Wednesday, September 26, 2007

Web 2.0: A Minefield Marketers Must Cross

Web 2.0: A Minefield Marketers Must Cross

by Karl Greenberg, Wednesday, Sep 26, 2007 6:00 AM ET

Source:
http://publications.mediapost.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=Articles.san&s=68
096&Nid=34724&p=212886

EXECUTIVES, ATTORNEYS AND CEOS AGREE that so-called Web 2.0 is a
minefield for companies--but a minefield companies must cross whether
they want to or not.

What panelists at the National Advertising Review Council's NAD Annual
Conference argued--in one form or another--is that although the Web is
protean, the law isn't. And that if one follows the letter of the law,
which might be called "truth in blogging," there's a decent chance one
will also avoid blowing up one's brand.

Mark Serrianne, CEO of brand consultancy Northlich, was one of four
speakers at the NAD annual conference Tuesday, as part of Advertising
Week in New York. He said the broader issue was the lack of companies'
ability to control information, and the temptation companies have to try
nonetheless.

He set the stage with a couple of personal anecdotes: first, the day he
walked into his office and found that his secretary--with whom he shared
an interest in politics--had learned, online, not only that he'd given
money to a certain candidate, but how much, to the dollar, through a
link on Huffington Post.

The other enlightening moment was at a local gas station, where he saw
several teens talking--not to each other, but into different digital
devices. "I don't want to belabor the obvious, but we have been talking
about the news media, because we have to navigate regulation and
self-regulation with that backdrop," he said, recalling how easy it was
to be a PR guy for the Army in Saigon during the Vietnam War, at least
as far as controlling certain elements of the news.

"Fast forward: now we have real-time feedback and absolutely no room for
error. Consider the current demonstrations in Burma," he said. "The
media was banned from covering the event, but it was all over the TV,
because of people taking photos and videos and putting them on the Web.

"Today, the appetite is never-ending. The appetite for programming is
huge. And the news is being shaped in real-time. Not just delivered, but
shaped. So in that environment, think recalls, Vioxx, product tampering.
Think about the challenging situation toy manufacturing must have now
getting ready for Christmas.

"We live in a constant state of catch-up. Newsrooms are called
information centers, and viewers and readers are experts; journalists
have their own blogs; they want information to come back. And," he went
on, "the term 'credibility' has changed. Trustworthiness is now the
inclusion of multiple viewpoints."

Thus, he added, the advent of terms like "crowd sourcing" and of groups
like the Word of Mouth Marketing Association. "We have an emergence of
all sorts of new, non-paid activities that we, as regulators, must
understand--like street theatre, buzz marketing, and influencer
marketing."

Karl Greenberg can be reached at karl@mediapost.com

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Branded and Video Advertising Key to Future: eMarketer's Ramsey

Branded and Video Advertising Key to Future: eMarketer's Ramsey

by Gavin O'Malley, Tuesday, Sep 25, 2007 6:00 AM ET

Source:
http://publications.mediapost.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=Articles.showArti
cle&art_aid=67996&art_type=13

AS THE ONLY GROWTH MARKET in the world of media and marketing, online ad
spending will expand 28.6% this year, according to eMarketer CEO Geoff
Ramsey. Next year, digital ad spending will increase 32%--amounting to
nearly $28.8 billion, Ramsey said in his opening remarks at OMMA New
York on Monday morning. The future? Branded and video advertising, said
Ramsey, assuring that branding dollars are fast on their way to matching
the budgets spent on search.

"With video, you can do a heck of a lot better job of storytelling," he
said.

Now big business, Web videos are watched by 72% of Web users--or 135
million people--every month. Ad spending around them is set to hit $775
million this year, and $1.3 billion by next year.

With YouTube in tow, Google is poised to lead the burgeoning video
market, and grab the bulk of ad dollars flowing into the medium,
according to Ramsey.

What are the greatest challenges facing online marketers today? Audience
fragmentation; ad clutter; consumers' eroding trust in marketers; and
something Ramsey likes to call "trend-itis"--or the propensity for
marketers to blindly follow trends without implementing proper checks
and balances.

Ramsey spent a good portion of the morning knocking various research
firms and the industry at large. TNS Media Intelligence, he noted with
disbelief, has yet to factor search into its online ad spending numbers.


As things stand, 76% of marketers say ad agencies don't provide them
with sufficient data on ROI. Most marketers, said Ramsey, express a
"vague undercurrent of discontent with their agencies."

Additionally, nearly a fifth of consumers (18%) report that they dislike
all forms of advertising, while only 6% currently believe the claims
made by marketers.

Gavin O'Malley can be reached at gavin@mediapost.com

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Widgets Craze In Full View

Widgets Craze In Full View

by Tameka Kee, Wednesday, Sep 26, 2007 6:00 AM ET

Source:
http://publications.mediapost.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=Articles.san&s=68
105&Nid=34724&p=212886

AT OMMA'S WIDGET SESSION TRACK on Tuesday, executives from RockYou and
Slide.com, two companies at the forefront of the widget craze, said
their portable applications netted 90 million and 134 million unique
monthly page views respectively (and Slide didn't even count Facebook
users).

But when asked how many of those viewers had actually loaded the widget
onto their page, the numbers dropped to about 15-20 million for RockYou,
and 30 million for Slide--roughly one out of five for both companies.
This distinction between page views and actual user engagement with
widgets (and ultimately, the brands associated with them) was a focal
point of the panel's discussion.

According to panel moderator Seth Goldstein, CEO of the Facebook ad
network SocialMedia, the widget "users-to-viewers" ratio was an
important takeaway for all marketers in attendance. "The big numbers you
hear are people that are passively encountering the widget," said
Goldstein. "And any time a company can throw out [stats] in the millions
and billions, that's a sign of where dollars are going to go. But it's
the level of engagement for marketers that's the question mark."

Goldstein also tasked the panelists with spelling out the difference
between portable applications and widgets, as the terms are often used
simultaneously--adding "confusion to the hype" surrounding a medium with
clear, but slightly misunderstood, potential.

According to Sonya Chawla, senior director of ad sales at Slide.com,
"We're open to every platform. Some people call them widgets, Google
calls them Gadgets--but we call them TV boxes internally because it's
like letting users take a little TV and put it on their own profile
pages."

"A widget is a simplified app," said Maurice Boissiere, vice president
of client services of the widget development and management firm,
Clearspring Technologies. "They can have dynamic functionality, like the
ability to make content fresh and relevant, but not the two-way
communication of a deep application that's fully integrated into a
social graph like Facebook. But I think both terms will stay around."

The panelists agreed that publishers or advertisers planning to use
widgets need to make sure they have enough quality content to feed them
with and an actual strategy for promoting them--because widgets don't
just go viral by chance. "Viral growth is engineered," said Goldstein.

"You can't just build a widget, put it somewhere and they come," said
Boissiere. "The initial burst comes from seeding a widget inline with
content. Users are going to NBC.com for content around 'The
Office'--they're not going to go to Facebook first to get that content."


According to the panelists, the recent wave of publisher and advertiser
interest in widgets was arguably tied to Facebook's decision to open its
platform to developers. "With an app on Facebook, you as an advertiser
can build a multipage experience that goes beyond just a widget," said
Ro Choy, head of business development, RockYou. "You can create a
microsite in a user profile."

Choy added that the widget's success also depends on building real
functionality into the application. "You have to create an experience--a
reason for users to invite their friends to that application," said
Choy. "The engagement of the social network user is tied to the
platform, so if it sits directly on the page, it's easier for a user to
invite their friends and engage with it."

Chawla added that applications and widgets are the way to go for
advertisers targeting social networkers, as brands like Cover Girl and
content partners like MGA Entertainment and CNN have already run
successful widget campaigns. "People are so engaged in the social
network, if you require them to leave to monetize them, you'll never
win," said Goldstein. "It's selling against what they want to do. You
build an app where they stay, and you use it for branding, direct
response or to get some data."

Tameka Kee can be reached at tameka@mediapost.com

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PeopleJam Launches New Video and Social Networking Site at DEMOfall for People Who Want a Great Life

PeopleJam Launches New Video and Social Networking Site at DEMOfall for
People Who Want a Great Life

PR Newswire via NewsEdge Corporation :

SAN DIEGO, Sept. 24 /PRNewswire/ -- DEMOfall 07 (Station #49) --
PeopleJam today announced the beta launch of its new video and social
networking site designed for individuals in pursuit of a great life.
Unveiled at the DEMOfall 07 conference, PeopleJam
(http://www.peoplejam.com) brings together the most compelling
characteristics of the Internet and video to create a new type of online
community for the 60 million Americans interested in "purposeful living"
and personal development. The company on stage presentation will take
place on Tuesday, September 25 at 3:44 PM PDT.

"PeopleJam fills a void in the online media market by targeting an
audience looking for advice, information and meaningful personal
connections that will help them get the most of out of life between
college graduation and retirement," said PeopleJam CEO and Co-Founder
Matt Edelman. "Integrating today's three most significant online trends
-- video, social networking and blogging -- into a single user
experience for this passionate user segment, PeopleJam takes the notion
of an interactive online community to a deeper level."

Chris Shipley, executive producer of the DEMO conferences, added,
"PeopleJam was selected as one of the 70 companies launching new
products at DEMOfall 07 because of its fresh take on social networking
and online content. The demographic being targeted by PeopleJam has been
underserved online, and the experienced executive team, impressive
content partnerships, and unique integration of Web 2.0 functionality
with online video programming make PeopleJam attractive to the range of
people who use DEMO to identify new opportunities."

PeopleJam is a vertical social media site that presents a package of
integrated tools and technology designed specifically to deliver a
superior user experience for people with common values, interests and
life ambitions:

-- Structured Blogging: Members can use customized blogging tools to
write
posts in a format that is easy for other members to find and
useful for
them to read and respond to. At launch, blogging modules
include:
-- Stories: members can share specific life experiences and
lessons
learned.
-- Goals: members can create life goals and solicit feedback
from the
community.
-- Advice: members can share advice in areas where they have
personal
expertise or pertinent knowledge.
-- Personalization: Members who find a particular blogger inspiring
or
helpful can add his or her content to their My Favorite Members
list
with a single click, resulting in a personalized feed of
contributions
from the community that enables deep levels of content sharing
between
members with common interests.
-- Volunteer Members: Dozens of professional life coaches serve as
moderators within the site, and also are available to help
members make
progress towards their life goals.
-- Video and Audio: PeopleJam has produced and aggregated the
largest
offering of inspirational video and audio on the Web. Designed
to
stimulate audience interaction, the products feature top-selling
authors, motivational speakers, psychologists, fitness trainers,
healthy chefs, stylists and other experts. Formats include
interviews,
original reality series and user-generated content. Created with
the
democratization of the Web in mind, video can be shared, embedded
and
will be syndicated to other sites, blogs, mobile phones,
video-on-
demand services and elsewhere.

"The leading Web 2.0 companies have seen success offering a generic
functionality -- YouTube allows users to post video clips and Blogger
facilitates text entries, regardless of subject matter -- but a new
trend has emerged," said PeopleJam President and Co-Founder Robert
Tercek. "PeopleJam is part of a new generation of online destination,
presenting an optimized package of Web 2.0 features tailored to suit a
specific vertical market segment."

Leading into its launch, PeopleJam signed a number of strategic
partnerships that have helped the company bring over 150 experts aboard
as members:

-- Let's Dance Media, Inc.'s "LiveLoud" life improvement brand will
have a
dedicated space on PeopleJam, including experts such as Let's
Dance
Co-Founder Judson Laipply, creator of "Evolution of Dance" -- the
most-watched video in YouTube history.
-- PeopleJam will distribute short form video and audio from
Nightingale-
Conant Corporation's life-improvement experts such as Tony
Robbins,
Brian Tracy, Dale Carnegie, Dr. Wayne Dyer, Deepak Chopra and
others.
-- Stream4Media, a new digital entertainment company, is creating
over 500
episodes of programming exclusively for PeopleJam members and
distribution partners. It will feature online wine expert Gary
Vaynerchuk, Top Chef star Andrea Beaman, clips from Harvard
Health
Publications and more.

The PeopleJam founders have over three decades of combined experience in
traditional and new media. Edelman was previously senior vice president
of publishing for Hands-On Mobile and senior vice president of Marvel
Studios, while Tercek has served in executive management at digital
technology start- ups PacketVideo and Hands-On Mobile, and has also been
senior vice president of digital media at Sony Pictures Entertainment
and creative director for MTV.

About DEMO

Produced by Network World Events and Executive Forums, the semi-annual
DEMO conferences focus on emerging technologies and new products, which
are hand-selected from across the spectrum of the technology
marketplace. The DEMO conferences have earned their reputation for
consistently identifying tomorrow's cutting-edge technologies, and have
served as launch pad events for companies such as Palm, E*Trade,
Handspring, and U.S. Robotics, helping them to secure venture funding,
establish critical business relationships, and influence early adopters.
Each DEMO conference features approximately 70 new companies, products
and technologies. For more information, visit http://www.demo.com.

About PeopleJam

PeopleJam (http://www.peoplejam.com), based in Los Angeles, was founded
by media executives Matt Edelman and Robert Tercek to tap the power of
the Internet to link individuals who share an interest in human
achievement, personal bests and achieving a great life. PeopleJam is
more than a social networking site. It is the next-generation social
media experience and the first online community of its kind to offer an
integrated suite of software features for personal development,
including collaborative content creation tools, communications features
and digital video. At PeopleJam, which is targeted to adults ages 25 to
50, visitors experience shared personal growth and innovative ways to
get real results in their lives with the help of like- minded
individuals who bond through discovery of shared values.

PeopleJam social media content categories include PeopleLive (health and
fitness), PeopleLove (relationships), PeopleEarn (finance and careers),
PeopleBelieve (inspiration and spirituality) and PeoplePlay (creativity
and fun). Depending on their personal needs, each PeopleJam visitor can
access social networking and interactive features to create a personal
profile, set goals, blog about challenges they are currently facing,
comment on someone else's stories, view and upload videos and read
articles. Visitors also can start a dialogue with one of PeopleJam's
resident experts who consistently provide content for the site and are
available for questions and intensive one-on-one life coaching sessions
that help guide users through the issues that are the most impactful in
their lives.

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TNS Research Explores Consumers' Experience with Online Video

TNS Research Explores Consumers' Experience with Online Video; Confirms
Trajectory for Continued Growth in Viewership and Ad Opportunities

Business Wire via NewsEdge Corporation :

About Advertisers; Nearly Two-Thirds of Users Say They've Taken Action
After Seeing a Video Ad Business Editors/Advertising Editors/Technology
Editors NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 24, 2007--A comprehensive
survey by TNS, a world leader in market insight and information,
confirms that online video has become a compelling medium both for broad
viewer audiences as well as relevant advertiser messages.

In a relatively short period of time, the online video platform has
become mainstream media, with the research confirming that reach across
the medium is broad and rapidly growing. Fully 75% of respondents
reported watching more video online than they did a year ago, and half
(52%) expected to watch more online video over the next year. Users
cited convenience, control, and access to unique content as some of the
medium's benefits.

The study, sponsored by AOL and Google, also found widespread acceptance
among consumers for online video ads. Nearly two-thirds (63%) said they
prefer having video sites include ads in order to keep the content free.


"This study confirms that consumers accept video advertising in exchange
for a free viewing experience, which is good news for advertisers," said
David Klein, Vice President of TNS. "As with advertising across all
media, if the video advertising is relevant, it can contribute to and
enhance an engaging media experience, not impair it."

The combination of viewer control and the ability to easily share
content combine to create a uniquely engaging media experience.
Eighty-four percent say they watch online videos when it is convenient,
and 57% say that online video provides a lot of control over content.
Both responses describe the active posture associated with viewing
online video. Additionally, 54% say they often view videos sent to them
by friends and family, while 47% say they enjoy sharing online videos
themselves.

"The online video viewing experience puts the viewer in the driver's
seat, allowing the user to decide not only what they see and when, but
also enabling them to easily share content with others with the click of
a mouse," added Klein. "For marketers, targeting and segmentation can
play a critical role in ensuring video advertisements are equally
engaging as the content consumers are viewing. This gives marketers the
opportunity to build compelling and viral brand experiences."

While marketers often employ TV advertising for awareness and brand
association goals, the research found that the immediacy and
interactivity of the video medium makes it easy for consumers to learn
about a brand/company and take subsequent action- a complementary
strategy to TV. Results show that more than three-quarters (78%) agreed
that online video ads provide as good as -- if not more -- of an
opportunity to learn about an advertiser than TV. And nearly two-thirds
(64%) said that they have taken some action after seeing an online video
ad, including going to a company's website (44% of respondents),
searching for more information about a product or service (33%), going
to a bricks & mortar store to look at a product (22%), or talking to
friends/family about the product (21%).

The research also found that brands can benefit simply from having an
online video presence; in other words, for online video advertisers, the
medium itself can be a valuable part of the message. Forty-one percent
of respondents stated that after they see a brand featured in an online
video ad, they are more likely to think of that brand as having a strong
presence on the Internet. This suggests that the employment of video
advertising can play a unique and critical role in representing a brand
as digitally-focused and digitally-accessible.

Moreover, nearly one in three say they think of brands featured in
online video as "innovative" (32%), "creative" (32%), and "fun" (30%).

"These statistics have a compelling message for marketers: just by
leveraging the online video medium for communicating a message, your
company's brand benefits," notes Klein from TNS.

Methodology

The AOL/Google Online Video Survey was conducted from July 9 to July 15,
2007 by independent research company TNS. The results are based on
online survey responses from 2,394 online video viewers between 18 and
54 years old, using TNS 6th Dimension Panel.

About TNS

TNS is a global market insight and information group. Our strategic goal
is to be recognized as the global leader in delivering value-added
information and insights that help our clients to make more effective
decisions. As industry thought leaders, our people deliver innovative
thinking and excellent service to global organizations and local clients
worldwide. We work in partnership with our clients, meeting their needs
for high-quality information, analysis and foresight across our network
of over 70 countries.

We are the world's foremost provider of custom research and analysis,
combining in-depth industry sector understanding with world-class
expertise in the areas of new product development, segmentation and
positioning research, brand and advertising research and stakeholder
management. We are a major supplier of consumer panel, media
intelligence and internet, TV and radio audience measurement services.
Learn more at www.tns-us.com .

About AOL

AOL(R) is a global Web services company that operates some of the most
popular Web destinations, offers a comprehensive suite of free software
and services, runs one of the largest Internet access businesses in the
U.S., and provides a full set of advertising solutions. A majority-owned
subsidiary of Time Warner Inc., AOL LLC is based in Dulles, Virginia.
AOL and its subsidiaries also have operations in Europe, Canada and
Asia. Learn more at AOL.com.

CONTACT: AOL Cindy Harvey, 206-219-5646 Mobile: 703-405-2389
cindy.harvey@corp.aol.com or Lisa Gibby, 703-265-1800
lisa.gibby@corp.aol.com

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comScore Announces Breakthrough Service for Measurement of Online Advertising

comScore Announces Breakthrough Service for Measurement of Online Advertising

PR Newswire via NewsEdge Corporation :

RESTON, Va., Sept. 24 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- comScore, Inc. (Nasdaq: SCOR), a leader in measuring the digital world, today announced the introduction of comScore Ad Metrix Publisher, a new service that provides critical insight into the online advertising landscape by reporting where display ads are actually viewed across the Internet and the characteristics of the people who are exposed to them. Ad Metrix Publisher captures all types of display advertising, including static and rich media/interactive ads, for the U.S. market.

"comScore Ad Metrix Publisher, the inaugural service from our Ad Metrix product suite, is the first online advertising measurement service to accurately account for the number of ads displayed and tie those views to actual Web users," said Alistair Sutcliffe, vice president of comScore Advertising Solutions. "Understanding the reach, frequency and audience composition for an online advertising plan is vital information for any media planner. Ad Metrix provides the tools for optimizing the placement of online ad dollars, thereby fulfilling the promise of the Internet to deliver greater media accountability."

comScore Ad Metrix Publisher reports on:
-- Ad impressions and reach for sites with display advertising
-- Who is reached with these impressions via reach/frequency and GRP
reporting for individual sites
-- How impression and share trends change over time

comScore Study Shows Differences in Ad Views by Demographic Across Competitive Sports Sites

To illustrate the impact of understanding who's viewing online ads, comScore utilized the Ad Metrix Publisher service to analyze the share of display ads viewed by various demographics across three competitive sports sites: ESPN, Fox Sports on MSN, and Yahoo! Sports. The results of the study revealed several notable differences among the sites.

Competitive Display Ad Demographic Analysis for Selected Sports Sites
June 2007
Total U.S. - Home/Work/University Locations
Source: comScore Ad Metrix Publisher

Demographics Percent Composition of Display Ads
ESPN FOX Sports Yahoo!
on MSN Sports
Total Audience 100.0 100.0 100.0
Gender
All Males 65.3 65.8 63.2
All Females 34.7 34.2 36.8
Age
Persons: 12-17 5.5 5.2 6.3
Persons: 18-24 14.5 8.6 14.3
Persons: 25-34 19.4 16.3 22.2
Persons: 35-44 28.6 26.6 20.2
Persons: 45-54 19.4 27.2 19.5
Persons: 55-64 6.3 9.0 10.3
Persons: 65+ 3.3 3.5 4.2
Household Income
Under $25K 8.1 6.4 8.6
$25,000 - $39,999 5.9 8.0 10.4
$40,000 - $59,999 19.8 31.7 25.1
$60,000 - $74,999 11.2 10.7 9.8
$75,000 - $99,999 20.4 16.4 15.5
$100,000 or more 34.7 26.8 30.7

While the three sites had similar ratios of males to females viewing display ads on the sites, they exhibited different skews by age and household income. Display ads on ESPN reached the highest share of people age 35-44 (28.6 percent) and households with an income of at least $100,000 (34.7 percent). Display ads on Fox Sports on MSN skewed heavily towards people age 45 and older (39.7 percent) and households earning between $40,000-$59,999 (31.7 percent). Meanwhile, Yahoo! Sports fared the best at capturing the 18-34 year old demographic, with 36.5 percent of its ads reaching people in that age group.

Demographic Drilldown: 18-34 Year Olds
June 2007
Total U.S. - Home/Work/University Locations
Source: comScore Ad Metrix Publisher

18-34 Year Olds ESPN FOX Sports Yahoo! Total
on MSN Sports
Share (%) of Display Ad Views 24.8 21.7 53.5 100.0
Ad Exposed Reach (%) 9.6 8.7 9.8 -
Number of Ad Views Delivered 47 46 100 -
Per Person

A deeper dive into the 18-34 year old demographic revealed that Yahoo! Sports delivered the most ads to this demographic, capturing the highest share among the three sites (53.5 percent). Although advertising for all three sites reached a similar percentage of viewers within this segment, Yahoo Sports delivered about twice as many ad views.

"Media planners want to feel confident that they're reaching their target market when they spend their online ad dollars, and Ad Metrix Publisher enables them to do so," continued Mr. Sutcliffe. "For example, a credit card company that wants to run a campaign targeted to a younger audience on a major sports site can look at this information and make much more precise decisions around the reach and frequency of that campaign, and ultimately the ROI. The availability of detailed ad data by demographic for competitive sites ensures that online ad placement can be optimized."

For more information on the comScore Ad Metrix Publisher, please visit: http://www.comscore.com/contact

About comScore

comScore, Inc. (Nasdaq: SCOR) is a global leader in measuring the digital world. This capability is based on a massive, global cross-section of more than 2 million consumers who have given comScore permission to confidentially capture their browsing and transaction behavior, including online and offline purchasing. comScore panelists also participate in survey research that captures and integrates their attitudes and intentions. Through its proprietary technology, comScore measures what matters across a broad spectrum of behavior and attitudes. comScore analysts apply this deep knowledge of customers and competitors to help clients design powerful marketing strategies and tactics that deliver superior ROI. comScore services are used by more than 700 clients, including global leaders such as AOL, Microsoft, Yahoo!, BBC, Carat, Cyworld, Deutsche Bank, France Telecom, Best Buy, The Newspaper Association of America, Financial Times, ESPN, Fox Sports, Nestlé, Starcom, Universal McCann, the United States Postal Service, Verizon, ViaMichelin, Merck and Expedia. For more information, please visit http://www.comscore.com

SOURCE comScore, Inc.

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Tuesday, September 25, 2007

More than half of boomers access pharma sites for health info

More than half of boomers access pharma sites for health info

Fifty-six percent of baby boomers and 35% of "matures" (people born before 1946) consult pharmaceutical Web sites when they are looking for health information. Yet sites about diseases or symptoms grab a bigger chunk of the audience: 70% of baby boomers and 41% of matures. That's according to a survey of 30,000 of these consumers by Focalyst, a joint venture between AARP Services and The Kantar Group. When it comes to what resource they think is most valuable, both boomers and matures cite their physician. Yet boomers are more likely to place high value on Web sites as information sources. According to the survey, 42% of boomers say that Web sites about diseases are among the most valuable sources, and 31% cite pharmaceutical Web sites. Both groups also are more inclined to visit pharma sites before government Web sites or publications or blogs/podcasts.

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Google AdWords Introduces Google Gadget Ads, a New Interactive Ad Format

Google AdWords Introduces Google Gadget Ads, a New Interactive Ad Format

Business Wire via NewsEdge Corporation :

Communicate With Users Online Advertising Editors/Internet Writers MULTIMEDIA AVAILABLE: http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/mmg.cgi?eid=5496458 MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 19, 2007--Google Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOG) today announced the introduction of Google Gadget Ads(TM), a new interactive ad format that is currently in an expanded beta with a select group of AdWords(TM) advertisers worldwide. Gadget ads - non-traditional ad units with interactive, rich media capabilities - not only enable advertisers to target audiences in a flexible and timely manner via regular updates within the ad unit, but also allow users to engage with ad content in a way static ads haven't facilitated in the past.

Gadget ads can incorporate real-time data feeds, images, video and much more in a single creative unit and can be developed using Flash, HTML or a combination of both. Designed to act more like content than a typical ad, they run on the Google(TM) content network, competing alongside text, image and video ads for placement. They support both cost-per-click and cost-per-impression pricing models, and offer a variety of contextual, site, geographic and demographic targeting options to ensure the ads reach relevant users with precision and scale. Gadget ads are also built on an open platform, allowing anybody from individual advertisers to agencies to set up and run ads on the Google content network, the world's largest global online ad network. Plus, gadget ads will not command any serving or hosting costs.

Feedback from preliminary beta participants, including brand advertisers such as Pepsi-Cola North America's Sierra Mist, Intel, Honda, Six Flags and Paramount Vantage, has been overwhelmingly positive. Advertisers are enthusiastic about this fresh marketing solution that empowers them to interact with targeted users through rich, dynamic and engaging content.

"We're always looking for new ways to engage with our consumers," said John Vail, director, interactive marketing, Pepsi-Cola North America. "Google Gadget Ads allowed us to reach the right audience at the right time, with an interactive message that brought our light-hearted Sierra Mist campaign, 'Squeeze More out of Summer,' to life."

"New and cutting-edge advertising opportunities are always of interest to Intel," said Stephanie Dillard, global marketing manager at Intel. "Google Gadget Ads provided a unique and efficient means to further promote our Centrino Duo campaign. Our goal was to enhance visibility and engagement with the consumer while taking in key learnings of Google's evolutionary advertising offerings. We look forward to utilizing the interactive gadget ad format with our new 'Chips' campaign that shifts focus back on the processor."

"The introduction of this new advertising format provides advertisers and agencies worldwide with an imaginative, dynamic way to interact with consumers," said Susan Wojcicki, Google's vice president of product management. "Google Gadget Ads are built on an open platform that enables distribution across the Google content network and can be shared on iGoogle and other personalized web pages."

In addition, users can build active communities with gadget ads by sharing them with each other and placing them on nearly any webpage, including personalized iGoogle pages. These portability and sharing capabilities simultaneously generate additional free traffic and help foster a sense of community between advertisers and users. Detailed interaction reports allow marketers to track dozens of actions within the creative unit and optimize toward their goals. To learn more about Google Gadget Ads, visit http://www.google.com/adwords/gadgetads.

About Google Inc.

Google's innovative search technologies connect millions of people around the world with information every day. Founded in 1998 by Stanford Ph.D. students Larry Page and Sergey Brin, Google today is a top web property in all major global markets. Google's targeted advertising program provides businesses of all sizes with measurable results, while enhancing the overall web experience for users. Google is headquartered in Silicon Valley with offices throughout the Americas, Europe and Asia. For more information, visit www.google.com.

Google, Google Gadget Ads, and AdWords are trademarks of Google Inc. in the United States and/or other countries. All other company and product names may be trademarks of respective companies with which they are associated. MULTIMEDIA AVAILABLE: http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/mmg.cgi?eid=5496458



CONTACT: Google Diana Adair, 650-253-1347 dianaa@google.com Deanna Yick, 650-253-6499 dyick@google.com

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Study author points to pharma to take advantage of boomer texting

Study author points to pharma to take advantage of boomer texting

Text messaging is shaping up to be a good way for pharma to reach baby boomers, findings from online marketing research firm InsightExpress suggest. Eighty percent of younger baby boomers (aged 45–54) and 79% of older baby boomers (aged 55–64) use mobile phones. Although they are outpaced by younger generations, 16% of younger boomers and 10% of older boomers send or receive text messages every day. Joy Liuzzo, director of mobile research at InsightExpress, cited pharma as one industry that could really take advantage of the boomer texting trend. She told MediaPost that a pharma text message program could allow users to create an online account for reminders about when to take their medicine.

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Eli Lilly and Co. to launch marketing campaign for diabetes drug

Eli Lilly and Co. to launch marketing campaign for diabetes drug

Indianapolis Star, The (KRT) via NewsEdge Corporation :

Sep. 19--First there was Cialis and the bathtub.

Then there was Cymbalta and the depressed woman on the couch who couldn't face the world.

Both drugs became blockbusters for Eli Lilly and Co., with help from a blizzard of memorable television and print ads, costing tens of millions of dollars.

Now get ready for Byetta.

This week, Lilly is launching its latest direct-to-consumer campaign in an effort to make Byetta a household word, following in the footsteps of Cialis, a sexual-dysfunction drug, and Cymbalta, an antidepressant.

Byetta is a drug for diabetics who do not yet need insulin injections. It will be featured in commercials during such shows as "60 Minutes," "CSI" and "Dancing with the Stars," as well as in prominent ads in Time, People and diabetes consumer publications.

Time magazine has Byetta ads in this week's issue. The TV commercials will begin Monday.

It's part of a wider push by the Indianapolis drug maker to regain its place in a competitive diabetes drug market it once dominated.

Diabetes, which affects about 20 million Americans, is the fifth-leading cause of death in the nation. But only a fraction of diabetics can take Byetta, which is for patients who do not yet need insulin injections. Still, Lilly said it sees a huge untapped market among the 8 million Americans who could use the product but don't.

Compared with some other Lilly campaigns, the kickoff spot for Byetta is gentle and low-key. There are no suggestive scenes, stark imagery or haunting music. The proposed 60-second spot features everyday people talking about their blood sugar, appetites and weight issues. They rave about Byetta's ability to help them manage their disease quickly.

"It helped me, starting Day One," says a middle-aged woman, sitting on her porch.

"Me, too, day after day," says a guy to another man as they sit in a car.

The simple message is designed to resonate with diabetics, who often spend hours a day trying to keep their blood sugar on an even keel.

"It's a full-time job for diabetics," said Paula Garrett, Lilly's director of consumer marketing. "They're thinking about all the things they can do and can't do, just trying to keep their blood sugar in control. People who have taken Byetta love the fact that it allows them to stay in control."

The drug has also found favor with diabetics for its weight-loss benefits.

Many diabetics who have gained weight on other medications say Byetta helped them shed pounds. The drug was so popular that Lilly had trouble meeting demand for a few months last year.

Lilly said it has no plans to market the drug as a weight-loss product for people with normal blood sugar.

"But any weight loss is a benefit to patients, because most current diabetes therapies have weight gain associated with them," said Dr. John Holcombe, a Lilly diabetes-care physician.

Lilly co-developed Byetta with San Diego-based Amylin Pharmaceuticals. The companies split revenues and profits.

Byetta demand remains brisk, with sales growing for at least the past six quarters. Sales last year, Byetta's first full year on the market, were $430.2 million.

But recently, the growth has slowed from three-digit percentage gains to two-digit percentage gains, and the market is becoming crowded with competing products.

Now, Lilly's goal is to create a louder buzz for a drug that has already been prescribed 3 million times to 600,000 patients since its launch two years ago.

Some analysts expect competition to get tougher, as other long-acting diabetes drugs appeal more to patients who hate the thought of injecting themselves twice a day, as Byetta requires.

Lilly doesn't have a long-acting diabetes drug, although several competitors do. The company is trying to develop a once-weekly formulation of Byetta.

"To go to the next level, Lilly needs a longer-acting version of Byetta," said Les Funtleyder, a drug analyst at Miller Tabak & Co. in New York. "One of the major pushbacks on this drug is the frequency of dosing."

Some other analysts agree.

"If you have a needle-phobic person that says, 'Now I can do it once a week, rather than twice a day,' you can get them to move to something that's injectable," said Leah Hartman, an analyst at CRT Capital Group in Stamford, Conn. "And that's a much bigger circle of patients likely willing to try it."

The diabetes market is extremely competitive and in flux. Earlier this summer, the Food and Drug Administration issued a safety alert on Avandia, an oral diabetes drug made by GlaxoSmithKline, after some clinical trials showed a "potentially significant increase" in the risk of heart attack and heart-related deaths in patients. Sales plummeted temporarily.

"Because of what happened with Avandia, I think Lilly senses an opportunity to pick up market share," said David Kliff, publisher of Diabetic Investor, a Chicago newsletter for investors in diabetes companies.

Some diabetes advocates say they are pleased that Lilly will be pushing the drug harder. Most diabetics are treated not by specialists but by primary care doctors, who are under time pressures and appreciate when patients research diabetes care on their own, said Kelly L. Close, principal of the San Francisco diabetes and obesity consulting firm Close Concerns.

"Companies like Lilly and Amylin are seeing that and are going directly to the diabetes patient to educate them directly," she said.

The FDA has approved Byetta for use in combination with oral diabetes drugs, not as a stand-alone treatment. Byetta stimulates the pancreas to produce insulin when blood sugar is high. The active ingredient is a synthetic version of a protein produced in the saliva of the Gila monster, a lizard of Mexico and the southwestern United States.

The advertising campaign is a dramatic turnaround for Lilly's diabetes group. Five years ago, the company cut its diabetes sales force dramatically, following a cash crunch after losing patent protection on its leading drug, the antidepressant Prozac. It saw its market share for insulin drop sharply.

But in the past two years, Lilly has pushed to rebuild its diabetes-care franchise, launching three new insulin pens, including one with a memory function of past doses. It donated $10 million to Riley Hospital for Children to help expand its diabetes facilities.

And it launched Byetta, which has won raves from patients and diabetes educators for its ability to control blood sugar quickly.

Lilly declined to say how much it is spending on the campaign, other than to acknowledge it will be on a scale similar to recent direct-to-consumer marketing campaigns for Cymbalta and Cialis.

According to Nielsen Monitor-Plus, Lilly and its partners spent $157 million on the Cymbalta campaign last year, making it the sixth most advertised drug in the nation. It spent $116 million on Cialis in 2005, making it the 10th most advertised drug that year, Nielsen said.

ABOUT BYETTA:

-- What: A twice-daily injectable drug to help diabetics control blood-sugar levels. It is for patients who do not yet need insulin.

-- Maker: Co-developed by Eli Lilly and Co. of Indianapolis and Amylin Pharmaceuticals of San Diego.

-- Inventor: The drug was discovered by Dr. John Eng, a researcher at the Bronx (N.Y.) Veterans Affairs Medical Center.

-- Launched: June 2005.

-- Sales: $430.2 million in 2006, with Lilly getting $219 million of the revenue.

-- Market: Byetta has been taken by 600,000 patients, with more than 3 million prescriptions written.

Source: Eli Lilly and Co.

DIABETES BY THE NUMBERS:

--In the United States, 20.8 million children and adults, or about 7 percent of the population, have diabetes.

--Of that number, nearly one-third are unaware they have the disease.

--Type 2 diabetes accounts for about 90 percent to 95 percent of all diagnosed cases of diabetes. It usually begins as insulin resistance, a disorder in which the cells do not use insulin properly.

--The U.S. market for Byetta is about 8 million diabetics who are Type 2 and do not yet need insulin injections.

Sources: American Diabetes Association, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Eli Lilly and Co.

<<Indianapolis Star, The (KRT) -- 09/20/07

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E-mail proves top digital marketing tool

E-mail proves top digital marketing tool

E-mail is more popular than search, display, or online video as a marketing tool, according to a survey published by The McKinsey Quarterly. The results are based on responses from 311 marketing executives from around the world, and found that 83% used e-mail, ahead of display ads, paid search, and online video. Additionally, respondents indicated that they believe the Web would be a key component in product awareness and information gathering for a majority of consumers, and more than half plan on increasing the money spent on e-mail advertising in the next three years.

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Pharma is the 10th largest advertising category in 2006

Pharma is the 10th largest advertising category in 2006
 
The pharmaceutical industry spent nearly $5.3 billion on advertising in 2006, making it the 10th largest advertising category in the United States, behind telecom, advertising (nondomestic), and travel and tourism, according to an article from eMarketer.com. The rankings were compiled by TNS Media Intelligence and reveal that big pharma spending on advertising rose 13.8% from 2005. It is projected that 5% of all Internet advertising (about $2.2 billion) will be done by pharmaceutical companies by 2011.
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Monday, September 24, 2007

Special Report: Marketing With Widgets - Usage Data, Tactics & Test Results

Special Report: Marketing With Widgets - Usage Data, Tactics & Test
Results <http://www.marketingsherpa.com/article.php?ident=30137>


Source:

http://www.marketingsherpa.com/article.php?ident=30137
<http://www.marketingsherpa.com/article.php?ident=30137>

SUMMARY: Marketers have jumped onto the widget bandwagon as they conduct
tests to see how well widgets can generate and convert traffic.

In our latest Special Report, we have all the data on widget usage,
marketing tips and strategies surrounding this hot topic. Plus, three
marketers tell us about their results involving widgets. One has already
seen 1250% ROI.

It's a widget world these days. Amazon.com just launched widgets to let
customers show off their favorite Amazon products on blogs, Web sites
and social networking pages. USA Today offers online users the ability
to install widgets on their blogs and personal Web pages that contain
news updates and other information from the newspaper. There's even a
conference where marketers can gather to talk about the latest in
widgets.

Widgets are small applications used to meet computer users' specific
needs by providing quick access to Internet sites; desktop utilities,
such as to-do lists, calendars, clocks, weather, games, entertainment;
and tools, such as system resource monitors or application launchers.
Most widgets look like a tiny window on the user's desktop or Web page.
You might also see widgets referred to as gadgets, badges, capsules,
gizmos, minis, modules, plug-ins or snippets.

Two ways that widgets work for marketers:
- Merchants can deliver offers via images, multimedia and coupons so
viewers can click through to the product page and complete the
transaction.
- Publishers can stream content to build brand and advertising dollars
or increase paid subscriptions.

In either example, your widgets won't go far if your brand has not
already built a strong community. In short, if people who either author
or patronize relevant niche blogs are not aware of your company or don't
respect your brand, you have some foundation work to do before you get
serious with widgets.

"You need to have a pretty good idea of the size and shape of the
blogosphere and be able to navigate your way around the most influential
players," says Adam Weinroth, Director Product Marketing, Pluck Inc.
"Find the ones who are reaching your target audience and then reach out
to them to start a relationship."

Widgets: The Basics
Technically, one could divide widgets into multiple categories since the
term itself refers to anything that's even hypothetically a gadget.

For our purposes, though, there are two essential types:
- Web widgets. These allow marketers to distribute product offers and
information. In just a few steps, these widgets let people copy code
from the marketer's site and paste it into their blogs or Web 2.0 pages.

- Desktop widgets. These allow marketers to regularly deliver
information to the user's desktop without another Web site serving as an
intermediary. While very direct, getting consumers to download them onto
their computers can be tricky and they often have a short shelf life.

Despite that shorter shelf life, marketers shouldn't ignore desktop
widgets. These can be extremely successful. One of MarketingSherpa's
Viral Hall of Fame winners from 2007, Sunflower Market, used a desktop
widget shaped like a potted plant to send coupons and relevant
information to consumers who downloaded it for their first store in
Indianapolis. The widget helped exceed opening-month sales expectations
by 18%.

For retailers, Web widgets can work like more interactive versions of
affiliate programs or banners. The key here is that blogs have more
"association cache" -- i.e., viewer trust -- than ecommerce sites
because the viewers are fans of the blogger or 2.0 persona.

So, the potential for conversions from Web widgets can be greater.
Content marketers also reap from the association or trust factor, using
widgets as enhanced versions of RSS feeds.

Widget Use: Data Points
The numbers around widgets are exploding: In April 2007, the total US
Web widget viewing audience was 72.6 million people (40.8% penetration),
according to comScore, which recently launched a Widget Metrix to track
widget usage. By June 2007, that number had increased to 87.1 million
people (48.7% penetration).

The worldwide widget viewing audience in April 2007 was 177.8 million
people (21% penetration of the worldwide online audience). In June 2007,
the figure had grown to 239.3 million people (27.9% worldwide
penetration).

ComScore also analyzed the top 10 widgets worldwide, finding that
photo-related sites dominated the top positions, according to data
collected in April 2007. Here were the top five Web widgets:
Slide...................117,072,000....13.8%
RockYou...............82,045,000......9.7%
PictureTrail...........30,647,000......3.6%
Photobucket.........28,189,000......3.3%
BunnyHeroLabs....24,984,000......3.0%

Widgets are especially popular among young people. A June 2007 study of
9- to 17-year-olds by Alloy Media + Marketing found that 20% had widgets
on their profile pages on social networking sites.

Specifically to publisher sites, widgets that drive content can add
value to the brand. Unless you have an extremely faithful audience,
however, they also may experience short stays at blogs. For instance,
according to exclusive cross-client numbers contributed by service
provider Gigya Inc., each installed widget averages around 200 views
before being removed from the page.

Two more data points from Gigya:
- The top 15 social network/blog platforms account for 90% of their
clients' widget installs.
- They tracked 500 million widget views per month from the hundreds of
sites that they service.

It's also worth mentioning that widgets vendors (for content or retail
versions) can track all the regular key campaign metrics, such as
clickthroughs, page views and sales conversions.

Hooman Radfar, CEO, Clearspring Technologies, says he has seen programs
that have extended the online reach of big clients by more than 50%. "We
are talking about hundreds of thousands of page views per day."

Using Widgets
To maximize a widget retail program, marketers need to recruit customers
to become brand evangelists.

Three ways to get started:
o Highlight the widgets on your homepage and throughout your category
pages
o Use promotions for your widget programs in your email campaigns
o Research blogs

If you've executed properly, before long the widgets can become virtual
outposts across the Web for your online store. But it's important to
know that customers who become evangelists must believe that a company
offers something distinct in terms of price, quality, functionality,
etc.

It also helps if they think that the retailer understands their values,
listens to them and shares their lifestyle principles. There's also a
cool factor to widget evangelism because most of the influencers in this
equation and their audience will be under 40. So, you not only need to
have a strong community, but it also helps if the community members are
on the young side.

In terms of incentivizing the offer to bloggers who may become brand
evangelists, publishers may want to consider offering a free low-level
subscription to get the program started. Some publishers have found
success using games in their widgets to drive clickthroughs.

"We've seen short quizzes work well to promote usage," says Eyal Magen,
CEO, Gigya. "The users forward the quizzes to friends. You want to
include content that they will want to share with their friends."

Here are nine more usage tactics from Pam Webber, VP Marketing,
Widgetbox:

Tactic #1. While there are distinct differences between what widgets can
mean to a retailer versus a content marketer, in both cases marketers
MUST create an attractive value offer behind the idea to get people to
post them at sites.

Tactic #2. Use your house list to create awareness during the first few
weeks or months of the widgets program.

Tactic #3. Remember that widgets are evangelism tools, so hone in on who
your brand preachers might be around the Web. Research the heck out of
bloggers in your niche!

Tactic #4. Incentivize the offer to get them to join; perhaps use a
rewards program.

Tactic #5. Hey, retailers, set up the widgets so there's a section where
the blogger can show friends what they have recently purchased from you.


Tactic #6. eBay users are continuously adapting widgets to their
platforms and represent tremendous growth opportunities for the right
brand. Therefore, merchandisers of all kinds would be smart to
investigate possibilities on the auction site.

Tactic #7. Employ games and contests within the widget to encourage
usage.

Tactic #8. "DIY widgets" are increasingly popular. Allow bloggers to
personalize your widgets in the avatar sense.

Tactic #9. While allowing personalization is nice, keep the widget
templates simple. Simple allows outperform complicated. "Remember that
it's not just data but a portable chunk of code wrapped in a user
experience," Webber says. "It's something that should be easy to
interact with."

Security tips
Since major portals, such as iGoogle, Live.com and Yahoo!, all offer
personalized portals that use widgets and the MySpaces and Facebooks of
the world are burgeoning, the phenomena is likely to result in
heightened attacks by hackers, spammers and other keyboard crooks.

To avoid Widget infections, here are three tips from Finjan Inc. on what
your IT people should do:

Tip #1. Refrain from using non-trusted third-party widgets. Widgets and
gadgets should be treated as full-blown applications, and the use of
unknown and untrusted widgets is highly discouraged.

Tip #2. Be cautious when using interactive widgets. Widgets that rely on
external feeds, such as RSS, weather information, external application
data, etc., may be susceptible to attacks that exploit this trust by
piggybacking a malicious payload on such data.

Tip #3. Organizations should enforce a strict policy for their users on
using widgets and widget engines. Since these are not considered
business-critical applications, or even productivity enhancers in some
cases, the use of widgets by corporate users should be limited.
Additionally, blocking widget and gadget file types could be enforced at
the gateway to prevent the downloading of such mini-applications to the
corporate network.

Widget Marketing Example #1. Karmaloop
Karmaloop has the perfect demographic of high school and college-age
students as their customer base to fully exploit the potential of retail
widgets in the Web 2.0 world. And, quite frankly, there's not a better
existing example of a large group of evangelists who are faithfully
serving a brand.

The eretailer has nearly 20,000 customers that push the brand on their
MySpace, Facebook, Friendster and other social media sites and get
discounts or cash when they, or someone they've referred, make a
purchase. Members of what they call their "street team" upload images,
photos or artwork to Karmaloop's site to make company stickers or
banners other street teamers can download.

The eretailer has pitched the widgets offer across their Web site and in
their emails to create the army of sales reps, while encouraging the
customers to recruit other street teamers at multiple touch-points. And
while less than 1% of Karmaloop's total customers are reps, their
purchases and those they convert currently account for 25% of total
sales.

"We've done it all in-house and have spent zero dollars on
[out-sourcing]," says CEO Greg Selkoe. "The return has exceeded our
highest of possible expectations. It's not going to work this way for
everybody, though. You have to passionately participate with your
community. You just can't sell them stuff and expect your customers to
promote your brand. You need to have a culture."

Widget Marketing Example #2: Due Maternity
Due Maternity recently tested a desktop widget and has already seen an
ROI of more than 12.5 times. The widget allows users to receive product
and relevant information at targeted times during their pregnancy.

As one example, because the user inputs her due date, a congratulatory
message and coupon can be sent during her second trimester.

With a demographic of 25- to 35-year-old mothers-to-be, the widget
program has given the eretailer an alternative avenue to staying in
touch with their target audience. The widgets are converting at a higher
clip than onsite traffic and are only 1% below email conversions.
Furthermore, he believes that the medium is a growing alternative to
email.

"People don't sign up for newsletters anymore because their inboxes are
so full," says Co-Founder Albert DiPadova. "Some weeks, the widgets get
a higher response than our emails. The emails typically get a 10%
clickthrough rate to our customer audience. The widgets, once they are
downloaded, at times get 50% that go on to the site."

Widget Example #3. The Motley Fool
The Motley Fool just wrapped up a four-month test on Web widgets to see
if the features could help deliver their stock news, quotes and tips and
build the brand. They promoted the program by creating a pair of
humorous videos for the widgets and encouraging users to create their
own.

Essentially, the videos were interspersed occasionally between stock
news and quotes. With one low-key ad on the homepage promoting the
effort, they got 32 bloggers to put up their widget, which helped
increase site traffic.

"It's created a win-win relationship with our consumers in that they can
share content and do so in a way that adds value to their own site
development," says Sr. VP John Keeling. "It's a way of delivering
content to third parties that has low-barrier to syndication."

Here are the monthly average clickthrough rates that the widget program
saw in the test:
o June - 3.48%
o July - 3.66%
o August - 4.62%

Two other key benefits included allowing Keeling to repackage content
from the site and facilitating more viral content sharing. However, he
warns that widgets abuse was a problem that's on the horizon, comparing
it to a "potential [Google] AdSense."

"As a result, we see a lot of community-oriented and blogging sites
restricting the library of widgets available for embedding. I hope to
see a security framework established, similar to what we have for Java
applets, for example, which will address the current threats and support
the objective of open widget development and publishing."


Useful links related to this article

Creative samples involving widgets:
http://www.marketingsherpa.com/cs/widget/study.html
<http://www.marketingsherpa.com/cs/widget/study.html>

MarketingSherpa's Viral Hall of Fame 2007 - Sunflower Market's desktop
widget:
http://www.marketingsherpa.com/viralawards2007/1.html
<http://www.marketingsherpa.com/viralawards2007/1.html>

Industry resources -

ComScore's Widget Metrix:
http://www.comscore.com/metrix/default.asp
<http://www.comscore.com/metrix/default.asp>

Finjan's Web Security Reports page:
http://finjan.com/content.aspx?id=827
<http://finjan.com/content.aspx?id=827>

WidgetCon - annual trade event dedicated to widgets:
http://www.widgetcon.com/ <http://www.widgetcon.com/>

A sample of widget services providers -

Clearspring Technologies:
http://www.clearspring.com/ <http://www.clearspring.com/>

Widgetbox:
http://www.widgetbox.com/ <http://www.widgetbox.com/>

Gigya:
http://gigya.com/ <http://gigya.com/>

Muse Storm:
http://musestorm.com/ <http://musestorm.com/>

yourminis:
http://www.yourminis.com/ <http://www.yourminis.com/>

Other sources -

Karmaloop:
http://www.karmaloop.com/ <http://www.karmaloop.com/>

Due Maternity:
http://duematernity.com/ <http://duematernity.com/>

The Motley Fool:
http://www.fool.com/ <http://www.fool.com/>

Sunflower Market:
http://sunflowermarket.com/ <http://sunflowermarket.com/>

Pluck Inc.:
http://pluck.com/ <http://pluck.com/>

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