Tremor to Launch Online Video Network

Ad network Tremor Network, which runs campaigns on some 300 sites, will launch a video online advertising network after its acquisition of in-stream video ad technology provider Dynadco, reports AdWeek (via MarketingVOX). The new network will offer online publishers video serving, content and ad sales, according to Tremor CEO Jason Glickman; publishers using Dynadco’s Ad-inStream technology can choose to sell their own ads or let Tremor sell on their behalf.

NBC’s ‘Sleuth’ Gets Distribution Boost

NBC Universal has reached agreements with satellite operators DirecTV and Dish that will boost availability of NBC Universal’s new mystery channel, Sleuth, from the 5 million Time Warner Cable homes where it launched Jan. 1 to 22 million homes by the summer. Sleuth runs classic NBC hits such as Knight Rider and The A-Team. Miami Vice, could receive increased interest when a movie comes out later this year.

ABC Gives ‘Emily’s Reasons’ Night Off

ABC is pulling tonight’s episode of Emily’s Reasons Why Not, MediaPost reports.
The mid-season comedy starring Heather Graham flopped in its Jan. 9 premiere, finishing fourth in its 9 P.M. time slot in adults 18-49. Also off the schedule Monday is lead-out “Jake in Progress,” another fourth-place finisher. ABC may be looking to insulate the shows from heavy competition Monday in the form of the “Golden Globes” on NBC and the return of “24″ on Fox.

DMA Sets New Software Download Guideline

The Direct Marketing Association announced Friday that it will begin requiring its member organizations to adhere to new guidelines for how marketers should treat software that may be downloaded onto a consumer’s personal computer or similar device (such as PDAs or MP3 players). The new guideline becomes effective immediately as part of DMA’s Guidelines for Ethical Business practice.

WWF Launches Polar Bear DM Campaign

The World Wildlife Fund is launching a two-pronged direct mail campaign to raise funds for its Arctic meltdown appeal, Brand Republic reports. One mailer focuses on the plight of the polar bear, asking, “If the polar bear’s habitat disappears, what happens to them?”

The other offers detailed information on the environmental issues of the area, and how those issues affect the polar bear.

‘New World of Direct Marketing’ Features Hacker Group’s David Carpenter

To help direct marketing professionals understand how to integrate direct mail, email, internet, and telemarketing tactics, the Business Marketing Association is presenting an event, The New World of Direct Marketing, with The Hacker Group’s direct marketing strategist David Carpenter as the event speaker. The Jan. 19 event will include topics such as do’s and don’ts of business-to-business telemarketing, and when to avoid the web at all costs.

HP Gives Goodby Silverstein the Nod

Goodby, Silverstein & Partners has won a creative project from Hewlett-Packard’s Personal Systems Group, but the size and scope of the assignment is unclear, writes Adweek. Publicis Groupe’s Publicis and Hal Riney previously handled the business, and an HP company rep said Hal Riney will continue to work with that group of HP, but wouldn’t say more.

Arbitron Signs Up Three More Agencies for PPM

In addition to The Interpublic Group, which last week announced its agreement to use Arbitron’s PPM service when it becomes available, WPP Group, Publicis Groupe, and Aegis Group have also signed agreements with Arbitron, Billboard Radio Monitor reports.

eMarketer: Big Opportunities for CPGs in Relationship Marketing

Consumer packaged-goods companies are increasing internet-based initiatives, according to an eMarketer report, which forecasts that packaged-goods firms will spend $470 million for online advertising in 2006 - a 17 percent increase from 2005, and 42 percent more than in 2004 - writes AdWeek (via MarketingVox). But eMarketer sees bigger opportunities for CPG companies in relationship marketing, and they are likely to make additional use of email, online coupons, sweepstakes and branded entertainment, often in the hopes of obtaining consumer data.

Million Dollar Homepage Reaches Goal, Suffers DDoS Attack

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The final 1,000 pixels of the Million Dollar Homepage sold for $38,100 in an eBay auction that closed Wednesday (winner: Elijah Kliger of Brooklyn, NY, director of business development at Netnutri.com, for the new website www.MillionDollarWeightloss.com.), netting 21-year-old UK college student Tew $1,037,100 in total ad sales, writes Rich Miller at Netcraft (via Olivier Travers and MarketingVox). As the news got out, the site apparently began experiencing outages, and by late yesterday (Thursday) a distributed denial of service attack had brought the site down.