NBC Is Looking for Big Payoff on OlympicsTwo years ago, the Winter Games in Vancouver were just beginning. When they ended, NBC Universal reported a loss of $223 million. Now, with the Summer Games in London five months away, NBC is hoping to avoid a big loss on its $1.18 billion rights fee, the most paid for the Olympics by a United States network. Seth Winter, the senior vice president of the NBC Sports Group, said last week that national advertising sales for the London Games were just above $900 million. **ALSO THIS WEEK... Stories from The New York Times, AdAge, Ad Week, Media Daily News, Direct Marketing News.
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The Ads of Super Bowl XLVI: Adweek’s Post-MortemAdweek has post-mortem coverage of the commercials of Super Bowl XLVI at adweek.com/super-bowl. Check out all the commercials again, and read through the transcript of Adweek's live blog, featuring commentary from the Adweek editorial team. **ALSO THIS WEEK... Stories from AdAge, Marketing Daily News.
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The Ads of Super Bowl XLVI: Adweek’s PreviewThe Super Bowl is fast becoming an auto show. And last year's record number of car-related spots have led to an even bigger haul this year. Expect close to 20 separate auto (or auto-related) commercials in the game—that's almost one-third of the total number of spots—from brands including Acura, Audi, Bridgestone, Cars. com, Chrysler, General Motors (Chevrolet and Cadillac), Honda, Hyundai, Kia, Lexus, Toyota and Volkswagen. **ALSO THIS WEEK... Stories from Ad Week, AdAge, Mashable, Marketing Daily News.
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Automotive Execs Plot Comebacks, Hype Super BowlAt a major international auto show, the marketing machine is rarely on stage, even on press days. Of course, chief marketing officers might be observed wandering the show floor, eyeballing the competition or taking part in a panel. Then they're gone. Celebrities they are not—even if they are rock stars in the marketing world. **ALSO THIS WEEK... Stories from AdAge, Ad Week, Marketing Daily News.
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Pizza Hut to Pick Stars of Super Bowl Pre-Game Ad Via FacebookLike many marketers advertising in and around the Super Bowl this year, Pizza Hut’s game plan calls for a little Facebook. The pizza chain introduced the TV spot below on Jan. 1 that threw down the gauntlet to fans: Do your own rendition of the featured song and your video might be featured in a pre-game Super Bowl ad. **ALSO THIS WEEK... Stories from Mashable, Inc, AdAge, Marketing Daily News.
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Quitters Never Win in Olympic Sponsorship GameFrom London 2012-branded t-shirts by Adidas to Panasonic cameras branded with the Olympic Games logo, Olympic sponsors are worming their way into our psyche, hoping the feel-good Olympic association they acquired at huge cost will pay off. The value of Olympic sponsorship deals remains a closely-guarded secret. **ALSO THIS WEEK... Stories from CNBC.com, Mashable, Wall Street Journal, Big Lead Sports, Media Daily News.
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China’s Li-Ning Takes on Nike, Adidas With U.S. E-Commerce SiteTop Chinese sports brand Li-Ning is making a second pass at the U.S. market and for now their strategy is branded e-commerce. The company's first English-language consumer website has already picked up some popular U.S. e-commerce tactics, like free holiday shipping and a Facebook page. The company's founder, former Chinese Olympic gymnast Li Ning, has ambitious plans to challenge rivals like Nike on their home turf with his namesake brand. **ALSO THIS WEEK... Stories from AdAge, Ad Week, Direct Marketing News.
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AARP pleased with NASCAR sponsorshipIn the first season of its multimillion-dollar sponsorship of Jeff Gordon, the AARP Foundation claims it raised $14.1 million and donated 4 million meals to local hunger relief operations. AARP Foundation President Jo Ann Jenkins said the deal exceeded the organization’s expectations and achieved its two main goals: to raise money and awareness of hunger among elders. The three-year, 22-race-a-year deal is valued at $10 million to $15 million a year. **ALSO THIS WEEK... Stories from AdAge, Ad Week, Marketing Daily News, Fast Company.
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Mobile Codes Run ‘Gauntlet’ in Marketing BookReaders of former Kodak CMO Jeffrey Hayzlett’s upcoming business book Running the Gauntlet will get videos of the marketing guru to start every chapter, courtesy of 2D mobile codes. This is one of the first and more extensive uses of mobile codes in a full-length book. **ALSO THIS WEEK... Stories from AdWeek, AdAge, Marketing Daily News, Direct Marketing News.
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The 10 Best Commercials of 2011Many people groaned last winter when it became clear that Super Bowl XLV would be packed bumper to bumper with automotive ads. It's not a category that's exactly wowed with its creativity in recent years. Now, with the year almost passed, it's become clear that two of those ads in particular weren't just among that evening's best spots. They turned out to be among the year's best. **ALSO THIS WEEK... Stories from AdAge, AdWeek, Marketing Daily News.
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Tweet Partnership Pays Off for “The X Factor”Earlier this month, "The X Factor" became the first-ever reality-TV competition show to allow voting by Twitter. "'The X Factor' has been a hands-down social-TV hit this TV season," Bluefin's Tom Thai says. "It averages 110,000 social-media comments per episode. It's the No. 1 social-TV show among reality series, out of 164 total, this season. **ALSO THIS WEEK.., Stories from The NY Times, AdAge, Ad Week, Marketing Daily news.
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Why the 'Power of Branding' is a MythBrand is important. No question of that. A strong brand can make it enormously easier to sell. However, the notion that "branding" can create a great brand is a myth. Worse, it's a myth that can cost you a lot of money, without getting much in return. Bottomline: Your brand is the emotion that a customer feels when thinking about your product. **ALSO THIS WEEK... Stories from Inc, Direct Marketing News, Marketing Daily News, AdAge, Ad Week.
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B2B Marketers Have Much to Learn About SocialEnterprise marketers are spending millions of dollars annually on social marketing, the cloud marketing automation software vendor finds, although nearly 30% are not tracking the impact of such campaigns on lead generation and sales. And among those who do, about 42% of marketers replied that zero or an uncertain number of sales leads resulted from social media programs—a startlingly high percentage. **ALSO THIS WEEK... Stories from Online Media Daily, AdAge, Ad Week.
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Ford Enters Boxing Ring with Trio of TrucksFord is putting its F-150, Ranger and Super Duty trucks in the boxing ring in a trio of spots for the ongoing Built Ford Tough Sales Event. The effort, produced by L.A.-based production house King and Country (K&C) for Ford’s WPP agency consortium Team Detroit, uses a "Main Event" prize fight as a central motif, and continues the rant-style voiceover that Ford has used in the clearance campaign since 2008. **ALSO THIS WEEK... Stories from AdAge, Ad Week, MarketingDaily.
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The Most Important Rule of Sponsorships: Invest Rather Than BuyEven though spending on corporate partnerships with sports, entertainment and nonprofit organizations will reach $18 billion in North America this year, a majority of sponsorships remain ad hoc projects, fragmented and siloed within the company rather than optimized, integrated and aligned behind growth and enterprise-wide impact. **ALSO THIS WEEK... Stories from AdAge, Ad Week, Marketing Daily News.
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Innovative Product MashupsWhat differentiates a smart innovation is that it has the capability of moving a business forward in ways that can result in more customers, more sales, more brand loyalty, more good will, or some combination of those effects. Innovations are smart when they are not just inventions for innovation's sake, just to be new and different; rather they provide a strategic benefit. **ALSO THIS WEEK... Stories from AdAge, Ad Week, Inc., Marketing Daily News.
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Linkedin Updates Enhance Brands, Member InteractionOnline professional network LinkedIn announced a pair of services aimed at giving brands new ways to interact with its 120 million members. One is the ability for companies to share updates directly with their page followers on LinkedIn. The other is the launch of a certified developer program connecting marketers and agencies with a group of preferred partners to help develop custom social programs and applications using LinkedIn tools. **ALSO THIS WEEK... Stories from AdAge, Ad Week, Media Post.
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Digital Advertising Logs Record-Breaking QuarterInteractive advertising revenues totaled a record $14.9 billion in the first half of 2011, a 23.2 percent increase over last year. The growth rate is comparable to pre-recession levels, said Sherrill Mane, Senior Vice President, Industry Services, IAB. The second quarter was especially strong; revenue increased 24.1 percent over last year to $7.7 billion. **ALSO THIS WEEK... Stories from Ad Week, Media Post News, AdAge.
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Four Common Mistakes When Using Video OnlineThere's always a temptation to make your online video ad longer than a standard commercial length because with online, there aren't the limitations you have with TV and other media. If you really want people to see you entire message or video, don't do it! In fact, if anything, you should try shorter versions of your message wherever possible. **ALSO THIS WEEK... Stories from AdAge, Ad Week, Forbes, MarketingWeek.
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CLC ‘out to tackle any new areas of retail that we can find’ with expanded line of productsNew or expanded lines of college products are showing up in places you’d never expect. Boots sporting a school’s logo are being sold in western wear retailers. Licensed sunglasses are in Sunglass Hut stores all over the country. Logo pacifiers can be found in Babies “R” Us. Even on the computer, virtual goods with college marks are appearing on social networking and gaming sites. These are all new distribution outlets for college merchandise this fall. **ALSO THIS WEEK... Stories from AdAge, AdWeek, Marketing Daily News.
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How Consumers Interact With Brands On FacebookPeople interact with their favorite brands on Facebook far more than on any other social network, according to a recent study of online consumer behavior. The study analyzed the behavior of 1,491 consumers ages 18 and older throughout the U.S. and revealed a number of details about how people interact with brands on the world’s largest social network. **ALSO THIS WEEK... Stories from AdAge, AdWeek, Associated Press, Media Post.
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Are We Approaching the End of the Daily Deals Era?The golden age of daily deals, led by the unprecedented growth of Groupon, seems to be coming to its end. That’s not to say daily deals won’t be sticking around for a long time—clearly there is a business in it—but when two major players withdraw from the space and its biggest player experiences a 50% traffic decline, it’s a clear sign that the daily deals market is no longer in its heyday. **ALSO THIS WEEK... Stories from Mashable, AdAge, Wall Street Journal, Direct Marketing News.
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A Tiger at 60: How Kellogg’s Tony the Tiger is Changing for a New AgeAs the food industry faces a crackdown on advertising to children, Kellogg Co. has found a new target for Tony the Tiger: Dads. The campaign—which will air during adult programming on networks including ESPN—comes as Kellogg and other food advertisers face a new proposal by the federal government that would all but eliminate kid-targeted ads for sugary cereals such as Frosted Flakes. **ALSO THIS WEEK... Stories from AdWeek, AdAge, Marketing Daily News, Media Post.
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Mobile Users Want Relevant Messages from BrandsBelieve it or not, people are craving communications from brands—but they want those communications to be relevant and on their terms. According to new research from consumer insights agency Communispace, people want more personalized brand communications through their mobile devices, and they want tools that help them manage and filter the flow of content. **ALSO THIS WEEK... Stories from Mashable, AdAge, Marketing Daily news.
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Giving Brands a New Lease on LifeThe last few years have brought us the concept of businesses deemed Too Big to Fail. What about brands? Is there such a thing as a brand Too Good to Fail? I believe there is. We all know that in the intangibles economy a brand name may represent enormous, often incalculable, value. **ALSO THIS WEEK... Stories from The Wall Street Journal, Ad Week, AdAge, Marketing Daily News.
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Dowdy Department Stores Start Looking Cool AgainIt seems department stores aren't dying after all. The sector, long derided for dowdy merchandise, maze-like stores and crumbling facades, is making a comeback. Macy's Inc., Nordstrom Inc. and Kohl's Corp. are posting solid sales gains even as consumers remain cautious and manufacturing costs rise—and they are poised to continue the streak this fall. **ALSO THIS WEEK... Stories from AdAge, Direct Marketing News, Media Post, Digital Media Wire.
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Advertisers Begin to Look Beyond Facebook and TwittereMarketer estimates that 80% of companies with at least 100 employees conduct marketing activities on social networks this year. Fewer are advertising on social networks, but the number is growing. May 2011 research from The Pivot Conference and Brian Solis found that two-thirds of marketers surveyed were already conducting social media advertising activities. **ALSO THiS WEEK... Stories from AdAge, AdWeek, Direct Marketing News, BigLeadSports.
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The Fundamentals of InnovationThe Washington Post asked Jens Martin Skibsted, a philosopher and award-winning design expert, five questions about the fundamentals of innovation, including "What should companies do today to foster innovation as they cut back on costs?" **ALSO THIS WEEK... Stories from AdWeek, AdAge, Direct Marketing News, Marketing Daily News.
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Top Five Ad Industry Pet PeevesAdvertising is an amazing business. We help clients discern and crack problems, capitalize on opportunities and boldly explore "what's next." We entertain. Proselytize. Educate. Inspire. Make art. Fuel commerce. In terms of root causes, these pet peeves suggest a lack of understanding and/or respect for the business of advertising, or consumers, or both. **ALSO THIS WEEK... Stories from AdWeek, Media Post, Direct Marketing News.
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Turning Customers Into SalespeopleRoku was one of the first companies to bring online movies to people's living rooms. Three years ago, the Saratoga, California-based company started selling remote-controlled devices that can stream online media content, such as Netflix movies and Pandora radio, to TV sets. **ALSO THIS WEEK... Stories from AdAge, Forbes, AdWeek, Media Post.
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2011 Incentive Merchandise Trends SurveyAfter one of the most difficult economic periods in recent history, companies that cut merchandise are once again including it in their incentive mix, according to joint research between Corporate Meetings & Incentives and the Incentive Research Foundation. The study was conducted in spring 2011 to identify the latest trends in the corporate incentive market. **ALSO THIS WEEK... Stories from the Wall Street Journal, AdAge, AdWeek, Marketing Daily News.
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How to Reach Your Mobile CustomersMobile is in the process of revolutionizing the way companies big and small interact with consumers. Rather than the broadcast model of television and to some extent the internet, marketing to the untethered, mobile consumer is different in many ways. **ALSO THIS WEEK... Stories from AdAge, Ad Week, Marketing Daily News.
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American Express Shows Sponsors How It's DoneI'll start with this: Sponsors of athletes, teams, tournaments and facilities, for the most part, do a bad job at maximizing their sponsorships. They buy signage, they film commercials and they don't do what they're supposed to do, which is engage sports fans by giving them a reason to positively associate their company to the fan experience. **ALSO THIS WEEK... Stories from AdAge, Marketing Daily News and AdWeek.
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New Tools for Sales TrainingA recent study found that one out of seven companies never train their sales people, and more than half of the companies studied train their employees one to four times a year. Another study found that more than one-third of third-year sales professionals average only three to six days of sales training annually. **ALSO THIS WEEK... Stores from Mashable, AdAge, Media Post, AdWeek, CBS Sports.
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McDonald’s Gaming Billboard Gives Winners Free FoodMcDonald’s launched an interactive video billboard campaign in Sweden that lets users play a digital Pong game, with winners receiving free food at a nearby McDonald’s restaurant. In a playful equivalent of making prospective customers sing for their supper, whoever can last 30 seconds in this simple game wins free grub. **ALSO THIS WEEK... Stories from AdAge, Bloomberg and NY Sports Journalism.
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Promotional Products Sales Up 5.9 Percent In PPAI SurveyThe promotional products industry is showing signs of recovery from the recent economic downturn, according to data compiled by PPAI’s Annual Estimate of Distributor Sales.
**ALSO THIS WEEK... Stories from the New York Times, Ad Age, Marketing Daily News, AdWeek, Cincinnati.com.
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Companies Put Billions into Promo 'Freebies'The Advertising Specialty Institute estimates that companies spent $17.4 billion on logoed business giveaways last year, an average of $56.13 for each person in the U.S. **ALSO THIS WEEK... Stories from The Street, Ad Age, Marketing Daily News, Promo magazine.
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Creating Marketing Campaigns that MatterInc. profiles Scott Harrison, a former nightclub owner who founded charity:water, which to date has funded 3,962 water projects, providing access to clean, safe drinking water for 1,794,983 people in 19 countries. **ALSO THIS WEEK... Stories from Inc.com, Ad Age, Marketing Daily News, GeekWire.
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Apple Ends Google's Four-Year Run as Most Valuable BrandThe strength of the iPad has pushed Apple ahead of Google for the first time as the most valuable brand in the world, according to Millward Brown's 2011 BrandZ study of the most-valuable global brands. **ALSO THIS WEEK... Stories from AdWeek, Ad Age, Media Daily News, Marketing Daily News, Wall Street Journal.
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Facebook Serves 25% of Display AdsFacebook accounted for more than one-quarter (25.8%) of all U.S. display ad impressions in the fourth quarter of 2010—up from 23.1% in the prior quarter, per comScore. **ALSO THIS WEEK... Stories from Ad Age, Inc.com, Marketing Daily News.
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