June 21, 2005
Majority of Search Users Unaware of Ads
More than half of Internet users surveyed in a poll did not know the difference between natural search engine results and advertising listings.
The Harris Interactive survey of 2,000 Internet users was commissioned by New York search engine marketing agency iCrossing. It found that 56 percent of Internet users said they did not know the difference between "sponsored (paid) and natural (non-sponsored) search engine result listings."
March 04, 2005
Media Metamorphosis Continues
If there were any doubt that media buying shops have undergone a metamorphosis in recent years, David Verklin put them all to rest during his keynote speech Thursday morning at the American Association of Advertising Agencies annual media conference in New Orleans.
The CEO of Carat North America drove home his mantra that "the crackle of change is in the air" during a presentation crammed with predictions.
Although making any predictions about the future and what changes media shops might expect is a tough proposition, Verklin offered several to watch for in the coming 36 months. Topping the list is the rise of digital, interactive direct marketing agencies. Already 80 percent of Hyundai consumers currently go to the Web to choose their vehicle, even before they step into the showrooms.
Advertisers will take niche marketing to new levels. The Polygrip advertiser only wants to reach toothless people, for example. A mass media buy might only reach audiences made up of 10 percent toothless people. The key will be to corral that 10 percent to a Web site and close the communications loop. "Purity of audience rather than its size will be what matters," Verklin said.
There will be a collision of commerce and cause, according to Verklin. Instead of relying on traditional direct marketing vehicles, nonprofits such as St. Jude's are now partnering with retailers, who will sell products to consumers and donate the purchase to St. Jude's.
One Titanium Grand Prix winner will be selected from the Titanium winners. A 10-person jury will decide the winners.
Experiential marketing will come into its own. Instead of relying solely on advertising, brands will seek out events where the consumer can physically interact with the brand, whether it's a sports events or even a theme park like Lego Land, Verklin said.
Communication planning will take hold, he added. Beginning with determining the psyche and behavior of the consumer, advertisers will shape the creative to suit the media vehicle.
Verklin said gaming would be far bigger than anyone could imagine; it holds the clue for the future shape of advertising.
The next battleground for return on investment and marketing analysis will be real-time analytics. "Whoever would have thought that media researchers would be the rock stars of our organization," said Verklin, who imagined planners and buyers sitting before computer screens monitoring real-time data on the effectiveness of a campaign.
