Let's be careful with those network pay-for-performance deals, folks. Without naming names, apparently there are a few ad networks that think it acceptable to re-book client ads with unapproved websites that are not formally affiliated with their network. This may get the network credit for a few incremental clicks or leads, but it also can result in a very ticked-off client if they happen to see their ads running with websites they're not comfortable supporting.

Last week I wrote a column that seemed to cause a lot of discussion and sensitivity. Of course, sales people wrote in asking, "But what about (planner) buyers?" You didn't think I'd skip over us, did 'ya?

OK. We've gotten to the point where many advertisers accept that the Internet has to be a part of their mix. They also realize that they need to be aggressive in advertising levels overall (see MPA and ARF literature on spending in a down market). But how much should they allocate?

I was in Chicago last week. It was to speak at a dinner attended by agency folks, marketing folks, and professionals affiliated with related ancillary services. The event was for the IAB Innovator's Roundtable dinner series, an event that seeks to gather the top minds and movers in the digital advertising and marketing industry, put them together in a room, feed them well, and get them talking with one another about the issues that sit top-of-mind with each of those persons. Here's what the talk was about...

Let's take a moment... imagine a few things that would transform the way we do business and make our daily lives a much better place to live and work. The wonderful thing about the Internet is that if we can think up an idea, there is more than a slight chance what we come up with can be executed upon, so maybe this will serve as an opportunity for some growth in our fledgling industry.

Dave Smith was right on with his last column about paid content. Can it become a short-term fix for content providers who are having trouble monetizing assets through advertising? Probably not, unless the content in question passes a few tests. Dave's prerequisites for a viable paid content model include the right price and the right frame of mind. I'd like to add a few of my own.

I often write about the relationship and stigmas of sales reps and agency people. This is not a piece about stereotypes and proof points. Rather, it's a compilation of questions I get asked at least once weekly by several different types of sales folk from large portals to small verticals, ad networks to vendors to email marketing and SEO firms, and just about everyone in between.

One great thing about history, it keeps coming back around. In the early days of the Web, there were a number of paid content plays. The Wall Street Journal was one of the only successes. Or was it? WSJ.com has survived, that's for sure. And Yahoo! is making a big push into converting their users into paid areas, as are many other sites. But I really question whether this is going to be a short-term fix.

Brand managers and marketing managers frequently refer to their allocations in terms of percentages of a total budget. But looking at this from the perspective of a media purist, I think this is a mistake.

As the debate has skidded to a halt (thankfully) on the value of the Internet as a Branding or a Direct Response medium, I have started to have some little epiphanies about our world and whether or not what we do is "cool."