV political advertising spending could see rocketing growth next year, possibly climbing to just under $3 billion.
Moody's Investors Service says political advertising revenue for those pure-play broadcasters can expect gains of 9% to 18% over historically high political advertising levels seen in 2010, when spending on TV broadcasters got to $2.3 billion.
Previous estimates said President Barack Obama's re-election campaign could raise a record $1 billion in 2012 for all its political advertising efforts. A Republican candidate might get to those levels as well -- looking to avoid the problems that Republican candidate John McCain got into in 2008.
In 2008, Obama did not take federal funds, but McCain did. That meant a cap on the ability to spend ad money. Analysts believe the new Republican candidate will follow in Obama's footsteps --- avoiding federal funds -- all of which could escalate political advertising spending, of which the lion's share goes into television.
The ad push will be aided by recent changes in political TV advertising laws, such as loosening of corporate-backed political advertising.
Moody's says small- and mid-size TV station groups -- Barrington Broadcasting Group, Gray Television, Local TV, Nexstar Broadcasting and NVT Networks/New Vision -- could be the better gainers from political spots.
Bigger TV groups -- those in larger markets, such as Belo Corp. and Sinclair Broadcast Group -- will witness smaller ad growth. Those groups have a broader list of TV marketers and larger revenues in many advertising categories.
Big battleground states -- Florida, Pennsylvania, Ohio and Missouri -- will see a lot of political advertising money, says Moody's. Overall, the investor-rating services says the windfall advertising dollars will be used to pay down station debt.
But don't let low rates for political eat up valuable inventory you should reserve for long-term direct clients. Get those clients to buy long term at healthy rates to offset lower margins for political....Philip Jay LeNoble, Ph.D. Creator of System 21
by Wayne Friedman, Tuesday, June 21, 2011, 3:49 PM
TV political advertising spending could see rocketing growth next year, possibly climbing to just under $3 billion.
Moody's Investors Service says political advertising revenue for those pure-play broadcasters can expect gains of 9% to 18% over historically high political advertising levels seen in 2010, when spending on TV broadcasters got to $2.3 billion.
Previous estimates said President Barack Obama's re-election campaign could raise a record $1 billion in 2012 for all its political advertising efforts. A Republican candidate might get to those levels as well -- looking to avoid the problems that Republican candidate John McCain got into in 2008.
In 2008, Obama did not take federal funds, but McCain did. That meant a cap on the ability to spend ad money. Analysts believe the new Republican candidate will follow in Obama's footsteps --- avoiding federal funds -- all of which could escalate political advertising spending, of which the lion's share goes into television.
The ad push will be aided by recent changes in political TV advertising laws, such as loosening of corporate-backed political advertising.
Moody's says small- and mid-size TV station groups -- Barrington Broadcasting Group, Gray Television, Local TV, Nexstar Broadcasting and NVT Networks/New Vision -- could be the better gainers from political spots.
Bigger TV groups -- those in larger markets, such as Belo Corp. and Sinclair Broadcast Group -- will witness smaller ad growth. Those groups have a broader list of TV marketers and larger revenues in many advertising categories.
Big battleground states -- Florida, Pennsylvania, Ohio and Missouri -- will see a lot of political advertising money, says Moody's. Overall, the investor-rating services says the windfall advertising dollars will be used to pay down station debt.
But don't let low rates for political eat up valuable inventory you should reserve for long-term direct clients. Get those clients to buy long term at healthy rates to offset lower margins for political....Philip Jay LeNoble, Ph.D. Creator of System 21
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Broadcast Bonanza: TV, Radio Boost GDP, Jobs
MediaDailyNews
by Wayne Friedman, Yesterday, 12:10 PM
A new study showing how local broadcasting is a boost to the U.S. economy is impacted by governmental discussions of TV and radio spectrum allocations.
The economic analysis says local radio and television broadcasting -- direct and supporting businesses -- contribute $1.17 trillion to the U.S. gross domestic product, with 2.52 million jobs.
The study comes from Washington, D.C.-based Woods & Poole Economics and media researcher/consultant BIA/Kelsey. It was commissioned by the National Association of Broadcasters.
"Decision-makers now debating spectrum policies need to be cognizant of the millions of people and thousands of businesses reliant on the unparalleled impact of local TV and radio for economic survival," stated Gordon Smith, president and CEO of the NAB.
Some 300,000 jobs are directly connected to the local broadcast industry, amounting to $59.32 billion in GDP annually. Television accounts for a little more than half: 187,000 of these jobs. Television itself contributes over $30 billion to gross domestic product. Radio employs 118,000 people and contributes a little over $18 billion to the GDP.
The analysis estimates residual effects on non-broadcast businesses -- advertising on local broadcast television and radio stations -- adds more than $986 billion in economic activity and supports 1.38 million jobs.
Soo....get going and help those local-direct businesses grow...and generate more $$$ for your TV and radio company...PJL
by Wayne Friedman, Yesterday, 12:10 PM
A new study showing how local broadcasting is a boost to the U.S. economy is impacted by governmental discussions of TV and radio spectrum allocations.
The economic analysis says local radio and television broadcasting -- direct and supporting businesses -- contribute $1.17 trillion to the U.S. gross domestic product, with 2.52 million jobs.
The study comes from Washington, D.C.-based Woods & Poole Economics and media researcher/consultant BIA/Kelsey. It was commissioned by the National Association of Broadcasters.
"Decision-makers now debating spectrum policies need to be cognizant of the millions of people and thousands of businesses reliant on the unparalleled impact of local TV and radio for economic survival," stated Gordon Smith, president and CEO of the NAB.
Some 300,000 jobs are directly connected to the local broadcast industry, amounting to $59.32 billion in GDP annually. Television accounts for a little more than half: 187,000 of these jobs. Television itself contributes over $30 billion to gross domestic product. Radio employs 118,000 people and contributes a little over $18 billion to the GDP.
The analysis estimates residual effects on non-broadcast businesses -- advertising on local broadcast television and radio stations -- adds more than $986 billion in economic activity and supports 1.38 million jobs.
Soo....get going and help those local-direct businesses grow...and generate more $$$ for your TV and radio company...PJL
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Media Buyers: Clients Still Spending, But Cautious
MediaDailyNews
To Be Published Thursday June 16th
by David Goetzl, 5 hours ago
Unemployment may remain high and consumer confidence middling, but top media-buying executives suggested Wednesday that clients have no plans to rein in spending, though there is a level of concern.
"No signs of a pullback yet," said Tim Spengler, who heads Initiative's North American operations, on a panel at the national cable convention.
One sign of business-as-usual for now is Initiative's decision to put down a significant amount of money in the coming October-December quarter as part of the upfront process, Spengler said.
However, Horizon Media chief Bill Koenigsberg, who has blasted the upfront process in the past, said he doesn't think the healthy upfront is a reliable "barometer" or "forecast for the future."
Like Spengler, he said "clients right now are cautious" and not "ready to throw any parades" about recessionary conditions in the rear-view mirror.
But Spengler and Koenisgberg ticked off a slew of categories spending heavily -- from autos to retail to pharma to consumer package-goods. "As long as those categories stay strong, the marketplace will stay strong," Koenigsberg said.
The only bumpy category mentioned is the quick-service restaurant business cited by Horizon's Koenigsberg. When the topic turned to measurement, MediaVest's Bill Tucker said "getting collective and comparative measurement across screens is really the big frontier in a converged world. We're not there yet."
Spengler downplayed the traditional interest in demo targeting and said his agency is looking for data indicating whether media consumption leads to purchasing or visiting a Web site or some other activity.
The agency is investing heavily in so-called single-source research. "We're paying money to get closer to an action," he said.
Koenigsberg added that in a multiscreen world there is a need for a common currency for "what are we trading on." He cited potential in the initiative from the IAB, 4As and ANA, which is looking for some common metric in the digital sphere and in cross-platform measurement.
The trade groups have commissioned Bain & Co. and MediaLink to lead the process.
To Be Published Thursday June 16th
by David Goetzl, 5 hours ago
Unemployment may remain high and consumer confidence middling, but top media-buying executives suggested Wednesday that clients have no plans to rein in spending, though there is a level of concern.
"No signs of a pullback yet," said Tim Spengler, who heads Initiative's North American operations, on a panel at the national cable convention.
One sign of business-as-usual for now is Initiative's decision to put down a significant amount of money in the coming October-December quarter as part of the upfront process, Spengler said.
However, Horizon Media chief Bill Koenigsberg, who has blasted the upfront process in the past, said he doesn't think the healthy upfront is a reliable "barometer" or "forecast for the future."
Like Spengler, he said "clients right now are cautious" and not "ready to throw any parades" about recessionary conditions in the rear-view mirror.
But Spengler and Koenisgberg ticked off a slew of categories spending heavily -- from autos to retail to pharma to consumer package-goods. "As long as those categories stay strong, the marketplace will stay strong," Koenigsberg said.
The only bumpy category mentioned is the quick-service restaurant business cited by Horizon's Koenigsberg. When the topic turned to measurement, MediaVest's Bill Tucker said "getting collective and comparative measurement across screens is really the big frontier in a converged world. We're not there yet."
Spengler downplayed the traditional interest in demo targeting and said his agency is looking for data indicating whether media consumption leads to purchasing or visiting a Web site or some other activity.
The agency is investing heavily in so-called single-source research. "We're paying money to get closer to an action," he said.
Koenigsberg added that in a multiscreen world there is a need for a common currency for "what are we trading on." He cited potential in the initiative from the IAB, 4As and ANA, which is looking for some common metric in the digital sphere and in cross-platform measurement.
The trade groups have commissioned Bain & Co. and MediaLink to lead the process.
Money Tree: TV Advertising Hits Nearly $19 Billion
MediaDailyNews
by Wayne Friedman, Friday, June 10, 2011, 3:47 PM
In the strong digital age, television advertising continues to thrive -- now up by nearly a double-digit percentage increase in the first quarter. Radio and magazines also fared well.
Television grew 9% to $18.8 billion in the first quarter of 2011 over the first quarter of 2010, according to the Nielsen Company. Older media -- radio and magazines -- also had decent gains. Radio added on 6% to $1.6 billion; magazines improved 7% to $3.5 billion. Newspapers continued to lose ground, down 10% to $2.8 billion.
The top five advertising categories were the usual suspects: automotive marketers were at $2.75 billion during the period; quick service restaurants at $1.11 billion; pharmaceuticals at $1.05 billion; telecommunications with $938 million and movies screening at $917 million.
Other media highlights: Nielsen says 76% of the time, U.S. Internet consumers say friends' recommendations of products and services are the "most trusted form of advertisement." Another healthy marketing statistic for the Web -- especially in the social media area -- 49% said they trusted consumer opinions posted online.
When it comes to mobile advertising, teens are the most receptive to advertising on the still-developing marketing platform. Fifty-eight percent of teens say they "always" or "sometimes" look at mobile ads.
While traditional commercials are still growing on television, so too are product-placement activity. Looking at 12 broadcast and major cable networks for their prime-time shows, product placement has grown 22% in four years. There were 5,381 major product placements in 2010.
Reality shows and cable TV shows overall accounted for over half the product placements in the first quarter. Nielsen says while consumers better remember the brands of placements during sitcoms, product placements in reality shows are the most effective at positively impacting viewer opinion of the integrated brand.
by Wayne Friedman, Friday, June 10, 2011, 3:47 PM
In the strong digital age, television advertising continues to thrive -- now up by nearly a double-digit percentage increase in the first quarter. Radio and magazines also fared well.
Television grew 9% to $18.8 billion in the first quarter of 2011 over the first quarter of 2010, according to the Nielsen Company. Older media -- radio and magazines -- also had decent gains. Radio added on 6% to $1.6 billion; magazines improved 7% to $3.5 billion. Newspapers continued to lose ground, down 10% to $2.8 billion.
The top five advertising categories were the usual suspects: automotive marketers were at $2.75 billion during the period; quick service restaurants at $1.11 billion; pharmaceuticals at $1.05 billion; telecommunications with $938 million and movies screening at $917 million.
Other media highlights: Nielsen says 76% of the time, U.S. Internet consumers say friends' recommendations of products and services are the "most trusted form of advertisement." Another healthy marketing statistic for the Web -- especially in the social media area -- 49% said they trusted consumer opinions posted online.
When it comes to mobile advertising, teens are the most receptive to advertising on the still-developing marketing platform. Fifty-eight percent of teens say they "always" or "sometimes" look at mobile ads.
While traditional commercials are still growing on television, so too are product-placement activity. Looking at 12 broadcast and major cable networks for their prime-time shows, product placement has grown 22% in four years. There were 5,381 major product placements in 2010.
Reality shows and cable TV shows overall accounted for over half the product placements in the first quarter. Nielsen says while consumers better remember the brands of placements during sitcoms, product placements in reality shows are the most effective at positively impacting viewer opinion of the integrated brand.
Cross Platform Report: Americans Watching More TV, Mobile and Web Video
TV is still top dog among video consumers. PJL
Nielsen Wire
June 15, 2011
The average American today has more ways to watch video — whenever, however and wherever they choose. In the Cross-Platform Report, Nielsen finds that the resounding trend is this: Americans are spending more time watching video content on traditional TVs, mobile devices and the Internet than ever before.
Traditional TV
Overall TV viewership increased 22 minutes per month per person over last year, remaining the dominant source of video content for all demographics. In addition, Nielsen data shows that consumers are willing to pay for high-quality TV content, with broadcast-only homes less than a tenth of U.S. TV households.
Mobile Video
Though still accounting for just a handful of hours per month, mobile video viewing continues to see marked gains, increasing 41 percent over last year and more than 100 percent since 2009.
Timeshifted TV
Timeshifted TV continues to grow, both in the penetration of DVR devices in the home and the time spent.
Internet Video
Internet video streaming also saw increases in time spent; this behavior is the highest among a younger and diverse subset of the population.
More details are available to download in the complete Cross-Platform Report.
Emerging Traditional TV/In-home Internet Streaming Trend
Until the fall of 2010, Nielsen data consistently indicated that the heaviest media consumers are so across all platforms. A subset of consumers from television and Internet homes has now emerged that defies that notion, with the lightest traditional television users streaming significantly more Internet video, and the heaviest streamers under-indexing for traditional TV viewership.
This behavior is led by those ages 18-34. The group of consumers exhibiting this behavior is significant but small. More than a third of the TV/Internet population is not streaming, whereas less than 1% are not watching TV.
Nielsen Wire
June 15, 2011
The average American today has more ways to watch video — whenever, however and wherever they choose. In the Cross-Platform Report, Nielsen finds that the resounding trend is this: Americans are spending more time watching video content on traditional TVs, mobile devices and the Internet than ever before.
Traditional TV
Overall TV viewership increased 22 minutes per month per person over last year, remaining the dominant source of video content for all demographics. In addition, Nielsen data shows that consumers are willing to pay for high-quality TV content, with broadcast-only homes less than a tenth of U.S. TV households.
Mobile Video
Though still accounting for just a handful of hours per month, mobile video viewing continues to see marked gains, increasing 41 percent over last year and more than 100 percent since 2009.
Timeshifted TV
Timeshifted TV continues to grow, both in the penetration of DVR devices in the home and the time spent.
Internet Video
Internet video streaming also saw increases in time spent; this behavior is the highest among a younger and diverse subset of the population.
More details are available to download in the complete Cross-Platform Report.
Emerging Traditional TV/In-home Internet Streaming Trend
Until the fall of 2010, Nielsen data consistently indicated that the heaviest media consumers are so across all platforms. A subset of consumers from television and Internet homes has now emerged that defies that notion, with the lightest traditional television users streaming significantly more Internet video, and the heaviest streamers under-indexing for traditional TV viewership.
This behavior is led by those ages 18-34. The group of consumers exhibiting this behavior is significant but small. More than a third of the TV/Internet population is not streaming, whereas less than 1% are not watching TV.
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
7 Ways Smart Companies Tell Customers “No”
bNET The CBS Interactive Business Internet
By Christopher Elliott | June 7, 2011
I recently addressed a group of customer-service representatives at a conference, and near the end of my speech, I joked that these must be good times for English majors.
As someone who reads a boatload of rejection letters every day, I explained, I’ve noticed that they’re getting a lot more creative.
“Someone needs to write those letters,” I added.
A man in the back of the room laughed out loud. Later, he approached me and identified himself as a high-level executive for an airline.
“Chris, you’re right,” he told me. “We are hiring more English majors. We want our rejection letters to look good!”
I thought that was funny. And a little disturbing.
A well-crafted rejection letter can deflect a customer’s anger, restore their faith in your company, even encourage them to give you another chance. But as an advocate for customers, I’ve seen rejection letters used to turn down a legitimate problem, and even to inappropriately assign blame to a customer.
That’s just wrong.
Still, I became fascinated with the best way to tell a customer “no.” I’m focusing on the written word (I’ll get to the other ways in a future post) because in an age of email and texting, the word is by far the preferred method of telling a customer you can’t do something.
1. Send it soon. Most companies, as a matter of policy, respond to any written inquiry within a week, and sometimes less. (That doesn’t include the autoresponder, which unfortunately, doesn’t count.) It’s not enough. A week is too long in an “always-on” society. Customers will not bide their time quietly; they’ll go online and vent, complain to their friends through social media, and email people like me. Trust me, you can’t afford that.
2. Be polite but firm. The best rejection letters are cordial while leaving no doubt that this is a final answer. No need to sugarcoat it; you have to make a clean break, which will both give the customer a sense of closure and eliminate any unnecessary and unproductive follow-up. In other words, just say “no.”
3. Skip the empty apology. Too many times, companies will offer a half-hearted apology (”We’re sorry for the way you feel”) as opposed to the real deal (”We’re sorry”). Customers aren’t stupid. When they see a less-than-genuine apology, it lessens the credibility of your answer. If you have nothing to apologize for, then don’t do it.
4. Avoid cut-and-paste responses. Form letters are an inevitable part of the customer service process. Heck, even I use form letters to respond to readers sometimes. But there’s a right way and a wrong way to do it. Make sure the form addresses the problem, as opposed to a general set of circumstances that may apply to the situation. if it doesn’t, write one that does. Nothing says “I don’t care” better than a form letter that suggests you didn’t bother to read the initial complaint.
5. Personalize everything. Even if you send a form, make sure the customer’s name is correct and that you address him or her properly. I’ve lost count of the number of times someone’s name was misspelled (how hard is it to cut and past a name from the original letter?) and the gender was wrong — Mr. instead of Ms. It helps to add a sentence or two that shows you’ve actually reviewed the first letter, even if the bulk of the email is a form response.
6. Switch it up. Even your best form letters will eventually make the rounds, getting published on bulletin boards and blogs. You can’t continue to recycle them, because customers will recognize them. Change the script. Regularly.
7. Be sincere. Perhaps the worst crime, when it comes to your “no,” is that of insincerity. After you’ve denied someone a refund or exchange, it’s highly inappropriate to look forward to seeing them in your store again soon. That’s just a nonsense thing to say. Instead, acknowledge their disappointment in an authentic way, and express your hope that you’ll consider giving you their business. Don’t act as if a return is inevitable. It isn’t.
Even if you follow these tips, I can’t guarantee you’ll avoid upsetting your customers. But you’ll dampen the blow.
The only surefire way of doing that, unfortunately, is saying “yes.”
By Christopher Elliott | June 7, 2011
I recently addressed a group of customer-service representatives at a conference, and near the end of my speech, I joked that these must be good times for English majors.
As someone who reads a boatload of rejection letters every day, I explained, I’ve noticed that they’re getting a lot more creative.
“Someone needs to write those letters,” I added.
A man in the back of the room laughed out loud. Later, he approached me and identified himself as a high-level executive for an airline.
“Chris, you’re right,” he told me. “We are hiring more English majors. We want our rejection letters to look good!”
I thought that was funny. And a little disturbing.
A well-crafted rejection letter can deflect a customer’s anger, restore their faith in your company, even encourage them to give you another chance. But as an advocate for customers, I’ve seen rejection letters used to turn down a legitimate problem, and even to inappropriately assign blame to a customer.
That’s just wrong.
Still, I became fascinated with the best way to tell a customer “no.” I’m focusing on the written word (I’ll get to the other ways in a future post) because in an age of email and texting, the word is by far the preferred method of telling a customer you can’t do something.
1. Send it soon. Most companies, as a matter of policy, respond to any written inquiry within a week, and sometimes less. (That doesn’t include the autoresponder, which unfortunately, doesn’t count.) It’s not enough. A week is too long in an “always-on” society. Customers will not bide their time quietly; they’ll go online and vent, complain to their friends through social media, and email people like me. Trust me, you can’t afford that.
2. Be polite but firm. The best rejection letters are cordial while leaving no doubt that this is a final answer. No need to sugarcoat it; you have to make a clean break, which will both give the customer a sense of closure and eliminate any unnecessary and unproductive follow-up. In other words, just say “no.”
3. Skip the empty apology. Too many times, companies will offer a half-hearted apology (”We’re sorry for the way you feel”) as opposed to the real deal (”We’re sorry”). Customers aren’t stupid. When they see a less-than-genuine apology, it lessens the credibility of your answer. If you have nothing to apologize for, then don’t do it.
4. Avoid cut-and-paste responses. Form letters are an inevitable part of the customer service process. Heck, even I use form letters to respond to readers sometimes. But there’s a right way and a wrong way to do it. Make sure the form addresses the problem, as opposed to a general set of circumstances that may apply to the situation. if it doesn’t, write one that does. Nothing says “I don’t care” better than a form letter that suggests you didn’t bother to read the initial complaint.
5. Personalize everything. Even if you send a form, make sure the customer’s name is correct and that you address him or her properly. I’ve lost count of the number of times someone’s name was misspelled (how hard is it to cut and past a name from the original letter?) and the gender was wrong — Mr. instead of Ms. It helps to add a sentence or two that shows you’ve actually reviewed the first letter, even if the bulk of the email is a form response.
6. Switch it up. Even your best form letters will eventually make the rounds, getting published on bulletin boards and blogs. You can’t continue to recycle them, because customers will recognize them. Change the script. Regularly.
7. Be sincere. Perhaps the worst crime, when it comes to your “no,” is that of insincerity. After you’ve denied someone a refund or exchange, it’s highly inappropriate to look forward to seeing them in your store again soon. That’s just a nonsense thing to say. Instead, acknowledge their disappointment in an authentic way, and express your hope that you’ll consider giving you their business. Don’t act as if a return is inevitable. It isn’t.
Even if you follow these tips, I can’t guarantee you’ll avoid upsetting your customers. But you’ll dampen the blow.
The only surefire way of doing that, unfortunately, is saying “yes.”
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
The Future of TV Advertising is ... Data
Nice points..but I don't believe anything will take the place of consumer centric advertising and branding...especially since most consumers enjoy the fun of the story that touches and engages them that they can see or hear from TV or radio......Philip Jay LeNoble, Ph.D.
MediaPost log: TV Board
by Charlene Weisler, 3 hours ago
What will be the future of TV advertising in this ever-fragmenting media environment? An attempt was made to shed some light on this subject by Rovi, who sponsored a panel last week fittingly called "The Future of TV Advertising."
The panel, moderated by Bill Niemeyer of TDG, included Jeff Siegel of Rovi, Lori Schwartz of McCann and Matthew Pagen of IAG discussing Rovi's Smart TV initiative, the pace of change, social media, extended screen and bundling vs a la carte. But in my opinion, their discussion of the role of data was the most interesting.
The creation of metrics and measurement in the STB data space continues to be a land rush with competitors racing to get their brand of customizable (and standardize-able) analytics to market. And equally, the demand from the marketplace for data insights and analytics has never been so strong. Part of this demand is due to ever increasing cross platform opportunities and the plethora of data points resulting from the potential combination of interactive platforms and set top boxes.
Lori Schwartz, Chief Technology Catalyst at McCann Worldgroup, said it best: "The data piece is pivotal. Data is the new black. Everyone wants the data and everybody wants the data to touch everything. They want it to not only measure the traditional interactive side of things; they also want it to address engagement." She also admitted that because the landscape is in constant change, there is a pressing need to stay ahead of the curve, learning about new cutting edge technologies even if they are destined to disappear by the next year.
But which metrics are most meaningful? Do they need to be standardized to the current currency -- or does the evolving marketplace demand new metrics for the new times? Much of the addressable advertising measurement today is still fairly custom -- whether it is data matching to proprietary segmentations or to known consumer measurement industry data panels for that particular advertiser, product or category. But slowly, some of these previously custom metrics are becoming part of a new standard nomenclature like TRA's Heavy Swing Purchasers and Purchaser Rating Points which CRO's Bill Harvey says many of their clients have adopted.
Rovi's contribution to the discussion involves measuring Smart TV usage and behavior through a 100k STB panel that combines ISP data with TV viewing. This initiative involves a partnership with Nielsen's IAG service via a panel. This is one possible approach providing that it is a representative sample of the TV Universe. Results of their study will be available at the end of the summer. In the meantime there are two short videos from the panel which can be viewed here.
MediaPost log: TV Board
by Charlene Weisler, 3 hours ago
What will be the future of TV advertising in this ever-fragmenting media environment? An attempt was made to shed some light on this subject by Rovi, who sponsored a panel last week fittingly called "The Future of TV Advertising."
The panel, moderated by Bill Niemeyer of TDG, included Jeff Siegel of Rovi, Lori Schwartz of McCann and Matthew Pagen of IAG discussing Rovi's Smart TV initiative, the pace of change, social media, extended screen and bundling vs a la carte. But in my opinion, their discussion of the role of data was the most interesting.
The creation of metrics and measurement in the STB data space continues to be a land rush with competitors racing to get their brand of customizable (and standardize-able) analytics to market. And equally, the demand from the marketplace for data insights and analytics has never been so strong. Part of this demand is due to ever increasing cross platform opportunities and the plethora of data points resulting from the potential combination of interactive platforms and set top boxes.
Lori Schwartz, Chief Technology Catalyst at McCann Worldgroup, said it best: "The data piece is pivotal. Data is the new black. Everyone wants the data and everybody wants the data to touch everything. They want it to not only measure the traditional interactive side of things; they also want it to address engagement." She also admitted that because the landscape is in constant change, there is a pressing need to stay ahead of the curve, learning about new cutting edge technologies even if they are destined to disappear by the next year.
But which metrics are most meaningful? Do they need to be standardized to the current currency -- or does the evolving marketplace demand new metrics for the new times? Much of the addressable advertising measurement today is still fairly custom -- whether it is data matching to proprietary segmentations or to known consumer measurement industry data panels for that particular advertiser, product or category. But slowly, some of these previously custom metrics are becoming part of a new standard nomenclature like TRA's Heavy Swing Purchasers and Purchaser Rating Points which CRO's Bill Harvey says many of their clients have adopted.
Rovi's contribution to the discussion involves measuring Smart TV usage and behavior through a 100k STB panel that combines ISP data with TV viewing. This initiative involves a partnership with Nielsen's IAG service via a panel. This is one possible approach providing that it is a representative sample of the TV Universe. Results of their study will be available at the end of the summer. In the meantime there are two short videos from the panel which can be viewed here.
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