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"The Super Bowl can be a holy grail or a holy terror for advertisers. The Nielsen Company is looking to help companies figure out the equation of this massive marketing moment to ensure optimal ROI. Since the Super Bowl does cost advertisers $2.7 million in one shot, this information is imperative for any looking to take the plunge.
Which Super Bowl commercials will stimulate the most buzz online and around the water cooler this year? Will the buzz be favorable or damaging to brands? “The Super Bowl represents the ultimate ‘torture test’ in marketing ROI, and the buzz factor is often the final arbiter of success or failure of the advertising,” said Pete Blackshaw, Executive VP of Strategic Services, Nielsen Online. “Brands that wrap holistic, well-integrated marketing programs around the television advertising typically reap higher dividends.”
Thanks to RubberPoultry for the great graphic.
"As the writers strike hits the six-week mark on Monday, the ramifications for the TV biz are growing by the hour.
Starting next week, the force majeure ax may begin to fall on various talent deals at the major studios. Industry insiders say some of the nonwriting producer deals and nonwriting "pod" deals that have proliferated during the past decade could be vulnerable, particularly for those with a mixed track record of delivering successes to their studio partners.
(Many contracts use the six-week mark for allowing termination of a deal under provisions of force majeure, or a disruptive event that prevents both sides adhering to the terms of the contract, but the length of time can vary significantly depending on the deal.)
Decisions on who gets cut will be made on a case-by-case basis, and they are unlikely to come in one big wave. Each of the six majors has different needs and strike contingency plans. Some may decide to trigger the option that allows studios to extend deals by the number of months the strike lasted. "There will be terminations," a studio chief said. "We just don't know when."
"Watching a favorite show you missed on television on the Internet is increasingly popular, two recent studies show.
Horowitz Associates found that 16 percent of high-speed Internet users watched at least one full-length TV program online during a week, double the number from last year. Horowitz just released its report: Broadband Content and Services 2007.
The Nielsen Company found that 25 percent of the 1,599 Americans surveyed in October have watched full episodes of a TV program in the past three months."
"The sci-fi fans are a hard-working crowd. Where fans of other genres generally are content to whine a while and then let it go when their favorite shows are canceled, the geeks get busy. Occasionally, their campaigns to save shows succeed.
The best known of these efforts has been the resurrection of "Jericho," which CBS promoted the heck out of last year, then canceled when viewership lagged. The "Jericho" fans campaigned heavily until CBS relented and ordered another season.
"Jericho" begins season two Feb. 12. We know the crazies will be there, but it's on CBS, where a small, loyal following isn't good enough. We'll see if the fans' passion radiates to the more lukewarm among us."
"So, back from a few days off and it takes me half a day to plow through 400+ e-mails (I kid you not; I wish I was), check voice mail, do some housekeeping and figure out what news took place in my absence. Thank goodness the new season of Jericho was announced before I headed out!
Anyway, I promised to discuss various ways we could get behind our beloved show and make sure enough folks see it so it gets renewed for a full third season, but it appears I have lots of Jericho goodness to share before getting to that. I’ll hit ‘em fast:"
For Spanish speaking Jericho Fans:
http://jericho.forogratis.es/
http://jerichoblogspot.blogspot.com/
"Negotiations have broken off for the time being at least, but it's still important to understand what's at issue. There are now several recent proposals that have been publicly disclosed, as I had hoped would be the case (see WGA Strike - Confusion Reigns). What deal points are on the table and how far apart are the parties? I've written a very detailed memo, which includes references to supporting documents. A caveat - the studios have not described their proposal in detail, whereas the Guild has described both parties' proposals in detail; so, the description of the studios' proposal is based on the Guild's description."
"TV networks launch multimedia games to keep viewers buzzing
CBS used a mixed-media puzzle involving online clues and outdoor billboards to stimulate interest in its cerebral detective show “Numb3rs.” The puzzle is just one example of how online and offline marketing combinations are being used in a bid to promote TV shows, capture new audiences and hold current viewers’ interest. Shows like ABC’s “Lost” and “Jericho” on CBS have used similar strategies."
"If the strike lasts another four to six weeks, it could spell the end for 2008 pilot production. The most-circulated scenario in that case involves the networks renewing all their existing series for next fall, producing their pilots in the summer and launching their new crop of shows in midseason 2009."
"CBS will hope to bring some magic to the broadcast network with the decidedly un-family-friendly serial-killer thriller "Dexter" and perhaps other series from sister cable network Showtime.
"It probably speaks to how much they need scripted product," Brill said. "They probably have the least backup of any network. There are seven episodes of 'Jericho.' Maybe they are wishing they had gotten more."
"If the writers strike continues until January, it will endanger the $9 billion TV upfront market.
Marketers and agencies have tried for years to change the way TV time is bought and sold, arguing that committing such a large portion of their budgets ahead of the start of the fall season no longer makes sense. And it's looking increasingly like the Writers Guild of America strike could be the catalyst for retooling the annual May upfront process.
Carol Barbee, executive producer of cult favorite "Jericho" on CBS, said while her show would only benefit (a full season is already in the can), the damage could wreak havoc beyond the upfront. "If this goes past January, [the networks] have lost the entire development season, which means that they've lost all the new shows and the midseason replacements."
"The strike could accelerate recognition that consumers don't "revolve around prime time and the networks' new seasons anymore," said Rino Scanzoni, chief investment officer for WPP Group's Group M media-buying consortium. With people using DVRs and watching programming online, a better system of buying and selling needs to be put in place. If the strike were to help people see that, he said, "that might actually be a silver lining."
Great article from Rich of Copywrite Ink today.
"Getting Wishes: Jericho Rangers"
He also has an interesting comment:
"Its hardly a perfect solution but as a temporary answer, if fans wanted to push a campaign forward ... it would start with Jericho DVDs and iTunes episodes (the pilot, specifically) as gifts, especially tying in the idea of taking each others for granted.
The second phase of the campaign would take place sometime in the second week in Jan., which would likely be a countdown to Jericho, focusing on the divided nation concept (which is much like the producers see it).
They are two separate campaigns.
The fans would also have to pool funds and do something that attracts attention, like purchasing ads in entertainment oriented publications, etc.
It could be done, but it would have be done on fan terms because I think you are your own."
***I think we're on our own too.***
