Stream of Consciousness » More Dam News

The Browser You Loved to Hate. Introducing the New IE.

truecreek — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 13:49:36 +0000

Very cool new site from Microsoft. Self-effacing copy can often do the trick. Surprises you in a way that keeps you intrigued. Check out the graphs. Nice design, overall.

The Browser You Loved to Hate.

World’s Most LIKED Brands, from CNBC.

truecreek — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 14:20:19 +0000

This really brings home the new online world we live in, doesn’t it? First time in all my years of doing this that a have actually seen this type of list using LIKE from Facebook as the selection data. From CNBC.

A Great Win for NBC.

truecreek — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 18:17:01 +0000

I’ve always been a fan of the Olympics, to a point where it’s almost always recommended as a tactic for a client. Especially if there can be promotional tie-ins, merchandising and the like. For NBC to lock up the U.S. television rights is a real coup. It’s become their franchise.

One can only imagine how much cash was floating around that table.

NBC now will have exclusive rights to the 2014 Winter Games in Sochi, Russia, the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, as well as the 2018 Winter Games and 2020 Olympics, whose sites have not yet been chosen.

More here.

Going To Be A Huge Summer At The Movies.

truecreek — Mon, 16 May 2011 23:59:13 +0000

Looks like we’re really setting up for a nice summer at the movies. If you haven’t placed your schedules yet, it’s time to move forward. Summer is a tough time to reach your audience with your message. But it looks like they will be in the theaters!

Read it all here:

This Might Really Be A Game Changer.

truecreek — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 17:48:03 +0000

From AP in today’s USAToday. Could really be a game changer when it comes to how we market food to our kids. Several agencies have introduced new guidelines. The story here.

PWC Study: More TV Now Viewed On Computer Than TV.

truecreek — Tue, 08 Mar 2011 16:36:35 +0000

Surprising to see this happen so quickly. I would have thought this shift would have taken another ten years or so. It must be a youth thing because I prefer HD on a big screen for my TV and gaming.

By John Eggerton — Broadcasting & Cable

Consumers are spending about 20 hours per week accessing digital content-including video games and print content–on a cell phone, computer, or mobile device, with the majority of that TV shows, movies and other videos.

That is according to a just-released consumer research study from PwC (PricewaterhouseCoopers). The study found that across all age groups, respondents watched 12.4 hours of TV shows/videos and movies online, while only 8.9 hours of that content on network TV and basic and pay cable.

Not surprisingly, the 44 and under crowd do the majority of that digital viewing, but even the 45-59 age group was close to even, with 9 hours of traditional video watching vs. 8.3 hours of online video viewing.

Mobile devices trailed as the screen of preference, in line with PWC’s forecasts that mobile TV is a very small percentage (1%) of the total TV subscription marketplace. The study found that 80% of respondents would not pay a premium for early access to content on their mobile device.

When asked about the ways they obtain movie content, only 12.9% cited purchasing via VOD from their cable company, which put that ninth on the list behind streaming from Hulu for free (30.7%), renting from an actual brick and mortar store (23.3%), or borrowing one from a friend or relative (19.8%). The two top answers were renting an actual copy from a Netflix (42.6%) and renting an online copy (31.7%).

Another One From The Archives.

truecreek — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 21:48:29 +0000

Just strolling down memory lane today. Art Director for the Off the Wall campaign was Bill Hornstein, but can’t remember who the writer was. Very effective work for The Tampa Bay Devil Rays, who at the time we’re in their second year as a franchise.

The baseball organization was in chaos at the time, if I remember correctly. But the work was great.

This and other outdoor executions were all over Tampa and St. Petersburg, including a three-dimensional board right at the stadium. The player from that board is still on the wall on the back of center field at the Trop.

Ford and GM Continue to See Growth in Sales.

truecreek — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 19:35:03 +0000

This is nothing but great news for the U.S. auto industry. Once left for dead, GM and Chrysler are both back, producing wonderful cars and trucks. Ford, the perennial favorite, hasn’t really even skipped a beat.

With technology leading the way, the American auto industry stands to gain a tremendous amount of market share in the coming years. I believe that most of that gain will be at the expense of heritage Asian brands.

AP DETROIT— U.S. sales of cars and trucks rose in January, a strong start to what the auto industry hopes will be an extension of last year’s recovery.

In another good sign, sales to individuals were better than sales to fleet buyers such as rental-car companies, which are far less profitable for automakers.

Terror Color Code System. Did It Ever Work?

truecreek — Thu, 27 Jan 2011 00:55:27 +0000

So, did this thing help communicate the level of threat? Wonder how much was spent on it? Well, as of today you can say goodbye.

Wikileaks Cable: American TV Shows ‘Agents of Influence’ in Saudi Arabia.

truecreek — Wed, 08 Dec 2010 21:54:59 +0000

It stands to reason. Might our entertainment industry be offering up the best form of propaganda? Desperate Housewives being used to ‘counter the extremists?’ Amazing. Wonder how Modern Family is going over?

By Devin Dwyer.

American television shows broadcast across the Middle East are proving to be effective “agents of influence” in the ongoing battle over hearts and minds of ordinary Muslims pondering jihad against the United States, a confidential government cable published by Wikileaks reveals.

ABC’s “Desperate Housewives” and “World News with Diane Sawyer,” as well as CBS’ “Late Show with David Letterman” and NBC’s sitcom “Friends,” all carry more sway with viewers than a U.S. taxpayer-funded Middle East broadcast network, an unnamed Saudi source told U.S. embassy officials last year.

“It’s still all about the War of Ideas here, and the American programming on [privately-owned] MBC and Rotana is winning over ordinary Saudis in a way that ‘Al Hurra’ and other U.S. propaganda never could,” the source said.

“Saudis are now very interested in the outside world, and everybody wants to study in the U.S. if they can. They are fascinated by U.S. culture in a way they never were before.”

The Saudi government, which exerts tight control over media in the country, has permitted the satellite broadcasts of American programming uncensored with Arabic subtitles over the privately-owned Middle East Broadcasting group (MBC) as a “means of countering the extremists.”

More about American TV Shows “Agents of Influence” here.

Congratulations to GM. It’s All About the Product.

truecreek — Wed, 17 Nov 2010 16:23:23 +0000

Just yesterday, General Motors announced a 31 percent increase in the amount of shares the company is going to issue in common stock for their IPO tomorrow. It very possibly could become the largest IPO in history. This dramatic increase in issuance is due to the demand generated by the buzz associated with the offering. And it’s a buzz that is not all about just the financials. UPDATE FROM AP: GM’s landmark stock sale is now set to raise up to $22.7 billion, the biggest IPO in history.

I think it says a lot about the product offering. Dropping Saab, Saturn, Pontiac and Hummer has allowed the company to FOCUS their attention on their four remaining core brands: GMC, Chevrolet, Buick and Cadillac. GMC trucks are some of the best in the world, the Chevrolet and Buick brands are on fire and Cadillac is staying strong.

According to the company, year-to-date, combined sales of the Chevrolet Equinox, Chevrolet Camaro, Buick LaCrosse and Regal, GMC Terrain and Cadillac SRX and CTS Wagon are up 323 percent.

And today, even more good things to say. The highly anticipated VOLT has been named Car of the Year by Motor Trend and Automobile. I’m sure Car and Driver won’t be far behind. Without a single car having been delivered. Now that’s confidence in a product. Add to that, GE’s decision to buy 25,000 Volts by 2015 and you have a winner here.

The quality of the GM build today is second to none. Factories are in the best shape ever, utilizing build and production techniques that will assure buyers of a high quality product with minimal defects. Reliability and quality engineering is now a part of the overall message for all the brands. Take a look at some of the new GM advertising. Best in a long time.

So, tomorrow will be a good day, maybe even a great day, for GM. And they deserve it.

(Chevrolet’s SS concept, from GM’s North Hollywood Design Center.)

NBCU: Old Is the New Young.

truecreek — Wed, 03 Nov 2010 19:04:28 +0000

By John Consoli

NBC Universal wants advertisers to know that when it comes to consumer spending based on what they see in television ads, the 55-64 demo is the new 18-34—or it’s just as important as that younger demo.

NBCU on Tuesday (Nov. 2) gave the media a sneak peek at a major presentation it will make on Thursday to its advertisers, their media agencies and Nielsen officials. The presentation will offer data showing that the adult 55-64 demo is as vibrant as younger demos in ad spending, and should be targeted (and not ignored) when television marketing plans are created.

Allen Wurtzel, president of research and media development at NBCU, presented evidence from assorted sources—including one-on-one interviews with adults in the demo—that dispel myths about how adults 55-64 respond to advertising and spend as consumers.

Wurtzel said the demo, which he’s labeled “AlphaBoomers,” “has been largely ignored by advertisers and marketers.”

“Every seven seconds someone turns 55 and once they do, they are eliminated from the highest-end Nielsen demo measurement: 25-54,” Wurtzel said. “It is the fastest-growing demo group in the country and now numbers 35 million people that account for close to $2 trillion in annual spending.”

Wurtzel said NBC research and a survey it commissioned of people in the 55-64 demo counters common perceptions that they make less of an income and spend less on advertised products; are technophobic and brand loyal, and therefore, cannot be motivated to switch brands.

“Our goal is to raise a discussion among CMOs at the various companies and to get Nielsen to begin offering ratings data for the 55-64 demo,” Wurtzel said. “They have the data. It’s just a matter of creating the software and adding staff to distribute it.”

Other findings include:

* AphaBoomers spend more on home improvement products, home furnishing, large appliances, beauty and cosmetics and casual dining than adults 18-49.

* A similar percentage of AlphaBoomers have high-definition TVs, use DVRs and broadband as adults 18-34

* 70 percent of AlphaBoomers buy at least one product a month online

* 59 percent of AlphaBoomers send text messages via their cell phones

“This is not something that is just going to affect NBCU,” Wurtzel said. “Down the road as more people leave the 25-54 demo, it will affect every network.”

More here.