Long before he created the popular crime-solving TV series "Law & Order," Dick Wolf was an ad man working for Benton & Bowles and other agencies. Mr. Wolf, 59, recently spoke with The Wall Street Journal about the changing relationship between advertisers and television. WSJ: Decades ago, many programs were sponsored by a single advertiser, who often got to showcase their products during the show itself. Would you …
Radio Shack Has Knowledge To Share
Associated Press looks at one retailer's investment in online content. RadioShack Corp. thinks it has found a way to help consumers wondering how to edit digital photos or understand the difference between 1080i and 1080p high-def televisions: online classes. The electronics retailer on Wednesday announced a series of virtual training courses to help consumers learn about tech topics including digital photography …
Bud Dot TV Coming To A Small Screen Near You
USA Today reports that Anheuser-Busch is prepared to spend $30 million on a new web content project. Top U.S. brewer Anheuser-Busch will launch its own Web entertainment network, Bud.TV, in February. The seven-channel operation, costing an estimated $30 million to start, is an attempt to develop a new way to reach consumers ages 21 to 27, who increasingly favor customized content over mass media — and distilled …
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Advertainment Gets Huge Boost At A-B
Content is king. According to Ad Age, The King of Beers is preparing to prove it. The country's largest brewer is launching its own in-house film and TV production company that will make humorous shorts and sitcom-type programs to be broadcast over the internet and to cellphones. While A-B has dabbled in content before-particularly in sports TV, where its Bud Productions division recently produced National Football …
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Doggin’ It All The Way To The Bank
Nina Munk, a former writer for Fortune and a freelance writer for Vanity Fair, launched Urbanhound.com in 2000. The pet-friendly site is now expanding to San Francisco and Chicago. According to the New York Times, Munk represents a new type of business journalist—one with the will to step into an entrepreneur's shoes. With the pages of their own newspapers and magazines full of articles about cutbacks, buyouts and …
The North Face Finds A Place For Their Brand Story
Outdoor gear purveyor, The North Face, is delving deep into content. According to Media Buyer Planner: The North Face and Pace Communications have launched a new online publication, Epic, penned by world-renowned climbers, alpinists, long-distance runners, skiers, snowboarders and others. Epic unites the adventure-sports industry across multiple disciplines, featuring advice, trends and coverage of events and …
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Content Is Catching On
According to Ad Age, the big guys are recognizing the need for content, not advertising. Branded-entertainment veteran Doug Scott is moving to Ogilvy & Mather North America, where he'll develop the agency's content offering. His mandate is to bring together the wide variety of Ogilvy's disciplines, from ads to promotion and PR, to develop and execute nontraditional ideas across a wide range of media. Mr. Scott's hire …
“Online Storytelling” Coming To A Small Screen Near You
Adweek reports on the continued rise of branded content. MSN is making a bold dive into the original Web-only content realm via a new initiative, MSN Originals, while also signing two development deals with Internet producers to generate new series for the portal. The focus of MSN Originals will be online storytelling, Microsoft officials said. To assist in that endeavor, the company has brokered a deal with Revelle, …
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