Jeep has launched a new national campaign to talk up the virtues of its Grand Cherokee SUV. Launching Monday, the print, broadcast and digital effort spotlights the vehicle for is array of media and industry endorsements, fuel economy, capability and the quality of its interior amenities, and appointments. The campaign, via AOR Southland, Mich.-based GlobalHue, sets the stage with a four-page insert in Monday's USA Today spotlighting the list of third-party endorsements and awards the vehicle has won over the year since it launched. Jeep, which says the vehicle is its most-awarded SUV ever, is citing the 30 or more such kudos in the piece. Jeep also has Lexus in the crosshairs in the effort, which puts special attention on the Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland Summit model, the first time that Grand Cherokee variant has appeared in ads. The TV spot is about the Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland Summit model, and how the company's testing of the vehicle's leather interior is better than that of the Lexus RX350. It also talks up the 500-mile-per-tank driving range, and how the vehicle has a better range than Honda Pilot EX. The TV effort comprises four TV ads. One talks about how one can drive from Pebble Beach to Los Angeles on a single tank. This humorous spot teases that even though your Jeep Grand Cherokee can make that long stretch without filling up, we're not sure that can be said about its owner. Another suggests that even if the urban landscape was a giant sandbox, the vehicle would navigate it easily with its Selec-Terrain Vehicle Management and Quadra Lift air-suspension technology, which lets the driver change the vertical distance of the chassis above the wheels for difficult terrain. Kim Adams House, head of Jeep advertising, tells Marketing Daily that while a lot of owners of the vehicle won't take it into the outback, "Off-road capability is a surrogate for real world safety." "When we first launched the 2011 Grand Cherokee almost a year ago to the day, we talked about quality and craftsmanship, that Grand Cherokee was a premiere vehicle not just for Jeep and Chrysler overall but within the industry. Now, the most-awarded [status] brings truth to that." She says the marketing launch cadence focused on different elements, "First and foremost quality and craftsmanship, then four-by-four capability." But she says the company hasn't spent much time enlightening consumers on the interior materials and design story. "Seventy-five percent of the ads speak to the third-party claims and all speak to either fuel economy or luxury." Adams House says the vehicle is appealing to a fairly broad consumer target, both domestics and imports. But she says the company isn't altering its core off-road-capability positioning to conquest the wine-tasting crowd. "Capability is our mainstay; that's who we are," she says. "For people looking for luxury SUVs, what put sets [Grand Cherokee] apart is both luxury, and also the capability story that not every luxury SUV can make claim to." Media placement elements include network and cable television teamed with a full digital and social media strategy and CRM efforts.
Infiniti's new "Challenger" campaign, via TBWAChiatDay, which launched last week with a 60-second anthem spot positioning Infiniti as an innovator and iconoclast in the premium segment, is continuing with a more aggressive creative and a social-media component in which consumers help decide the ads' media rotation. The new "Challenger" chapter comprises a pair of 15-second spots that will not even air on TV until social fans of the luxury auto brand decide which of the two ads deserves the heavier media rotation. The new spots also target Lexus. One of the spots, "Lullaby," shows an infant in a cradle looking up at a mobile of suspended paper cutouts of luxury cars. "There's luxury that lulls," says the voiceover as one of the paper cars bearing the Lexus grill ornament swings past. Cut to a shot of an Infiniti M sedan in full slide. "And there's luxury that thrills." The other spot, "Spa," says luxury can be a sedative (shot of a man and woman in the driver and passenger seat of a car identified as a Lexus, with avocado muck on their faces and cucumber slices over their eyes) or a stimulant. Right now, the ads are only on the brand's Facebook page, YouTube Channel and Twitter. Infiniti is asking its Facebook fans which spot they want to see most frequently on air; vote count will determine the media weight of each of the two spots on network, cable and spot market TV starting July 18, and running through August. An Infiniti spokesperson says the point is "basically to get our fans and customers engaged in what we are doing; we are taking a different direction in the commercials and in doing so we want to involve fans in the process and let them actively be a part of it." He said there is another spot in the pipeline. Said Ben Poore, VP of Infiniti Americas, in a statement: "We believe in telling compelling stories with an attitude that feels more energetic and optimistic than traditional luxury brands. Our commercials are bold, and serve as our proclamation of confidence in our ability to move our customers emotionally as well as physically. The automaker is also in the midst of teasing the 2013 Infiniti JX crossover with sneak peeks online, prior to its reveal on Aug. 18 at the Concours d'Elegance at Pebble Beach in Monterey, Calif. The "Power of 7" teaser campaign on social media sites like Twitter includes a sweepstakes offering a trip for two to the lifestyle event and luxury auto show.
Racing is a big deal at Ford, especially when it comes to reaching Millennials who really could not care less about more traditional four-wheel speed feasts like NASCAR and drag racing. So the company's new mega-deal with the X-Games franchise is all about new racing forms made popular in Asia and Europe and finding a growing audience of social media-savvy twenty-somethings. Ford's group VP of global sales and marketing Jim Farley, speaking at a press conference on Thursday, said there is no one way to reach Millennials -- referencing Toyota's Scion division, where he used to work. "I've been doing what I've been doing for more than two decades. Millennials are the heart and soul of the business and there are some other companies who have formed total brands to attract them," he said. "That was a rewarding discovery for me as a leader -- that marketing tactics and product strategy can be totally different." Farley said the key vehicle in the automaker's efforts to reach the next generation is the Fiesta compact. "It has really been a groundbreaker for us. It may be the most affordable Ford in the U.S., but it's also the most important Ford." And the car, along with the Fusion sedan, Mustang and Ranger mid-sized truck, is also central to the new X-Games partnership that includes racing, marketing and promotional relationships in four racing categories with Rally Cross Ford Fiesta racer Tanner Foust; Stage Rally racer and one-man Web sensation Ken Block, who also drives a Fiesta; Mustang drift-racer Vaughn Gitten, Jr., and off-road truck racer Brian Deegan, who drives a Ranger. In addition to creating a social media-fueled experiential program with the racers called Octane Academy, Ford will also be exclusive auto partner with X Games, "which fits perfectly with us as a brand," said Farley. "We have been involved in gaming, and gaming is a big deal for Millennials -- it's a big part of their day." Farley said the program, and socially driven efforts that preceded it, like the Fiesta Movement campaign (where Web-savvy consumers got to drive the vehicle for several months before it hit the U.S. market) reflects something Farley said he learned over the years: reaching Millennials means having to start really early, especially if one's brand is not really relevant to younger consumers, asking for help and listening. "If you have something cool, if you give to socially connected people, they will talk about it," said Farley. "In the past, digital and social were seen as a small incubator for marketing, but the scale of social now is huge." He said Fiesta Movement grew awareness of the vehicle to 50% among the cohort. "That's ten cents on the dollar. We learned from that." He said, in fact, that one of the parameters for choosing the racers in the four categories, in addition to their records, was their social fan base. He added that people who are race fans are also much more likely to buy or consider one's product. "A couple of years ago, we started to engage [racing] talent. As much as it's great to talk about motorsports drivers, they are also incredible content producers -- they get the excitement of it and deliver it every day, often through digital." Jamie Allison, director of North American motorsports at Ford, said 80% of Ford's Facebook fellowship is under 35, and the four racers Ford has tapped have a combined three million social followers. Allison said the racers are also stars in the digital realm beyond the popularity garnered by their racing success: Tanner is in digital games like "Gran Turismo 5;" Ken Block started the Gymkhana series of extreme driving videos, which were in the YouTube top 10 last year; Gitten is featured in EA's "Need for Speed" game and Deegan founded the "Metal Mulitia" media and merchandise group. John Felice, Ford's general marketing manager for Ford and Lincoln, said 39% of in-market shoppers consider themselves motorsports fans. "We see 50% higher consideration of Ford products from Ford motorsports fans," he said. The aforementioned Octane Academy, said Felice, is the first and only dedicated action-sports campaign and marketing platform. Launching with X-Games, the program -- which will be supported by TV ads in which the four racers exhort viewers to participate -- involves consumers creating their own videos on why they have the mettle to participate. The racers also select the winners. The winners are thrown into one of four four-day training programs that pit the chosen applicants against each other for tenacity, athleticism and general competitiveness, one for each of the racing platforms and its associated vehicle. The participants' experience will be captured in reality-show style. "Followers of action sports will have a chance to experience it," said Felice. In addition to the TV ads, there will be digital and print ads. "The racers will be looking for personality and character -- not just skill," he said.
The ION network has acquired first-run rights to films in the basic cable and broadcast windows for the first time, inking a deal with Starz Media. The six films will be used as part of its "Big Movie Weekend" starting in November. The movie rollout will continue through 2013. Titles from Starz' Anchor Bay Films and Overture Films include "Traitor" with Don Cheadle; "City Island" with Andy Garcia; and "The Visitor" with Richard Jenkins. ION could also be tabbed "CBS Classic" or "CBS II," as it airs buckets of episodes of former network shows "Without a Trace" and "Ghost Whisperer" in order, along with current hit "Criminal Minds." "M*A*S*H" is also part of its portfolio. By one measure, ION's prime-time viewership has been on the upswing this season, with total viewers rising 17% to an average of 1.2 million. In the 18-to-49 demo, average viewership is up 12.5% to 450,000. In regard to the Starz deal, ION CEO Brandon Burgess stated that it is a signal that ION "provides an outlet for independent content creators." Anchor Bay and Overture can be considered independent-type studios. Alecia Dixon-Kurschner, Starz Media vice president in syndication sales, stated: "The negotiations were a collaborative and creative experience that resulted in a mutually beneficial agreement that we look forward to continuing and building upon in the future." Through its owned station group, ION reaches nearly every U.S. TV home.
So-called "Over The Top" Internet-driven video services are causing bandwidth problems for telcos and IPTV services. Austin-Tx-based IMS Research estimates bandwidth use for telcos and IPTV services was at 44% capacity at the end of 2010. This will move up to 50% between 2010 and 2015. Growing OTT services -- video services that use an Internet/fiber-optic connection -- will total $32 billion in revenues over the next five years, and will be a major feature of IPTV services for pay TV content. "What we have now is a situation where the telcos are actively seeking solutions to optimize bandwidth," says analyst John Kendall in a release. "OTT is here to stay, and the telcos have accepted that." Paul Erickson, analyst with IMS Research's Consumer Electronics Group, adds: "These new devices are forecast to supplant game consoles as the dominant OTT video client over the next few years." IMS Research warns that bandwidth congestion challenges are greater in countries with lower broadband penetration. IMS Research expects Eastern European and Latin American DSL providers to struggle acutely with video-generated congestion issues. One key example: In 2010, France had peak potential bandwidth demand at just over 37% of network capacity. But it will rise to nearly 60% by 2015, mainly due to OTT and multiscreen video.
The U.S. Government Accountability Office says there must be more oversight for kids' programming, especially for cable and satellite broadcasters. While there have been over 7,000 self-reported violations of the Children's Television Act, mostly pertaining to advertising issues -- and resulting in $3 million in fines -- no cable or satellite providers have reported any violations, according to a recent report by the federal agency. Apart from this, the GAO says only seven cable and satellite kids' programming/advertising incidents have been found by the Federal Communications Commission's oversight efforts -- even though cable and satellite companies air significantly more kids' programming than broadcasters. The original Children's Television Act -- initiated in 1990 -- focused on TV stations. But cable systems were also required to keep some advertising records -- just like TV stations -- so that regulators such as the FCC could monitor their behavior. But TV stations are not immune to criticism from the report. Advertising issues pertaining to all kids' programming have been "uneven," according to the GAO. Per the Children's TV Act, no more than 10.5 minutes of commercial time per hour are allowed on weekends, and 12 minutes per hour during the week. The GAO recommends more voluntary guidelines for assessing the educational value of children's programming, as well as starting up other messaging efforts to inform parents about core children's programming. The GAO says parents believe requirements governing such programming should be more stringent than current rules; they also see broadcast station involvement as a potential conflict of interest. The report says the FCC has reached agreement with media stakeholders to resolve issues related to the Children's Television Act and the development of the voluntary television rating system. In 2006, the FCC added in restrictions for advertising on kid-targeted Internet Web sites.
Regional fast food chain El Pollo Loco is aiming to be something more than excellent with its new marketing campaign. Beginning this month, the Costa Mesa, Calif. company's "Feel the Mexcellence" campaign showcases the restaurant's passion for flavor, preparation and in-store experience. Television commercials in the campaign show off the chain's signature citrus-marinated grilled chicken and other handmade items. "The big difference [between us and competitors] is we do so much by hand," Mark Hardison, the company's vice president of marketing, tells Marketing Daily. "We're getting in at 7 a.m. and marinating our chicken by hand. We're cooking food by hand. That's the biggest thing we're taking credit for and informing the marketplace of." The marketing campaign is part of a top-to-bottom marketing overhaul that includes new signage and displays following the "Mexcellence" theme, as well as other touches like offering receipts with customized messages referencing a customer's order (e.g., "We hope you enjoy your taquitos. We sure enjoyed making them." A commercial making its debut this month depicts the company's attempt at creating the world's largest hand-started fire. In June, the company brought together more than 50 of its employees from around the chain to operate a 25-foot bow drill (a device that moves a spindle back and forth, generating friction and an ember). Although the attempt didn't manage to set the record (flames were added to the commercial via CGI), the event was more about "bringing the brand together," Hardison says. Along those same lines, the company has also introduced a Facebook game through which users can operate a virtual bow drill (using the left and right arrow keys to move the bow and spindle), and pass the flame on to their friends for the chance to receive food coupons. The company is also engaging in a Twitter experiment trying to get 50 people each to use the hashtags #right and #left to receive coupons. "It puts fire making in the hands of the user," Hardison says. "It's a fun way to engage Facebook users and use Facebook the way it was intended, to interact with your friends."
American Family Insurance is launching a national ad campaign focused on the "often elusive and ever-changing American dream." The effort, from Ogilvy & Mather, includes TV, radio, print, online, digital, out-of-home, branded content, search, events, social and multicultural. TV breaks July 18 on high-profile network and cable shows with print ads breaking in the fall. The ads direct people to longliveourdreams.com, where they can enter their own perspectives, see a real-time measure of the overall results, and learn more about how they can protect their dreams. According to research conducted by AFI, the vast majority of American adults (93%) believe the American dream is alive; however, only half of them (46%) are actively pursuing their dream and only 14% are living their dream. And more than 8 in 10 (84%) agree -- the American dream is changing. The campaign does more than ask Americans to call for a quote or a policy, it aims to inspire Americans to dream again, says Telisa Yancy, advertising director at Madison, Wis.-based American Family Insurance. "We believe the American Dream is the ultimate common denominator for every American," Yancy tells Marketing Daily. "More specifically, American Family Insurance is in the business of protecting what's important in people's lives: their families, their homes, their businesses and their vehicles. And by protecting these things, we protect their dreams." This campaign drives home in an emotional and inspirational way what insurance is all about, Yancy adds. Yancy declined to reveal spending on the campaign. "We are making a significant and appropriate investment, and this campaign will be visible in our 19 states where we do business using a variety of media, including for the first time national cable," she says. "We will not spend as much as the big spenders. But we are utilizing broad exposure measures and have also developed richer messaging in passion point publications where consumers will definitely notice us." The site, longliveourdreams.com, originally was used for an introductory, unbranded digital effort in late June. It received more than 300,000 visits in three weeks. Consumers can continue to enter their own perspectives, see a real-time measure of the results, and learn more about protecting their personal dreams. The unbranded effort to gather information for the campaign also included a 60-second spot that ran in 204 theaters across 19 of AFI's operating states. A similar unbranded newsprint effort ran in 23 local newspapers, 12 Hispanic newspapers and 11 African-American newspapers. American Family was not overtly identified during that phase, but the roofline element of the company's registered trademark logo was visible in those spots.
Meredith Corp.'s Siempre Mujer is teaming up with CNN en Español in a new multimedia initiative geared to Hispanic women in the U.S., on the theme "Querer es poder" -- roughly translated as "where there's a will there's a way." The inspirational campaign, intended to encourage Latinas to pursue their dreams, is scheduled to kick off this fall. Drawing on the combined print, broadcast and digital assets of the two media partners, "Querer es poder" will highlight stories of Hispanic women overcoming obstacles as they struggle to achieve their ambitions. Siempre Mujer will carry in-depth profiles, while CNN en Español's daily program "Notimujer" will feature weekly segments with host Mercedes Soler and Siempre Mujer editor-in-chief Maria Cristina Marrero. Soler and Marrero will touch on a host of lifestyle topics, including health, wellness, beauty, fashion, finance, business, travel and relationships. CNN en Español will also conduct Skype interviews with the profile subjects and answer viewer questions. The two entities will also co-host a branded "Querer es poder" channel on SiempreMujer.com, where they will recruit new profile subjects, along with a social media presence on Facebook and Twitter. Touting the wide reach of the media partners, Enedina Vega, publisher for Meredith Hispanic Ventures, stated: "This collaboration will enable Siempre Mujer, which reaches over 3 million homes, and CNN en Español, distributed in 5 million homes in the U.S. and 26 million in Latin America, to provide marketers with an unprecedented opportunity to reach Latinas across multiple platforms." According to the American Community Survey, there are now more than 45.4 million Hispanics living in the U.S., representing 14.6% of the total population of 308 million. That's twice the number living in the U.S. two decades ago. If current trends continue, the number of U.S. Hispanics will triple to roughly 130 million by 2050, when they will make up one-third of the total population. Over the last half-decade, Hispanic buying power has also steadily increased, from an estimated $800 billion in 2006 to $850 billion in 2007, $950 billion in 2008, and $1 trillion in 2009. It is on course to reach $1.3 trillion by 2013 and $1.5 trillion by 2015, according to projections from the Selig Center for Economic Growth at the University of Georgia.
Television ratings for Major League Baseball's All Star game dropped this year; this may be partly because of players' marketability. Big perennial stars like New York Yankees' Derek Jeter -- despite the high profile of getting his 3,000th hit recently -- didn't play. Other big baseball stars elected not to play as well, due to injuries. According to Nielsen, Jeter had a league-leading 165 "N-score" for marketability. Nielsen says that is just shy of the combined scores for all starting players in the All-Star game. The N-Score evaluates name, image awareness, appeal and attributes such as sincerity, approachability, experience and influence to determine a player's endorsement potential. The biggest scorer for the All-Stars was Josh Hamilton, the Texas Rangers' outfielder, who has a 40 number. New York Yankees' Robinson Cano comes next with a 23 number. Cano went on to win the Home Run Derby the day before. The New York Yankees' Curtis Granderson was third with a 16 number. Overall, American League stars amassed a 97 score. There is lesser marketing visibility over in the National League start list. The best-placed player was Milwaukee's Ryan Braun at a 16 N-Score. The Los Angeles Dodgers' Matt Kemp is next at 14. Overall, National League starters totaled 78. There has been ample criticism of major profile players who are electing not to play. That decision could be having an effect on viewership, which dipped 10% from a year ago.
A coalition looking to launch a national mobile program service will use "Dyle" as its consumer brand, even as its roots are slightly in the geek-sphere. "Dyle" apparently is derived from some marriage of decryption and live, referring to the ability to receive and stream broadcast content. The logo for the Mobile Content Venture resembles a mobile device with rabbit ears -- a blend of old and new. MCV includes 12 broadcast groups that are looking to deliver the service nationally, which would have live news and sports and other programming, but also on-demand opportunities. "When a consumer sees the Dyle logo on a box, they will know that the device has the technology required for live mobile TV, on-the-go, wherever they are," stated co-general managers of MCV Salil Dalvi and Erik Moreno. Station groups that are part of MCV are Gannett, Belo, Scripps and Meredith and several others that have formed Pearl Mobile, LLC. Fox, Ion and NBC are also members of MCV. The initial aim is to be live in 32 markets, covering half of the country. The dyle.tv Web site is not live yet.
Conan O'Brien's celebrated "Curtain" commercial for American Express top-lined six commercials nominated for an Emmy Award. The spot, honored with four others from the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, features the TNT late-night host searching for the best silk in India, culminating with some lavish red stage curtains that the performer touches enticingly at the end spot. "Curtain" was produced for American Express' agency Oglivy New York, coming from TV production company Hungry Man. Two other notable creative agencies -- Wieden+Kennedy and TBWA/ChiatDay -- each scored nominations for two spots. One spot is W+K's new version of the Old Spice commercial starring Isaiah Mustafa -- who created an Internet stir with the commercial "The Man Your Man Could Smell Like." The new ad "Questions" sticks with the same theme; Mustafa offering advice to men and women, such as baking a cake, building a kitchen and diving into a hot tub. Wieden's other commercial is for the Chrysler 200 called "Born of Fire" -- another high-profile, gritty spot featuring the music of Eminem, who also stars in it at the end. The commercial, which also had a big Internet following, features the message 'Imported from Detroit.' MJZ is the production company. Carmichael Lynch's "Baby Driver" spot for Subaru shows a father talking to his daughter about her first big drive alone in a car. At first he appears to be talking to her as a young 6- or 7-year-old. But it's revealed later she is a teenager. RSA Films produced the spot. TBWAChiatDay's "Polar Bear" for Nissan's new all-electric car, Leaf, shows a bear giving a hug to a man who owns the Leaf car -- all to thank him for protecting the environment the bear seems to be losing to global climate change. Epoch Films is the production company. TBWAChiatDay New York's "Baby" spot for McDonald's shows a man unable to stop his car from going through a drive-through at McDonald's -- all to keep his baby asleep -- while trying to order a meal. MJZ is the production company.
In just about two months' time, on the tenth anniversary of the event that changed America, the Word Trade Center Memorial will open to the public. I had the opportunity to take a private tour of the site last week, and it was one of the most moving experiences I've ever had. To be honest, I wasn't sure -- and I'm still not sure -- that my visit was appropriate fodder for this column. I had trouble finding the words to describe my experience at the site, and I deliberated about whether I should even try. But in the end, I decided that the visit brought me a healthy moment of reflection, one that I hope I can share with my readers. Like many of us, I lost friends that day. One friend, Doug Gardner, the vice chairman of Cantor Fitzgerald, was set to play with me on the U.S. Masters Basketball team at the 2001 Maccabiah Games in Israel. Another was Neil Levin, the executive director of the Port Authority at the time. With my office just below the World Trade Center then, I had an incredible view of my friends' offices but never really appreciated the towers' magnificence until last week. The memorial itself consists of two reflecting pools, each 200 feet square, occupying the exact footprints of the two towers. Water will flow continuously into each pool in a parabolic arc (water was in the pools but not flowing when I visited), creating a sense of intimacy despite the enormous scale of the site. The memorial is elegant, simple, and respectful. The architect, Michael Arad, called his design "Reflecting Absence," and that's exactly what the memorial does: It grants visitors the opportunity to reflect on the void left by the towers and those who perished within. The story of the memorial's origin and construction - from Arad's unlikely selection in a design competition to the multitude of bureaucratic challenges the project has faced - has been told many times. (To ensure his vision would be realized, leading architectural firm Davis Brody, with Steve Davis at the helm, was assigned to oversee the memorial's architectural team and design the museum.) To me, what's most striking about the memorial is the genuine, powerful feeling at its heart. It's this feeling - a somber but uplifting one, of resilience and community - that the architects channeled into their design, which pays respect to victims and their families but also celebrates the power of the American spirit. Intentionally or not, it also shines a bright light on the magnificence of American ingenuity. That feeling also derives from the authenticity of the experience of the memorial. The pools and imprints of the immense steel girders that remained after the towers' collapse inhabit the exact space that the towers once did. It would have been easier for engineers to relocate them elsewhere, but Mayor Bloomberg made it a priority to keep the site intact. I'm glad he did. In building the memorial, which has consumed more than half a billion dollars and the better part of a decade, the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation (the city agency overseeing the project) did a phenomenal job balancing many interests. What you don't see of the memorial is as incredible as what you do see. Powering the water cascades is a massive underground pump room containing 100 pumps. The trees surrounding the pools - eventually, they'll number 400 - are kept thriving atop five feet of soil by an irrigation system that captures and recycles rain run-off via barely noticeable gradations in the pavement. The reflecting pools themselves, which must be absolutely flat to function, were built so that as the site settles the welds can be broken and the pools re-leveled - an incredibly creative and sophisticated solution to a perennial engineering challenge. While the museum underneath the pools is awaiting completion of the memorial, I understand the Davis Brody design is incredible. And while I did descend all the way down to the bedrock, there were constant reminders of the tragedy - the lone surviving tree from the plaza, the original Vesey Street stairs (aka the "Survivor Stairs") that saved many lives, and the soaring, twisted girders. And surrounding the pools on a bronze plaque are the names of those we lost, carefully arranged in groupings based on a sophisticated algorithm. Connecting these individuals' names with the lives they lived will be interactive histories, available to visitors all the way down on the bedrock via a mainframe computer. If there is a message the memorial conveys to the world, I think it's about the perseverance and priorities of the American people. Ten years after the day that changed history, we're different but not diminished. We know who we are, and we know what we can and must do. The memorial itself embodies that spirit. As an entrepreneur, there are parallels I could draw from my visit to the state of the media industry today, about the ways in which technology has evolved in the last decade, the tenacity of the site's planners, and the engineering marvel they've produced. But at the end of the day, for me it's really all about who we are - as individuals and as Americans - and how we remember. The World Trade Center memorial will open to the public on 9/11/11. Visit for yourself, and pause to reflect - on the events of that day, the decade behind us, and the decades to come. In more ways than one, the memorial reminds us that while we have much to remember, we also have much to look forward to.
As marketing, media or advertising professionals, we all suffer from PBS. I'm not referring to the ongoing debate on funding of the Public Broadcasting Service. Rather, the affliction that needs your attention is your own Personal Bias Syndrome. This condition can be attributed to the way, in the course of hectic day-to-day professional and personal lives, we all tend to assume that the way we enjoy media and embrace new technologies is pretty much the same way everyone else is doing it, too. Let me share a few prevalent examples that illustrate how our PBS is out of sync with what is actually happening. You might recognize some of these symptoms. DVR rules! Because we tend to think of ourselves as heavy users of DVRs and watch plenty of time-shifted content, we assume that this is quickly becoming the norm. Actually, as incredible as it may seem to us, less than half of TV households have a DVR. Consequently, total time-shifted viewing across all TV households remains less than 7% of all time spent watching TV. Beyond that, it is important to note that the rise in watching time-shifted TV content is being driven by the greater penetration of DVRs and not by the average amount of time individuals watch time-shifted content. According to Nielsen research, among households that have had DVRs for at least one year, the time individuals devote to watching time-shifted content has held steady at around 26 hours per month, which amounts to less than 20% of their total TV consumption. Internet rules! There's persistent talk about the rise in online video options in the business and trade press. But just how much time is broader America spending with these online video alternatives? Not much,when compared to traditional TV consumption, is the answer Online video viewing amounts to less than 2% of the total time watching traditional TV. Sure, this figure is growing rapidly because it's coming on top of a very small base. And to further emphasize this point, according to Nielsen's latest "Three Screen Report," measuring total minutes of year-over-year growth, traditional TV viewing actually grew more than online video viewing. Youth Rules! As a whole, the marketing, media and advertising industry tends to skew relatively young, and as such, we tend to empathize and even worship youth culture. So it is no surprise that we often hear that the differences between traditional TV and online or mobile video consumption are generational. However, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation, the average 8- to 18-year-old spends nearly 3.5 hours a day watching TV versus 1.5 hours on the Internet -- and while the time they spent on the Internet grew, the growth in amount of time spent watching TV was even greater. Recent comScore research revealed that the average 18- to 24-year-old spent 32 hours per month on the Internet in 2010, but as it turns out 32 hours was also the average across all age groups. It is noteworthy that the research found that the heaviest users of the Internet are persons ages 45-54, with an average of 39 hours online each month. It turns out that when we look outside of our own PBS, and actually examine research data that provides us with a broader perspective, we realize that our own media consumption and technology adoption behaviors do not reflect what is happening in broader America -- not even among young Americans. Sure there are emerging behaviors that are important to keep an eye out for as these may be leading indicators. However, we must also keep in mind that the actions of early adopters rarely reflect the future behaviors of the majority of the population, both in terms of degree of adoption or magnitude of usage. Why is this important? Well, as marketing, media or advertising professionals we are supposed to be in tune with our target consumers. So, we must work at keeping our PBS in check.
One of the few guilty pleasures enjoyed by professional television critics every year at this time is the opportunity to rip into voting members of the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences about the egregious omissions and questionable choices inherent in their annual nominations for the Primetime Emmy Awards. Once the nominees are announced there is always a level of palpable frustration and exasperation that makes for blistering copy, if nothing else. But the copy might not be so hot this year, because for the first time in a long time the Academy made smart choices all around. With one exception, there isn't an outrageous oversight or infuriating inclusion to be found. Not every terrific series was recognized, nor every great performance, but how could they be when there are so many outstanding shows and extraordinary actors working on television today? Perhaps the answer to that happy dilemma is to increase the number of nominations in each series and acting category to eight or even 10, allowing for more excitement within the industry, not to mention the all-important television audience. Note to all concerned: Please give this some serious thought. What's the downside, other than it taking a few more seconds to list the nominees in these categories during the Awards telecast itself? The one distressing exception noted above is the failure of the Academy to nominate Kyra Sedgwick of TNT's "The Closer" as Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series, even though she has been nominated five times for her role on the show and won last year. I thought she had a strong chance of winning a second consecutive award, but she's not even in the running. What gives? Did Sedgwick piss off key voting members when she decided to leave her hugely popular show at the end of its seventh season? There are other disappointing omissions throughout the series and acting categories, even if they aren't profound enough to warrant seismic outrage. For example, and staying with the Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series category, where is the love for Katey Sagal of FX's intense biker drama "Sons of Anarchy"? She won a Golden Globe for her work on the show earlier this year. Shouldn't a well-deserved Emmy nomination have followed? Other notable snubs in the Drama arena include FX's "Justified," which puzzlingly nabbed nominations in four acting categories but not one for Outstanding Drama Series; the absence of the singularly brilliant John Noble of Fox's "Fringe" and the endlessly fascinating Michael Shannon of HBO's "Boardwalk Empire" from the Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series category; and the exclusion of the effortlessly disarming Kiernan Shipka of AMC's "Mad Men" from the nominees for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series. The nominees in the Comedy categories are more problematic overall -- though, again, they aren't worth getting all worked up over. I would have preferred to see FX's "Louie," ABC's "The Middle" and Fox's "Raising Hope" among the contenders for Outstanding Comedy Series, rather than those stale category stalwarts from NBC, "The Office" and "30 Rock," and Fox's "Glee," which suffered one of the worst sophomore slumps since the second-season slide of ABC's "Desperate Housewives." I'm thrilled to see Louis C.K. of "Louie" and Johnny Galecki of CBS' "The Big Bang Theory" among the nominees for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series, though I wish there had been room for Joel McHale of NBC's "Community." I also wish that Patricia Heaton of "The Middle" and Courteney Cox of ABC's "Cougar Town" had been nominated for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series rather than any of the actresses who were recognized, with the exception of Edie Falco of Showtime's "Nurse Jackie." Toni Collette of Showtime's "United States of Tara" should have been included in this category as well (even if "Tara," like most of Showtime's half-hour series, is more a drama than a comedy). Collette won the Emmy for "Tara" two years ago and was even more breathtaking this past season. In the supporting categories there is nothing much to complain about, though I would have liked to see Eve Best of "Nurse Jackie" or Heather Morris of "Glee" included rather than Jane Krakowski of "30 Rock." Overall, and regardless of the outcomes, the nominees in the drama and comedy categories reflect the sheer volume of outstanding work being done today in scripted series television. (Collectively, it far exceeds what passes for mainstream movie entertainment.) Now let's hope that the Emmy telecast itself -- traditionally one of the most distressing television presentations of the year -- can rise to the level of its own nomination process. I'll be happy if it's half as entertaining and rewarding as the recent Tony Awards.
CIMM is taking a pro-active role in advancing new media nomenclature and processes with both its Lexicon(terms and definitions associated with Set-Top Box data measurement) and Asset Identification Primer (glossary of asset terms). These documents form the basis of the Word-A-Week column which offers a common language for Set-Top-Box nomenclature that can expedite the roll-out of the data for its many industry applications. Advanced, customizable advertising that better targets relevant consumer and purchasing groups is one aspect of addressability. The message itself -- the content and creative of the targeted ad -- must also speak to the viewer in a more engaging manner to form a greater connection. This week we examine those terms that apply to the craft of the message itself and the ways in which messages and products can become more targetable and relevant to viewers. VersioningSee also: Quality Discrimination CIMM DEFINITION : The process of adding aspects or qualities to products, services, software, etc. to make them unique, improved, upgraded, customized or otherwise targeted. Version ControlSee also: Versioning CIMM DEFINITION : Considered the same as versioning. Quality DiscriminationSee also: Versioning CIMM DEFINITION : The process by which consumers self-direct themselves into categories based on preferences or behaviors. For example, consumers who are willing to pay more for a product versus those who are more price-conscious Please refer to the CIMM Lexicon online at http://www.cimm-us.org/lexicon.htm for additional information on these and other terms.
Tough, biting: exactly what you'd expect from brand Simon Cowell. Cowell's new show, "The X-Factor," seems to take a swipe at "American Idol" -- a rare move considering both shows air on the Fox network. The latest "Factor" promo starts off with Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul and others in syrupy mode -- praising mediocre performers for their "spirit," only to find out this is a dream --actually, a nightmare -- of Cowell's. The scene then shifts into the real Cowell, calling people "horrific," "total rubbish" and the like. It delivers what we want to see with Cowell -- complete with an occasional rolling of eye in light of a Paula Abdul remark. The message: "X-Factor" may be an even harder-edged -- and hopefully more dramatic -- show than "Idol" and other performance reality shows. Joining in this theme, music producer Antonio L.A. Reid says at one point that he would like to "slit his wrists." The "spirit" remark reminds some of what Jennifer Lopez said as an "American Idol" judge -- she loved the "spirit" of some contestants. Mind you, even with the "soft" approach of "Idol," it still ranked as the best-viewed show on network television. Still, does this equate to some in-fighting on the same team? There are business managers and entertainment players who believe this kind of competitive edge brings out the best stuff. The marketing strategy is a good one, and I don't think it directly targets "Idol." Many performance shows don't really bring the drama, the frankness, the crushing criticism that makes performers wilt before they make it back to their dressing room. We need to crush our on-air performers -- and then resurrect them. It's the primetime way of TV. "The X Factor" promo sends this message: We can be the most honest-- and yes nastiest -- performance reality show in the land. Think others are honest about mediocre singing performances? You are wrong. No one can outdo Cowell. He is the reigning champ. Come and see the show. At the end of the spot, he says: "What else did you expect?" Exactly what he shows us -- and then some.