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Maarten Albarda

Member since April 2002Contact Maarten

Global Citizen. Flying Dutchman. Dabbling in Integrated Marketing for clients anywhere they need me. http://about.me/malbarda

Articles by Maarten All articles by Maarten

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  • 2024: A Media Insider Review by Gord Hotchkiss (Media Insider on 01/07/2025)

    Ha! Angst and despair reign! But seriously, thank you for compiling our collective meanderings. I just celebrated my 12th year in service, having written my first media post for Mediapost on Dec. 16, 2013. Here is to a 2025 that will surprise us all... positively (one can hope!).

  • X, Former Twitter, Still A 'Hellscape' by Maarten Albarda (Media Insider on 11/22/2024)

    Thanks Tony - I was and continue to be a proud and active member to the Advertising: Who Cares group for Trading, Transparency and Trust. Onwards and (hiopefully), Upwards! And yes, you can find me on Bluesky.

  • Campaign Commercials: Bad For America, Bad For Us! by Adam Buckman (TVBlog on 11/08/2024)

    Hi Adam - totally agree, and did so here: https://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/400580/political-advertising-is-terrible-in-both-content.html

  • Political Advertising Is Terrible In Both Content And Volume - Why? by Maarten Albarda (Media Insider on 10/25/2024)

    Hi Michelle - thanks for the response and the link. I mentioned in the second to last paragraph that political ads almost always get a pass based on free speech, and that the rules that apply to political ads are different from "regular" ads. What I question is their effectiveness - and my assumption is that they "must be" given the rigorous and continuous testing that these ads are apparently subject to. 

  • Calm 'Newsfeed Anxiety' By Reading Them Less -- And History More by Dave Morgan (Media Insider on 08/15/2024)

    I just finished A.J. Baime's "The accidental president" about the first 100 days of Harry S. Truman. An exceptional book - and fascinating insight into 100 days that shaped today's world.

  • Principal Media Is Growing -- Marketers Need To Take Action by Maarten Albarda (Media Insider on 05/24/2024)

    Hey Ed: my experience is that most, especially larger advertisers (who are the most 'vulnerable' to principle media, per the ANA) have typically very smart media teams in house. These media teams are on top of all the agency media strategy, planning and buys, and are the "go-betweens" for the agencies and advertiser brand management teams. While it is true that many companies often still chase "lower cost" or "efficiencies", I think it is unfair to state that (large) advertisers do not pay attention to the quality or direction of their media investments. Low cost or efficiency does not have to mean "crap". I agree with your auditor comment.

  • Principal Media Is Growing -- Marketers Need To Take Action by Maarten Albarda (Media Insider on 05/24/2024)

    Ed: The key phrase in your comment: "So long as the client clearly knows what is going on why is that information any of its business". What the ANA has learned, and what I have seen in my practice, is that clients often do NOT know, or only know AFTER the fact. There was no choice for the client to determine if the proposed media inventory was a good idea, and there was no way to align on a cost that was mutually agreeable. There was no independent verification to establish if the recommendation befitted the client's strategy, or was in the agency's own financial interest. THAT is the issue the ANA is trying to address.

  • Video Audience Measurement Is More Broken Than You Think by Maarten Albarda (Media Insider on 03/29/2024)

    Ed, thank you for adding the helpful historical perspective. We columnists are given a 600 word count for our columns. 600! Obviously that's not nearly enough to be nuanced or detailed. The other part of the "briefing" for columnists is (or at least, 'was' when I started) to deliver food for thought and/or be a little controversial. So I always try to at least stir the pot a little.  Having said all of that: my point is that, beyond how video is measured, or who measures it, or what platform you measure, the viewability definition for digital video ads on any platform outside of TV is laughable. And it won't be long before TV itself will mostly conform to that same low, low threshold as more and more households watch TV via an app, and it conforms to "digital viewing".  Add to this the fact that the best we have come up with as "new ratings" is to use the hollow gross "impressions" metric as non-duplicated currency means that most advertisers that look at their monthly media analysis are looking at predominantly "empty calories". 

  • Alaska Life Is Grim And The Light Is Dim In 'True Detective' by Adam Buckman (TVBlog on 01/12/2024)

    One other Alaska based show, that sadly died after one season, and that did not depict just (albeit a lot) of woebegone, was "Alaska Daily" with the excellent Hillary Swank and a great cast of character actors. Can be binged on Hulu.

  • My Nomination For The ANA's Marketing Word Of The Year: MFAs by Joe Mandese (Planning & Buying Insider on 12/07/2023)

    My nomination is Log Level Data!

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