One of the worst....
This is one of the worst copy-cat viral campaigns I have ever seen (copying Criss Angel's "Freak Your Mind"). Extremely disappointing for a show like "HEROES".
Friday, February 29, 2008
Jarvik Teaches Us A Lesson
Jarvik Teaches Us A Lesson
Source:
Bob Ehrlich, Chairman
DTC Perspectives, Inc.
It is over and done with. Dr. Jarvik is rowing into the sunset or in his case we're watching the stunt double row away. I think Pfizer got a raw deal in all the criticism as I have written previously. No consumer took Lipitor because of Jarvik's scientific or athletic prowess. He may have stimulated some interest in asking for more information about Lipitor but that is about all. Let's give consumers and doctors more credit for their decision making. No consumer was harmed because Jarvik did not practice medicine.
So what should we all take away from Pfizer's decision to pull the campaign? They had to pull it because consumers and physicians were focused on Jarvik's credentials rather than on the product itself. When a celebrity gets in the way of the message it is time to change. The campaign was good, but there are likely plenty of good back-up campaigns for Lipitor at the agency without the celebrity theme. Lipitor did fine since its DTC launch with several non-celebrity campaigns.
Use of a celebrity can be more of a liability than a help. They are always susceptible to both past and future negative news. They cost a lot and most people have little faith in the word of a celebrity endorser. When celebrities are used more as actors that is fine. Sally Field is great for Boniva because she is not acting as an expert, just an aging actress trying to stay strong. Celebrities who are used for medical expertise will be given the full investigative treatment. Jarvik is a lesson that the numerous critics are watching carefully to embarrass the drug marketers.
Pfizer will be given little credit for pulling the campaign. It will be seen by critics as a capitulation to being discovered as misrepresenting the credentials of their spokesperson. The critics will use the Jarvik situation as a reason why DTC misleads the public. I am sure FDA will be very careful in vetting celebrity endorser credentials in the future. Clearly they are under intense pressure to make DTC harder to do. I would expect some additional risk and side effect requirements to be enacted in the future.
I am quite certain Pfizer never secretly intended anyone to believe Jarvik was a renowned heart surgeon. He is what he says he is and no more. That being said, the lesson here is that if consumers may misinterpret the endorser's credentials, then the burden is on drug companies to prevent it. Following the letter of the law is no longer good enough. As aggressive as marketers and their agencies want to be in their claims and creative power, the negative impact of having them misinterpreted is high. The Jarvik case should be studied by all DTC marketers for the lessons and risks of celebrity endorsers.
Novartis Web, TV campaign promotes breast cancer awareness in Latin America
Novartis Web, TV campaign promotes breast cancer awareness in Latin America
Novartis is teaming with Sony Pictures Television International (SPTI) for a multiplatform breast cancer prevention and early detection campaign in support of Latin-American women. The campaign, called "SER," which means "to be" in Spanish, will build an online community where women can access the resources they need to understand, detect, and treat breast cancer. The campaign will be promoted via the cable television channels for which SPTI handles the advertising sales in Latin America. There will also be community-based programming. Novartis and SPTI are currently recruiting partners to provide a range of needed expertise to include scientific and medical knowledge, financial advice, patient education, treatment options, fashion tips, and health and diet plans. The campaign combines Novartis' resources and expertise in oncology with SPTI's media reach to assist Latin-American women in their fight against breast cancer.
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Yahoo Launches Digg-Like Social News Features
Yahoo Launches Digg-Like Social News Features
The New York Times
Yahoo is taking direct aim at social-news aggregators like Digg and Reddit with a new tool called Yahoo Buzz that calls up the most popular articles voted on by the Web site's massive user base. As part of the Buzz launch, Yahoo is also introducing previews of content on other sites. For example, a search for a LinkedIn user could return links to that person's connections or their full profile; a search for a restaurant could include links to a reservation page or a review. The moves are in line with Yahoo CEO Jerry Yang's wish to open the Web giant's services to third-party publishers.
Buzz draws heavily from the "open" theme. Instead of turning Buzz into a destination site (like Digg or Reddit), Yahoo plans to include the actual content that surfaces on Buzz in its front page. Items that are most searched for and most voted on will place higher. Yahoo's editors will then choose which Buzz stories to include on its homepage, which receives 90 million U.S. visitors per month.
Testing has shown that Yahoo links are a boon to third-party publishers. Traffic to Esquire magazine doubled in the month that Yahoo linked to the magazine's content from its homepage. Participating publishers in Buzz include, The New York Times, USA Today, the Washington Post and People and dozens of blogs and online sites. Yahoo's plan is to open Buzz to every site on the Web.
Buzz draws heavily from the "open" theme. Instead of turning Buzz into a destination site (like Digg or Reddit), Yahoo plans to include the actual content that surfaces on Buzz in its front page. Items that are most searched for and most voted on will place higher. Yahoo's editors will then choose which Buzz stories to include on its homepage, which receives 90 million U.S. visitors per month.
Testing has shown that Yahoo links are a boon to third-party publishers. Traffic to Esquire magazine doubled in the month that Yahoo linked to the magazine's content from its homepage. Participating publishers in Buzz include, The New York Times, USA Today, the Washington Post and People and dozens of blogs and online sites. Yahoo's plan is to open Buzz to every site on the Web.
Avenue A / Razorfish Attributes $735 Million of Online Spend to Vertical Properties and Search Engines
Avenue A / Razorfish Attributes $735 Million of Online Spend to Vertical Properties and Search Engines
Business Wire via NewsEdge Corporation
Business Editors
SEATTLE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--February 24, 2008--In its fourth annual digital outlook guide for marketers and advertisers, Avenue A | Razorfish, one of the world’ s largest interactive agencies and buyers of digital online media, reports that domestic advertising media billings for the agency grew to $735 million on more than 1,800 web sites in 2007, up 36 percent from 2006. Publisher web site spending slipped to 19 percent of billings, down from 24 percent in 2006. Register to receive the 2008 Digital Outlook Report and visit Jeff Lanctot’ s blog to stay informed about media trends throughout the year.
“Last year was an indicator that marketers must wisely invest their digital dollars across a broader range of web sites to keep up with the everywhere customer,” said Jeff Lanctot, editor of the report and senior vice president of Global Media at Avenue A | Razorfish. “Customers don’ t live on a handful of web sites or portals anymore. Advertisers still value large sites, but they realize the web presents a seemingly endless number of advertising options.”
The broad range of vertical web sites that saw increased traffic, included entertainment sites and those focused on video sharing, gaming, music and social networks. Growth on search engines was attributed to improved flexibility for testing advertising relevance, targeting and campaign management. The agency also continued to consolidate its spending in the ad network category with the five largest online ad networks, as billings increased to 71 percent in 2007, up from 63 percent in 2006.
The comprehensive, eight-chapter report provides commentary, predictions, research and recommendations from agency thought leaders and discipline leads across the world to help marketers improve the effectiveness of online campaigns. Specific insights from the report include:
Social Influence Marketing –examines how communities will change the way marketers do business in 2008 and whether consumers will be compensated for their social prowess.
Targeting & Measurement –explores effective ways to move beyond behavioral targeting tools that work in silos.
Search Gets Strategic –provides recommendations for how to implement multi-media search across video and rich media.
Technology Changes the World – shares inspiring examples of how marketers are using technology to become more socially responsible and accountable.
New additions to the report this year include conversations from the “Connected Class,” a sampling of 18-34-year-olds who share anecdotes of how they engage in digital media. We believe this demographic will help predict future digital behavior. The agency also shares suggestions from the leading search providers about how marketers can be successful at Local Search and engaged Forrester Research Inc., to include an excerpt from its upcoming book, “Groundswell,” which explores the way social technologies are changing the world.
Other notable highlights include the “publisher of the year” distinctions, media trends to watch, emerging opportunities in mobile, video and rich media and commentary from Clark Kokich, CEO, Avenue A | Razorfish about what the marketer of the future will look like.
Lanctot concluded, “Consumers aren’ t for sale. As digital media continues splintering in thousands of directions, the marketer who follows their consumer and engages with them in thoughtful, personal and meaningful ways will win.”
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
J&J Launches Animated Shorts to Reach Gen Y Mommies
J&J Launches Animated Shorts to Reach Gen Y Mommies
Johnson & Johnson has launched an online video campaign for its baby lotion. The goal is to reach young, web-savvy moms.
The campaign emphasizes the power of a mom's touch to build a bond with her child.
J&J believes the online shorts will touch Gen Y moms in particular, because they "grew up" on the web.
The company worked with animation studio Animation Collective and actress Mariska Hargitay from NBC's Law & Order: SVU to create the shorts.
They began running on http://www.touchingbond.com last Wednesday and are promoted via video banner ads on BabyCenter, Discovery Health, TLC, Meredith publications websites, and emails sent to BabyCenter and Baby.com customer lists.
A Spanish version is also promoted on babycenter/espanol and Univision.com.
Ad Infuse Introduces First Video Advertising Solution for the iPhone
Ad Infuse Introduces First Video Advertising Solution for the iPhone
Business Wire via NewsEdge Corporation :
Advertising Writers/Business Editors/Technology Writers
SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--February 6, 2008--Ad Infuse, a leader in delivering highly personalized mobile advertising experiences, today announced a new mobile advertising unit designed specifically for the Apple iPhone. The new solution enables brands to uniquely reach the millions of iPhone subscribers in the US and Europe, bringing together video and browsing formats for the first time. The company introduced the new product to meet the growing demand from top brands and premium publishers for a more visual, rich multi-media experience that can leverage the unique mobile web capabilities of the iPhone.
The new ad unit is already in production with several early advertiser and publisher partners, with global availability later this month. Ad Infuse’ s platform will now automatically recognize the iPhone, and deliver advertisements optimized specifically for that device. The multi-format capability enables advertisers to gain broader reach with their target audience, delivering presence in more areas where subscribers are spending time on the mobile device. Publishers are now able to open up more of their content for more compelling multi-format campaigns, ultimately gaining from higher revenue opportunities.
“The iPhone has undeniably set new benchmarks in providing a rich and dynamic user experience for the mobile Web,” said Liz Ross, President of Tribal DDB West, one of the world’ s top digital marketing agencies. “Being able to leverage its full potential, especially in video, is an exciting development for creating innovative and compelling ways to interact with consumers.”
Ad Infuse offers full flexibility through a choice of video, browsing, or integrated multi-format campaigns. Utilizing progressive downloading for video, the solution delivers the same user experience as streaming but with a much higher image quality, ensuring the best presentation of an advertiser’ s creative assets. Video ads and content are able to stretch and rotate with the phone without any interruption, delivering a seamless user experience. In addition, dynamic ad insertion allows real-time targeting, and advertisers can rotate multiple ads throughout a campaign to keep it fresh and interesting for consumers.
“Ad Infuse continues to spearhead innovation in rich media and multi-format advertising solutions,” said Brian Cowley, CEO of Ad Infuse. “As top publishers create content optimized for the iPhone and premium brands look to interact with consumers in exciting new ways, our new solution delivers exactly the kind of user experience and targeting capabilities the market is seeking.”
Since its debut in June 2007, almost four million iPhone’ s have been sold worldwide according to Apple. And the user experience is drawing more users to the mobile web. In a recent study by M:Metrics, almost 90 percent of iPhone owners try to access the mobile web, compared to 10 percent of regular cell-phone users.
About Ad Infuse
Ad Infuse is leading the industry in personalized mobile advertising solutions. With a technology platform that delivers relevant advertising experiences targeted to each mobile subscriber, Ad Infuse is replacing mass communications with a direct, brand-to-consumer relationship. Uniting carriers, brands, content providers and consumers, Ad Infuse is creating a marketplace for mainstream mobile media consumption. For carriers, Ad Infuse offers an ad-serving technology solution architected to protect consumer privacy and to deliver a blend of ad-supported and subscription-based premium content. For brands, Ad Infuse redefines advertising with truly dynamic ad insertion, allowing marketers to personalize their message and build a direct, high-impact relationship with the consumer. For content providers, Ad Infuse offers a path to mobile syndication supported by a balanced combination of subscription and ad-supported revenue. For consumers, Ad Infuse reveals all the possibilities that the mobile Web has to offer -- from intriguing user-generated content and games, to the latest in news stories and pop culture videos.
For more information about Ad Infuse, please visit www.adinfuse.com or call 415.315.3400.
MindBranch: "Asian Americans Online" by eMarketer February 2008
MindBranch: "Asian Americans Online" by eMarketer February 2008
M2 PressWIRE via NewsEdge Corporation :
RDATE:12022008
Asian Americans are a prime target for online marketers. As a group, they are Internet savvy and have high levels of disposable income. In 2007, there were 11 million Asian Americans online, and eMarketer projects that number will grow to nearly 14 million by 2011.
The Asian Americans Online report examines the behavior patterns of this educated, affluent and rapidly growing segment of Internet users.
US advertisers have long thought of the Asian-American market as complex and difficult to reach. Asian Americans are from a wide range of original nationalities, including Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Indian and Filipino, and they are further divided subcultures and language.
Some marketers take a fragmented approach and target each subculture separately. Others view Asian Americans as a single entity that will respond to a one-size-fits-all message.
But which strategy works best online?
Key questions the 'Asian Americans Online' report answers:
How many Asian Americans are online?
What trends affect Asian-American media consumption?
What do Asian Americans do online? Are Asian Americans online buyers, or just shoppers?
What are Asian-American attitudes toward advertising? And many others
eMarketer Reports-On Target and Up to Date
The Asian Americans Online report aggregates the latest data from marketing and communications researchers with eMarketer analysis to provide the information you need to make smart, accurate business decisions.
For full report details visit: http://www.mindbranch.com/products/R203-547.html
eMedTV Offers Nearly 3,000 Embeddable Health Education Videos for Free
eMedTV Offers Nearly 3,000 Embeddable Health Education Videos for Free
Market Wire via NewsEdge Corporation :
SEATTLE, WA, February 13 / MARKET WIRE/ --
eMedTV (www.emedtv.com), a health information Web site that strives to empower its users with reliable and easy-to-understand medical information, today announced that nearly 3,000 of its health education videos can now be embedded on anyone's Web site -- free of charge.
Since eMedTV launched the Web's largest library of original health education videos last year, its award-winning content has received positive response from patients and healthcare providers alike. In fact, after seeing the breadth and depth of eMedTV's professional video library, some health sites have even asked if they could license the videos.
However, Dr. Art Schoenstadt, MD, founder and president of eMedTV, wasn't interested in selling his site's content, which has taken years to create.
"While practicing medicine, I personally saw how difficult it was for patients to make informed healthcare decisions," Schoenstadt said. "The lack of health literacy in this country is a serious problem, and that's why I created eMedTV -- to ensure that health information is both easy to understand and more accessible to the public. Plus, by offering this new embeddable feature for free, even more patients can now find the health information they truly need."
Only about 36 percent of America's adults have a basic or below basic health literacy, according to the U.S. Department of Education's National Assessment of Adult Literacy from 2003. Plus, the expense associated with low health literacy to the U.S. economy is staggering: $106 billion to $238 billion annually, according to a 2007 analysis.
"At eMedTV, we have a solution that tackles health illiteracy head on," Schoenstadt said. "In fact, studies show that interactive video-based technology improves both patient understanding and adherence."
Any Web site can now post eMedTV's videos for free -- no licensing fees are required. Similar to the embeddable feature provided by YouTube.com, users can simply find a video on eMedTV and copy the provided code for use on their own Web site. The tool is especially helpful for physicians and other healthcare providers, who can embed the videos on their own Web sites as future reference for their patients.
eMedTV's vast library of multimedia content has been used by the National Institutes of Health, as well as top medical centers within the United States and overseas. In addition, each of eMedTV's original videos and articles are produced by health, fitness and medical experts.
"Join us by making high-quality, video-based healthcare information available to as many people worldwide as possible," Schoenstadt said. "We all benefit from teaching patients how they can improve their health -- and their lives."
About eMedTV:
eMedTV is the only health information Web site that combines straight talk from medical experts with the Web's largest library of original health education videos.
eMedTV provides consumers with thousands of short videos and articles designed to quickly and easily educate them about a wide variety of diseases, treatments and procedures. The site's award-winning original content has been used by the National Institutes of Health and top medical centers both within the United States and overseas.
eMedTV is health information brought to life, online at: www.emedtv.com.
Friday, February 08, 2008
Report shows that social media may be recession-proof
Report shows that social media may be recession-proof
Despite the economic downturn, marketers will likely continue to invest in social media, according to a Forrester Research study. A combination of the cost effectiveness of many social media applications along with their ability to produce measurable results, could allow social media to not only survive but thrive in a possible recession, the report says. Social marketing may also be more resilient than traditional media. For example, Procter & Gamble's online community for adolescent girls, BeingGirl.com, is four times as effective as a similarly priced marketing program in traditional media, reports Adweek.
Tuesday, February 05, 2008
Aricept dominates newly diagnosed Alzheimer's disease patient share
Aricept dominates newly diagnosed Alzheimer's disease patient share
Physician familiarity and a better side effect and safety profile are among the factors leading to high Aricept prescription rates, according to a report from Decision Resources. The Eisai/Pfizer drug has a 42.4% patient share for first-line treatment for newly diagnosed Alzheimer's disease, the report says. That's compared to Novartis's Exelon, which has a 2.8% share, and Shire/Janssen/Ortho-McNeil's Razadyne with a 1.4% share. The patient share data is from a report that's part of Decision Resources' Treatment Algorithms Insight Series. The reports in the series examine different diseases and provide qualitative diagnosis and referral patterns, quantitative treatment algorithms, physician opinions, and other data.
Friday, February 01, 2008
iCrossing Study Finds the Internet is Top Resource for Health Information
iCrossing Study Finds the Internet is Top Resource for Health Information
PR Newswire via NewsEdge Corporation :
(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20051130/NYW105LOGO )
The study finds that the Internet beats doctors as the most popular resource for healthcare information, but healthcare professionals still hold the upper hand in retaining consumers' trust when addressing health-related issues and questions. The study also finds that one-third of online health searchers use social media resources, and that search engines dominate as the starting point for health care searches. The complete report, as well as past HAS studies, can be found at http://www.icrossing.com/research.
KEY FINDINGS * Internet is the most widely used resource for health information: 59% of adults use online resources to obtain health and wellness information. 55% go to their doctors and 29% talk to relatives, friends or co- workers. * Doctors retain patients' trust: Not surprisingly, more than three- quarters of consumers named health care professionals (primary care physicians, specialists, nurses, and pharmacists) as their most trusted health resource. Internet resources, however, are considered by respondents more trustworthy than friends/coworkers, pharmaceutical companies and television. * Social media an important health resource: 34% of health searchers use social media resources to delve into health-related topics, with Wikipedia, and online forums and message boards the most important individual tools. Social media holds a particular appeal for 18-to-34 year old health searchers, while overall, men appear more likely than women to use online social media to research health and wellness issues. * General search engines dominate: Two-thirds of online adults have used general search engines (e.g. Google, Yahoo!, MSN and Ask) to find health-related information, making them the default gateway for this as well as many other topics; usage of health-specific search engines -- such as Healia, Medstory, Fealth, Kosmix and Healthline -- is minimal by comparison.
IMPLICATIONS
The results of "How America Searches: Health & Wellness" suggest that online resources, particularly general search engines, healthcare portals and a range of social media, play a central role is steering consumers towards care and treatment options. To take full advantage of opportunities to connect with in-market health consumers, content must be available in and optimized for a range of formats, and ideally should comprise a truly interactive component that allows consumers to socialize. In order to maximize relevancy, content should be oriented around the health topics that most preoccupy consumers, such as symptoms, treatment, conditions and wellness issues including exercise, nutrition and weight loss.
Methodology
This report presents the findings of a survey conducted among a sample of 1,084 adults comprising 513 men and 571 women 18 years of age and older. The online omnibus study was conducted twice a week among a demographically representative U.S. sample of 1,000 adults 18 years of age and older using the Greenfield Online panel. Interviewing for this survey was completed on December 3-4, 2007. The raw data was weighted by a custom designed program. Each respondent was assigned a single weight derived from the relationship between the actual proportion of the population based on U.S. Census data with its specific combination of age, sex, geographic characteristics and race and the proportion in the sample. Tabular results show both weighted and unweighted bases. Because the sample is based on those who initially self- selected for participation, no estimates of sampling error can be calculated. All sample surveys and polls may be subject to multiple sources of error, including, but not limited to sampling error, coverage error, error associated with non-response, error associated with question wording and response options, and post-survey weighting and adjustments.
EveryDay Health top-gaining Web property of 2007
EveryDay Health top-gaining Web property of 2007
Everyday Health topped comScore's list of the top-gaining Web properties of 2007. According to the data, Everyday Health was the No. 1 gaining property by percentage change in unique visitors, jumping from 2.69 million visitors in December 2006 to 12.07 million in December 2007. The site's 349% gain was driven by its acquisition of Drugs.com and other sites, said comScore. Also showing big growth in 2007 were Glam Media, which grew 213%, and iVillage.com, which gained 27%. Click the link below to read more.
Link to Comscore press release.New microsite educates men about common cause of ED
New microsite educates men about common cause of ED
Cook Medical has launched www.MensHealthPD.com, an educational microsite about Peyronie's disease, a form of erectile dysfunction (ED) that affects more than 1.4 million men in the United States. MensHealthPD.com includes videos of healthcare experts answering the most commonly asked questions about Peyronie's disease, a searchable physician finder tied to the American Urological Association, and a Q&A forum where patients and physicians can discuss Peyronie's treatments and coping with the disease. The site also includes information about the signs, symptoms, and progression of Peyronie's disease and a list of questions to ask a doctor. According to Cook Medical, a recent study showed that more than half of primary care physicians were unsure whether any effective treatments for Peyronie's disease existed. Cook Medical makes a repair graft for Peyronie's disease, according to its Web site.
Boomers feel young but are neglecting age-related health issues
Boomers feel young but are neglecting age-related health issues
Although baby boomers feel younger than their age, they may be overlooking age-related health issues. Energizer Holdings (yes, the battery company) conducted a survey of baby boomers and found that 64% feel younger than their chronological age, and 55% feel healthier than their parents did when they were the same age. Although 57% reported that they eat healthy, and 41% regularly exercise, 46% have never had their hearing checked despite the fact that 33.3% said they think that they might have hearing loss. Also, the National Center for Health Statistics shows that half of Americans aged 55–64 have high blood pressure, and two out of five are obese.
WonderHowTo.com Launches Web's Biggest How-To Video Site...
WonderHowTo.com Launches Web's Biggest How-To Video Site
Business Wire via NewsEdge Corporation :
Business Editors/Internet Writers
SANTA MONICA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--January 30, 2008--www.WonderHowTo.com, the video guide for a curious world, has unveiled the world’ s biggest free how-to video index, cataloging and linking to more than 90,000 curated video clips at launch. The company has also closed a Series “A” investment led by General Catalyst Partners and ad sales will be powered by Scripps Networks. The announcements were made today by Stephen Chao, co-founder and CEO, WonderHowTo. Financial terms of the investment were not disclosed.
“At WonderHowTo.com, our passion is to search, curate and organize the fascinating but fragmented category of free and informative video that has recently become widely available on the web,” said Chao. “There is a quiet yet thrilling revolution happening in the how-to video world. Historically, people have spent around a billion dollars a year in the U.S. buying instructional videos about fitness, self-help, dancing, languages, auto repair, gardening and all kinds of other things. But the market forces of the internet are swiftly liberating the realm of video just as they liberated text a few years ago. As our community grows, WonderHowTo will become the free video guide for a curious world.”
WonderHowTo.com’ s team of pre-launch video curators has amassed an impressive collection of free, high-quality how-to video features from the farthest reaches of the Internet, classifying and ranking more than 90,000 videos in more than 400 categories over the last few months. With today’ s public launch, WonderHowTo.com will also begin accepting community submissions of new videos and soliciting user ratings of videos featured on the site.
During his successful career as a television executive, Chao left an imprint on the primetime landscape that persists today. As a young programmer at Fox, he commissioned Cops, created America’ s Most Wanted, and earned a reputation for creating commercial success by pushing boundaries and questioning conventional wisdom. Chao rose to president of Fox Television, and later held the same position at USA Cable where he launched Monk.
“WonderHowTo’ s content and community-centric approach to the web how-to video sector makes it a very attractive investment for us,” said George Bell, special venture partner, General Catalyst Partners. “Add to that the opportunity to work with Stephen, one of the great explorers in the media business, and it’ s easy to see why we became enamored with this company.”
WonderHowTo.com aggregates community-submitted links and reviews of how-to video from across the Internet. From mainstream queries such as how to tie a tie, to the eye-opening presentation of how to perform a Balducci levitation, to the long-tail eccentricity of how to train your cat to use the toilet, WonderHowTo embraces the ever expanding visual imagination of the collective web to provide the most comprehensive and revelatory results in the instructional video space.
Ad sales for the site are managed by Scripps Networks. Because videos on WonderHowTo are organized into extremely targeted categories, the site offers outstanding opportunities for contextually relevant advertising placements. On the content side, Scripps Networks has provided WonderHowTo with thousands of video assets from its library.
"Scripps Networks is already a leading web content publisher in this space and WonderHowTo dovetails perfectly with our distribution strategy of continuing to make our videos even more widely and easily accessible to do-it-yourself enthusiasts," said Doug Hurst, senior vice president and general manager of non-linear distribution for Scripps Networks. "We felt right away that WonderHowTo’ s vision of community-powered universal search for online instructional video would be a good fit for us and have been working together since April 2007 to index thousands of the best video clips from our networks - HGTV, Food Network, DIY Network and Fine Living - at WonderHowTo."
"With more than 400 categories of how-to video and continually expanding coverage of the long-tail curiosities of the web, WonderHowTo offers marketers a tremendously flexible ad targeting framework," said Jeff Meyer, senior vice president of interactive ad sales for Scripps Networks. "We are excited to add this site to the multi-dimensional solutions that the Scripps Networks Ad Sales team presents to advertisers. Marketers realize that those actively seeking how-to content are also actively seeking purchasing advice and information."
Kip Kay, the all-time top video publisher and earner on short-form online video site Metacafe said, “It was easy to submit my library of instructional videos to WonderHowTo, and the site does a great job of organizing and spotlighting my material. Every video view on WonderHowTo registers directly on my Metacafe channel, which results in more money in my pocket. I am excited to see such an outstanding community-powered search tool begin to centralize the how-to video search experience.”
By pointing to how-to video around the web, rather than hosting the videos, the ad-supported site sidesteps the cost structure issues that face many other online video communities. In addition, the company’ s approach enhances the monetization strategies deployed by pioneering content owners by increasing traffic and video views for publishers. WonderHowTo’ s dynamic user feedback and continuous web spidering keep the site’ s video index current by organizing new material and suspending any expired, broken, or otherwise misleading links.
In head-to-head tests, WonderHowTo’ s human-powered indexing and ranking mechanism consistently provides how-to video search results of significantly better quality and accuracy than existing general purpose web search engines.
Analysis of available data suggests that U.S. special interest instructional videos approach $1 billion in retail and direct-to-consumer sales annually. Additionally, the tremendous growth of special interest cable networks and the larger do-it-yourself movement suggest a very robust marketplace for informational content. Meanwhile, in the web search arena, Hitwise.com, the online competitive intelligence service, reported recently that “how-to” queries on the web have risen nearly 20% since the start of 2007, confirming that the consumer appetite for how-to knowledge continues to spill over from traditional media to the web.
About WonderHowTo.com
WonderHowTo.com is the video guide for a curious world. The privately-held company was founded in 2007 by Stephen Chao and Mike Goedecke, and is backed by Cambridge, MA-based General Catalyst Partners. Chao is a media industry veteran, and Goedecke is the founder of Belief, an award-winning broadcast design firm. WonderHowTo.com is headquartered in Santa Monica, CA. For more information, visit www.wonderhowto.com.
About General Catalyst Partners
General Catalyst Partners is a venture capital firm that invests in exceptional entrepreneurs who are building the technology-based companies that will lead innovation and transform industries. Founded in 2000, General Catalyst Partners leverages its principals' extensive operational, business development and technological expertise to provide portfolio companies with a catalyst for success through business-building and partnership development assistance. General Catalyst has approximately $1 billion under management and is headquartered in Cambridge, MA. For more information, visit www.generalcatalyst.com.
REMICADE EXAMPLE:
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Manhattan Research service goes beyond consumer online numbers
Manhattan Research service goes beyond consumer online numbers
Analysis of online pharma resources, company and product Web sites, search engine use, and social networking are some of the topics covered in Manhattan Research's latest research and advisory service, ePharma Consumer. The online study of U.S. consumers, available now for subscribing clients, includes more than five years worth of trended data and insight from Manhattan Research. Other topics include DTC advertising, utilization and trust of online prescription information, blogs, podcasts, and wikis. "The study ePharma Consumer was built as a result of numerous conversations with our largest clients who wanted to go above and beyond typical server and media usage data," said Mark Bard, president of Manhattan Research. Rather than asking whether sites are being used, Bard said pharma companies now want to know what kinds of consumers are using their sites, how they use them, and what they do when they leave.
Learn more about ePharma Consumer by clicking below:
http://www.manhattanresearch.com/products/Strategic_Advisory/ePC/
Interactive site gives users personalized info about their bone health
Interactive site gives users personalized info about their bone health
A new interactive Web tool aims to help people assess their bone health and learn about osteoporosis. The tool, Check Up On Your Bones, is from the National Institutes of Health Osteoporosis and Related Bone Diseases ~ National Resource Center.
By completing a five-minute personal profile, users can receive individualized information about their risk factors for osteoporosis and information about how to protect their bones. The tool also generates personalized steps people can take to keep their bones healthy and prevent osteoporosis, a summary sheet to share with the doctor, and a list of tailored Web resources.
The personal profile collects information about gender and age; family history of osteoporosis and broken bones; lifestyle habits, including diet and exercise; and other medical conditions and medications. Click below to see the tool:
Friday, January 25, 2008
23andMe(TM) Launches Web-Based Personal Genome Service(TM) Outside U.S., Empowering Individuals to Access and Understand Their Own Genetic Information
Business Wire via NewsEdge Corporation :
Business Editors/Science Writers
MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--January 22, 2008--23andMe, Inc., a privately-held personal genetics company, announced today that it has begun making its services available to consumers in Canada and 49 European countries. The company, which officially launched in the U.S. on November 16, 2007, helps individuals understand their own genetic information through the latest advances in DNA analysis technologies and web-based interactive tools.
23andMe was recently selected as a 2008 Technology Pioneer by the World Economic Forum and will be participating in the 2008 World Economic Forum Annual Meeting from January 23-28, 2008 in Davos, Switzerland. Representatives from the company will be available to press and forum attendees at the 23andMe Booth on Wednesday, January 23 rd to Saturday, January 26 th 2008 from 10.00am – 2.00pm and 5.00pm – 11.00pm CET daily. The 23andMe Booth will be located on the first floor of the Belvedere Hotel (Promenade 89/7270 Davos-Platz) in Davos.
The 23andMeTM service enables its customers to:
Search and explore genes contributing to their personal characteristics, such as lactose intolerance, athletic ability, and food preferences;
Learn how the latest research studies relate to their genomes;
Compare their profiles to family and friends who are also 23andMe participants and trace the inheritance of genes associated with specific traits;
Discover genetic roots and find out where and how their ancestors lived and learn about the prehistoric events they experienced, and;
Actively participate in a new research approach and contribute to the advancement of the field of genetics.
Linda Avey, co-founder of 23andMe, said, "We are receiving overwhelming interest in our services outside the U.S. and are pleased to now offer them in Canada and Europe. Our web-based service model has made the European and Canadian offering possible, and we hope to continue to expand our global footprint to additional locations in the future. Ms. Avey continued, "We believe 2008 will be a year in which our understanding of the human genome will increase significantly through international research efforts, and we are eager to continue connecting individuals to this growing knowledge base of genetic information."
“23andMe came together because we believe in empowering individuals by helping them understand their genetic make-up and actively engaging them in the development of new ways to accelerate research,” said Anne Wojcicki, co-founder of 23andMe. “We enter the European and Canadian markets with great momentum and are excited to continue toward our goal of offering our services to the global community.”
How 23andMe’ s services work:
23andMe sends individuals a saliva kit containing a bar-coded tube for saliva collection. Customers then use the enclosed mailing materials to send their samples to 23andMe’ s contracted laboratory. The DNA is then extracted and exposed to a microchip-like device made by Illumina, Inc., a leading developer of genetic analysis tools (Nasdaq: ILMN), that reads more than half a million points in the individual's genome, including a proprietary set of over 30,000 information-rich markers, chosen by 23andMe scientists, to produce a detailed genetic profile.
Once the analysis has been completed, individuals are able to use their own private login to access their data via 23andMe’ s secure website. Using 23andMe’ s web-based tools, individuals can explore their ancestry, see what genetic research means for them and compare themselves to friends and family members.
Participants become part of a community that works together to advance the overall understanding of the human genome.
Joining the 23andMe Community
To learn more and embark on your own personal genetic journey, please visit: www.23andMe.com.
23andMe is now available to consumers in the following locations: Albania, Andorra, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Malta, Moldova, Monaco, Montenegro, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, San Marino, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, the United Kingdom, the United States and Vatican City State.
About 23andMe
23andMe, Inc. is a privately-held personal genetics company dedicated to helping individuals understand their own genetic information through DNA analysis technologies and web-based interactive tools. The company's Personal Genome Service enables individuals to gain deeper insights into their ancestry and inherited traits. 23andMe, Inc., was founded by Linda Avey and Anne Wojcicki in 2006, and the company is advised by a group of renowned experts in the fields of human genetics, bioinformatics and computer science. Its Series A investors include Genentech, Inc., Google Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOG) and New Enterprise Associates. More information is available at www.23andMe.com.
23andMe and Personal Genome Service are trademarks of 23andMe, Inc. All other marks belong to their respective owners.
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Women More Likely to Turn to Web than Friends or Family for Health Info (The Contraception Marketplace)
Women More Likely to Turn to Web than Friends or Family for Health Info
| source: COMSCORE For health information, women turn to the internet more than to friends, family or significant others - and second only to consulting physicians - according to comScore; moreover, 85 percent of online women have researched women's health issues, including 63 percent who've researched birth-control options, reports MarketingCharts. The comScore Pharmaceutical Solutions study was designed to help explain how women choose their birth control method, how they view alternative methods and ultimately whether their online activity influences their offline decisions. "Traditionally, women have relied on friends, family or a significant other for health-related information, including sexual health and contraception," said Carolina Petrini, comScore senior vice-president. "But today, with the influx of newer-generation birth control methods and nontraditional pill regimens, more and more women are turning to the internet to sort through the clutter and organize their findings." User-Generated Content an Opportunity The comScore also study evaluated the use and appeal of user-generated content (UGC) - such as blogs, forums, or chatrooms - among women seeking birth-control information online: One-third of respondents said they have consulted birth control-related UGC, with more than 40 percent being open to the idea. Choosing Birth Control - Drivers and Deterrents With regard to factors influencing women's birth control choice, survey respondents said effectiveness was the most valued attribute. However, only 9 percent said they have objected to various forms of birth control because they believe them to be ineffective. The two main reasons that respondents would not consider a specific form of birth control are perceived side effects (45 percent) and inconvenience (42 percent): The study findings also showed that perceptions about side effects and inconvenience varied across the many forms of birth control:
"The findings suggest that because women generally believe birth control to be effective across forms, their decision-making process is largely based on their perceptions about side effects or inconvenience - which can differ from form to form," said Petrini. "It is important for healthcare professionals and manufacturers of birth control products to understand these differing perceptions and behaviors so they can more effectively communicate with consumers and dispel misconceptions about a specific form of birth control." About the study: For "The Contraception Marketplace" whitepaper, comScore surveyed 921 women between the ages of 18 and 44 who had been sexually active in the previous six months and had used a form of prescription or over-the-counter birth control. |
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