As Boomers Retire, Lack of Specialized Medical Care Becomes a Concern

The vast majority of Boomers say it is important that their physician have specialized training in dealing with older patients, but a majority say they cannot find such a doctor, according to the first annual Senior Health Index from American System for Advancing Senior Health, writes MarketingCharts. Nearly nine in 10 women (88 percent) consider […]

Posted: Friday, May 9th, 2008

Bill Gates Pursues Greener Pastures in 'Growth,' Sergey Brin Gloats

Following the withdrawal of its Yahoo bid, Bill Gates says Microsoft will focus on growing its online ad and search businesses. The Associated Press reports Gates express confidence about Microsoft's ability to compete against Google, which, he admits, has a "strong lead" in search and advertising. Microsoft is now rumored to be pursuing Facebook. And while Gates […]

Posted: Friday, May 9th, 2008

Retail Sales Forecast: Big Boost from Tax Rebates

Federal tax rebates will give retail sales a significant and much-needed boost in the next two quarters, predicts TNS Retail Forward, saying retails sales growth will improve by as much as three percentage points in the third quarter and half that in the second quarter, MarketingCharts writes. Households will spend as much as $42 billion of […]

Posted: Friday, May 9th, 2008

Online Advertised Job Vacancies Fall Sharply in April

In April there were 3,649,900 online advertised job vacancies, a 16.4 percent decline from April 2007 — and the second consecutive month of year-over-year declines — according to The Conference Board Help-Wanted OnLine Data Series, MarketingCharts reports. In April, there were 2.4 advertised vacancies posted online for every 100 persons in the labor force, down from […]

Posted: Wednesday, May 7th, 2008

Loss of Microhoo Draws Bad Blood from Advertisers and Stockholders

Those most disappointed by Microsoft's failure to buy Yahoo are the latter's advertisers and stockholders. Advertisers were as attracted to the increased capabilities of the combined entity as they were to a potential Google contender, Advertising Age reports. Currently, Google's lead in the search ad market is so significant that rivals like Yahoo generate little competitive […]

Posted: Wednesday, May 7th, 2008

Healthcare Costs Near Top of Americans' Economic Woes

Paying for healthcare ranks among Americans' top personal economic problems (some even marry for health insurance) - up there with filling the gas tank and finding a well-paying job or getting a pay raise - according to a new Kaiser Family Foundation poll, MarketingCharts reports. Conducted by the Foundation's public opinion researchers, the April poll […]

Posted: Tuesday, May 6th, 2008

Google Attempts to Patent Ad Consumption Behavior

Techdirt reports that Google is trying to patent targeted video advertising behaviors that compel audiences to watch a set number of TV commercials in exchange for programming. The patent for "Targeted Video Advertising" includes the following clauses: [1] 'Users may be allowed to skip particular commercials, but required to watch or accept a set number of commercials […]

Posted: Monday, May 5th, 2008

Microsoft Sweetens Yahoo Bid; Yahoo Again Declines; Microsoft Exits Stage Left

Following insider speculation that Microsoft had increased its bid for Yahoo "by a few dollars," resulting in merger talks, Microsoft announced Saturday that it is withdrawing its bid for the search company. The change of heart occurred when CEOs Steve Ballmer and Jerry Yang, as well as Yahoo co-founder David Filo and Microsoft online president Kevin […]

Posted: Monday, May 5th, 2008

Lackluster Teen Spend Indicates 'Discretionary Recession'

Though fashion still accounts for 41 percent of the total teen budget, teen spend in the category declined nearly 20 percent year over year, pointing to a "discretionary recession," according to the 15th semi-annual "Taking Stock With Teens" study by Piper Jaffray, MarketingCharts reports. "We're currently in the 'transition phase' of the fashion cycle and […]

Posted: Friday, May 2nd, 2008

eBay Airs Dirty Legal Nappies: craigslist Suit Goes Public

eBay has released full details of its lawsuit against craigslist, an online classifieds site in which it owns a 28.4 percent stake. The suit was filed in April. According to the document, eBay "seeks equitable and legal relief against [craigslist executives] Newmark and Buckmaster, for breaching their fiduciary duties of care, loyalty and good faith by implementing […]

Posted: Friday, May 2nd, 2008

Email Opt-in, Opt-out Processes Not Quite There Yet

When obtaining permission to send emails, 31 percent of marketers use a confirmed opt-in method (double opt-in), said eROI's "The Cradle & The Grave" survey. The study covers marketers' email subscribe and unsubscribe processes, MarketingCharts reports. These processes are improving but have yet to reach "exceptional" levels, eROI said. Key findings of the survey of 500 email […]

Posted: Thursday, May 1st, 2008

Consumer Confidence Index Slides to Five-Year Low

The Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index, which declined sharply in March, fell further in April and stands at 62.3 (1985=100). This is down from 65.9 (revised upward) in March, according to the Conference Board, writes MarketingCharts. That's the lowest it's been since March 2003, MarketWatch reported. The Present Situation Index decreased to 80.7 in April from 90.6 in […]

Posted: Thursday, May 1st, 2008

Industry Buzz & Snippets: 4/29/08

Ad Buying, Planning and Selling: Media service agency KSL Media is launching eWorld Asset Trading, allowing for the bartering of surplus for ad inventory. Emmis Communications is opening its Emmis Interactive online ad production and sales unit to other radio stations. It's already signed a Pittsburgh broadcaster as its first outside client. Ad Networks and Analytics: Video ad network […]

Posted: Tuesday, April 29th, 2008

Financial Strain on Family Life Tops Issues Most Crucial to Women

Women and their families experience tremendous financial pressure on issues ranging from housing, to credit card debt, to healthcare. As a result, family women are concerned about long-term financial security, according to a Meredith Corporation/NBC Universal survey, writes MarketingCharts. The "What do Women Want?" survey included 3,000 women and covered a range of topics important to […]

Posted: Monday, April 28th, 2008

Merger or No, Satellite Radio Has Issues

Satellite radio subscribership likely won't increase much as a result of the pending merger of XM and Sirius. The willingness of subscribers to stay with either is iffy, especially if the service came pre-installed in vehicles, according to a study by Jacobs Media, MarketingCharts writes. Below are some findings from the web-based poll of respondents from […]

Posted: Friday, April 25th, 2008

'Permission Email' Appreciated, but a Good Chunk Ends up Junked

58 percent of consumers say email is a great way for companies to stay in touch (up from 45 percent a year ago), but only 77 percent of invited email successfully make it to the inbox, according to (pdf) an email study by Harris Interactive (with Merkle) and another by Lyris, Inc (via MarketingCharts). Permission-based […]

Posted: Thursday, April 24th, 2008

CW: Sorry Mates, No Online 'Gossip Girl' for You

Against the gospel of bigger networks like NBCU and ABC, the CW has decided to stop streaming episodes of flagship show Gossip Girl online. Executives are concerned the show's online popularity may be contributing to its weakness on TV. For while Gossip Girl is among the most downloaded shows on iTunes and a strong generator of […]

Posted: Tuesday, April 22nd, 2008

Yahoo Sued Over Faulty Overture Affiliate Program

Online collectibles retailer BigReds.com has filed suit against Yahoo for click fraud-related issues, reports ComputerWorld. BigReds.com says between 2002 and 2006 it was charged more than $936,000 in pay-per-click charges. The company began using Overture as a PPC vendor in 2002. Overture was acquired by Yahoo in 2003. According to BigRed, Overture developed an online affiliate program […]

Posted: Monday, April 21st, 2008

Blockbuster Takes Flak for Participation on Beacon

A Dallas woman has sued Blockbuster for its participation in Facebook's Beacon advertising program, reports MediaPost. The suit alleges Blockbuster violated the Videotape Privacy Protection Act by exposing her movie rental activity to her Facebook friends. The law's purpose is to keep movie rental history private. The suit appears to be the first involving Beacon, which suffered […]

Posted: Monday, April 21st, 2008

British Lawmakers Levy for 'iPod Tax'

The UK music industry is pushing for a tax on music uploaded to portable devices like iPods, reports The Globe and Mail. The so-called "iPod Tax" would tax users that port music from a personal computer to a portable music player, even if they purchased that music in CD form or on iTunes. It is the […]

Posted: Friday, April 18th, 2008