Digital Point of View

While researching for a client today I’ve notice a decline in the number of Travel search terms. I’m maybe too literal with the search terms but a gradual decline has occurred over the past 4 years. But does that mean that we are now smarter on how we search looking for my exact requirements?

The other thought is the success of some of the big name travel brands. Virgin, webjet, zuji are now valuable pieces of online realestate. But when I started to look at theses I also noticed that there have be declines. I’d be interested in hearing from anyone who is from the segment.

Google has been trying to convince FMCG marketers once that online media is just as - and possibly more - effective than traditional television advertising. Google just released the findings of a study comparing online video with traditional TV commercials. Although the articles that are poping up online state there is no real difference between online and TV broacasting you can read between the lines.

Online video ads need to be shorter and placed on sites accoring to target audience profiles. I’m not sure the “BIG LOUD MUST ALL STOCK” ads would work online. We have seen the sucess of pre release of TVC ads online in the past.  Honda’s Accord and Carlton Draft’s “Big” campaigns are some of the most successful.

From a social point of view - we get online to avoid TV ads, do we really want them pushed at us online?

They have a place and that is on YouTube, IPTV networks and on brand pages. Otherwise you are just going to piss everyone off.

Internet users who watch full-length episodes of popular TV shows streamed on the Web is on the rise, with Nielsen Media Research reporting that, over a three-month span, 25% of Web users streamed a TV episode. “It has become a mainstream behavior in an extraordinarily quick time,” said Alan Wurtzel, the head of research for NBC. “It isn’t just the province of college students or generation Y-ers. It spans all ages.” The New York Times

Has the internet claimed another victim? Today it was announced that The Bulletin had been retired. Too expensive to run and a circulation of under 60,000 and declining. The normal readers had turned to instant information freely available on the internet.

Media analyst Peter Cox said the magazine had been a favourite of the late media mogul Kerry Packer and upon his death, there had been no need to keep it open.

Media buyer Harold Mitchell said it was a sad day and The Bulletin had been an example of wonderful journalism.

“It (the magazine) has been losing money for many years but as part of the big publishing empire they previously found a way to continue,” he said.

“The onset of the digital age and the internet has meant The Bulletin was less relevant as readers can now get the information they want much more quickly and in a precise way.

So will other low circulation publications go the same way? 2008 I’m sure will see realigning of readership loyalties. Even if it is at the sacrifice of  quality journalism.

A friend years ago had similar idea before the days of YouTube.  To make it work the shows can not be to heavily branded. Otherwise it stinks of one big long ad (yeah I know it is). But if the show is entertaining and product is clearly placed you can develop a winning formula.

Jun Group Productions producing CoverGirl online show. Available on CoverGirl.com the show will divulge the secret of the hottest looks (flawless skin?) while lavishing audiences in the glamour of NYC.
 

Snippets on the topic of Subject lines. A MS Word out look deleted my list of reference links and sources.

SPAM and Subject Lines

Do you use the word FREE in your subject lines? Well, although the word FREE attracts the attention of many readers, it also attracts the attention of most spam filters!
Here are other pitfalls that you will want to watch out for when constructing your Subject lines:

• Exclamation / question marks / dollar signs. One may be ok, but not more than one.
• Subject line ends in a string of numeric digits.
• All capital letters. Stands out, especially to spam filters.
• Subject line is missing. Big red flag!
• Subject contains: ADV: or Adv: Must in some states, but this will almost always get your message filtered.
• Subject contains G.a.p.p.y T.e.x.t or lots of whitespace between words.
• Contains obvious spam words like: porn, viagra, teen, etc.

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