Online advertising is no longer the forgotten stepchild in marketers' advertising plans and finally came of age in 2005, according to Google's North American sales boss. At the Reuters Media and Advertising Summit this week, Google's Tim Armstrong said this year marked a milestone, with corporate marketers making Internet advertising a standard part of their media budgets. "There is robust interest in online advertising and that interest is now turning into real dollars," Armstrong said, adding that analysts are predicting a banner 2005 year, with forecasts ranging from $10 billion to $15 billion. "The experimenting and testing phase begun in …

A new study of the U.S. auto market says the desire to "buy American" is losing steam. The survey was conducted by J.D. Power and Associates and looked at reasons why buyers failed to consider particular car or truck models. According to the study, buyers were more accepting of foreign vehicles this year than last, especially in the South, where only 34 percent of respondents said they didn't want a foreign vehicle, down from 40 percent a year ago. "Kia, in particular, has publicized goals of focusing more marketing efforts on the central region of the country, and they are …

Food marketers say they are trying to change their ways, but it isn't easy. At a "Future of Food" conference held by the Grocery Manufacturers Association, food industry bigwigs addressed some of their major challenges, such as the pressure to develop more-healthful products. The problem, they say, is that such products are costly and consumers don't really want them. "There is always pushback from upper management when we come up with new ideas [for more-healthful foods] because they cost too much and it's difficult to come up with meaningful communication that will help sell them at a higher price," said …

Teenagers at an Oregon high school have mixed opinions on the controversial issue of advertising in schools. While some believe it helps the school fund programs, others view it an unnecessary intrusion that only serves advertisers' interests. The kids attend the Lake Oswego High School, where earlier this year a committee of parents and administrators was established to set guidelines for corporate sponsorship of school organizations and to decide how advertising can be displayed at the school. Advertising in schools is a growing trend, and many schools nationwide have contracts with advertisers that sponsor sports teams and events. Companies such …

Mr. Six, the popular character who dances furiously in Six Flags commercials, might be headed for that big marketing strategy in the sky. After a protracted fight, a group of change-minded shareholders increased their power base in a shareholder vote this week, and now the theme park's overall marketing plan, including the Mr. Six character, might be headed out the door along with three board members. The marketing strategy was one of the key criticisms leveled against the company by shareholder Daniel Snyder, who owns the Washington Redskins, and his partners. He has claimed that Six Flags has been mismanaged …

Paul Epstein believes it's high time to rewrite the rules governing online direct marketing. In a wide-ranging article, the CEO of High Voltage Interactive, a lead generation and customer acquisition company, cites DM pioneer Ed Mayer's 30-year-old set of rules governing direct marketing, and then updates the list. Mayer established the "40/40/20 Rule" in which 40 percent of a DM campaign should focus on audience, 40 percent on offer and 20 percent on creative. But in the Internet age, Epstein says the guidelines must be reconsidered. "Is there any real comparison between sorting through a handful of paper from your …

All marketers know that retaining current customers is as important as gaining new ones. For that reason, loyalty programs have been established to make sure customers keep coming back. They come in many shapes and forms, but not all of them work. The loss of customers is inevitable to some degree, but efforts must be made to keep them. This case study of a successful B2B loyalty program contains valuable lessons that might be applied to almost any customer relationship. It examines the flaws in rewards and points programs and explores the reasons why customers leave in the first place. …

American Express is going after the wedding/newlywed crowd with two new cards called, appropriately, "The Knot" and "The Nest." It's an extension of the financial services marketer's strategy to target niche groups such as young urban singles or the super-rich (the Amex black card). The new cards offer discounts and special deals for people planning weddings and setting up homes for the first time. The Knot Inc., a New York media company that is known for its wedding-planning Web site, has partnered with Amex on the cards, which don't carry an annual fee. Part of the strategy is to capture …

In a Q&A interview with imediaconnection.com Executive Editor Brad Berens, integrated marketing guru Don Schultz of Northwestern University talks at length about the discipline that has made him an icon in the marketing industry. Other topics covered include interactive marketing, the impact of behavioral targeting, private-label brands and new media. But the bottom line is that Schultz says while all marketers believe they must integrate their efforts, most of them are still struggling with exactly how to accomplish this. "The big problem they have is the organizational structures, and the problems they have internally, and making it work," says Schultz. …

As if Donald Trump wasn't ubiquitous enough, now he wants to corner the market on booze, too. In addition to his real estate developments, books, and TV show, now The Donald wants to launch a vodka that bears his name. He's doing a licensing agreement with Drinks Americas Holdings, Ltd., to market a high-end vodka under the name "Trump: The World's Finest Super Premium Vodka." "In our view, the Trump name is one of the most recognizable and valuable global trademarks in existence today... Our agreement is to search the world and work to develop the very best super premium …