Ad Spending Up As Economy Recovers

Advertising spending in the United States rose 2 percent in the fourth quarter of 2012 compared with the same period of 2011, according to a report to be released on Monday by the Kantar Media unit of WPP. That meant ad spending last year increased in all four quarters compared with the same periods in 2011; the other increases were 2.6 percent in the first quarter, 0.9 percent in the second quarter and 7.1 percent in the third quarter. For all of 2012, American ad spending rose 3 percent from 2011, Kantar Media reported; by comparison, ad spending in the United States in 2011 increased only 0.8 percent from 2010. Media that gained ad revenue last year, according to Kantar Media, included television, up 8 percent; outdoor, up 5 percent; and free-standing coupon inserts, up 5 percent. Media that lost ad revenue last year, Kantar Media reported, included newspapers, down 3 percent, including a 12 percent decline in ad spending in national newspapers; Internet display ads, down 3 percent; and magazines, down 2 percent.

Television Works In College Market?

College students say that ads on television are the most effective type of advertising according to a 2012 Barnes & Noble College Marketing Report. While the report says the 65% of young scholars are engaging with brands via social media weekly: 33% do so at least three times a day with a penchant for Facebook.  Overall, 55% of students say Facebook is not the best targeting platform.  When they are engaging with brands on social media they are looking for value not ads. And while mobile marketing is the "it" word of marketers today, 66% say SMS messaging is a poor way to connect. Quotes include: "Don't market to me through mobile. Don't kind of get into my personal space. Don't send me text messages."

While every medium is looking to stand on the mountain top and claim they are the most effective of their competition.  Marketers are beginning to focus on the content again and stop looking for the silver bullet.  At Van Winkle Associates we believe that connected messaging across all mediums is the most effective way to educate the consumer.

Source: http://bit.ly/RuEzQ0

http://vanwinkleassociates.com

Public Television to take Political Dollars

With stressed budgets and no end in sight, public television stations have been looking for a way to increase revenue in a very commercial way.  They may have their wishes granted. Yesterday, a federal court decision has created the possibility that some public television and radio stations that are perpetually challenged financially could see a windfall of cash from political advertising.
Stations that get that chance would have to weigh whether the money is worth the risk of alienating their audiences.

The U.S. Court of Appeals in San Francisco ruled in April that federal law prohibiting public broadcasters from airing political or issue advertising is unconstitutional, even though the same court said a ban on commercials by for-profit products could stand. The U.S. Justice Department must decide by next week whether to ask the court to reconsider its divided decision, or bring an appeal to the Supreme Court.

Public broadcasting has a place in our media mix, but one of the main pillars of it's existence is that it does not cater to advertising dollars.  Just think about it.  Could the truth campaign have been as successful if the tobacco lobby was allowed to advertise on television.  The lack of dollar pressure from advertisers influences the news media without even trying.  Political dollars are the most dangerous of all.  The stations will be allowed to take dollars from the people who will be funding them in the future.  Public media should be altruistic and serve the people without commercial influences.

Man Flies with Wings

Imagine having the power of flight right in your hands. For over 100 years people have tried flight through the emulation of birds. Flapping their man made wings and building all sorts of contraptions. Up until now this has been a futile effort. While astro physicists will tell you that pushing air with a prop or jet engine is the most efficient way to create lift, a Dutchman named Jarno Smeets still pursued his dream. Using an iPhone/Android type device to control the whole thing, Jarno took off with his 17 meter wings in a way no one else has before. Only a real artist can take the most basic questions and apply them to design to create something so real. Watch it here.

Buffalo Wild Wings Gives Fallon the Meat and 22Squared the Bone

Buffalo Wild Wings decided to move their creative duties to Fallon while 22 Squared maintained the media planning and in-store promotion part of the account. Space 150 will handle all the social media marketing. This is one account that should not leave Atlanta or 22Squared. The creative done for Buffalo Wild Wings has been strong, memorable, and unique in an all too familiar "smile, bite, chew" world of restaurant advertising. The bold messaging brought a name that could be compared to the Wing Stop into the competitive bar and grill category. Sales increased along with brand awareness. I guess they just couldn't stand the nice weather.

Gatorade Builds a Social Media Mission control

Gatorade has brought Social Media monitoring to a new level watch the video and see how they are on constant alert for anything anybody says about Gatorade 24/7.

Linconln Launches New Campaign without 22 Squared

If you watched the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade on Thursday you could have seen the new campaign for Lincoln Financial. According to The New York Times, the Lincoln Financial "Chief Control Officer" campaign was created by Gyro NY and not the local 22 Squared office. 22 Squared created the campaign "Hello Future" where people would see themselves later in life and be happy that they made the smart choice of Lincoln Financial. The campaign was a rousing success garnering praise and a parody on Saturday Night Live. Jamie DePeau, Corporate Chief Marketing Officer for Lincoln praised the spoof calling it, “a rite of passage on the way to becoming an institutional American brand.”

Good work and praise from the client just couldn't keep this one inside I-285. It was a feather in our hats to have a firm from PA vote on our independent shop. Let's hope it's a trend.