Saturday, December 30, 2006

MITCH TV 2006 YEAR IN REVIEW

Here's are the top stories from MITCH TV in 2006.

USER GENERATED CONTENT or REALITY TV 2.0

You might agree that the one thing that dominated the world of advertising and marketing this year was ‘user generated content’. We saw the dramatic rise of MySpace and the mainstream acceptances of YouTube. Now virtually every main portal has some kind of function that involves content from user. It’s truly amazing to think that anyone with a video camera or even cell phone camera can broadcast around the world! A recent eMarketer report indicated that there are currently 60 million Americans regularly viewing video content on the internet and that number will GROW to over 150 million by 2010.

For some reason people LOVE TO WATCH regular people. Even ‘American Idol’ beat ‘The Grammys’ for TV audience this year. 30 million Americans tuned into watch amateurs entertainers compared to 15 million watching Madonna and the other Grammy talent.

BLOGGERS AND VLOGGERS

With well over 55 million Blogs online and a new one being created every second, it’s difficult to cut thru the clutter as a reader and increasingly challenging for publishers to increase readership. One of the techniques that we’ve used at MITCH TV is to keep the scope of the content narrow and the target relatively small. I use the blog as a marketing tool aimed at the 350 - 400 people in my direct contact list. Adding video to the site this year has proven to be a really exciting dynamic and with creative ‘tags’ and random posting to our links, we have been able to see a steady increase in traffic.

TV STILL RULES

No matter how you look at all of this exciting online activity, TV still rules as the number one advertising medium on the planet. The SuperBowl Broadcast is still considered the ‘benchmark’ of what is happening in the world of advertising and marketing. That being said, 2006 saw a rapid movement of mainstream TV-to-online as Disney, CBS, FOX, NBC, ABC and others all began migrating content in some way or another to the internet. When CBS began hosting clips of David Letterman online at YouTube.com, the ratings for the broadcast on TV increased. More viewers mean more money for the networks so 2007 will see an ever increasing migration of TV content to the web.


2006 saw a strong ‘upfront’ in National TV advertising sales in May. TV viewership is rising, TV sets are getting bigger and with High Definition they are getting better. In 2006 the number of TV sets in an average home is at it’s highest level ever.

WEBISODES AND SHORT VIDEO or THE OFFICE AT THE OFFICE

We can thank FLASH for this, or maybe we can thank our busy lifestyles, but the ‘webisode’ world is on the rise and we will see more short form content on the internet. Episode recaps, highlights and clips are the top viewed forms. Consumers still prefer a 52 inch PLASMA Screen for watching a full program and aren't ready yet to watch the SuperBowl Game on a cell phone.

HISPANIC, ASIAN ADVERTISING ON THE RISE IN THE US

The mainstream American advertising machine is just starting to wake up to the power of ETHNIC MARKETING. It's a simple concept, speak to people in the language that they understand and sell more products!

The 2006 SuperBowl had Toyota running the FIRST MAINSTREAM BROADCAST TV commercial with partial Spanish content. Other advertisers are getting on board the ‘ethnic’ marketing bandwagon as well.

Walmart is the number one retailer in the world and watching what they do is a good way to see into the future of advertising. They led the way in Ethnic marketing and create ethnic commercials for Hispanics, blacks and Asians. Chrysler announced a new multi-language marketing program to launch in the New Year.

Statistics show that many product categories like Cell Phones index high in certain ethnic groups and in some regions, over 30% of the target consumers are regular users of media in a language that is NOT English.

2006 say the Latin Grammy Awards run for their second year on the Univision Network in Spanish. The ratings were much higher with the program in Spanish and the programs had a lot less impact as an English program running on CBS up to 2004.

The NUMBER TWO Newscast in NEW YORK CITY is on Channel 41 Univision in Spanish.

Much more on Hispanic and Asian marketing to come in 2007!


PRODUCT PLACEMENT, ONE SPONSOR PER SHOW AND LIVE COMMERCIALS!

2006 was a year that advertisers took an aggressive look at new ways to get their message wrapped around content. We are seeing more product placement in TV and Movies and the new year will bring ‘one sponsor per show’ events. Phillips recently sponsored the NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams and ‘bought the whole show’. Microsoft recently launched their new video game platform with a complete sponsorship of ESPN’s Sport Center.

Get ready to see more commercials that are created by consumers and mainstream advertisers find ways to integrate user generated content advertising. 2006 saw more user generated content in Music Videos and the next step will be user content in commercials, TV shows and Movies! Chevy and Frito Lay and now running contest for users to help them create commercials for broadcast in the 2007 SuperBowl.

HONOURABLE MENTIONS

Here’s a list of events that warranted a posting on MITCH TV this year.

- The King Of Cars TV show about a Las Vegas car dealer named Chopper.
- Muhammad Ali sells the marketing rights to his name and likeness for $50million
- Group of marketers develop an ad auction site with eBay
- Home Depot ads video to their web site and consumers love it
- TV Guide stops publishing their print edition and move solely to online
- Kurt Cobain tops Elvis as the top earning dead celebrity
- One in three Americans is Hispanic, black or Asian

Thank you for visiting MITCH TV. Good luck in 2007!

Thursday, December 28, 2006

Wal-Mart Canada seeks attention of Ethnic shoppers


From specialty foods to different aisle music in different districts, the big-box retailer is starting to court Canada's various communities.

It advertises in Portuguese, Cantonese and Spanish. It has an ethnic food section to rival any family-run market. It's also the world's largest chain of retail stores.
Wal-Mart Canada is the archetype of big-box stores that sacrifice uniqueness and flair to stake everything on low prices and uniformity. But now, it is increasing its efforts to lure new customers by tailoring everything from greeting cards to in-store music to appeal to the country's various ethnic groups.

READ THE DEC 27th ARTICLE BY CARLY WEEKS ONLINE AT CANADA.COM

Wednesday, December 27, 2006

Google Set To Expand Newspaper Ad Program



This fall, the search-engine company proposed to show how it could help newspapers sell print advertising to the hundreds of thousands of small merchants who buy Internet ads from Google. Advertisers would go online and bid on the excess ad inventory of daily newspapers, giving them a much-needed revenue boost.

Now, two months into a test with 100 advertisers and 66 newspapers, Google executives say that its pilot program has exceeded their expectations and that they will roll out an expanded version in the coming months. The top five participating newspapers are getting several bids a week from advertisers, the company said.

"The volume [of ads sold] is tripling where we thought it would be," said Tom Phillips, director of print ads at Google. "I think we'll have real impact next year" on newspapers' bottom lines, he said. "We open the medium to a whole new class of advertisers."

READ THE ARTICLE AT THE WASHINGTON POST

'Alpha Moms' pitch Nintendo Wii


The game company takes an innovative viral approach to drum up support for its new console.


As it geared up to promote its new Wii video game console, Nintendo of America Inc. looked to a group better known for nagging kids to stop playing video games: moms.

The Japanese game company merged viral marketing techniques with Tupperware parties in the months leading up to the Nov. 19 launch of Wii, which is pronounced "whee." Nintendo recruited a handful of gregarious, tech-savvy moms — whom it dubbed "alpha moms" — to share the console with their friends.


READ THE ARTICLE AT LATIMES.COM

Tuesday, December 26, 2006

Online Sales Up 26 Percent This Season


New e-commerce trends have shaped this holiday season, including the increasing importance of social networks, blogs, and user content; booming sales of luxury items; an extended shopping period; and the emergence of niche sellers.

By all accounts, sales growth has been strong. Excluding travel and auctions, consumers spent $21.7 billion at U.S. online stores between November 1 and December 20, a 26 percent increase over the same period last year, according to comScore Networks.

READ THE ARTICLE AT YAHOO.COM

Wednesday, December 20, 2006

Polk Study Finds Auto Industry Lagging in Building Loyalty Impressions Among Minority Customers


Findings presented at tri-city multicultural marketing seminar

Less than 15 percent of African-American, Asian-American and Hispanic-American car buyers believe the auto industry is "best in class" at developing customer loyalty, according to a recent study by R. L. Polk & Co.

"Auto manufacturers need to do a better job of courting repeat business from minority customers, or they risk missing out on the biggest growth opportunity in the auto industry right now," said Lonnie Miller, director of Industry Analysis, R. L. Polk & Co.

"Minority buying power in the United States is projected to grow by 14 percent by 2010, so winning and keeping minority customers will be a key element to success in the next decade," said Miller.READ

READ THE ENTIRE ARTICLE AT YAHOO.COM


AUTOMOTION on CHANNEL M

Channel M is launching a new Automotive Program in 2007 called AUTOMOTION in Cantonese, Mandarin and Punjabi. Click on the image to view the sample feature.



Channel M AUTOMOTION DEMO on Vimeo

Contact:
Mitch Drew
Account Manager
Channel M
604-678-3912 direct
mdrew@channelm.ca

Saturday, December 16, 2006

Spanish-language TV Sees Boost in Ad Spending


While the Internet is pulling away from traditional media sources in terms of ad revenue growth, Spanish-language television has a firm hold on second place in the race for advertising dollars.

Ad spending increased for Spanish-language television over the first three quarters of 2006 by 16.6 percent compared to the same period last year, according to preliminary figures released by Nielsen Monitor-Plus, the advertising intelligence service of Nielsen Media Research.


READ THE ENTIRE ARTICLE AT HISPANIC BUSINESS.COM

Friday, December 15, 2006

Agencies: Google Has Put A Target On Your Back


by Dave Morgan

IF YOU'RE IN THE AD agency business, you'd better buy The Wall Street Journal today (although you can be sure that lots of online media and agency news aggregators will link to the story.) If there was any question in your mind about Google's quest to unseat ad agencies, they are answered in Kevin Delaney's piece reporting on Google's new ad programs, including its tests with video, radio, newspapers, television, click-to-call, cell phones, and online maps. This is in addition, of course, to Google's core search and contextual ad listings, which are already generating $10 billion in annualized revenue.

Google's intentions relative to its planned offerings for the world's marketers are quite well summed up by CEO Eric Schmidt, who tells the WSJ, "The long-term fantasy is we walk up to you and you give us, say, $10 million and we'll completely allocate it for you across different media and ad types."

Well, that makes it pretty clear. If Google executives fantasize about controlling the allocation of media spend across all online and offline channels, they certainly seem to have their sights set on taking over the media ad business. To Sir Martin Sorrell, Google may be a "Freinemy" (the term conjures images in my mind of some sort of huggable stuffed dragon with a forked tongue, vicious spiked tail and a smiley, happy face); but, to any marketing services company that derives significant revenue or client relationships from media planning or buying, Google's moves should put in bas relief the seriousness of its threat to your business.

Of course, some in the agency business might take solace in the fact that media is only one component of the services that most marketing service companies provide. Creative, for example, is an area that Google certainly won't enter, since it lives in the world of automated, simple text ads.

Or not? More from Delaney's story: "The new ad offerings include some elements the simple text-only search ads don't have: For instance, with its radio-ad test, Google is offering a directory of specialists who can help advertisers create the spots, writings scripts and recording and delivering audio files." Google apparently intends also to be in the creative business. But, probably not to worry about them entering the client strategy and account management piece as well. That requires a bunch of really smart people who can identify and solve really hard problems, and also a propensity for smothering clients with lavish entertainment and constant compliments. Yes, that's in Delaney's article too.

You might temporarily take solace in the fact that many of Google's search and context advertisers are too small to have ad agencies anyway, so the threat to your business is minimal. But just as my company's business gets better and better though the learning that comes from accumulating greater sums of audience information, so too will Google learn, from its interactions with hundreds of thousands of smaller advertisers, how to help larger advertisers streamline their advertising process.

Google's disintermediation of agencies in the ad process is underway on the media side and appears to be coming on the creative side. What's an agency to do? Not work with Google? No. That's not the answer. Observe. Learn. Innovate. That's the answer.

Watch what Google is doing, whether that be by working or partnering with it, or just by paying better attention. Google Google: you'll be surprised by how much information on its activities and strategies is publicly available. Google is taking some very fresh approaches to businesses that haven't changed much in decades. You might be surprised by what you learn.

Don't just let your observations sit. Analyze what Google's doing and why; understand why it has been so successful with so many clients. Spend the time and resources and apply some real rigor to your analysis. Take time to truly understand the essence of what the company does and how it works. The secret to its success is probably simpler than you think.

Then, most important, innovate. Apply what you've learned. Do to your business what Google would, if that company owned it. There is clearly magic in Google's business model. Don't be afraid to adopt it. Don't be afraid to change. You still have time. Google has a long way to go until Schmidt's fantasies are reality.

Dave Morgan is Chairman of Tacoda.

Copyright MIDEAPOST

Aflac Duck May Quack En Espanol


Aflac Duck May Quack En Espanol
by Emily Burg
Friday, Dec 15, 2006

SUPPLEMENTARY INSURANCE COMPANY AFLAC, KNOWN for its memorable quacking duck, is training its sights on the growing Hispanic market.

Columbus, Ohio-based Aflac, the world's largest seller of supplemental insurance, gets 70% of its revenues from Japan, and has been looking for a way to increase its U.S.-derived revenues.

The buying power of the Hispanic population is forecast to grow from $735.6 billion to $1.08 trillion in 2010. Financial services is a category where Hispanic spending typically increases as the family's disposable income rises.

Aflac's first step was to launch aflacenespanol.com, a Spanish-language version of the company's Web site.

While it has not specifically developed any products for the Hispanic market, the company's "bottom-up" culture--in which its sales agents suggest product ideas to management--means the 65,000-strong domestic sales force can get to know the Hispanic demographic and brainstorm solutions specific to it.

From the "top-down," the company is taking a civic-minded approach to developing a relationship with the Hispanic community. Aflac forged an alliance with the Latino Coalition to create the Aflac Civic Awards, which this week honored Hispanic small business leaders.

Emily Burg can be reached via email at emily@mediapost.com

Monday, December 11, 2006

George Clooney wants to appear in a Bollywood film, report says


December 07, 2006

NEW DELHI (AP) - George Clooney says he'd like to appear in one of India's spectacular song-and-dance movies.

"I'd love to. There are some filmmakers whose films when you see (them) you say, 'That could be an interesting story to tell,"' the 45-year-old actor said in an interview Thursday on the private CNN-IBN channel.

Clooney said he's a fan of Bollywood, India's prolific Hindi film industry, and is impressed by the way it has expanded.

"I was watching a film the other day and the music was just amazing. It's become such a huge industry," he said.

"There is a small market in the (United) States as of now, but it will be fun if it catches on because it is such a positive way of looking at filmmaking and I really love that. I truly think it's fun," he said.

Clooney, a favourite among India's English-speaking middle and upper classes, won a best supporting actor Oscar for 2005's "Syriana."

"It seems like the Indian filmmakers are pushing boundaries in terms of pushing the censors. I think it's (Bollywood) an interesting place for filmmakers to go," he said.

Clooney's upcoming movie, "The Good German," will be released by Warner Bros. in the United States later this month. It will be released in India next year.

Hispanic Ad Agencies See Impressive 2006 Growth


HISPANIC AGENCIES SAW DOUBLE-DIGIT growth in 2006, reports Ad Age, with top shops, like Miami-based LaComunidad,which handles Remy Martin, seeing a 60% boost. More rises in the marketplace: The biggest Hispanic agency, Publicis Groupe's 49%-owned Bromley Communications, San Antonio, grew 11%, so did No. 4, Omnicom Group's Dieste Harmel & Partners, Dallas. Also, business is expanding for both bilingual English-speaking Hispanics.

Associated Press Online Video Network


The AP Online Video Network is an ad-supported news video service that draws on the global newsgathering resources of The Associated Press and its network of members and customers in the United States to provide video summaries of breaking news stories for Web sites. The Online Video Network offers video clips covering national, international, entertainment, technology and business news

VISIT THE AP ONLINE VIDEO SITE

Coke Taps YouTube For Video Card Campaign


COCA-COLA IS TEAMING UP WITH YouTube for a new joint marketing effort--one that doesn't involve Mentos or exploding Diet Coke bottles. Instead, Coke is sponsoring a page on YouTube that enables users to select or create their own holiday video "cards" to send to friends and family.

YouTube's "Holiday Wishcast" site features a collection of holiday-themed video clips from some of its most popular contributors including Geriatric1927, TerraNaomi, TheWineKone and LisaNova. Users can choose from one of the videos in the Wishcast catalog or upload one of their own after registering on YouTube.

READ THE ARTICLE AT MEDIAPOST.COM

Sunday, December 10, 2006

Google begins limited test of radio advertising


SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Google Inc. said on Thursday it has completed the development of its widely anticipated radio advertising system and begun a limited test allowing customers to buy ads via its online ad-buying system.

In a statement on the Web search leader's site, the company said it had begun testing a system it acquired by purchasing dMarc Broadcasting in early 2006 for $102 million and which it subsequently built into its existing AdWords online ad system.
Google Audio Ads is working with more than 700 radio stations covering more than 200 metropolitan U.S. markets, Google spokesman Mike Mayzel said.

READ THE ARTICLE AT YAHOO.COM

Friday, December 08, 2006

Marketers' Websites Outdraw Those of Major Media Players


P&G and Unilever Attract 9 Million Unique Visitors Monthly

By Jack Neff
Published: December 04, 2006

CINCINNATI (AdAge.com) -- Believe it or not, those boring corporate websites are pulling in more eyeballs -- and more influencers -- than the flashy prime time TV shows, print magazines and general interest sites on which marketers advertise. And part of what's driving the traffic is old-fashioned web display advertising and e-mail pushes.
Brand websites
Corporate and brand websites -- once derided as "brochureware" in a digital marketing world that quickly moved to sexier applications -- are getting a rehabilitation of sorts as their traffic numbers vie with those of many consumer sites in the web's long tail.

READ THE ARTICLE AT ADVERTISING AGE

Thursday, December 07, 2006

Technorati Profile

Smashing the Clock


No schedules. No mandatory meetings. Inside Best Buy's radical reshaping of the workplace

By Michelle Conlin
BusinessWeek Online

One afternoon last year, Chap Achen, who oversees online orders at Best Buy Co., shut down his computer, stood up from his desk, and announced that he was leaving for the day. It was around 2 p.m., and most of Achen's staff were slumped over their keyboards, deep in a post-lunch, LCD-lit trance. "See you tomorrow," said Achen. "I'm going to a matinee."

READ THE ENTIRE ARTICLE AT BUSINESS WEEK ONLINE

Wednesday, December 06, 2006

New Real Estate Expert on Channel M Mandarin News





Sunnus Properties Real Estate Report Channel M Dec 3 on Vimeo

Annie Zhang from Sunnus Properties is now the Real Estate Expert for Channel M Mandarin News. Sundays at 9:27pm and Monday at 8:27am each week.

www.SUNNUS.ca

Wednesday, November 29, 2006

Microsoft To Be Sole Sponsor For ESPN's 'SportsCenter'


ON THE HEELS OF PHILIPS Electronics' deal to become the sole sponsor of "NBC Nightly News" next week, Microsoft has done the same with a broadcast of ESPN's "SportsCenter." In both cases, the deals include the marketer running fewer spots than the normal loads, believing that a less-is-more approach will go further in delivering their messages.


Microsoft "bought out" the flagship 11 p.m. ET version of "SportsCenter" last night, airing seven minutes of commercials during the hour--down from the program's usual 15. The technology giant's initiative focused on its Xbox 360, which is facing a major challenge from the just-released Sony PlayStation 3 as the holiday season approaches.

MEDIAPOST

A Lone Sponsor for a Longer ‘Nightly News’


A week from tonight, viewers of the “NBC Nightly News With Brian Williams” will be able to watch more news — and fewer commercials — as a result of a sponsorship deal with the Philips Electronics North America Corporation.

The sponsorship is part of a weeklong, $2 million agreement between Philips and the NBC Universal division of General Electric that includes “Today,” two cable shows and a feature on NBC’s digital weather channel. The deal is the latest element in a campaign that seeks to drive home the Philips advertising theme “sense and simplicity.”


READ THE ARTICLE AT NYTIMES.COM

What Podcasting Revolution?


What Podcasting Revolution?

More people are downloading audio feeds, but few do it regularly, according to a new report from the Pew Internet & American Life Project

by Catherine Holahan

Report author Mary Madden says the study shows that, while people are becoming more comfortable watching or listening to programs on their computer, they are far from tuning in with any regularity.


READ THE ARTICLE AT BUSINESSWEEK ONLINE

MTV To Develop Niche Broadband Channels


MTV NETWORKS MAY HAVE LOST the battle to buy MySpace, but it's still moving ahead with plans to expand online.

Next year MTV plans to roll out some 20 super-niche broadband channels, catering to the narrow interests of its customers. For example, it is developing "Web Junk," which will be a companion channel to the VH1 show, "Web Junk 20," where users can see breaking Web clips.

"Talent Load" will be an audition stage for users who will upload videos, kind of like an "American Idol"--early rounds--for the Web. "Faith & Spirituality" will be a place for young people to congregate and discuss spirituality issues. "World Series of Pop Culture" will be another site, complementing the VH1 game show.

MTV will also seek brand extension for its popular "My Super Sweet Sixteen" show, with a site where users will upload photos and video from their most elaborate parties. For those still yearning for more college humor, "Yo Momma" will offer up a site for all "Yo Mama" jokes.

And in collaboration with actor Jack Black and VH1, a site will be developed for sketch comedy and user-generated content called "Department of Acceptable Media," which can be found at www.acceptable.tv.

MTV calls this type of channels "hyper-programmed verticals." Explaining the need for these channels, Van Toffler, president of MTV Networks' Music & Logo Group, said in a release: "Just as MTV networks blazed new territory by establishing linear cable networks built around specific interests and lifestyles, we are now developing new online experiences around niche topics that resonate with our current audiences, as well as those subversive web surfers."

SIGN UP TO MEDIAPOST HERE

Monday, November 27, 2006

Chrysler Sets Multilingual TV Plan, Spots Will Run In Three Languages



IN FEBRUARY, TOYOTA CAUSED A frisson with the first Super Bowl spot partly in Spanish. Now, competitor Chrysler is using the strategy to launch a TV campaign in two additional languages--Mandarin and Korean--albeit on less high-profile programming.

Airing in leading markets with large multi-ethnic populations--New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco--the campaign features a spot with the same content, but in three different languages. (English is the third.) It also employs talent from three different ethnic groups.

Focusing on the significance of family, the spot targets people of Chinese and Korean descent in the Mandarin and Korean languages, respectively--and will also air in English to target English-speaking individuals with an Indian lineage.

A corresponding print ad will run in the three languages in publications aimed at the three groups.

The TV effort for the 2007 Sebring sedan will run on a collection of broadcast and cable stations in the three markets, ranging from the Chinese KTSF in San Francisco to Korean WMBC in New York to Indian-oriented SET Asia and Z Cinema.

Print outlets include China Daily News, Korean Central Daily Times, and India Abroad.

"Because our consumers are using an ever-expanding array of media, we are making a direct effort to reach out and communicate with them in venues they find most comfortable," says Dave Rooney, a director in the Chrysler marketing and global-communications unit.

Chrysler says the creative attempts to appeal to the role of family in Asian-American communities. In the spot, a new owner of a Sebring touts its entertainment system, which includes the opportunity to display digital photos and show off family photos.

copyright MEDIAPOST

Thursday, November 23, 2006

Channel M launches new Auto Guide in 2007

by Mitch Drew

With the number of local automotive dealers using Channel M as a way to reach the growing ethnic population of the Lower Mainland, the need to create an "Auto Guide" in 4 languages became apparent.

Starting in 2007, Channel M will present "Auto Motion" 60second automotive product features in English, Cantonese, Mandarin and Punjabi.

Click on this picture to view a 60second sample:



Channel M AUTOMOTION DEMO on Vimeo

For more information, call me today.

Mitch Drew
Channel M
604-678-3912 direct
mdrew@channelm.ca

David Letterman ratings up 5%, thanks to You Tube


Wed Nov 22

NEW YORK (Reuters) - CBS Corp. (NYSE:CBSA - news) video clips from David Letterman's talk show and drama "NCIS" are among the most watched on popular Internet video service YouTube, giving the network a boost in TV viewership, the companies said on Tuesday.

CBS uploaded more than 300 clips that averaged about 850,000 views per day in the first month, in an early sign that YouTube's deals with TV and traditional media businesses could be paying off, the companies said in a joint statement.

CBS said ratings of its late-night programs have seen increases since uploading the shows, including adding 5 percent or 200,000 new viewers to "Letterman" and adding 7 percent or 100,000 viewers to "The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson."

CLICK HERE TO VISIT THE DAVID LETTERMAN PAGE AT CHANNEL M

READ THE ARTICLE AT YAHOO.COM

Monday, November 20, 2006

O.J. Simpson book, TV special canceled


By DAVID BAUDER, AP Television Writer

NEW YORK - After a firestorm of criticism, News. Corp. said Monday that it has canceled the O.J. Simpson book and television special "If I Did It."

"I and senior management agree with the American public that this was an ill-considered project," said Rupert Murdoch, News Corp. chairman. "We are sorry for any pain that his has caused the families of Ron Goldman and Nicole Brown Simpson."

A dozen Fox affiliates had already said they would not air the two-part sweeps month special, planned for next week before the Nov. 30 publication of the book by ReganBooks. The publishing house is a HarperCollins imprint owned — like the Fox network — by News Corp.

READ THE ARTICLE AT YAHOO.COM

Sunday, November 19, 2006

Yahoo, newspaper groups in Web ad deal


SUNNYVALE, Calif. - Yahoo Inc. (Nasdaq:YHOO - news) will work with seven newspaper groups to share online advertising in a deal that could help newspapers tap into the lucrative online ad market.

A total of 176 newspapers in 38 states will participate in the deal, reported Sunday on the Web sites of The New York Times and some of the newspapers involved.

The groups that have signed on include Cox Newspapers Inc., Belo Corp., Hearst Corp., the E.W. Scripps Co., MediaNews Group Inc., Lee Enterprises and the Journal Register Co.

The partnership will start in December with Yahoo's HotJobs service and move to other types of online advertising.

READ THE ENTIRE ARTICLE AT YAHOO.COM

LX.TV from NYC and LA

by Mitch Drew

Two former MTV executives have started their own broadband internet TV channel called LX.TV. Joseph Varet said 'the audience is too small to support a 24-hour cable channel but broadband allows you to use the same quality, for lower cost'

The channel targets wealthy 25-49 year olds and features restaurants, nightclubs, shopping and dating advice.

It plays well and has an easy to navigate page. The site was features in the Fall 2006 edition of TRUMP Magazine.



CLICK HERE TO VISIT LX.TV

Friday, November 17, 2006

NBC Breaks into the Ad Business


The network blurs the lines between broadcaster, ad agency, and marketer

by Jon Fine
Business Week
November 2006

NBC Universal: ad agency. Or it will be, sort of. Its new digital czar, Beth Comstock, and her staffers are approaching key advertisers with a simple yet far-reaching proposition: Let our digital studios create some advertising for you. In other words, although NBC executives chafe at this characterization, join with us to demolish long-standing notions of what separates media companies from ad agencies.

"The next natural place to use the talents of the studio is with marketers and advertisers," says George Kliavkoff, NBC Universal's (GE ) chief digital officer. As Comstock conceded at a recent international TV conference, everyone must "get used to the idea that the media marketplace will be full of contradictions and tensions."

One big tension: A direct relationship between networks and marketers could threaten ad agencies' middleman role. Comstock is quick to point out that NBC's marketing efforts will primarily be "adjuncts" to existing campaigns and that "most of the discussions" with marketers involve ad agencies. Still, says one executive familiar with the discussions, in a world of product placement and digital short films built around products, what's message and what's content "starts to become all the same.... That's one of the things Beth Comstock is sitting there recognizing."

READ THE ENTIRE ARTICLE AT BUSINESSWEEK ONLINE

For Jon Fine's blog on media and advertising, CLICK HERE

Tuesday, November 14, 2006

Resorts seek skiers who aren't all snow-white


Some resorts working to attract more ethnic groups to skiing and snowboarding

The Associated Press

HUNTINGTON LAKE, CALIF. // Skiers cut through a fresh dusting of snow, their skis hissing softly against the powder as they crisscross down the slopes, then grind to a halt at the icy base of the Sierra Summit resort where Richard Shimizu is taking a break.

Although the ski resort is in Fresno County, where almost half the population is made up of minorities, most people crunching past Shimizu in their ski boots are white. It's a scene repeated in ski resorts across the country, where only three out of 20 skiers or snowboarders are minorities, according to marketing researchers.

"You see some Asian people sometimes, but few blacks and few Hispanics," said Shimizu, who is Japanese- American. "It's changing, but still there's a big difference. We used to never think about things like ethnicity. Now people pay more attention."

READ THE AP STORY AT THE SEATTLE TIMES.COM

Sunday, November 12, 2006

Jim Pattison Lexus Northshore launches new TV



Jim Pattison Lexus - Northshore on Vimeo

Click on the image to view the new Jim Pattison Lexus Northshore Billboards produced at Channel M. They are running in Cantonese, Mandarin and Korean.

www.channelm.ca

Wednesday, November 08, 2006

Google Readies Radio Ad Expansion, Will Launch 'Audio Ads' By Year-End


GOOGLE IS READYING A PLAN to harness its online paid search platform to allow marketers to purchase contextually targeted radio ads. The program, "Audio Ads," will launch before the end of the year, a company spokesman confirmed Tuesday.

Although the spokesman declined to disclose additional details, rumors swirled Tuesday that the company was planning a major expansion into radio sales by broadening an alliance with Clear Channel Radio.

GO TO MEDIAPOST FOR THE ENTIRE ARTICLE

Tuesday, November 07, 2006

Google To Sell Newspaper Ads


by Wendy Davis
Monday, Nov 6, 2006

GOOGLE IS READYING AN EFFORT to sell ads in 50 major newspapers, including papers published by Gannett, the Tribune Company, The New York Times Company, the Washington Post Company, and Hearst. Google reportedly will begin testing the system with 100 advertisers later this month.

Google will begin taking a cut of the revenue next year, after the initial test phase; the search company usually garners about 20% of the ad revenue, according to The New York Times. Among the marketers testing the program is Denver-based online retailer eBags.com.

The program will harness Google's online platform, which the company uses to sell paid search ads. The initiative marks Google's latest attempt to sell ads in traditional media. Earlier this year, Google started selling ads in about two dozen magazines, including ELLEgirl, Motor Trend, and PC World.

That venture, however, didn't gain as much traction as Google had anticipated. In a June conference call with investors and the media, Jonathan Rosenberg, Google's senior vice president for product management, said the print ad sales program "probably hasn't taken off as fast as we would like."

Despite the slow start, Google CEO Eric Schmidt said during the same conference call that Google intended to continue to attempt to sell ads in traditional media, including television.

Copyright MediaPost Publications

eMarketer: Online Video Ads To Surge 89% In '07


by Wendy Davis
Tuesday, Nov 7, 2006

RESEARCH FIRM EMARKETER NOW PROJECTS that ad revenue from online video will reach $775 million next year--an upward revision from its previous estimate of $640 million. By 2010, online video ad spending will soar to $2.9 billion--or 11.5% of all dollars going to online ads, according to a new report released Monday.

eMarketer Senior Analyst David Hallerman attributes much of the growth to Google's recent $1.65 billion purchase of YouTube. "The aftershock of that mash-up will, all by itself, contribute greatly to Internet video's growth with products akin to AdWords for Video," he wrote in the new report.

While eMarketer predicts that spending for online video ads will grow by at least 45% every year through at least 2010, ad spending in particular will boom next year with a growth rate of 89%, according to the report. By comparison, total online ad spending will increase 15.1% next year and rich media spending will increase 40.7%, according to eMarketer.

At the same time, the total ad dollars devoted to online video don't come close to approaching the ad dollars that are spent on TV. eMarketer pegs this year's online video ad spending at $410 million--just 0.6% of the TV ad spend.

Copyright MediaPost Publications

Over 3500 Video Views Served


by Mitch Drew

Thank you to all the clients and prospects who have visited MITCH TV in the last few months. Since we added video to the BLOG, the page hits and activity have dramatically increased. We recently passed a couple of milestones including a one-day total of 98 commercial views and our cumulative total since adding video earlier this year is now over 3,500 individual views!

If you would like more information on how to start your own BLOG or host online video, call or email me.

Mitch Drew
Channel M
604-678-3912 direct
mdrew@channelm.ca

Saturday, November 04, 2006

MahJongClub.com launches new ad campaign on Channel M

Starting this week a series of 7sec Billboard promoting gaming site MahJongClub.com will begin airing in three languages on Channel M. The creative was produced using provided graphics. We created the 3-D animation and did the voice/over and translation from an English script into Cantonese and Mandarin.

Here are all three versions of the 7sec Billboards.

Mitch Drew
mdrew@channelm.ca



MahJongClub.com 7sec BB - English Cantonese Mandarin on Vimeo

MahJongClub.com

Monday, October 30, 2006

Travelocity Boosts TV Buy 50% to Improve Online Search Results


More Roaming Gnome Spots Needed to Keep Brand Name Top of Mind

October 29, 2006

NEW YORK (AdAge.com) -- Want to sell more products online? Buy good old-fashioned TV.

That's the conclusion of Jeffrey Glueck, chief marketing officer for internet travel agency Travelocity, which is increasing its TV ad budget to encourage travelers who book online to search out its name rather than generic terms such as "discount travel" or "Hawaii vacation."

READ THE ARTICLE ONLINE

Sunday, October 29, 2006

HISPANIC MARKETING REPORT

As the Asian and South Asian population continues to grow in BC, the need to 'keep up' with these changes is important. Your advertising plans need to change and move into directions that are going to deliver you the biggest BANG for the dollar.

Often we can look at our counterparts to the South and follow thier lead. The following posts demonstrate a growing trend. First, ethnic or 'non-English' media is growing and second, large established advertisers are coming on-board with strategic ethnic innitiatives.

Fisher Communications, Inc. Announces the Completion of Its Purchase of Seattle Television Station KWOG

Photo: Fisher Plaza in Seattle

Fisher Communications, Inc. (Nasdaq:FSCI - News) today announced that its wholly-owned subsidiary, Fisher Broadcasting Company, has completed the purchase of African-American Broadcasting of Bellevue, Inc., licensee of television station KWOG, Bellevue, Washington, for $16 million. Fisher purchased 25% of the company on June 26, 2006, and the remaining 75% was purchased this week following satisfaction of closing conditions including Federal Communications Commission approval.

KWOG currently airs programming from ShopNBC pursuant to a programming agreement with ValueVision Media, Inc. Fisher intends to provide Hispanic programming on KWOG as a Univision affiliate beginning January 1, 2007.

READ THE ARTICLE ONLINE



Univision Finishes 2nd in NYC 6PM Local News
Photo: Univision NYC Anchor Barbara Bermudo
Univision’s New York TV station’s 6 pm weekday local news, Noticias Univision 41, has finished second in the October survey period in each of the key audience groups, adults aged 18 to 34, 18 to 49, and 25 to 54 years old.

According to Univision, in New York’s market, two 6 pm local news programs vie for the 20 percent of viewers who are Hispanic while the remaining 80 percent are targeted by four 6 pm local news programs broadcast in English.

During the October 2006 survey Noticias Univision 41 (WXTV) was watched by an average of 52,000 viewers aged 18 to 34, 158,000 viewers aged 18 to 49, and 161,000 viewers aged 25 to 54. That’s a 1.2/6, 1.7/8, and 1.9/8 in the three key audience groups, respectively. Year to year, the show’s audience is up 79 percent among those aged 18 to 34, 33 percent among those aged 18 to 49, and 12 percent among those aged 25 to 54.

Only WABC-TV Channel 7’s 6 pm news had more viewers. It’s “Eyewitness News” was seen by 55,000 viewers aged 18 to 34, 169,000 aged 18 to 49, and 217,000 aged 25 to 54.

Chase Expands Marketing to Hispanics

Chase Card Services is expanding its Hispanic marketing initiatives from only direct marketing to include Spanish-language ads on TV and online. It is also ramping up its direct mail, off-site programs such as soccer events, and events in local Chase branches.

The multi-million dollar campaign uses the tagline Confia en Ti. Confia en Chase (Believe in yourself. Believe in Chase.), writes DM News. By delivering credit card product advertising in Spanish, the company hopes to boost brand awareness and loyalty in the Hispanic market.

Hispanics are the nation’s largest and fastest-growing ethnic group, currently pegged at 43.5 million, or 15 percent of the U.S. population, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

That number is expected to reach 48 million by 2010, when purchasing power is projected to reach $1 trillion. Fewer than 45 percent of U.S. Hispanics have credit cards.
Spanish-language TV spots began airing Oct. 3 on Univision, Telemundo, Telefutura and Galavision. Online, the ads began running on AOL Latino, MSN Latino, Terra Online and Univision online.

Friday, October 27, 2006

MITCH TV moves from a BLOG to a VLOG

Wanting to stay on the leading edge, I've added my first video clip on the site. A recent article in Advertising Age supports that fact that more companies are adding video to their web sites as a direct selling tool.

Now I'm selling ME on MITCH TV.



Mitch Drew
mdrew@channelm.ca

Thursday, October 26, 2006

Ethnic Markets Account for One-Third of US Consumer Spending on Telecommunications


In 2006, US ethnic communities account for one-third of every dollar spent on consumer telecommunications services, according to The Insight Research Corporation. The largest minority group, Hispanics, represent nearly 44 percent of the US minority population and spend the most. The industry analysts say the ability to tap into the increased spending power of the Hispanic-American, African-American, and Asian-American communities will be crucial to the survival of telecommunications providers over the next five years.

READ THE ENTIRE ARTICLE

Canada's TV guide joins move online from print


Canada's TV guide joins move online from print

The days of magazine-style television guides and newspaper listings could be numbered with Canada's TV Guide the latest in a string of publications to move out of print and go online with daily viewing lists.

With increasing numbers of people going straight to the Internet or their television screens for their TV listings, magazines and newspaper pullouts dedicated to TV programing are becoming redundant, media commentators said.

READ THE ENTIRE ARTICLE AT YAHOO.COM

England - Now firms can sponsor an entire TV channel


Advertisers can now sponsor entire British television and radio channels, after more than 50 years of regulation were swept away today.

The rule change means channels such as ITV1, Bravo or Capital Radio can, in theory, be sponsored by brands such as Coca Cola or Sony. Broadcasting regulator Ofcom announced the move, designed to free up more revenue possibilities in a world where "on demand" TV and radio means the value of traditional advertising breaks is being undermined. But the new rules contain strict provisos, including that a channel cannot rename itself after a commercial product.

So while ITV1, for instance, could not rebrand itself as Coca Cola TV, it could become "ITV1 brought to you by Coca Cola".

The ban on sponsorship of commercial TV and radio has been in place for 51 years, since ITV first launched as a rival to the BBC in 1955. Ofcom said there would be strict controls on news channels and children's channels could not be sponsored by drink or gambling firms.

THIS ARTICLE IS FROM THE DAILYMAIL.CO.UK

Wednesday, October 25, 2006

Jim Pattison Opens New Toyota Dealership in Surrey

The President of Toyota Canada said "Wow, Wow, Wow" and owner Jim Pattison announced that they needed to start selling new Toyota's "NOW, NOW, NOW,"!

Last week the JP Auto Group opened Western Canada's largest Toyota Dealership in the North Surrey Auto Mall. It is a spectacular dealership that can be seen from Highway One and has an elevated showroom/display area that is lit up at night with spinning cars! Customers can have a light lunch at the Cafe or enjoy a movie in the in-house movie theater (complete with free popcorn).

Jim Pattison told the attendees that he began his relationship with the former Toyota President, Mr. E. Toyota over 27 years ago when Toyota had "zero" market share in North America.


Jim Pattison welcomes the crowd and declares "The Customer runs this dealership"


Bob Stamnes, President and Founder of Elevator Strategy - Agency of Record for The Western Canada Toyota Dealers


Dennis Hendricks, Advertising Manager, JP Auto Group