Online Video Growth Fueled by the Young

With the ongoing growth of broadband subscriptions, and an increasing number of online viewing options, usage of online video expanded in the past year, according to consumer research from Leichtman Research Group (LRG), MarketingCharts reports. In all, 31 percent of adults online at home report that they view video online at least weekly - compared with […]

Posted: Friday, May 9th, 2008

As Boomers Retire, a Lack of Specialized Medical Care

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

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

Facebook Soups Up Security, Partners with 49 Attorneys General

To buttress users against inappropriate conduct and content, Facebook has joined ranks with 49 Attorneys General. "Building a safe and trusted online experience has been part of Facebook from its outset," said Chief Privacy Officer Chris Kelly. "We are proud to join 49 states and the District of Columbia in affirming our commitment to these principles." Per its […]

Posted: Thursday, May 8th, 2008

Search Rankings for Europe Issued, Russian Engine Beats Yahoo, Microsoft

Google leads in the European search market with more than 19 billion searches conducted in March - or 79 percent of the market - according to the comScore qSearch 2.0 rankings (via MarketingCharts). No. 3 Yandex of Russia outpaced both Yahoo and Microsoft, the data showed . Eastern Europe Search Players a Factor Google's top position […]

Posted: Thursday, May 8th, 2008

Radius Incorporates User Reviews in Display Advertising

BazaarVoice has unveiled a partner program, Radius, which ports customer comments and reviews into online ads. Radius gives firms access to an open API which enables clients to syndicate comments and reviews from product pages, then include them in display ads or other units. Content can also be ported to comparison shopping sites. BazaarVoice said Radius will […]

Posted: Wednesday, May 7th, 2008

Mother's Day 2008: Men Will Spend More Than Women

Men plan to spend more than women this Mother's Day, with an anticipated average "spend" of $170 compared with women's $110, according to a Brand Keys survey, writes MarketingCharts. The survey, part of the Customer Loyalty Engagement Index, asked 1,200 men and women (age 18-65) how they planned to celebrate Mother's Day. Higher gas prices and subsequently […]

Posted: Wednesday, May 7th, 2008

Media, Entertainment Execs: Digital Is the Future - but How to Get There?

Media and entertainment companies generally agree about how the digital market is evolving, where the opportunities lie and what will drive revenues over the next five years. But execution remains an issue, according to an Accenture survey, MarketingCharts writes. Accenture's 2008 Global Media Content Survey — its third annual survey of over 100 senior executives in the […]

Posted: Wednesday, May 7th, 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

Spot Runner Scores $51M from Publishing and Other Media Firms

Video ad creation firm Spot Runner has secured $51 million in financing elicited from firms like Daily Mail, General Trust, Grupo Televisa, and Legg Mason Capital Management. The inclusion of the Daily Mail suggests Spot Runner may use its "war chest" to explore opportunities in print.

Posted: Wednesday, May 7th, 2008

Industry Buzz & Snippets: 5/6/08

Ad Networks and Analytics: Rise in revenue from its ad network were just enough to offset drops elsewhere at AOL. Analytics platform Media6Degrees raised $2 million in financing from Coriolis Ventures. Blinkx is licensing a toolset called Advanced Media Platform to publishers. The platform lets users manage video search ad inventory. New deals with both BlueLithium and Marchex will […]

Posted: Tuesday, May 6th, 2008

Zune Beefs Up with TV Shows; Films on the Way

Microsoft added hundreds of television programs to its Zune marketplace in a quest to contend with the versatile iTunes, reports Variety. Over 800 TV episodes were added to the Zune storefront from a variety of networks, including NBC and Turner. More deals will be announced over the long-term, and movies will be added sometime soon. The […]

Posted: Tuesday, May 6th, 2008

Fox Interactive Creates DIY Video Ad Marketplace

Fox Interactive is adding self-service video ads to its menu of online ad options. The FIM AdStore will allow advertisers, especially small businesses, to find video producers and other talent needed to create a video spot. There will also be tools for developing banner ads. AdStore puts Fox Interactive in direct competition with other companies, like […]

Posted: Tuesday, May 6th, 2008

Startups Explore 'Interactive' Alternatives to Old-Fashioned Banners

Slowdown in the online ad market has many startups — which count on ad revenue to push otherwise unprofitable ideas onto the production floor — seeking alternatives, reports the Wall Street Journal. Models of particular interest are ad formats that add "value" to the "user experience" instead of operating on a pure pay-per-click basis. meebo, for […]

Posted: Tuesday, May 6th, 2008

ABC to Pump More Ads into Online Commercial Breaks

Starting this week, ABC will insert multiple commercials into ad breaks within shows streamed online. Each break typically serves one :15 or :30 commercial. Because the medium is new, the standard for streaming TV shows is one spot per break. Some sites, like Hulu, give users the option of watching a single two-minute trailer at the […]

Posted: Monday, May 5th, 2008

Coldplay's Free Single Propels Website to No. 1 among Bands and Artists

US visits to Coldplay.com increased 1,800% since the band's new single, Violet Hill, was released free online. Hitwise compares daily US visits for April 29, 2008 to visits for April 27, 2008, MarketingCharts reports. On April 29, 2008, the day the single was released on Coldplay.com, the website ranked as the most visited website among the Bands […]

Posted: Monday, May 5th, 2008

Digital Revenue Propels Agency Growth

Overall revenue at agencies was up in 2007, due largely to growth in digital operations, reports Advertising Age. AdAge's 2007 Agency Report finds revenue was up by 8.6 percent in 2007. Revenue from digital offerings was up an average of 10.2 percent, with firms that specialize in digital work seeing growth of […]

Posted: Monday, May 5th, 2008

Digital News Execs Form Mysterious "Efficiency" Unit

Veterans of CNN.com and NYTimes.com are partnering on an enigmatic venture related to online ad buying and selling, reports ClickZ. The unnamed firm is the product of former NYT Digital VP Jason Krebs and former CNN.com SVP David Payne. While details were not divulged, the pair described the project as more grease for the display ad […]

Posted: Monday, May 5th, 2008

Microsoft and Yahoo Get Their Merge On

Insiders reveal Microsoft increased its bid for Yahoo "by several dollars," which has — at long last — sparked active merger talks. The news brings closure to what appeared to be a public stalemate between the two giants, which in turn followed an emotional ultimatum by Microsoft — and Yahoo's cool decline. The original buyout offer valued […]

Posted: Monday, May 5th, 2008

AT&T Mobile TV Goes Live — Really, This Time — On Sunday

AT&T has announced it will launch its mobile TV initiative this Sunday. After a handful of delays, last March the company conservatively arranged a May debut. The service is available on LG Vu and the Samsung Access, across 58 markets including New York, Las Vegas, Philadelphia and Chicago. Powered by Qualcomm's MediaFLO, the AT&T Mobile TV lineup includes […]

Posted: Friday, May 2nd, 2008