Jivox revolutionises online video ads

SpotRunner has made a splash in the traditional TV advertising world with its self- service approach. The firm has attracted more than $100m in investment including its latest round of $51m, from the likes of Daily Mail and General Trust (DMGT).

Blog Marketing

What is it?
Advertising to consumers via the blogosphere (the eco-system of blogs online) with either text or graphical advertising usually targeted by content context. Can also refer to word-of-mouth (WOM) marketing. (See CT, Nov 2007)

Whom does it target?
Bloggers are the “long tail" of the internet and are a very diverse group, although the most organised blog networks are currently around the tech environment (early adopters).

How does it work?
Blogs can sign up to contextual advertising programmes, such as Google's adSense, or to a blog advertising network that will handle ad sales for them. WOM blog marketing relies on the blogger signing up to blog about certain products or services from brands.

Key rule?
Remember that users may have gone to blogs to escape overt commercialism, so be subtle.

How do you buy it?
Blog (WOM) ad providers include PayPerPost, Blogvertise and BloggingAds. Straight blog advertising services include adSense, AdGridwork and Text Link Ads. For independent blog networks try http://www.blognetworkwatch.com/

What are the best examples?
The best known blog networks are possibly Shiny Media and Weblogsinc.
 
Final word
Use smart targeting technology to help make the most of the blogosphere opportunities.

TRANSATLANTIC ONLINE VIDEO HABITS

UK

BBC iPlayer – UK's leading long-form service in broadcast sector
3 – iPlayer's ranking in the TV website category in the UK (behind YouTube and YouTube UK). iPlayer is the 50th most visited site in the UK overall.
423% - growth in visits to iPlayer from December 2007 – February 2008.
Source: Hitwise 2008

US

Hulu – US' leading long form service in the broadcast sector (JV between Fox and NBC)
84 – Hulu's ranking in the TV website category in the US
30% - the percentage of Hulu's traffic that comes from paid listings. Google provides the most traffic to Hulu, followed, ironically, by YouTube.
Source: Hitwise 2008
 

Yahoo! and Microsoft end all acquisition talks

Yahoo! and Microsoft have ended all acquisition talks, and Yahoo! has struck an $800m search deal with rival Google that will see Google offering paid search ads on the Yahoo! search service. Meanwhile, Microsoft has signed up video ad network YuMe to sell its excess inventory.

Isobar acquires stake in Mumbai agency

Isobar, the digital division of Aegis Media, is to acquire a strategic stake in Commmunicate 2, a Mumbai-based search marketing and contextual advertising firm. Communicate 2 will become part of Carat in India. The group has also added to its expertise in Russia, with the acquisition of AdWatch, and in Thailand, after buying leading search specialist to Goblet.

Yahoo! and Havas sign deal

Yahoo! and Havas have struck a deal that will see the latter become an early adopter of Yahoo!'s AMP! online buying and selling platform, due for roll-out in Q3. The deal also covers the joint creation of a global outsourcing practice for digital advertising, leveraging the Right Media Exchange.

Joint platform 'Project Canoe' to launch

Comcast, Time Warner Cable, Cablevision, Cox Communications, Charter Communications and Bright House Networks have invested $150m to launch Project Canoe, a joint platform that will sell targeted ads to viewers via their set-top box.

CNN teams up with Ericsson

CNN International is exploiting its multi-platform capabilities with a ramped-up advertiser offering for the second year of its Just Imagine short-fi lm series with mobile handset manufacturer Ericsson. Just Imagine is a series of 5 x 60-minute films fronted by five visionaries, who examine how science and technology developments will shape and enhance our lives in the future.

Royal Opera House looks to Facebook to attract patrons

The ROH is using the social networking site as a way of marketing itself to a wider audience, providing performance information ,venue news, and showing behind-the-scenes and rehearsal footage

Disney reshuffle focuses on gaming

Disney is making its biggest commitment to the interactive medium yet by combining its online, mobile and gaming units into one entity.

AOL's platform A secures Verizon win