Niche Ad Service Simplifies Sports Site Placement

Berridge

A new service launched this month allows media buyers to access pro and college sports team sites with standardized Interactive Advertising Bureau ad formats, ClickZ reports. SportsAdMarketplace sells ad placements on 40 sites, which means that with one insertion order and one invoice, advertisers can get coverage across all sports team sites. The service will offer three placement options targeting the male, 18 to 49 demo: run-of-marketplace (similar to run-of-network), channel-specific (pro or college placements), or site-specific. Rates run at cost-per-thousand (CPM).

Meredith’s 2005 Earnings Jump 23 Percent

Meredith’s earnings soared 23 percent for its fiscal year 2005 to $128 million, Mediaweek reports. Ad revenue across its magazines - including Better Homes and Gardens, Ladies’ Home Journal, Midwest Living, and American Baby - grew eight percent, to $253 million, in the fourth quarter, boosted by an uptick across food, cosmetic and automotive categories. Ad revenue for the year grew four percent, to $737 million.

Pop-Ups Drive Customers Away

Seventy percent of consumers said they were unlikely to purchase from, or even return to, a Web site that has pop-up advertising, registration log-on pages, software installation, or slow-loading pages, E-Commerce Times reports.

A study, commissioned by Hostway, a Chicago-based Web site hosting service, found that approximately 35 percent of visitors to commercial sites said pop-up ads were their number one pet peeve.

More than 24 percent of the respondents said they were extremely or somewhat likely to complain to the company when they were exasperated by a site.

Google to Increase Spanish-Language Ad Inventory

Google has struck a multi-year deal with Univision Online that will provide AdWords advertisers with more Spanish-language ad inventory on both search and content pages of the Univision.com Web site, ClickZ reports.

But advertisers might want to think twice before jumping in. Matt Naeger, VP and general counsel at search engine marketing firm Impaqt, says the company’s clients have had mixed success with Spanish-language search ads.

NCM Relaunches In-Theater Ads

National CineMedia (NCM) will relaunch its 20-minute in-theater entertainment program, called “The 2wenty,” as a customized program for particular audiences, locations, and theaters, MediaPost reports.
NCM is a joint venture of three movie theater owners–Regal Entertainment Group, AMC Entertainment, and Cinemark USA. Next year, NCM will have over 13,000 screens.

Dismal Radio Ad Market Continues

RAB’s latest figures show local and national radio ad revenue flat for the quarter, Mediaweek reports. This follows flat growth for the month of June and a one percent increase in May. Year-to-date, radio revenue is up only one percent.

Many analysts have reduced their year-end forecasts to two percent or lower. Clear Channel’s less is more initiative to reduce spotloads, is also effecting the market.

American Express Sued For Stealing ‘My Life. My Card.’

Stephen Goetz, a credit card marketer in San Francisco, contends in a lawsuit that American Express stole his idea for the tagline of the company’s “My life. My card.” advertising campaign, and a Federal judge in Manhattan has ruled that the case can go to trial, The New York Times reports. Goetz’s lawyers will subpoena evidence from Ogilvy & Mather, American Express’s ad agency.

Virgin to Launch Free NY Daily - Maybe

A new, free daily newspaper, published by Richard Branson’s Virgin Group and focusing on show biz and entertainment, may possibly be hitting New York soon, according to an insider familiar with the company’s plans, Forbes reports. The paper would challenge Variety’s Daily Variety Gotham, the New York version of the “bible” of the entertainment industry, published by Reed Business Information and available at a steep subscription price.

DreamWorks Throws Over BK for McD’s

Coming to a
McDonald’s near you

McDonald’s and DreamWorks Animation SKG have teamed for a two-year partnership launching in 2007 with the studio’s release of Shrek 3. DreamWorks will make two movies a year - one released each summer, another during the holiday seasons - which McDonald’s will co-promote, Adweek reports. DreamWorks has worked with Burger King on the Shrek franchise in the past, and will continue to work with that company on other projects in development, but the partnership will end upon the release of Shrek 3.

Letter to Congress: Kids/Cell Phones Bad Combination

Consumer advocacy group Commercial Alert wants Congress to draft legislation that will handle the privacy, education, and health and safety implications of cell phone use by children, before cell phones are in classrooms, playrooms, and children’s bedrooms, writes AdAge. A letter to Senate and House Commerce Committees claims the telecommunications industry is targeting young children as its next growth market. The letter cited Disney, Wherify and Firefly Mobile, among others, as companies reaching out directly to children, along with toymaker Mattel for its Barbie-brand mobile phone.

Despite Commercial Alerts’ assertion that the wireless industry wants to “use children as conduits to their parents’ wallets,” the actual number of young children who have cell phones is unknown. The NDP Group says 22 percent of 9- to 11-year-olds have cell phones, while NOP Worldwide says 14 percent of 10- and 11-year-olds have phones. Mobile is, however, reported to be the fastest-growing media platform.