Survey Records Shift in Blue Chip

New Epsilon CMO Survey Highlights Shift to Digital Marketing

Epsilon, September 8, 2008 — Chief Marketing Officers at many of the biggest brands in the nation are seeing a major shift in the marketing landscape. Almost two-thirds (63%) of the 175 marketing executives surveyed see an increase in their spending on interactive/digital marketing while 59% report a decrease in traditional marketing spend.

According to Mike Iaccarino, CEO of Epsilon, a leading marketing services firm, "Epsilon's first survey of the nation's Chief Marketing Officers presents a unique look at the changing dynamics of the marketing landscape. In this economic climate, marketing executives are seeking accountability and measurable results. Data driven marketing is an increasingly important component of corporate marketing campaigns as senior marketers employ... continue reading

Ads Give Moviegoers Chance to Interact†

How brands use games, polls and other social elements to engage passive audiences

Adweek, June 30, 2008 — NEW YORK Cinema is the oldest mass audio-visual medium. It is also as passive as media consumption gets. The imaginative application of — you guessed it — digital technology by marketers may change this. A deal struck earlier this month between Verizon Wireless and cinema-advertising network Screenvision combines mobile and social-networking applications to test an interactive polling program in American movie theaters.

Microsoft Acquires TV-Targeting Tech Firm†

Navic Networks Available on 35 Million Set-Top Boxes

Advertising Age, June 18, 2008 — The Microsoft-Google war has moved from the web to the TV. Microsoft today announced it will buy Navic Networks, an addressable advertising technology provider that enables marketers to dynamically target and measure audiences based on patented technology available in 35 million set-top boxes nationwide.

Point and Click—at Your TV

Backchannel takes a remote shot at that elusive prize: profitable interactive television

BusinessWeek, March 10, 2008 — Michael Kokernak has been unhealthily gripped by a very specific obsession for more than 10 years. Fortunately, his fixed stare is trained on something socially acceptable, even though it may not make for scintillating party chat.

Since 1997, Kokernak has immersed himself in the arcana of making advertising accountable, and, more recently, in how to fuse TV ads with the measurable, click-here-now aspects of the Web. Kokernak is the founder and co-CEO of Boston-based Backchannelmedia. The company peddles technology that, to oversimplify somewhat, flashes on TV ads and programs small onscreen tokens that are "clickable" with a standard remote control, à la Web ads.

What Web Marketers Should Know About Twitter

Marketing Profs, September 20, 2007 — If you're responsible for the direction of the online strategies for your company or organization, you've probably been hearing buzz about Twitter, a next-generation instant messaging tool. Even if you're new to Twitter, this will—by linking to resources and providing a starting point for your strategy—serve as a guide to educate you and help you make a decision.

Restaurant Reservations Go Online

After decades of relying on telephones to book tables, the restaurant business has gone high-tech.

New York Times, June 18, 2007 — In the restaurant’s office, a different scene is playing out. In a veritable mission-control setting, a reservationist answers eight phone lines while seated in front of two computers that log reservations and hold an archive of past and future electronic bookings

Microsoft Storms Madison Avenue†

Agency World Has One More Thing to Worry About as Software Giant Snaps Up Digital Shop

Advertising Age, May 21, 2007 — Madison Avenue, make room for Microsoft.

Last week's $6 billion agreement to buy aQuantive is not just a bid to catch up with Google and Yahoo in ad sales. It also gives Redmond something it hasn't had before: Its very own ad agency.