Want an outsider's perspective on the Clio's? Read Slate magazine writer Seth Stevenson's report: For an awards gala, the vibe here is distinctly self-hating. Even the eminent old-timers are cynical. At the Lifetime Achievement dinner on Sunday night (held in a ballroom of the Ritz-Carlton's mammoth oceanside compound here in South Beach), the Clios honored Bob Greenberg. Greenberg is the chairman of the agency R/GA, …
The Line Between Editorial And Advertising Grows Blurrier Yet
Rance Crain, publisher of Ad Age and a graduate of Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism, listened to the new dean of the school, John Lavine, address the challenges facing media professionals today. Here's a bit of what he heard: "The challenge will be to engage increasingly elusive audiences who, in real time, rapidly form and deteriorate. Yet without a motivated, connected audience neither a free …
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700 Writers. Millions Of Readers.
There are group blogs and then there are group blogs. According to the New York Times, The Huffington Post has some 700 bloggers, most of them far from famous. And those aren't the only impressive numbers the site has to its credit. The Huffington Post had more than 1.3 million unique visitors last month, according to Nielsen/NetRatings, and more than 2 million in February. It seems that Ms. Huffington, who has …
No Texting In The Popcorn Line
Text messaging is hot. But will texters willingly text a data collection firm in return for freebies? The New York Times reports that one such company is prepared to find out. Starting in July, Nielsen Entertainment will begin using cellphone text messages to collect data on consumers' opinions. The initiative will aim first at moviegoers, with cellphone text messages sent during trips to the movies. Nielsen wants …
Axe Chops Away The Competition
It might be too much information, but I use Axe deodorant. I certainly don't fit their target demographic, but it's an interesting case of how a new brand in a tired packaged goods category can get big fast. Ad Age takes a closer look at Axe: The brand has risen remarkably with edgy creative and a marketing message to unleash your inner animal magnetism in a category where efficacy is normally the selling point. Axe …
Life Imitates ‘Spaceballs’
From The Mainichi Daily News: Japanese convenience store operator Seven-Eleven Japan has breathed fresh air into its product lineup by announcing it will add cans of oxygen to its shelves. The firm said it would make an entry into the rapidly expanding oxygen market and begin selling cans of oxygen on May 24. Oxygen has emerged as a popular new product and sparked the creation of city "oxygen bars" that provide …
Technology Delivers Content. Content Brings Dollars.
The company that has long "owned" the desktop operating system business, now wants to focus on content. Why? Because content brings ad revenue to the table in a big way. Google's search content has proven this. From Info World: Microsoft Chief Executive Officer Steve Ballmer downplayed his company's rivalry with Google on Thursday, saying Microsoft is more focused on creating Internet content and other services that …
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Even Anarchy Is A Brand
If you work in or pay attention to advertising, it helps to have an appreciation for irony. This New York Times article, for instance, demands it. Consumer cynicism is a topic of great interest to Amanda Helm, an instructor of marketing at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. In connection with her research, she has conducted in-depth interviews with about two dozen consumers on the subject and has looked …