Grubbs

Top companies in retail, automotive and financial services are allotting 10-15 percent of marketing budgets for the internet, with additional dollars for mobile media and other areas, says Steve Grubbs, CEO of Omnicom Group's PHD USA.

Sprint is one such company, particularly investing in integrated campaigns that drive consumers from TV to the internet, writes MediaPost (via MediaBuyerPlanner). During a panel discussion of media executives at an IRTS event, Sprint's VP of marketing, Anita Bajaj Newton, said the company has seen traffic at some websites soar as much as 30 percent following a direct promotion in certain high-profile broadcasts, such as NFL halftime shows.

She added that analysis of those traffic jumps show that they lead to a considerable increase in sales. "The sweet spot is to integrate online and offline," she is quoted as saying.

Others on the panel, such as MindShare president of local broadcast Kathy Crawford, pointed out that television remains a key element of the marketing mix.