Commentary

Real Media Riffs - Thursday, Jun 12, 2003

Optimism From Strange Quarters: Forget all these good numbers we're starting to see from the likes of CMR and PriceWaterhouse about ad spending. Here's some real reason to look up. The normally dour WPP chairman Martin Sorrell told the World Newspaper Congress yesterday that the ad business was looking up for the first time in a long time. The drivers - as he sees it - are the upcoming US presidential elections and the Summer Olympics. I agree with Sorrell's general premise. Things are looking up. But if this is to be a solid advertising comeback it will have to be for reasons that go beyond events. The elections and the Olympics are TV driven, isolated events. I think the ad comeback, and the one that will put this industry on more solid ground, will have to do with continued competition in the automotive, entertainment and pharmaceutical categories. Events help drive revenue. But these categories are going to carry magazines, TV, radio and the Internet as well. When Martin Sorrell turns optimistic, that's a good thing. But I think he's selling that optimism a bit short.

advertisement

advertisement

Time And Placement:And let's not forget, in the wake of the rush to TV bucks in the recent upfront, alternative marketing practices are still alive and well. MSN made its "butterfly" guerilla marketing campaign the center of its recent browser initiative, and I would argue it did so successfully. The survey we just wrapped with InsightExpress shows that planners are still looking at product placement, which is an integral part of alternative marketing, as a key part of future ad campaigns. Not only that, but they see consumers buying into it as well. There's a lot of marketing left to be explored these days, both on TV and away from it.

At The Buzzer: Tina Brown may be struggling for viewers on MSNBC, but I like the format. It's taking the Charlie Rose concept of bringing media and political executives down to a human level, and frankly I find it a good addition to cable.

Next story loading loading..