'Primetime' U.S. Video Streaming Activity Occurs on Weekdays Between 5-8 P.M.

'Primetime' U.S. Video Streaming Activity Occurs on Weekdays Between 5-8 P.M.

PR Newswire via NewsEdge Corporation :

RESTON, Va., March 21 /PRNewswire/ -- comScore, a leader in digital media measurement, today released the latest data on the U.S. streaming video market from its Video Metrix service. In January, nearly 123 million people in the U.S. (70 percent of the total U.S. Internet audience) viewed 7.2 billion videos online. The average video streamer viewed 59 streams during the course of the month -- nearly two videos per day -- and viewed an average of 151 minutes of video online during the month, with the average viewing time per video registering 2.6 minutes.

    U.S. Streaming Video Market Overview*     January 2007     Source: comScore Video Metrix                                                Total U.S. Internet Audience     Unique Streamers & Downloaders (000)                            122,872     Reach (% of Total U.S. Internet Audience)                          70.0%     Streams& Downloads Initiated (MM)                                 7,239     Streams Per Streamer                                               58.9     Total Minutes (MM)                                               18,559     Minutes Per Streamer                                              151.0     Minutes Per Video Stream                                            2.6     * Note: "Streams" (which includes both streaming and progressive download       video) are attributed to the property that provides the stream,       including embedded videos viewed on another site.  

Google Sites was the top streaming video property in January, as measured by total unique streamers (54.7 million) and total video streams initiated (1.167 billion). The lion's share of video streaming activity at the property occurred via YouTube.com, which accounted for 992 million video streams initiated.

Weekdays from 5-8 P.M. Deliver Highest Relative Consumption of Online Video

comScore also conducted an analysis of U.S. video consumption by daypart, which showed that people were relatively more likely to view video on weekdays than on the weekend. In fact, peak relative viewing occurred between the hours of 5:00-8:00 P.M. on weekdays, when video consumption was 60 percent higher than average. Meanwhile, the highest relative video consumption on weekends occurred between the hours of 7:00-11:00 P.M., when streamers viewed 31 percent more video than average.

"Marketers have a great opportunity to leverage Internet video in conjunction with their traditional TV buy and essentially double their 'primetime' commercial airing hours," said Erin Hunter, executive vice president of comScore. "'Primetime' TV viewing occurs between 8:00 and 11:00 P.M., while 'primetime' viewing of online video occurs during the preceding block of time -- between 5:00 and 8:00 P.M. on weekdays. Shrewd marketers will utilize a multi-channel strategy to capitalize on these adjacent 'primetime' blocks in order to maximize their marketing impact."

    Video Consumption Analysis by Daypart     January 2007     Source: comScore Video Metrix                                        Daypart Hours   Daypart Share                                        as a Percent      of Weekly                                          of Total         Video       Daypart     Daypart Time Segments                  Week         Consumption    Index*     Weekday Total                               71.4%           74.7%     105     Monday - Friday, 1:00 A.M. - 7:00 A.M.      17.9%            5.9%      33     Monday - Friday, 7:00 A.M. - 10:00 A.M.      8.9%            6.9%      78     Monday - Friday, 10:00 A.M. - 5:00 P.M.     20.8%           30.5%     146     Monday - Friday, 5:00 P.M. - 8:00 P.M.       8.9%           14.3%     160     Monday - Friday, 8:00 P.M. - 11:00 P.M.      8.9%           11.8%     132     Monday - Friday, 11:00 P.M. - 1:00 A.M.      6.0%            5.4%      90     Weekend Total                               28.6%           25.3%      88     Saturday - Sunday, 1:00 A.M. - 8:00 A.M.     8.3%            2.8%      34     Saturday - Sunday, 8:00 A.M. - 1:00 P.M.     6.0%            5.4%      91     Saturday - Sunday, 1:00 P.M. - 7:00 P.M.     7.1%            8.5%     119     Saturday - Sunday, 7:00P.M. - 11:00 P.M.     4.8%            6.2%     131     Saturday - Sunday, 11:00P.M. - 1:00 A.M.     2.4%            2.3%      96     *Daypart Index = (Daypart Share of Weekly Video Consumption / Daypart      Hours as a percent of Total Week) x 100  

Note: comScore Video Metrix measures online video content served through all major formats, including: Flash, RealPlayer, Windows Media, QuickTime and DivX. The service, which is based on streaming activity among U.S. Internet users, does not include measurement of digital rights management (DRM) content (which is paid, encrypted content), online videos viewed through peer-to-peer (P2P) applications, or offline viewing of video content.

For more information about comScore Video Metrix, please e-mail MediaSolutions@comscore.com or call (650) 244-5408.

About comScore Media Metrix

comScore Media Metrix, a product line of comScore, provides industry- leading Internet audience measurement services that report details of online media usage, visitor demographics and online buying power for the home, work and university audiences across local U.S. markets and across the globe. comScore Media Metrix continues the tradition of quality and innovation established by its Media Metrix syndicated Internet ratings -- long recognized as a currency in online media measurement among financial analysts, advertising agencies, publishers and marketers -- while drawing upon comScore's advanced technologies to address important new industry requirements. The comScore Media Metrix syndicated ratings are based on industry-sanctioned sampling methodologies.

About comScore

comScore, Inc. is a global leader in measuring the digital age. This capability is based on a massive, global cross-section of more than 2 million consumers who have given comScore permission to confidentially capture their browsing and transaction behavior, including online and offline purchasing. comScore panelists also participate in survey research that captures and integrates their attitudes and intentions. Through its proprietary technology, comScore measures what matters across a broad spectrum of behavior and attitudes. comScore consultants apply this deep knowledge of customers and competitors to help clients design powerful marketing strategies and tactics that deliver superior ROI. comScore services are used by global leaders such as AOL, Microsoft, Yahoo!, Verizon, Best Buy, The Newspaper Association of America, Tribune Interactive, ESPN, Fox Sports, Nestle, MBNA, Universal McCann, the United States Postal Service, Merck and Expedia. For more information, please visit http://www.comscore.com .

SOURCE comScore, Inc.

CONTACT: Andrew Lipsman, comScore, Inc., +1-312-775-6510, or press@comscore.com

Massively Multiplayer Games Challenge Marketers

Massively Multiplayer Games Challenge Marketers

source: eMarketer
MARCH 22, 2007

Reaching gamers in their extra lives takes skill.

There's some little video game the kids are playing now called World of Warcraft.

Except that it's not little, and it's often not kids playing. Globally, 8.5 million people play the game, and many pay $15/month for the privilege. South Park recently devoted a whole episode to parodying it.

The game's popularity drove revenues for the massively multiplayer online game (MMOG) sector to $576 million in 2006 for North America alone, according to Screen Digest. "During the past few years the Western landscape for MMOGs has become increasingly fragmented following the introduction of new genres of game including social networking, virtual pet rearing and virtual world building titles," said Piers Harding-Rolls of Screen Digest. "These new games and platforms have brought with them many new gamers and also new business models that are generating revenue that is largely incremental to the incumbent subscription business."

Subscription services account for 87% of the MMOG market in the West, but virtual item sales and in-game advertising are starting to contribute to the revenue mix.

In-game advertising is estimated to reach $589 million in 2010, up from $182 million in 2006, according to a January 2007 study by Oppenheimer & Co. that examined data from IDC, Yankee Group and Parks Associates.

This would all seem to be great news for marketers. The oft-sought-after 18-34-year-old male demographic is heavily into gaming. MMOGs offer the potential for viral communication, both in the games themselves and in dedicated message boards.

Despite the heady estimates, eMarketer senior analyst Paul Verna says that marketers need some perspective when considering how to associate their brands with MMOGs.

"In general, MMOGs do not lend themselves as readily to in-game display advertising or product placements as many console games do," said Mr. Verna. "On the other hand, the fact that MMOG players are, by definition, online makes them attractive to marketers looking to expose their brands to a connected audience.

"It's also worth noting that MMOGs make up about 50% of online gaming revenues on a worldwide basis," Mr. Verna continued. "With online gaming poised to grow at dramatic rates in the next five years, MMOGs should be closely considered for advertising opportunities provided that the brands in question not detract from the game experience."

Beside sweepstakes and other non-intrusive promotions, some actual in-game ads are possible, depending on the MMOG.

In URU Live, the MMOG based on the popular Myst franchise, players start out in the "real" world before being transported to the game's more fantastic settings. Players meet a guide in the "real" world who's got an open bag of Doritos in front of him.

Boomers Big on Word-of-Mouth

Boomers Big on Word-of-Mouth

source: eMarketer
MARCH 21, 2007

When baby boomers get talking, there's no stopping them.

A majority of baby boomers get asked for recommendations on products and services about 90 times every year, according to Weber Shandwick.

Nearly all (89%) of those who were asked for advice gave it to their friends, or fellow boomers. And nearly all boomers (93%) say that they consider their friends (also boomers) to be trusted sources of information.

"When it comes to word-of-mouth recommendations, boomers have both unrivaled influence and rich networks of peer advisors," said Dr. Leslie Gaines-Ross of Weber Shandwick.

As with most word-of-mouth, 84% of boomer recommendations are made face to face and 82% by phone, while only 45% are made online.

CHART: http://www.emarketer.com/images/chart_gifs/082001-083000/082018.gif

Boomers aren't alone in their preference for personal contact when it comes to word-of-mouth. In an April 2006 survey, Keller Fay Group found that US consumers vastly prefer in-person communication for marketing-relevant word-of-mouth over e-mail or other interactive channels.

CHART: http://www.emarketer.com/images/chart_gifs/075001-076000/075302.gif

When boomers do go online, many of them research products or services.

CHART: http://www.emarketer.com/images/chart_gifs/082001-083000/082023.gif

The key is to provide enough information online to fuel an offline word-of-mouth campaign.

eMarketer senior analyst (and baby boomer) David Hallerman notes that those intent on using e-mail in word-of-mouth campaigns aren't wasting their efforts either.

"When done correctly," says Mr. Hallerman, "e-mail mixed with word-of-mouth is effective because of trust — people tend to trust others they know more than they'll ever trust advertising and marketing."

Find out how e-mail and word-of-mouth can work together. Read eMarketer's E-Mail and Word-of-Mouth: Connect with Your Best Customers report. 

U.S. Advertising Spending Rose 4.6% in 2006, Nielsen Monitor-Plus Reports

When it comes to advertising, what media channel has experienced the most significant growth in terms of spend (from 2005 to 2006)?  The internet.  And what product category experienced the most significant growth?  That's right.  Pharmaceuticals.  Good place to be right now. 

----------------

U.S. Advertising Spending Rose 4.6% in 2006, Nielsen Monitor-Plus Reports

PR Newswire via NewsEdge Corporation :

NEW YORK, March 19 /PRNewswire/ -- Advertising spending for the full year 2006 rose 4.6% over the same period last year due to gains across major media, according to preliminary figures released today by Nielsen Monitor-Plus, the advertising intelligence service of The Nielsen Company.

Advertising spending increased in most reported media, led by Internet (35%), the top 100 Spot TV markets (9.1%), Spanish-Language TV (8.1%) and Outdoor (8.1%). Growth in a number of media remained flat or slightly down over last including B2B magazines, Coupons, smaller Spot TV markets, Network Radio, and Local Newspaper. "Total U.S. ad spending continues to grow, with the Internet, Spanish-Language and Outdoor leading the way," said Brian Lane, Senior Vice President of Client Strategy & Product Development Management for Nielsen Monitor-Plus. "Outdoor advertising, considered a traditional media is showing renewed strength due in part to advances in digital technology, such as digital billboards."

                       2005 vs. 2006 Advertising Growth                                                    % Change      Internet*                                        35.0%     Spot TV Top 100 mkts                              9.1%     Span Lang National TV                             8.1%     Outdoor                                           8.1%     National Sunday Supplement                        5.6%     Local Sunday Supplement                           4.6%     Network TV                                        4.2%     National Magazines                                3.9%     Local Magazine                                    3.3%     National Newspaper                                2.9%     National Cable TV                                 1.8%     Spot Radio                                        0.7%     B2B Magazines                                    -0.2%     Coupon                                           -0.6%     Spot TV Mkts 101-210                             -0.9%     Network Radio                                    -2.4%     Local Newspaper                                  -3.6%     Total                                             4.6% 

Source: Nielsen Monitor-Plus. *Internet data provided by Nielsen//NetRatings AdRelevance

Notes:

- Nielsen//NetRatings AdRelevance service estimated online advertising expenditures account for CPM-based image-based advertising. All reported estimated expenditures and impressions do not account for the following placement types: text only, paid fee services, performance-based campaigns, compound ads, sponsorships, barters, in-stream ("pre-rolls") players, messenger applications, partnership advertising, promotions and email campaigns. AdRelevance currently does not report estimated spending for paid search advertising. Above data does not include any house advertising activity.

- Syndicated TV was omitted due to changes in tracking; Newspaper reflects display ads only; Coupon reflects CPG products only.

Advertiser Spending

Advertising spending for the top 10 companies of 2006 reached $17.9 billion, remaining essentially flat from 2005, with just 1% growth. Six of the 10 advertisers experienced growth. AT&T and Verizon, both Telephone Services companies, showed the greatest percent growth in terms of percent, at 44.4% and 16.2%, respectively. A portion of this increase is due to merger and acquisition activity, and both companies greatly increased their spending in their Internet Service/Web Access business units.

Offsetting these increases, two of the three automotive advertisers reduced ad spending. Specifically, GM spending was down 16% and DaimlerChrysler decreased its ad spending by 6.1%, while both Ford and Toyota continue to increase spending, and in particular on brands like Toyota Camry and Rav4, Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan.

Johnson & Johnson cut back overall spending on a number of brands including Orthoevra and Ditropan.

     Top 10 Advertisers                                   % Change                                                        2005 vs. 2006     Procter & Gamble Co.                                    1.1     General Motors Corp.                                  -16.0     AT&T Inc.                                              44.4     Ford Motor Co.                                         10.2     DaimlerChrysler AG                                     -6.1     Time Warner Inc.                                       -6.0     Johnson & Johnson                                     -20.4     Verizon Communications Inc.                            16.2     Toyota Motor Corp.                                     14.2     Walt Disney Co.                                         4.6     Total Top 10                                            0.5      Source: Nielsen Monitor-Plus

Based on spending estimates in the following media: Network TV, Cable TV, Spot TV, Syndicated TV, Hispanic TV, Nat'l/Local Magazine, Network/Spot Radio, Outdoor, Coupons (CPGs only), Nat'l/Local Newspapers (display ads only), Nat'l/Local Sunday Supplements

Category Spending

Spending for the 10 largest categories reached $45 billion in 2006, 3% greater than the same period last year. Most product categories have increased spending, with the exception of Credit Card Services (-6.9%), Auto Dealerships (-3.5%), and Automotive, comprised of Factory & Dealer Associations (-1.5%). The Pharmaceutical industry was the fastest growing in terms of percent increase over last year (14.9%) and in terms of actual dollar increase ($719 million). Pfizer increased spending 32% ($158 million), while Merck and Sepracor each increased their budgets 40%, $118 million and $95 million, respectively.

     Top 10 Product Categories      % Diff 2005 vs. 2006   $ Diff 2005 vs. 2006     Automotive/Auto Dealer Assoc           -1.4               -$197,411,660     Pharmaceutical                         14.9                $718,930,994     Automotive - Dealership (Local)        -3.5               -$176,694,537     Department Stores                       4.1                $165,886,796     Quick Service Restaurants               5.2                $203,393,575     Motion Picture                          3.1                $116,132,628     Telephone Svcs.-Wireless               10.5                $316,261,114     Direct Response Products               10.0                $202,987,740     Credit Card Services                   -6.9               -$136,567,161     Furniture Stores                        6.8                $106,504,676     Total Top 10 Categories                 3.0              $1,319,424,165      Source: Nielsen Monitor-Plus

Based on spending estimates in the following media: Network TV, Cable TV, Spot TV, Syndicated TV, Hispanic TV, Nat'l/Local Magazine, Network/Spot Radio, Outdoor, Coupons (CPGs only), Nat'l/Local Newspapers (display ads only), Nat'l/Local Sunday Supplements

Product Placement

Nielsen's Product Placement Service shows a decrease in the overall number of placements for primetime network programming with a total of 79,701 occurrences for 2006 compared to 102,793 occurrences for 2005. While the total number of occurrences is down, placements that combine an audio and visual mention have increased by 10%. In 2006 there were 4,912 audio/visual combination occurrences compared to 4,456 in 2005.

Top Programs & Brands

The Top 10 programs that featured product placements for 2006 accounted for 23,344 occurrences. General dramas (22,825 occurrences) replaced situation comedies (19,161 occurrences) as the number one program type to feature brand integrations, due to the airing of more episodes for this type of program in 2006. American Idol featured 4,086 product placements, with more occurrences than any other program, a 17% increase over 2005. The Biggest Loser, not on the top ten list last year, ranked 4th with (2,478) occurrences. The Top 10 brands totaled 10,323 occurrences in 2006, a 13% increase. Coca-Cola was the top brand, with 3,355 occurrences, a 19% increase over 2005. Chef Revival Apparel placed second with 1,592 occurrences.

"The total number of occurrences for product placements decreased in 2006, and can be largely attributed to shifts in programming such as the airing of more dramas, which tend to carry less product placements than other program genres," said Annie Touliatos, Director of Marketing and Strategy for Nielsen Product Placement Service. "However, placements that feature a combination of audio and visuals are rising indicating an increase in planned placements."

                        Top 10 Brands: Product Placement                                      2006      Brand                              Total # Occurrences     Coca-Cola Soft Drinks                   3,355     Chef Revival Apparel                    1,592     Nike Apparel                            1,307     24 Hour Fitness CTRS-CLUBS                894     Chicago Bears FTBL TM                     604     Dell Computers SYS                        556     Cingular Wireless TEL SRVCS               533     Nike SPRT FTWR                            497     Starter Apparel                           496     SLS Electronic Equip Speakers             489     Total                                  10,323      Source:  Place*Views, Nielsen Product Placement Service                          Top 10 Programs: Product Placement                                      2006      Program                        Network             Total # Occurrences     American Idol                    FOX                    4,086     Amazing Race                     CBS                    2,790     Extreme Makeover Home Edition    ABC                    2,787     The Biggest Loser                NBC                    2,478     America's Next Top Model         UPN/CW                 2,309     King of Queens                   CBS                    1,954     Hells Kitchen                    FOX                    1,909     The Apprentice                   NBC                    1,831     Rock Star Supernova              CBS                    1,609     Big Brother 7                    CBS                    1,591     Total                                                  23,344      Source: Place*Views, Nielsen Product Placement Service      Negative Political Advertising

For the 2006 mid-term elections, a total of 2,629,685 local television spots ran representing 93% of all political ad expenditures, and that was up by 24% from 2002 mid-term elections. 41% of all political spots in 2006 were classified as negative. Leading the way in negative ads among the top advertisers was the Republican National Committee and the Democratic National Committee with 89% and 85% of their ads being labeled as negative. Following is a snapshot of negative advertising for the mid-term elections of 2006.

    Negative Political Advertising Mid-Term Elections      Candidate                Number of Spots          % Negative Spots     Texas Governor     Rick Perry                    24,700                    19%     Chris Bell                     5,086                    61%     Tennessee Senate     Bob Corker                    35,336                    40%     Harold Ford JR                15,384                    30%     New York Governor     Eliot Spitzer                 30,780                     0%     John Faso                      3,339                     0%     Michigan Governor     Jennifer Granholm             23,003                    31%     Dick Devos                    46,962                    45%     Illinois Governor     Rod Blagojevich               34,665                    66%     Judy Topinka                   9,923                    67%     Florida Governor     Charlie Crist                 40,278                    45%     Jim Davis                     14,011                    70%      Source: Nielsen Monitor-Plus      About The Nielsen Company

The Nielsen Company is a global information and media company with leading market positions and recognized brands in marketing information, media information, business publications, trade shows and the newspaper sector. The privately held company has more than 42,000 employees and is active in more than 100 countries, with headquarters in Haarlem, the Netherlands, and New York, USA. For more information, please visit, www.nielsen.com.

SOURCE The Nielsen Company

CONTACT: Laura Czaja, of Nielsen Monitor-Plus, +1-646-654-8681, or Suzy Bausch, of Nielsen\\NetRatings, +1-408-941-2965, both for The Nielsen Company

<<PR Newswire -- 03/20/07>>

 

Boomers Have Money, Gen Y Has Influence

Want to influence shoppers to buy your brand? Revenues falling even with a targeted search campaign and building buzz through social networks? Then you may not have the right people involved. Kids are the influencers today.

by Kristina Knight

That is the word from online marketing expert Kelly Mooney. At the National Retail Federation’s conference this week, Mooney released her findings that teens are influencing more than food or clothing purchases.

Generation Y – those born between 1982 and 2000 – influences 81% of the family clothing buys and 52% of automobile purchases. At an estimated 82 million people, that makes Generation Y the most influential group of consumers, beating out even the baby boomer generation.

What marketers need to remember is that Generation Y influences purchases, but the Baby Boomer generation still has the deepest pockets. So integrating your campaigns is likely the best way to reach the most consumers.

Forrester principal analyst Charlene Li said (via MarketingVOX), "Marketers must start with search and layer on site messaging in the media that resonate with target consumers: buzz, blogs, and banners for Gen Yers, deep search and word of mouth for Gen Xers, print and product packaging for Boomers, and the written word for Seniors.”

The Internet's Growing Role in Life's Major Moments

The Internet’s Growing Role in Life’s Major Moments

4/19/2006 | Report  | John Horrigan, Lee Rainie

The internet has become increasingly important to users in their everyday lives. It is also the case that for many of online Americans, the internet has become a crucial source of information at major moments and milestones in their lives.

Our surveys show that 45% of internet users, or about 60 million Americans, say that the internet helped them make big decisions or negotiate their way through major episodes in their lives in the previous two years.

To explore this phenomenon, we fielded the Major Moments Survey in March 2005, that repeated elements of an earlier January 2002 survey. Comparison of the two surveys revealed striking increases in the number of Americans who report that the internet played a crucial or important role in various aspects of their lives. Specifically, we found that over the three-year period, internet use grew by:

54% in the number of adults who said the internet played a major role as they helped another person cope with a major illness. And the number of those who said the internet played a major role as they coped themselves with a major illness increased 40%.

50% in the number who said the internet played a major role as they pursued more training for their careers.

45% in the number who said the internet played a major role as they made major investment or financial decisions.

43% in the number who said the internet played a major role when they looked for a new place to live.

42% in the number who said the internet played a major role as they decided about a school or a college for themselves or their children.

23% in the number who said the internet played a major role when they bought a car.

14% in the number who said the internet played a major role as they switched jobs.

Generational Shift in Media Habits

Generational Shift in Media Habits
Advertisers must embrace change in order to draw new audiences

Jeff Dickey & Jack Sullivan

FEBRUARY 12, 2007 -

Now that blogging, YouTube and MySpace have made it possible for anyone to become a reporter, producer or social advisor, what used to be a frightening possibility for advertisers and marketers has become a startling reality. Gen X, Gen Y and other emerging decision-makers cannot be "wished" back into a 50-year-old media world no longer relevant to their personalities, lifestyles or interests. Using traditional media to reach today's new decision-makers is as appropriate as thinking one's dusted leisure suit still has some wear in it. Companies have little choice but to ditch the leisure suit and plunge warily into new venues.

Online games, satellite radio, iPods and smartphones have elevated mobility, community and choice to higher positions in any campaign's list of key considerations. Companies must measure, understand and embrace this permanently changed landscape. If they don't, they risk degradation of brand equity and failure to draw new audiences.

Once a marketer realizes the only way to build a relationship with this generation is to accept who they are (much like their parents have been forced to do, begrudgingly), where they exist in the media universe and what techniques are most effective to bridge the gaps, they can move forward. Marketers that will be successful in reaching Gen X and Gen Y grasp that media choices can—and must—be customized to reach individual decision-makers. The keys to unlocking the generational secrets are:

Creativity New generations of decision-makers are "digital natives." Text and graphics are a bigger part of their digital world than audio and video content. Advertising will evolve to deliver dozens of targeted creatives instead of a few "one size fits all" commercials.

Language They use instant messaging as a primary communications vehicle. They have evolved a very different "language," whereby they communicate in new abbreviations and slang. Marketers must "learn" their language and use it to communicate.

Formats They consider themselves leaders in the adoption of new messaging formats. Marketers must stay close to rapidly changing trends and tendencies.

"People call our generation apathetic. We're not apathetic toward the news, we just don't want to hear the same old bull crap all the time," said John Fiske, a 22-year-old law student in San Diego and a classic Gen Yer. "Nobody caters to us," he said, adding that the big television news cable networks—CNN, Fox News, MSNBC—"think they can attract young people by playing rap music at the beginning and end of their shows. We see right through it."

Media expenditures since the 1950s have gone primarily to television, followed by newspapers, magazines and commercial radio. But this 50-year trend has now realized its apex, with generational declines in consumption among Gen X and Gen Y.

Where we used to have only Web portals and sites, we now have VOIP telephony, digital signage and mobile media. The "descending triangle" of traditional media is being displaced by the "ascending triangle" of Internet-enabled media, composed of all Web-based media, e-mail, mobile media and digital-signage media. We at SeeSaw Networks call this the "Outernet" (or OOH networked media). The Internet is now blending with the "Outernet" to form this rapidly integrating media cluster, which is displacing the descending media triangle of television, print, and commercial radio.

The ascending triangle, digital devices and evolving demographics are driving this change in how media is consumed and the corresponding volume of that consumption. The aggregate consumption of media is rising by generation, as access is no longer tied to the constraints of a physical location. In addition, new technologies provide media consumers new channels of access to information and entertainment. These technologies include a dizzying array of digital music, video players, handsets, DVRs and an almost daily introduction of new and different devices.

Gen Yers are "Influencers" by nature, and they will influence younger and older decision-makers. New devices and services will be bought by/for them, they will encourage older populations to "get with it" and join them, and they will be emulated by younger generations trying to be like them.

The increased usage of multiple devices and services will continue to erode time available for more conventional media choices as media becomes more of an "on-demand" experience—as opposed to a time- or location-based experience. The phenomenon of media multitasking is now in effect: Young influencers regularly watch television, text message and Web surf simultaneously—creating a very convoluted media experience.

The Internet and associated applications are dominant media sources in their lives. They seek out new and improved media that have different consumption patterns than other groups. In order to reach, connect and engage these emerging decision-makers, marketers must first embrace them.

 

Millennials Surfing: Generation Y Online

Those born after 1982 are the most media savvy, educated, and wired people to have ever walked the earth. They are also the largest trend-setters since the Baby Boomers.

By Jim Meskauskas

They are the most technologically savvy generation ever to walk the earth. They have never known a world without remote controls, CDs, cable TV, and the computer. They are called a myriad of names by those most interested in profiting from accurately identifying and then defining them. They are known most commonly as Generation Y and they are defining the future. They are doing it today.

Generation Y is commonly defined as those born after 1982, with some skewing the entry point a little earlier, around 1980. In Neil Howe and William Strauss’ book, Millennials Rising: The Next Great Generation, they are “the ‘Babies on Board’ of the early Reagan years, the ‘Have You Hugged Your Child Today?’ sixth graders of the early Clinton years, the teens of Columbine.”

They are the most media savvy, educated, and wired population to have ever walked the earth. They are also the largest trend-setting population since the Baby Boomers.

Marketers have always been after the younger generation, whether or not they consisted of superior numbers and in spite of their general lack of absolute spending power versus their elders. That is not to say that they do not control or influence significant spending: The demographic segment marketers are most interested in -- individuals between the ages of 13 to 24 – are estimated to be responsible for $149B in spending.

The youth market has always been a fickle one, and has always been difficult to reach. Online media, however, offers the same kinds of unique targeting opportunities for reaching this demographic as it does for other segments of the population. What is different this time is THIS specific generation and how THEY use the Internet.

Research recently released by Yahoo! and Carat Interactive, conducted by Harris Interactive and Teenage Research Unlimited takes a fresh look at Generation Y and its uses of media. The use of media by the kids in this group is more fluid and less compartmentalized than it is for us older folk, and marketers would do well to take note.

“What makes Gen Y people different is the way they are consuming media,” says Beth-Ann Eason, vice president, Category Management at Yahoo!. “Research that Yahoo! and Carat commissioned earlier this year showed that not only are teens spending more time with the Internet than TV, but that they also use the Internet as the hub of their media activity. The Internet is the medium from which all other media decisions get made, and that’s a powerful tool for marketers.”

The Internet has become the centerpiece of not only GenY’s media engagement, but of most of their engagements. It has become almost an alpha-and-omega for how they communicate with each other and their world.

There are discrepancies between this commissioned piece of research and that which is available from syndicated sources (Nielsen, for instance, shows that they spend as much time on the Internet in a month as they spend with television in a week), but what isn’t in doubt is how important the medium is to their lives in ways that other media are not.

Most of us can guess what kinds of products and services are marketed directly to GenY by virtue of them being “in market” for said products and services, e.g. clothing, entertainment, consumer electronics. But it is important to understand how GenY uses the Internet not only for the purposes of marketing products and services endemic to them now, but for purposes of establishing brands that seek to harvest in the future relationships made in the present. And marketers are starting to take notice.

“Smart marketers are thinking about being the brand that GenY thinks of five years from now, when they are adults,” points out Eason. “There are products for which the marketer needs to generate interest while GenY people are still young, including affinity products like packaged goods as well as lifetime products like credit cards, luxury cars, and banks. Marketers can use media programs, where GenY is spending their time, to build trust, connect with GenY, and open the door for future consideration”

Growing pressures for ever-increasing profit yield have resulted in many marketers acting on myopic visions trained only as far ahead as the next analysts’ meetings and earnings reports. Smart marketers know that consumers of their products tomorrow are made today.

A company hoping to maintain and grow its position in the future has to start addressing consumers today. Marketing to Generation Y is not simply selling them what they are buying today; it is about establishing your brand so that they will buy tomorrow. And it needs to be done in whatever medium rests on the edge of what is new. My favorite anecdote I like to share with clients when discussing the subject of advertising today for market share tomorrow is that of Kodak and the marketing of the personal use camera in 1900. Kodak positioned the Brownie camera as a product for kids, and it sold for a dollar. The ads ran in popular rather than trade magazines, an unheard-of tactic for something so “technical.” Eventually, nearly every adult in America had a personal use camera, and an entire industry was born.

Those marketers that have taken note of this very important generation and are making efforts to reach them are doing so in interesting ways. Among the key approaches has been to not interrupt their lives with messaging and intrude on their experiences, but to become a part of their experiences; to slip messaging in and become a part of their communicative activities and integrated life.

“Viral Marketing is an invaluable tool to use when connecting with GenY,” says Eason. “When a product launches, GenY is best equipped to generate significant buzz and accelerate any program with ‘word of mouse.’ The kids in this group are online consistently, have huge networks of friends and talk frequently.”

This is a way for a marketer’s message to become the material of communication.

“We’ve worked with clients to give GenY products they will use that also have great viral potential. Downloadable skins for Yahoo! Messenger (IMVironment) as well as branded MP3 players are good examples of great tools to market to GenY. Also, giving GenY advance or sneak peaks at products accomplishes the traditional street team effect to get the talk going before the retailers even stock the product.”

Becoming a part of an individual’s life is the centerpiece of marketing in the face of “future shock,” when the intended recipient of a marketer’s messaging is so inundated with an acceleration of images, words, ideas, and technologies that it could possibly overwhelm him or her. By simply “being there” (could this be “Dasein Marketing?”) and available for insertion into one’s life, brand messaging has a better opportunity for sublime notice by the individual. A brand’s message also stands a better chance of being viewed as “authentic” when it can become part of a person’s “flow experience.” The messaging is not making an imposition but rather being invited in to become part of a life experience.

One of the most important things to come out of the Yahoo!/Carat Interactive research is that for Generation Y there will be little in the way of specific “division of labor” between media. Generation Y kids and their use of media is the lens through which the future of media usage in general can be viewed.

Concludes Eason of Yahoo!: “In the future, GenY will look at the Internet as a place to not only discover (today) but to confirm and validate. Currently, magazines signal trends to them and this drives search activity on the Internet and word of mouth. In the future, trends will generate from the Internet through rich media and targeting marketing programs. These Internet trends will integrate testimonials as well as transactions, speeding up the process of getting a great product into the hands of the GenY Consumer.”

They will hop from media to media, each media providing them with something different than the other and each of them being a means by which GenY not only learns about what they are interested in, but by virtue of GenY’s use of various media with the Internet at the center, marketers will learn more what people are interested in.

Independent patient education content moves to Yahoo! Health

Independent patient education content moves to Yahoo! Health   

Digital health education network HealthiNation, (the "i" stands for independent, the CEO tells ePharm5) has partnered with Yahoo to bring its easy-to-understand health content to the 7 million users of Yahoo! Health. In a conversation earlier this month, Raj Amin, HealthiNation CEO told ePharm5 that the videos are produced independently, developed by experienced healthcare professionals, and reviewed by the company's medical advisory team of physicians from various fields of medicine. HealthiNation's content is interactive, using video-on-demand and streaming video, 3-D animations, on-camera doctors and documentary-style videos from real people who share their personal experiences about their specific health conditions and the steps they've taken to improve their quality of life. 

Boston Scientific campaign highlights device for alleviating pain

Boston Scientific campaign highlights device for alleviating pain      

Boston Scientific's Web site and public outreach campaign Race Against Pain uses media, Internet, conference speaking engagements, race events, healthcare professional events, and patient outreach to support those in constant pain, reports Pain & Central Nervous System Week. The campaign aims to reach 50 million chronic pain sufferers in the United States in order to educate and support them in their fight against chronic pain. The site offers an online community with forums and blogs that require registration, as well as personal stories from patients, treatment options, and a pain specialist locator. The site offers various options for treatment, but focuses in particular on Boston Scientific's own neuromodulation device which alters the electrical signals that nerves carry to the brain. Go to the Race Against Pain Web site <http://www.raceagainstpain.com/>  to see the campaign.  

Social Video Marketing Goes Mainstream as Advertisers Jump on Board

New Study Includes Best Practices for Advertisers

    LOS ANGELES, March 14 /PRNewswire/ -- A new study shows that brand
advertisers and their advertising agencies are increasingly adding social
video marketing to their online marketing mix. According to the report,
interest in social video marketing seems to be building among advertisers
following the success of high-profile, video-driven campaigns such as
Volkswagen "Un-Pimp My Ride" and Dove "Evolution."
    The report from video view optimization firm Feed Company
(http://www.feedcompany.com/) defines social video as "video content that
is viral in nature and embraced and shared by users within social video
networks such as YouTube and MySpace Video."
    "Major advertisers recognize that their audiences are spending more
time on YouTube and on other video share sites," said Mike Vorhaus,
SVP/Managing Director, Frank N. Magid Associates. "These sites operate as
social communities with video as the primary language. If an advertiser's
video catches fire, the exposure for the brand can be exponential."
    The report includes best practices for advertisers considering social
video marketing including:
    *  Choose what should be viral carefully.
    *  Strive for integration across media and budget for it.
    *  Have your video content and campaign creative be consistent with each
       other.
    *  Commit to being a part of the social conversation.
    *  Establish your metrics upfront.
    "Advertisers recognize the value of having their brand video content
exposed to the millions of users populating video share sites," said Josh
Warner, President of Feed Company and author of the report. "This report is
helpful for advertisers looking for the best way to add social video to
their online marketing campaigns."
    The complete report, titled "Social Video 101: A Primer," is available
at http://www.feedcompany.com/insight.html
    About Feed Company
    Feed Company (http://www.feedcompany.com) is a video view optimization company
based in Los Angeles, CA that helps advertisers and entertainment companies
get their video exposed on popular blogs, social video networks, and P2P
services. Feed Company is leading the field of optimizing views of video
content for major brands on emerging social video networks through
innovative tools and marketing practices. Feed Company has executed social
video campaigns for major brands and their advertising agencies including
General Motors, Warner Bros. Records, and the Democratic National
Committee.