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Several ad agencies are in discussions with TV networks about exclusive sponsorship deals that will cut back the number of ads in a particular sponsored program, Mediaweek reports.
Philips Electronics recently struck such a deal with CBS’ 60 Minutes, in which the client was the only one to run ads; the amount of ad time was reduced by about half. The client paid a higher rate-as part of a multiprogram ad package-and CBS received what it normally gets for a full spot load in the broadcast.
The news comes as the amount of clutter, including network and local commercials and plugs for other shows, has steadily increased on broadcast and cable, to the point where an “hour-long” drama is about 40 minutes of original programming. Average non-program minutes in an hour of prime-time have risen from broadcast’s 9:53 and cable’s 12:46 in 1996, to 15:48 non-program minutes for broadcast and 14:55 for cable in 2004.
Some agency execs wonder whether higher-priced, reduced-inventory deals make sense in the long term. “I don’t see a lot of clients going that route,” said Bill McOwen, executive vp of national broadcast at MPG. Given the higher ad rates involved, he said, “It’s not an efficient way to spend money.”
Arbitron has reached a settlement with the State of New York, in a move that will resolve all claims against Arbitron that were alleged in the lawsuit filed against the company by the NY Attorney General relating to the marketing…
Just weeks after shuttering the print edition of PC Magazine and moving it entirely online, Ziff Davis has announced that it is closing the books on Electronic Gaming Magazine, due to the sale of its collection of video game sites,…
Angered by a London bus advertisement that sent her to a website where she was told that she was going to hell, to spend all eternity in torment, comedy writer Ariane Sherine decided to launch a counter-campaign.
She began raising…
Time Warner said today that the economy has been more challenging in terms of its advertising business than it had expected, particularly at AOL and the Time Inc. publishing units.
The company said it will post a net operating loss…
On its Google Checkout page, Google claims a “Checkout” icon can increase ad click-through by 10%. (At least one client, Fred Lerner of e-commerce network Ritz Interactive, claims the Checkout icon increased clickthroughs by 23%.)
What’s more, Google Checkout users purportedly…
Even through a recession U.S. consumers redeem just 1%-3% of paper coupons, but up to half of the coupons that Kroger sends to its customers are redeemed - because it uses a data-mining firm it part-owns to target specific customers.
Kroger,…
