Wednesday, May 07, 2008

In Age-Old Debate -- Art Vs. Science -- Science Is Winning

Great article - and very interesting in light of the opportunities
before us. fg

In Age-Old Debate -- Art Vs. Science -- Science Is Winning

By Cory Treffiletti (Online Spin // Mediapost)

In our world there's an ongoing debate over the concept of art vs.
science in advertising. I've commented on it before, but it's becoming
fast apparent to me that science is winning -- and I want to explain why
this makes me a little nervous.

I feel the best advertising has always been heavy on art, with a
balanced dose of science to ensure the right people are watching, but
these days it's all about the science and the art is taking a back seat.


In order to become a media planner these days, it feels like you need a
Ph.D. I'm exaggerating slightly, but it used to be a simple matter of
reach, frequency and your negotiation skills. Now it's becoming a more
complex, more engineering-centric marketplace!

Media planners and media buyers used to be the same person and were
responsible for the ongoing management of the clients' campaign. These
days the business is becoming more fragmented, more specialized and more
focused on targeting: ISP-level targeting, behavioral targeting, profile
targeting, etc. There are numerous technologies that layer over one
another and are intended to reduce waste in your media budgets. Media
planners must learn about these technologies and prioritize how they may
affect their customer's campaigns; in many cases, these campaigns are
being tracked through to a customer acquisition or some other direct
response metric.

It feels like every new company that's being funded is basing their
business on these targeting needs and the ability to deliver a more
targeted audience. I see these companies as fulfilling the goals of
science. Where's the art in all of this? Where's the consideration of
impact and the creativity of the messaging?

It all started with Google and the "textification" of the creative
messages. As a result of Google AdWords and Google AdSense, I feel as
though the art is getting lost and is getting squeezed out by the
science. As much as 40% of all online dollars are spent against search,
and search constrains the creativity and the impact of the messages
offered up to the consumer.

What is happening to the old-school focus on creative and the
development of messaging that has impact and can affect purchase
consideration? What happened to identifying the needs of brand
advertisers and affecting consumer views on products and services? What
happened to paying a premium for highly targeted, highly sought-after
content? The majority of the discussions these days are about the
commoditization of media and the development of the marketplace model,
but I see very few people talking about the art of online creative. I've
sat through presentations at conferences and in boardrooms, but more
often than not the ideas are gimmicky and are not deeply rooted in
strategy. Strategy is the art, and the art is rapidly being pushed out
of the business by the metrics.

Wenda Harris Millard's recent comments comparing media buying
(unfortunately) to trading pork-bellies is what originally got me
thinking on this topic -- because she's right! The prices are being
pushed downward due to the direct response marketplace and at some point
we will see a "correction" where prices will bottom out, with some
premium inventory becoming more valued and supply decreasing, with more
creativity being applied to the business. In this type of a marketplace,
creative should again become valued -- I hope! The premium placements
should command more creativity in messaging to the consumer, and the art
should be brought back to the space.

Maybe it's partially my fault (and those of the other agency people in
the marketplace) for being so focused on the numbers for so many years
or maybe it's society's need for immediate gratification, but I feel the
push for immediate metrics is affecting our ability to blend art into
advertising .and I'm hoping that this will change soon. The closest
thing I've seen online to art in recent months was the Apple placement
on the Vista page of CNET. The media person who bought that placement
(where there were live-action ads touting users to "Give Up On Vista" on
the actual Vista page of CNet) should be commended for his/her effective
coup. This was art applied to media and creative at the same time. I
know those ads ran in other locations, but this was the perfect marriage
of the two.

Rarely have I seen anything so effective in recent years. IPod
advertising and Mini advertising also are focused on art, as Altoids
used to be and some other perky, younger brands, but when I find their
ads online I find ads that are less artful than those in other major
media.

I love advertising and I want to see the art come back. The emerging
media platforms -- online video, mobile, social media, gaming, widgets
-- offer an opportunity for art once again without losing the science,
primarily because these are fragmented media as well and have not
reached critical mass as of yet. For them to be considered effective you
need a big idea. You need a strategic reason to try them out and
strategy breeds creativity, which demonstrates art. So here's to the art
coming back into advertising, and the science becoming integrated once
again!

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Podcasts and Online Video Show Ads are Three Times More Effective Than Traditional Online Ads

Podcasts and Online Video Show Ads are Three Times More Effective Than
Traditional Online Ads

Business Wire via NewsEdge Corporation :

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 16, 2008--Podtrac, the leading
network of podcasts and online shows, today announced the results of
four independent advertising effectiveness studies with TNS, a global
market research company, which reveal podcasts as having a three-fold ad
effectiveness increase over traditional online video and a seven-fold
effectiveness increase over television. Unaided ad awareness across two
years of studies was 68% compared to industry benchmarks of 21% for
streaming video and 10% for television. The studies spanned two years,
from February 2006 to March 2008, and multiple product categories
including: television programming, automobile, financial services, and
digital imaging. 52 online shows and podcasts participated in the four
campaigns studied and 6,869 audience members participated in the
research.

Ad formats consisted of: embedded :15 and :30 host-read audio and video
ads, embedded :10 and :15 produced video ads, ad banners on publisher
websites, and social networking in the form of publisher blog entries
about advertised brands and related topics. Podtrac developed the
advertising effectiveness methodology in conjunction with TNS.

The study showed embedded advertising in online shows and podcasts to be
highly effective for increasing brand awareness, usage intent and
positively impacting brand perceptions across four diverse product
categories: television programming, automobiles, financial service, and
digital imaging. Results included:

* Average unaided ad recall of 68%

* Average aided ad recall of 89%

* 73% average increase in likelihood to use/buy vs control group

* 69% having a more favorable view of advertiser due to ad exposure

"The unaided awareness level of 68% is considerably higher in podcasts
and online shows than in other offline and online media," said Mark
McCrery, Podtrac's CEO and Co-Founder. "Narrowly targeted audiences,
appropriate ad formats, content relevance, and show host involvement are
some of the factors which come together to produce highly effective ads
in online shows and podcasts."

"The data also suggest audiences are paying close attention to show
content and the embedded ads within them which greatly increased ad
effectiveness in the studies," said Doug Keith, former Vice President of
the Media & Entertainment Group at TNS and currently President of Future
Research Consulting. "The high unaided ad recall figures are no doubt
the results of a less cluttered environment."

"Online shows and podcasts have loyal audiences who pay attention to
advertisers who support the shows they regularly listen to or watch,"
said Velvet Beard, Podtrac's Vice President of Products. "The studies
showed a 73% increase in likelihood to use or buy an advertised product
which is an indication of successful targeting, the unique relationship
audience members have with the hosts of today's online shows, and their
ability to quickly move audiences from awareness to consideration to
purchase. The studies showed that 69% of audience members have a more
favorable view of in-show advertisers, which means a tremendous amount
of goodwill goes to advertisers of online shows when show selection is
intentional and advertising and ad formats are integrated into show
formats."

The 52 podcasts and online shows studied as part of the research
include: This Week in Tech, MacBreak Weekly, net@night, and Daily Giz
Wiz all with TWiT.tv's Leo Laporte; MacBreak, MacBreak Tech and This
Week in Media with PixelCorp.tv's Alex Lindsey; Geek News Central with
Todd Cochran; SDR News with Andy McCaskey; Feast of Fools; Filmspotting;
and FlashTV.

Spending on online video ads represents less than 4% of all Internet
advertising and just 1% of the amount spent on TV, according to
eMarketer. But growth is expected - with eMarketer forecasting U.S.
spending more than tripling to $4.3 billion in 2011. The size of podcast
monthly audiences is expected to reach 50 million by 2010.

McCrery is presenting the data at Adtech San Francsico on April 17, 2008
at 11:00 AM PST.

About Podtrac

Podtrac is the world's largest Podcast and Online Show Advertising
Network. Podtrac's provides advertisers and creators of online shows
with the first complete system for media buying, advertising insertion
and measurement. Podtrac has developed the largest database of podcast
and online show demographics worldwide representing more than 22 million
U.S. listeners and viewers. Podtrac is privately held with headquarters
in Washington D.C. and offices in New York. For more information contact
Podtrac at: www.podtrac.com

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Web site allows users to rate drugs, share side effect info

Web site allows users to rate drugs, share side effect info

A new Web site, www.RateADrug.com, provides an online community-based
rating system for drugs and other medical treatments. It also allows
users to share information about possible side effects and benefits they
experience. The site uses anecdotal reports to add to data from clinical
trials and FDA disclosures. Users can evaluate and share their
experiences by participating in RateADrug's ongoing surveys. RateADrug
is currently conducting specific large-group studies for
cholesterol-lowering statin drugs Lipitor, Lescol, Mevacor, Pravachol,
and Zocar; antidepressants Lexapro, Prozac, Effexor, Paxil, Zoloft, and
Pristiq; and insomnia treatments Ambien, Lunesta, Sonata, Rozerem, and
Benzodiazepines. Users can also review or submit ratings for more than
1,000 medications.

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Web site aims to provide Rx info without pharma influence

Web site aims to provide Rx info without pharma influence

An online resource aims to provide physicians and consumers fair and
balanced prescription information without pharma industry influence. The
site, www.prescribingforbetteroutcomes.org , from The University of
North Carolina at Chapel Hill, was designed to provide accurate
information about the uses of antiepileptic drugs for the treatment of
bipolar disorder and to counter off-label marketing. The site will later
be expanded to include information about other prescription drugs. Until
then, it aims to help clinicians and consumers better understand
research about the efficacy of antiepileptic drugs using unbiased
analysis of published research.

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Online depression program includes mood tracker, other tools

Online depression program includes mood tracker, other tools

Health Alliance Plan (HAP) has launched a new online support service
for people with bipolar disorder and depression. HAP's interactive
Health Care Decision Support system, available through hap.org, offers
information about managing bipolar disorder and depression; links to
online and local support groups and community forums; and information
and costs for drugs used to treat their condition. Users can access an
online health journal to chart their mood history and medications and
receive reminder messages. The system also includes a program to help
people recognize the signs of depression and bipolar disorder.

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Newspaper sites across country adding TauMed health vertical

Newspaper sites across country adding TauMed health vertical

TauMed.com is partnering with MediaNews Group, the nation's fourth
largest newspaper company, to launch a multimedia health vertical.
TauMed's service will be integrated into all of MediaNews Group's
newspapers and regional portals' Web sites. TauMed will host, manage,
and distribute all user-generated content, including videos, community
blogs, questions, and shared experiences. TauMed's health search and
social platform will also allow visitors to create a "My Health Space"
and allow members to create and manage profiles, use health management
tools, form friends' circles, and join online community support groups.
They'll also be able build and share their own personalized health
libraries. Connecticut Post, Chico Enterprise Record, Greenwich Time,
and The Advocate are the first newspaper sites to integrate and launch
the TauMed health vertical this month.

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Social network lets consumers share misdiagnosis stories

Social network lets consumers share misdiagnosis stories

A new social networking Web site offers consumers opportunities to
share their stories about medical misdiagnosis. In addition to allowing
users to post personal stories, the site, www.yourmisdiagnosis.com, says
it provides information about types of misdiagnosis and allows users to
read others' stories. However, so far, the site seems to offer very
little content. The site is from Premerus, a company that calls itself
"the industry's first and only diagnostic management company."

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JupiterResearch: Research mobile marketing even if you're not doing it

JupiterResearch: Research mobile marketing even if you're not doing it

Marketers who haven't entered the mobile channel yet should begin
researching it before it really takes off, according to a new
JupiterResearch study. It shows that only about 20% of online
advertisers are involved in mobile marketing, and several factors are
keeping them from diving in. Lack of research, measurement, and
familiarity with mobile are among the reasons for low use, reports
MediaPost. More than half of cell users are texting, so text-based ads
are a good way to start. Also, marketers should incorporate mobile
search, coupons, video, and banner ads, states the report.

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Database helps pharma, others reach physicians at work

Database helps pharma, others reach physicians at work

Direct marketing firm AllMedia has released Lodestone Solutions e-mail
databases, an e-mail marketing service that reaches physicians and other
healthcare professionals at their place of business. It aims to provide
a low-cost media option for pharma, device, and others looking to reach
healthcare professionals. The database contains information about
approximately 2 million medical professionals and almost 650,000
individual e-mail contacts. The database also includes nurses,
pharmacists, chiropractors, therapists, and veterinarians. Targeting is
available by professional degree, specialty, job title, gender, and
geography.

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Video detailing company signs two top-10 pharma companies

Video detailing company signs two top-10 pharma companies

Aptilon Corporation, which provides video detailing, says it has signed
specialty brand agreements with two top-10 pharma companies. Sales reps
will use AxcelRx Live to provide live education of their participating
specialty brands to key targeted physicians. Specialty physicians will
also be targeted with supplemental educational services, such as
self-directed online presentations. Aptilon also links physicians to
biopharma-sponsored programs through its ReachNet physician access
channel, a network of Web sites, with access to more than 450,000
opted-in physicians. According to the company, the rep-physician
interactions average eight to 10 minutes in length for primary care
physicians and up to 15 minutes for specialists.

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New color-coded system warns consumers about drug risks

New color-coded system warns consumers about drug risks

A new drug rating system aims to warn consumers about the likelihood and
severity of a medication's adverse events. The iGuard Risk Rating is a
patent-pending process that rates drugs from lowest to highest and
resembles the United States' homeland security system. Its five
color-coded risk levels range from green, which means the drug is low
risk and suitable for widespread use, to red, which indicates a
high-risk drug that "requires careful consideration of risk versus
benefit." The site www.iGuard.org provides information about drugs and
allows users to post feedback. The site is free for registered users.

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The Interactive Advertising Bureau Launches Digital Video In-Stream Ad Format Guidelines

The Interactive Advertising Bureau Launches Digital Video In-Stream Ad
Format Guidelines

Business Wire via NewsEdge :

Advertising Writers/Business Editors

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 5, 2008--The Interactive Advertising
Bureau (IAB) today announced the release of "Digital Video In-Stream Ad
Format Guidelines." Created by the IAB's Digital Video Committee, a
group comprised of 145 leading interactive companies, they are the
definitive format guidelines that directly address digital video
advertising.

The guidelines focus on the most widely used current in-stream ad
products, including linear video ads, non-linear video ads and companion
ads. They were created in order to meet the following marketplace needs:

Simplifying digital video ad buying across multiple sites through
minimum common ad specifications for video, overlay and companion ads.

Achieving more efficient operations through a common set of creative
submission guidelines.

Increasing consumer understanding of ad interactions and environments
through best practice recommendations for creative development and
player environments.

"The interest surrounding digital video is no surprise," said Randall
Rothenberg, president and CEO of the IAB. "Consumers have been swift to
embrace the digital video experience online, and marketers have
incorporated it just as rapidly into their advertising plans. With the
creation and adoption of these formats and guidelines, we see no end in
sight to its potential for growth."

The document is part of the IAB's ongoing effort to improve marketplace
understanding of the role of digital media in the marketing and media
ecosystem.

"These guidelines respond to the very real market need of simplification
and standardization that will continue to propel the explosive growth of
online digital video," said Mike Hurt, director, Industry Development of
Microsoft and Co-Chair of the IAB's Digital Video Committee. "I am proud
to have worked with a team of industry leaders on the IAB Digital Video
Committee who together have brought this important industry initiative
to fruition."

"We believe that advertisers should focus on delivering great creative
and compelling messaging - not be deterred by having to figure out which
video ad format they should use," said Michael Walrath, senior vice
president of Advertising Marketplaces, Yahoo!. "Yahoo! is thrilled to
have participated in the development of the IAB's standards, which will
play a critical role in driving the industry forward. Not only will this
make it easier for advertisers to get their video creative online, it
will also provide a better experience for users."

To view the guidelines, please go to: www.iab.net/dv_guidelines

IAB Launches Digital Video Ad Format Compliance Seal

Simultaneous with the release of the guidelines, the IAB launched today
a compliance program for web publishers who adhere to the Digital Video
In-Stream Ad Format Guidelines. Interactive publishers will display an
IAB Compliance Seal on their websites and will in turn be listed on the
IAB website. To date, 44 companies are already compliant with the
guidelines. For a complete list of those companies please go to:
www.iab.net/dv_compliance

About the IAB's Digital Video Committee:

The Digital Video Committee of the IAB is comprised of 145 member
companies actively engaged in the creation and execution of digital
video advertising. One of the goals of the committee is to implement a
comprehensive set of guidelines, measurement, and creative options for
interactive video advertising. The committee works to educate marketers
and agencies on the strength of digital video as a marketing vehicle.

About the IAB:

Founded in 1996, the Interactive Advertising Bureau (www.iab.net)
represents over 375 leading interactive companies that actively engage
in and support the sale of interactive advertising. IAB members are
responsible for selling over 86% of online advertising in the United
States. On behalf of its members, the IAB is dedicated to the continuing
growth of the interactive advertising marketplace, of interactive's
share of total marketing spend, and of its members' share of total
marketing spend. The IAB evaluates and recommends standards and
practices, fields interactive effectiveness research, and educates
marketers, agencies, and media companies, as well as the wider business
community, about the value of interactive advertising.

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Social site for women over 50 features tips from health experts

Social site for women over 50 features tips from health experts

Vibrant Nation, a social recommendation Web site for women over age 50,
is featuring interviews with health experts. The experts will share the
top questions that women entering menopause should ask their
gynecologists and a list of the most reliable Web sites for women's
health information. According to Vibrant Nation, today's women over age
50 have more money and power than women of previous generations, yet
marketers continue to underrecognize their value. In addition, consumers
over age 50 own up to 80% of the nation's financial assets and control
50% of the discretionary spending, spending 2.5 times as much as younger
consumers on a per capita basis, says Vibrant Nation.

Go to http://www.vibrantnation.com.

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New engine allows users to search for current display ads online

New engine allows users to search for current display ads online

A new search engine has launched that promises "real-time competitive
analysis of online advertising." The site, Yureekah.com, has launched in
alpha mode and allows users to search by brand or category to see
display ads and where they are running. For example, typing "Lipitor"
into Yureekah will yield an ad featuring Robert Jarvik that's running on
about.com. The site allows users to work with real-time data and compare
ads running on different sites and in different countries, according to
MediaPost. The site's alpha version includes the United States, the
United Kingdom, India, and the United Arab Emirates. It currently finds
display ads, but intends to add other types such as video. The company
told MediaPost that search results will improve in the coming months,
since now the results are a little scant.

Go to www.Yureekah.com.

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