Legitimate, credible news, based on real journalism, is one of the critical pillars in the content pool that drives advertising-supported media regardless of how consumers access it. The business of newspaper journalism is in freefall as we all know -- check out this wickedly funny and painfully true segment from The Onion News Network:http://www.theonion.com/video/boston-globe-tailors-print-edition-for-three-remai,17572/
Google has its own take on the situation: A great piece by James Fallows in The Atlantic lays out Google’s counterintuitive desire to save real reporting and news, and the multiple ways they are attacking the problem. A favorite quote: “Nothing will work, but everything might.” Check it out: http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/print/2010/04/how-to-save-the-news/8095/
Just this week, AOL announced its intention to hire “hundreds” of journalists to produce content for online consumption. See the Ad Age article: http://adage.com/digital/article?article_id=144334
-- Dick Hurrelbrink, news-content junkie, president of Compass Point Media
Facebook’s takeover of the internet is good news…
…for brands with great products. In recent weeks, Facebook was integrated into their 250,000th site (http://bit.ly/aLimdo) . What does this mean? That ideas now have a nearly omnipresent channel to spread among friends. Now you will be able to see what Washington Post articles your friends are reading or what they are buying at Adidas.com. Why do we as marketers care? Because peer-to-peer endorsement is about to go to scale.
Remember the old joke “the best way to kill a bad product is advertising?” Facebook integration being ubiquitous means that our “targets” will constantly be in touch with their peers. If we create a great digital experience, there will be channels EVERYWHERE for people to find it. And even better, we aren’t interrupting, but their friends are introducing us. The flip side is that if we produce bad products and ads, their friends are going to bury us.
This is the challenge to all ad agencies and our clients: How do we change what we do to make it more socially viscous? We need to adjust how we think about talking about brands/products. Do we focus on providing utility? Value? Entertainment? Just blasting product attributes won’t get social magnification. And building our messaging without “social spread” eventually will be viewed as fiscally irresponsible. The interruption model is breaking down (showing its age for sure) – Facebook Connect and feature embeds are the first opportunity to communicate on a different level of scale.
I, for one, am excited.
-- Chris Wexler, vice president, digital media strategy, Campbell Mithun’s Compass Point Media unit
I attended the Network upfronts in NYC this past week. Good, bad and indifferent, here is my Twitter-take on the Network presentations.
In NYC for the annual network programming presentations wondering what will be this year’s theme? HFurman
The Chase. High intensity cop drama with an extremely attractive female lead with ninja skills and genius IQ. Do these women really exist?
The Event. Are people ready for yet another serial drama with nonlinear plotlines? My DVR can't tape every episode I might miss. -H. Furman
Half way through the week. Refreshing to see NBC investing in character driven shows again instead of character driven reality. Hfurman
Outsourced. Not sure continuous string of stereotype jokes won't grow old. HFurman. Vp Broadcast
Love Bites bites. Nothing much more to say. VP Broadcast.
The best comedy writing was for Alan Baldwin's opening skit. Perhaps NBC should hire them for Thurs night. HFurman VP Broadcas
At Fox upfront. So if the network has a 28 index over cable, shouldn't it be just 28% more expensive? I'm just saying... Hfurman vp broadcast
The Good Guys. Mindless summer comedy cop show. Refreshingly it laughs at itself, so others might just laugh too. HFurman. VP Broadcast
Lonestar. PT soaps are back. If JR was a young con man who'd shoot him. His girlfriend or his wife? I guess we'll find out. HFurman VP
Raising Hope. Smart writing, believable eccentric characters, and a really cute baby. Raising Arizona meets modern TV audience. Hfurman
Mixed Signals. 'A comedy about men that women will like'. Except I doubt any women would actually like these men. Hfurman. VP Broadcast
At ABC upfront. Half way through the week and still waiting for a clever comedy 1/2 hr. All the good writers leave for the net? Hfurman VP
ABC pushing the 650M IPAD downloads. Um, isn't network prime supposed to be about big reach? HFurman VP Broadcast
Detroit 187 and The Whole Truth another cop procedural and overacted courtroom based drama. So uninspired. Hfurman VP Broadcast
Body of Proof. Quincy's looking good in 2010. HFurman VP Broadcast
Remembering the novelty and risk when ABC launched Lost. Hoping that programming courage shows itself this year. HFurman. VP Broadcast
No Ordinary Family Fantastic 4 meets The Incredibles meets network prime. Right.... HFurman. VP Broadcast
My Generation. Compelling story telling with an interesting twist. Ask yourself who will you be in 10 yrs? HFurman VP Broadcast
ABC's streak is alive. Jimmy Kimmel remains the funniest thing we see all week. HFurman. VP Broadcast
Better Together. Smart funny multigenerational relationship comedy. Right in ABC's wheelhouse. Nicely done. HFurman. VP Broadcast
Happy Endings. Looking to be the new 'Friends' of 2010. Will audiences be as friendly? Time and Nielsen will tell. HFurman VP Broadcast.
Waiting outside #Turner #upfront. Curious, George, did Conan ask you how you felt about being bumped? HF/VP Bcast
Conan is a funny funny man. And a smart writer for a smart audience. #upfront #turner . HF/VP Bcast
Yes it was one year ago Monday Conan was given the mantle of the tonight show. This business is sooo sureal. #upfront #turner HF/VP Bcast
And he can sing too. Great talent is not long unemployed in a business of pretenders #upfront #turner HF/VP http://yfrog.com/j05t9kj
TV viewing hours up 3hrs a wk? Yes it's true all you digital salesmen/TV undertakers. #upfront #turner . hf/vp bcast
Brands 'in context' or brands in content. Why are we here this week? To see the content! Less selling more programs please! #upfront HF/VP
Neighbors from Hell. Saw this last year. Yawn. It put me to sleep then too. #upfront. #turner HF/vp bcast
Lopez’ ‘An hour later for less pay, a Latino dream.' Love a guy who still realizes he's living the dream HF/VP bcast http://yfrog.com/8bd0dj
Turner adding a 4th night of originals. If they'd make more than 11 episodes per, they really could be a network. #upfront #turner HF/VP bcast
Cast of Leverage. Why is it Hollywood actors always look so stiff on a New York Stage? #upfront HF/VP Bcast http://yfrog.com/5sli2jj
Ms Sedgwick. Such a tough character on screen. Such a classy and gracious woman on stage. #upfront HF/VP Bcast http://bit.ly/9noA3i
Cop shows and quirky lawyer procedurals. Turner really is taking the network formula for themselves. #upfront #turner HF/VP bcast
Conan and Southland. For yrs Turner has run NBC sitcoms. Now a second chance destination for a quality 1st run. Good job Turner! #upfront HF
Fallen Skies. If gritty/real it just may play to us scifi geeks. Go mainstream and I'll stay home with my Bstar reruns. #upfront HF/VP bcst
Men of a certain age. Ray and gang. Funnier on stage than in mid life crisis show. HF/VP bcast http://yfrog.com/3mo5vj
Carnegie Hall. Since 1891 home of performance, beauty & the CBS Upfront. They're not that old of a network #upfront HF/VP
Finally a network that will call bull%#^* on the TV is dead research. #upfront HF/VP Broadcast
CBS (Consistently Better Scheduled). Can they keep the streak alive? #upfront HF/VP Broadcast
Mike & Molly's 'larger' stars may not yield larger ratings but nice to see real sized people starring on TV #upfront HF/VP
'My Dad Says' remember to always laugh at yourself. So does William Shattner to our benefit. #upfront HF/VP Broadcast
CBS Monday comedy still on track with new shows and '2 1/2 Men' not one man short wearing prison stripes. #upfront HF/VP
Would you want Jim Belushi as one of your 'Defenders'? What happens in The Defenders should stay in Vegas #upfront HF/VP
Blue Bloods/Tom Sellick. CBS knows its audience and the rugged male leads they like to see. Oh Magnum #upfront HF/VP Bcast
Hawaii 5-0. I don't recall Dano ever looking so good or surviving so many explosions. #upfront HF/VP Broadcast
CBS=Consistently Better Scheduled. Low risk dramas & comedies fit their audience. I wouldn't change it either #upfront HF/VP
New shows of waify girls/rich boys. Only VP Diaries had real fangs. Feed on more sustenance this yr, CW #upfront HF/VP
CW smartly keeps music front & center for audiences & advertisers. KT Perry Rocks! #upfront HF/VP http://yfrog.com/5zp0nj
Gossip Girl moves to Paris. Parlez vous Francais? City of love should give plenty to gossip for 1 more yr. #upfront HF/VP
Nikita's Maggie Q shines as modern LeFemme Nikita. CW might even capture a few young men for a change #upfront HF/VP Bcast
Cheerleader Hellcats lacks smart writing/believability. CW might tell program mid-season to 'Bring It On' #upfront HF/VP
Plain Jane connects the emotions teens feel in modern makeover show. What teen wouldn't want a happy ending #upfront HF/VP
It's a good thing for Gossip Girl TV puts on 15 lbs. Someone buy that girl a meal! #upfront HF/VP http://yfrog.com/2c3nuj
Just met Lana & the Salvadore bros. Not sure Brom Stoker could ever envisioned eternal life looking so good #upfront HF/VP
Nikita's skinny legs might break doing her own stunts, but she's as charming on stage as appealing on screen. #upfront HF/VP
Harv Furman, VP broadcast and tweeting media maven, Compass Point Media
The 2010 Mediaweek award marks the third national honor received by Campbell Mithun in recent weeks
MINNEAPOLIS – A strategy of “going local” across the country brought home a prestigious “Media Plan of the Year” award to Compass Point Media (a division of Campbell Mithun) for an out-of-home media campaign developed for Johnsonville Sausage’s “Blank-Ville” advertising campaign. Mediaweek magazine sponsors the annual competition and will honor the 2010 winners June 16 in New York.
Capitalizing on relatable, engaging and locally relevant reasons to prepare sausage, the agency’s media plan placed targeted billboards in key locations around the country: “Adiosville” greeted California travelers en route to Mexico, “Vacationville” appeared near resort areas, “Bleacherville” ran near Chicago’s Wrigley Field and “Badgerville” appeared near Camp Randall Stadium at the University of Wisconsin.
“A market-by-market tailoring of the media placement allowed us to convey the versatility of the campaign idea,” said Jim Romlin, senior vice president, Compass Point Media. “We married the media plan to the creative and connected Johnsonville with a locally relevant moment.”
Creative for the campaign was developed by Cramer-Krasselt (C-K) and also just received a Silver OBIE from the Outdoor Advertising Association of America, as one of the outstanding outdoor campaigns of the year. Compass Point Media and C-K collaborated deeply to unify the plan and execute the local-market strategy.
Going beyond the out-of-home placements, to further strengthen consumer engagement with the Johnsonville brand, the media agency also brokered a digital partnership with Evite as part of its execution of the “Blank-Ville” campaign. That custom sponsorship, featuring Super Bowl invitation templates and an unprecedented inclusion of Johnsonville recipes within a potluck feature, helped put the brand on consumers’ shopping lists and on their game-day tables.
Serving up big awareness / sales gains
Research documented consumers’ response to the campaign. After the program, brand awareness jumped 50 percent nationwide.
“We’re pleased with the success the Blank-Ville campaign generated, and we look forward to continuing to build out elements that make it even stronger,” said Ryan Pociask, Johnsonville senior brand manager. “This campaign has proven to be relatable and memorable, and we credit much of this success to the creative and placement executions our agency partners helped us achieve for the campaign.”
Good news comes in threes
The Mediaweek award is the third national award Campbell Mithun has received within the past six weeks. Other recent awards include:
* Gold Ogilvy award (honors the use of research in advertising) for its campaign to introduce a new Hefty kitchen trash bag product
* Three first-place Best of NAMA awards, presented by the National Agri-Marketing Association, for its work on behalf of Syngenta Seeds.
About Campbell Mithun
Campbell Mithun (www.cmithun.com), with its media division Compass Point Media (www.compasspoint-media.com), has been Johnsonville’s media agency for the past four years. Recently celebrating its 77th anniversary, the agency excels at making Everything Talk for client brands at every point of consumer engagement.
About Johnsonville Sausage, LLC
Wisconsin-based Johnsonville Sausage (www.johnsonville.com) is the No. 1 national brand of brats, Italian sausage, smoked-cooked links and fresh breakfast sausage links. Johnsonville employs approximately 1,300 members. Each member takes ownership of product quality to ensure the excellence and “Big Flavor” of Johnsonville Sausage. Founded in 1945 by Ralph F. and Alice Stayer, the company remains privately owned today.
I enjoyed my first Johnsonville Brat of the season last week (Turkey Cheddar), a sure sign that summer is right around the corner! Last week’s first bite was extra special because Compass Point Media was celebrating our MEDIAWEEK’s 2010 Media Plan of the YearAward for Johnsonville Sausage’s “Blank-Ville” advertising campaign.
As a native-Midwesterner, I grew up knowing Johnsonville as a family-owned business. To maintain the small town charm of Johnsonville’s roots our media plan had to connect with the consumer on a personal level.
Our plan, and consequently award, focused on the out-of-home category. The campaign had large coverage, but tied creative to the locality and culture of each market. Whether it was the “Bleacherville” bulletin outside Chicago’s Wrigley Field, the “Badgerville” bulletin that directed traffic towards Camp Randall ( University of Wisconsin stadium), or the “Vacationville” version posted on the way to my parents’ weekend cabin, our media connected the consumer to the special moments depicted by the creative.
Fancy awards aside, the campaign delivered. Consumers noticed the bulletins and Johnsonville’s awareness grew. The campaign had such positive results that we have developed version 2.0 for this year. Starting this week (May 17th) our bulletin placements will once remind consumers to pick up a pack of Johnsonville on their way to the cabin or to grill some links at their next tailgating party.
(Need the classic Johnsonville Brat Hot Tub recipe? Click here.)
Jessica Nytes, media supervisor (and grill master extraordinaire), Compass Point Media
Today Compass Point Media served up a junk-free lunch on 27 websites nationwide. How? We secured an “ad-free lunch” (sponsored by Chipotle) on websites across the country today from 12-1 pm (local-market time) in order to reinforce Chipotle’s junk-free brand position. Tomorrow (4/23) websites TMZ.com and USMagazine.com will again be ad-free over the lunch hour nationwide.
Chipotle is striving to get Middle America to consider where their food comes from and how it is produced. In a High Fructose Corn Syrup world, Chipotle provides Food With Integrity. Whenever possible Chipotle serves naturally raised meats and locally sourced produce. They don’t even have freezers in any of their restaurants. Bet you didn’t know that. In fact, they have some of the highest food costs in the industry because of their principled, and delicious, stand on ingredients. This campaign literally is fighting the good fight on how America eats.
Nationally, we bought out all ad inventory on USMagazine.com and TMZ.com as well as 25 local sites in key Chipotle markets, including the Twin Cites’ own StarTribune.com. Blank boxes appear where the ads typically sit; they sport a small link to Chipotle’s Facebook page which, if you click, greets you with a message saying “We wanted to give you a break from junky advertising…”
Great example of how a strategic media buy can support a brand’s position.
