Viewers flocked to the television debut of "Star Wars: Episode I -- the Phantom Menace," giving Fox an edge over NBC in the key ratings battle for young adults as networks headed into the home stretch of the November "sweep." Sunday's three-hour Fox premiere of "Phantom Menace" yielded the biggest audience for any movie in 18 months among viewers aged 18 to 49 -- the group most prized by advertisers -- with a preliminary rating of 7.9, 18 share. That lifted Fox to a rating of roughly 5.1 so far this month in the coveted young-adult demographic, compared with 5.0 for NBC. A tie appears most likely when the November ratings period ends Wednesday, although the NBC could finish on top if Tuesday night's celebrity edition of "Fear Factor" clicks with audiences. Looking to improve its hand opposite NBC's "Fear," Fox has replaced Tuesday night's episode of freshman comedy "Undeclared" (at 8:30) with a repeat of "That '70s Show." Although the force was with Fox on Sunday, it's NBC that will take the week in adults 18-49 when Nielsen issues averages Tuesday for the Nov. 19-25 frame. Based on preliminary data for the long weekend, NBC will finish with a projected 4.8/13 share -- comfortably ahead of Fox (4.3/11) and CBS (either a 4.2 or 4.3/11). CBS, which has already clinched the sweep's title in total viewers, will post its third straight weekly victory by that measure (13.2 million viewers. Fox closed out the week with a victory in nearly every key ratings category behind "Phantom Menace," which gave the network its best Sunday without sports since January 2000 in adults 18-49 (prelim 7.9/18) and November 1998 in total viewers (prelim 17.6 million). FORCE MEETS 'JESUS' Compared with all movies on all networks, "Phantom Menace" earned the best 18-49 rating since part one of CBS miniseroes "Jesus" in May 2000 and the highest 18-34 score (prelim 7.3/20) since NBC's "Men in Black" in November 1999. Still, it wasn't as big of a turnout as might have been expected for a movie that ranks as the No. 3 all-time box office grosser and that had not aired anywhere on TV prior to its Fox premiere. Three years ago, a similar television debut on Fox of "The Lost World: Jurassic Park" netted a 9.6/22 rating. Last season, all-time, box-office champ "Titanic" sailed off with a 6.9/15 in adults 18-49 on NBC, but it had aired numerous times prior on HBO. Elsewhere Sunday, movies on ABC and CBS also did well -- leaving the networks in a virtual second-place tie in total viewers (prelim 14.5 million). ABC's repeat of "The Santa Clause" delivered the largest audience (prelim 15.9 million viewers) and highest 18-49 rating (5.5/13) for a "Wonderful World of Disney" picture since the Tim Allen starrer aired on the same Sunday a year ago. ABC, which was second on the night in 18-49 viewers, also received a first-place finish at 10 with "The Practice" (prelim 6.0/14, 16 million viewers). CBS did pretty well with its premiere of "You've Got Mail" (prelim 13.2 million viewers, 4.1/9), which stumbled coming out of "60 Minutes" at 8:30 but then took off after that. It drew the biggest audience for a CBS movie this season. NBC ran fourth on the night but its "Law & Order: CI" (prelim 14.0 million viewers, 4.6/10 in 18-49) continues to look solid at 9, topping drama foe "Alias" on ABC (projected 10.4 million viewers, 4.4/10). Reuters/Variety
Amid widespread reports of a holiday season marred by lowered consumer confidence and spending, a new survey of college students revealed that their purchase intentions are largely unaltered in the aftermath of September 11. An overwhelming majority of 1,000 students surveyed by YouthStream Media Networks, a youth-focused media and marketing services company, say they are “more likely” or “just as likely” to make purchases in a wide variety of consumer goods categories during the three-month period ending in late January 2002. The study also showed a considerable change in students' outlook that may impact marketing strategies. The YouthStream survey, administered by Greenfield Online, found consistent or growing intent to make a purchase in categories including Computer Hardware and Software, (92%); Home Electronics (90%); Jewelry (86%); Concert, Theater or Event Tickets (88%); and Clothing (93%). Only about a third of the students surveyed (34%) believe that the mood of the country will impact their holiday celebration. Of that 34%, just 19% say they will spend less than they have during previous holiday seasons. The survey also found that 40% of those responding indicated the attack on America has caused them to “reorder their priorities or change their core values” and overall optimism about the future dropped 29 percentage points after September 11. This marked attitudinal shift, as well as students' opinions on media and advertising, suggest broader implications for marketing to this demographic group, YouthStream said. “College-age consumers have grown up during a great economic boom, and that has had a tremendous influence on their behavior,” said Dennis Roche, YouthStream COO. “At the same time, it is extremely significant that 40% of students surveyed say they are rethinking their core values. The traditional approach to this market--a focus on self-expression and personal freedom, and a raw, frivolous tone--will have to be reevaluated if advertisers want to reach students effectively.” For example, 90% of students noted a change in the tone of advertising since September 11, especially marketers' use of patriotism to sell products. Forty four percent had a largely negative reaction to advertisers invoking the events of September 11th, with 23% saying such advertisements actually make them “somewhat” or “much” less likely to buy the products or services being advertised. “This reinforces that strategies which work for a broader audience are often the wrong choice when trying to connect with college kids,” Roche said. “Marketers will have to be even more precise than usual with this skeptical crowd and adjust their messages accordingly. Staying in front of this market and finding out what works now is essential because this change in values won't just disappear in a month or two. Our experience suggests the brand decisions they make now will stay with them for the rest of their lives.”
The Christmas season seems to have started earlier this year. People started shopping earlier than in years past. Holiday displays went up in retail stores weeks before Thanksgiving and some people have already trimmed their trees. Some say it’s all because of the September terrorist attacks – people need cheering up. The latest pick-me-up comes from the radio stations. More than 70 Clear Channel stations switched to all-Christmas music last week, earlier than usual because the terrorist attacks merited it. "It's a mood setter," says Sean Compton, Clear Channel's VP of programming. "People want to celebrate Christmas earlier this year because of everything that's happened and the music puts them in a good mood." But not everyone is in a good mood. "We thought we bought Dido, Madonna and the Goo Goo Dolls, but instead we received Christmas with the Muppets," says Jon Hudson, a media planner at Rockett Burkhead & Winslow, a Raleigh, NC ad agency. "Our belief is that an all-Christmas format will not attract the exact same listeners as the station's normal AC format," Hudson says. "It may be fine up to two weeks before Christmas, but starting before Thanksgiving will alienate loyal listeners and they will switch channels." Susan Taylor, a media buyer who works with Hudson, says she called her Clear Channel rep to find out why the changes were made so early and to get research data on the Christmas format. She hasn't received a response yet. She says she hasn't made any changes to her buys yet. She's especially worried about a TV sweeps client she declined to name that made a heavy buy this week, running eight or nine spots a day. "I hate it when they get different programming with different listeners," she says. While Hudson and Taylor fear a negative advertising impact from the Christmas music, some see it as positive. "What better way is there to get people out Christmas shopping," Compton says. "You need people to be in the Christmas mood and when you play Christmas music, it's successful." Bob Bronson, operations manager for WRSN-FM, a Clear Channel station in Raleigh, claims audiences are higher with Christmas music. "It might double the cume, but we don't increase the rates. They get the same rates and more ears, they should be happy," he says. WRSN, an AC station, has never gone to an all-Christmas format before. Usually, the station mixes Christmas music with its standard fare and plays more Christmas music as the holiday approaches. But this year was different. "There's an overwhelming desire from our audience to hear Christmas music," he says, attributing it to repercussions from the terrorist attacks. "There's more of a spiritual feeling in the community this year, people are more inclined to be closer to their family and their beliefs."
CMR, the provider of television advertising data, is expanding to Canada. The company has begun monitoring stations in the top six Canadian markets -- Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton and Halifax, as well as 39 cable TV stations. The company is making its Broadcast Verification Service (BVS), which monitors the broadcast of TV commercials, available in Canada. The ten-year-old service has never been available outside the U.S. The move may be the first part of a global expansion for CMR, which enters Canada after being acquired by Taylor Nelson Sofres last year. "We're looking at other opportunities internationally since being acquired by Taylor Nelson," says Richard Radzik, VP of operations for BVS. Advertisers and agencies buy BVS data to monitor the playing of their commercials. BVS tracks commercials overnight, making it preferable to the other ways of monitoring commercials--calling stations to confirm or waiting up to two months for affidavits or invoices. "There's been a need for it in Canada for quite awhile," Radzik says, noting that many of the U.S. agencies that use BVS have Canadian divisions and many of the advertisers who use BVS sell in Canada. CMR will monitor over 50 local TV stations and additional cable stations in the Canadian markets. CMR began monitoring Canadian stations in mid-November. Tony Jarvis, senior vice president/director of strategic insight at Mediacom, a buying division of Grey Global Group, who started his career in Canada, sees CMR's move as a "replication of the situation in the U.S.," with CMR and Nielsen now competing there to offer TV advertising data. "Competition is always good and Canada has suffered from a lack of it," he says. The data CMR compiles will be interesting to say the least since the Canadian TV market is more varied than the U.S. "All the American channels plus Canadian channels, then you have the situation in Quebec with all the French stations," Jarvis says. "The fragmentation is phenomenal." Jarvis says Canadian TV ad buying differs from the U.S., too, with a bigger spot market. Canada has major regional networks, which permit regional spot buys, compared with the U.S., where spot buys are made locally. Canada also has CBC, a major not for profit network that has "strict controls on advertising," Jarvis says.