Turning The Page: There’s a story in Newsday today that says newspaper executives are crediting Internet operations with softening the blow from the ad downturn. That, to me, is a very
significant statement. I have always felt that the Internet was the ultimate tool for newspapers, but they needed time to get in lockstep with the rest of the business. Time and proper attitude can
fix a lot of problems in business. This is/was one of them. Newspaper sales teams have done a lot to prove the veracity of Internet advertising. Now the newspaper business seems to be making a lot of
progress in integrating the print and cyber editions of their property. I think 2003 will see a lot of special editions started online exclusively for major papers. Style, pop culture, products aimed
at kids – all these things are a better risk on the Internet.
PharmNumbers: Pharmaceutical marketing isn’t bringing in the same ROI, according to a new report by Datamonitor. All due
respect to Datamonitor, but I don’t think overall ROI matters in this business at all. Pharmaceutical marketing is about the quest for a new blockbuster. It’s about the next Claritin, or Zoloft, or
Viagra. That quest will drive the category through another good year in 2003.
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Parting Shot: I wish all the luck the ad business can bring to Havas’ Alain de Pouzilhac and Bob Schmetterer
who will operate as the "office of the CEO." Together that is. Didn’t Sumner Redstone and Mel Karmazin start out that way?
