NBC and YouTube in Promo, Advertising Partnership

After a rough introduction, NBC and YouTube are partnering to make clips from NBC shows available on the video social-networking site starting this week - the first such deal between a broadcaster and viral-video site - reports the Hollywood Reporter (via Micro Persuasion and MarketingVox). In February, the two tussled over a “Saturday Night Live” skit that was watched millions of times on YouTube, as well as hundreds of other NBC clips illegally uploaded to the site.

Local Online Advertising Not Meeting Its Potential

Local online advertising has yet to deliver on its promise, with online local ad spending projected to constitute only 8 percent of online ad spend this year, according to eMarketer’s new report, “Local Online Advertising: Measuring the Potential.” Local’s anticipated double-digit growth for 2007, when local online ad spend is expected to jump nearly 51 percent and total $2 billion, will still not quite result in local’s taking a 10 percent share of total online ad spend, estimated at $20.3 billion for 2007, MarketingVOX reports.

P&G Tops GM in Ad Spend, Each Breaks $4B Barrier

As a result of its acquisition of Gillette, Procter & Gamble became the largest advertiser in the U.S. in 2005, spending $4.61 billion compared with the $4.35 billion of second-place General Motors - the first time the $4 billion mark has been surpassed - writes AdAge (via MarketingVOX), citing its “100 Leading National Advertisers” report, which contains info about the country’s 100 largest advertisers’ lead marketing personnel, brands, agencies, agency contacts and advertising spending by media and brand, sales and earnings.

CC Internal Memo:’We Suspended Negotiations with Arbitron’

In an internal memo, Clear Channel CEO John Hogan informed his staff that “We suspended negotiations with Arbitron regarding licensing the PPM,” Billboard Radio Monitor reports.

Later in the memo, Hogan wrote, “We’ve been nothing but supportive of Arbitron’s attempts to field electronic audience measurement.”

Last week, Clear Channel’s senior VP of research, Jess Hanson, sent an email to radio groups that have signed for Arbitron’s portable people meter service kicking them off the RFP evaluation committee that CC established to examine Arbitron PPM alternatives.

In this most recent memo, Hogan went on to say that until the Media Rating Council (MRC) gives accreditation to the PPM in Houston “there’s no point in continuing discussions,” but he also promises to continue to consider Arbitron in the RFP process “despite their setback with the MRC.”

Eye-Tracking Study: Surfers Suffer ‘Banner Blindness’

An eye-tracking study conducted by the Nielsen Norman Group finds that web users, in what is a manifestation of “banner blindness,” tend to ignore bright, flashing banner ads and look at text advertising more than display ads, reports ClickZ (via MarketingVOX). That is, users ignore distractions and focus on page content, but will more likely pay attention to a banner if it incorporates text using color, such as white text on red background, according to NNG Director of Research Kara Pernice Coyne.

MMR Study: Unpaid Subs Not Read or Valued Like Paid Subs

Consumers who receive unpaid subscriptions to upscale city and regional magazines are far less inclined to read them and don’t value them as much as magazines they pay for, according to a study by Monroe Mendelsohn Research commissioned by Emmis Communications, MediaPost reports.

MKTG Services Snags Boys Town Press File

MKTG Services has been selected manager of the Boys Town Press file, a list that contains 23,000 parents, educators and professionals who work with youth and families, DM News reports.

Cellfire Launches Mobile Coupons Nationwide

Cellfire’s free mobile coupon service is now available to cell phone users across the country. The company just concluded a beta launch of the service to California customers using Cingular Wireless.

Cellfire provides coupons from and national retailers within the user’s geographic region. To browse current offers, consumers click on their phone’s Cellfire icon and scroll to the discount of their choice. To redeem the coupon they press “Use Now” and show the coupon to the cashier. Because the application resides on the handset it eliminates the need to connect to the Internet during the transaction.

Golf Tee Mats Used for Advertising

Another alternative to traditional advertising has recently hit golf courses nationwide, as golf practice mats are being used to display the logo of sponsors in golf course practice areas, reports Media Life.

The practice mats are part of a new program called “Virtual Turf.” Made by 2aTEE Golf in New York, the mats are made from artificial turf with the logos embossed on the mats. The program targets high-end golf courses and offers golfers a realistic feel for the golf course when they are warming up.

Fuller to Stay at ‘Star’ Magazine

Star Magazine editor, Bonnier Fuller, recently renewed her contract with American Media, adding three more years to her contract with the tabloid publication. According to Media Life, The New York Times reported that the editor signed a new contract which guaranties bonuses and an annual salary of $2 million. The contract follows a controversial move by Fuller, who abruptly left US Weekly to work at Star Magazine.