UK Marketers Shifting Focus from Ads

British quivers are getting stocked with different arrows.

eMarketer, June 13, 2007 — Ads are falling in importance in the UK compared to other marketing activities, at least in terms of budget, according to the Chartered Institute of Marketing's "Marketing Trends Survey," conducted by Ipsos MORI. Marketers surveyed said that advertising would account for just under 15% of their 2007 marketing budgets. Lead generation, customer relationship management (CRM), direct mail and field marketing were each estimated to account for 11%-12% of marketing budgets.

Where's the Money Moving? Out of Media†

Ad Dollars Drop, but That Doesn't Mean Marketers Have Stopped Spending

Advertising Age, June 11, 2007 — U.S. ad spending — at least the measured kind — fell 0.3% in the January-to-March period, the first down quarter since the ad recovery began in 2002. But a drop in reported ad spending does not mean a drop in marketing spending. That's because what marketers need isn't just measured media; it's measurable results

Brands Must Adapt to Shifting Media Habits of Users

Marketing Charts, May 14, 2007 — Broadband users now spend 48% (about one hour and 40 minutes) of their spare time online during a typical weekday, and some 54% (54 minutes) of that online time is spent accessing activities related to entertainment and communication, according to a new report, titled “Netpop | Play,” by research firm Media-Screen.

Is Crucial Daypart Finally Past Its Prime?†

Megabillion TV Jackpot Is Evolving Into Big Events (Sports, 'Idol') Vs. Time-Shifted on Demand (Everything Else)

Advertising Age, May 10, 2007 — Prime time used to be "appointment television" time. Problem is that these days many viewers, especially the younger generation, are skipping their appointments. Sure, Fox continues to break records with "American Idol," logging 70 million votes for its contestants in mid-April. And no network would consign the Super Bowl or Academy Awards, the top two live TV events, to any other daypart.

Traditional media may face extinction†

Financial Times, May 7, 2007 — The media sector is in the midst of a technological revolution that is undermining traditional business models. The rise of the internet, mobile phones, multi-channel television, social networking and other phenomena have had a huge impact on content, advertising, brands, and the way all of these are delivered.

Sony spins Web to pitch Spidey

Resources are directed to the new medium to market 'Spider-Man 3.'

Los Angeles Times, May 3, 2007 — The studio behind the multibillion-dollar "Spider-Man" franchise is doing some Web slinging of its own. To snare outsize audiences for "Spider-Man 3," which cost about $400 million to make and release, Sony Pictures cast its widest online promotional net ever, using the Web in ways that were unimaginable when the superhero first scaled the big screen five years ago.

P&G Will Boost Marketing Spending for Fiscal '08†

Emphasis Will Be on 'Nonmeasured Media' but TV Still a Priority Investment

Advertising Age, May 1, 2007 — Procter & Gamble Co. will spend heavily on marketing for its year starting July 1 — possibly at the expense of margin goals — as it makes boosting top-line growth a priority, executives said today. The comments came as P&G issued quarterly results that, while meeting or exceeding its stated goals, failed to impress the market. P&G shares were down 2.2% to $62.95 today. Morgan Stanley analyst Bill Pecoriello said in a research note that P&G's trade-up of consumers to higher-priced items and its margins both were lower than he had expected.

TV Fans Spill into Web Sites

"Shh! You can look it up on the Web during the commercial!"

eMarketer, April 19, 2007 — Time spent at television Web sites increases during prime time, according to Nielsen//NetRatings. In fact, 40% of total time spent at NBC.com in February 2007 was spent during prime time, making it the top site ranked by Nielsen's prime-time index.

How BofA Juggled 9 Shops, Single Message†

Case Study: Working With Omnicom, Bank Integrates 'Opportunity'

Advertising Age, April 2, 2007 — Anne Finucane took over as CMO of Bank of America with a big task — completely reposition the industry leader's consumer, credit-card and private-banking businesses — and do it in less than 12 months. The challenge was made all the bigger by the fact that there's no real consensus on how to implement massive integrated campaigns.

J&J Jolts 'Old' Media With $250 Million Ad Spend Shift†

As Rivals Talk, Giant Puts Money Where Its Mouth Is -- Digital Formats

Advertising Age, March 18, 2007 — Staid Johnson & Johnson is proving to be marketing's Elvis Presley: While rivals talk up nontraditional marketing without changing measured-media spending habits much, J&J's adopting the King's refrain: "A little less conversation, a little more action."