What Media Buyers Want

I’ve recently been doing some web research for one of our clients, trying to find websites targeting women aged 18-54 who have young children and who live in Indiana. I happen to be a person who fits this demographic, so I can personally recommend a few sites I frequent; but honestly, I may not be your average bear. Ask people who know me.

Another option: to pick the strong newspaper or television websites of major metro markets in the state, which consistently get high traffic because of their local news and weather content. This option will reach a large population and may be cost effective CPM-wise. But it also will expose my message to a bunch of people who may not care, because they are not my core demo.

In a media-buying dream world, here is what I really want:

· A (free) website that ranks other websites based on basic demographic information:
o Geography
o Sex
o Age
· It could go a step further and allow us to target based on other factors such as:
o Education
o Marital status
o Income
o Children in the household
o Whether they ate at Subway in the past month
o Etc

I can see it now. You log in to awesomewebsiterankingbydemo.com, check all the targeting information you need, and up pops a comprehensive list of the top sites, ranked by total number of unique visitors who meet the demo criteria.

Is there such a thing out there? Compete.com is a good start for basic website comparisons, but you have to pay for the really good data. The stuff we really want. And need.


--Tessa G.

New Media Expected to Salvage Slumping Ad Revenue

Local advertising spending on traditional media such as television, radio, print and outdoor is forecasted to drop to $144.4 billion by 2013, down from $155 billion in 2008, according to Adweek.

Traditional media outlets will need to branch out to offer new media, such as radio and TV internet advertising, the revenue from which is expected to climb to $1.9 billion by 2013, up from $805 million last year.

Another avenue advertisers are exploring is local mobile advertising, which the Kelsey Group predicts will generate $3.1 billion, up from $180 million in 2008. More than half of that revenue will come from local search. “Mobile gets you closer to the point of purchase because it goes with you to the store,” says Michael Boland, senior analyst at the Kelsey Group. “When we come out of this (economic slump), we’ll see a sudden interest and demand in mobile marketing.”

E-mail advertising is yet another growing trend as advertisers seek ways to more closely target their audience in a cost-effective way. Local email advertising is starting to replace direct mail and is expected to climb from $848 million in 2008 to $2 billion 2013.

There is no doubt that new media is here to stay and will continue to change the media buying landscape as it increases its share of the proverbial pie. What was once a complement to traditional media has become a necessary and substantial part of smart media plans.

--Tessa G.

NBC Unveils 2009-2010 Season

NBC has announced its schedule for the 2009-2010 season two weeks before the other networks. The traditional upfront week, when networks announce their new schedule, begins May 18. NBC jumped the gun on May 4 with an “infront” presentation of their new fall season, although they did not reveal official time periods. They are launching four new dramas, two comedies, three reality shows and a new talk show with Jay Leno, which will air Monday through Friday from 10 p.m. to 11 p.m.

The Dramas:

• Mercy: A medical drama seen from the perspective of three nurses.
• Parenthood: An adaption of the movie by the same name.
• Trauma: Another medical drama about first-responder paramedics.
• Day One: About a group who survive a major catastrophe.

The Comedies:

• 100 Questions: A woman’s experiences as she looks for love via an online dating site.
• Community: The life and trials of a group of college students.

The Reality Shows:

• The Marriage Ref: Celebrities analyze domestic disputes between real-life couples. (Created and produced by Jerry Seinfeld.)
• Breakthrough with Tony Robbins: Author Tony Robbins gives insights on how to live a better life.
• Who Do You Think You Are?: Celebrities tell their life stories.

Adam Stotsky, president of marketing for NBC, said they wanted to start spreading the buzz about the new season early in order to have more control over how the information is conveyed to consumers.

“We learned with the successful launch of ‘Heroes’ that every piece of information posted or leaked or chatted about becomes part of the campaign,” he said. “Our fundamental strategy is to control that information from the get-go. If we don’t do it, the consumer will do it on our behalf—sometimes accurately, sometimes not. So we have to shape the message we want to advocate.”

Sources: Adweekmedia.com and tvweek.com

Who, what, when and why from where

Newsweek recently revamped its print product. Recognizing that it can’t compete with the Internet in timeliness and scope, Newsweek has decided to focus on delivering a long view on topics of the day, to provide context for stories from a brand that has garnered trust. It’s found a point of differentiation.

Now Newsweek is rethinking its online product as well. Newsweek.com will dig deep, too. But it also will offer blogs and links for a broad perspective—so broad as to possibly include its competitor, Time, according to a May 3 report in Media Week online.

“You have to ask yourself, ‘Are we in the business of delivering the best possible content or brands—or brands we favor or like?’” Geoff Reiss, vice president/general manager for Newsweek Digital is quoted as saying.

It’s a different way of thinking: Rather than being the source, Newsweek.com is seeking to be the resource. Rather than being the place to turn when you want Newsweek, the online site is seeking to be the place to turn when you want news—whether it is written by that trusted brand or presented by that trusted brand.

Some say without a point of differentiation in its online voice, Newsweek risks becoming another MSNBC. I’ll watch with anticipation to see whether it can successfully add “content provider” to its job descriptor without having to sacrifice its valuable role as content creator.

--Julianne W.