Computer-driven targeted TV advertising could allow advertisements to reach 18 percent more consumers than traditional television advertising, according to researchers at AT&T Labs. The study used viewing information from cable boxes to determine what demographics watch what shows, and at what times of day. The study then analyzed different advertising patterns for a car manufacturer and a retirement planning/investing firm. Continue reading Targeted TV Ad Model: Road to More Effective Advertising?

Google is changing AdWords to eliminate mobile-only campaigns after Wall Street critics began questioning poor mobile cost-per-click numbers. All campaigns will now include desktop as well as mobile, while advertisers will not be able to target specific devices (like tablet-only campaigns, for example). Advertisers can adjust their preferences to prioritize mobile much more than desktop or desktop much more than mobile, but cannot choose only one. Continue reading Google Updates AdWords for Desktop and Mobile Advertising

Twitter’s acquisition of Bluefin Labs will allow the social media giant to better understand and value promoted tweets. Bluefin Labs, an MIT startup, analyzes reactions to specific TV shows and advertisements by not just measuring how many people comment on a particular item, but also ranking the amplitude of the sentiment. By analyzing the effectiveness of television advertisements, Twitter can help companies create effective Twitter ads as well. Continue reading Twitter Acquires Bluefin Labs to Analyze Promoted Tweets

The 34-minute Super Bowl power outage caused a Twitter uproar, but while many fans used social media to make jokes, Oreo seized the opportunity to launch a viral marketing campaign. Oreo’s 15-person Super Bowl social media team reacted quickly to the blackout, tweeting an ad that read “Power Out? No problem.” The Tweet was accompanied by the image of a single Oreo in a half-blacked out setting with the caption, “You can still dunk in the dark.” Continue reading Oreo Goes Social for Spontaneous Super Bowl Advertising

Traditional television viewing continues its decline, according to new charts published by Morgan Stanley analyst Benjamin Swinburne and his team. The charts show the “long, slow decline of old-fashioned broadcast and cable TV, and the number of ad dollars chasing the dinosaur medium,” writes Business Insider. According to the numbers, there has been a 50 percent decline in broadcast TV audience ratings since 2002. Continue reading Is Decline of Broadcast TV to Blame for High Cable Bills?

Sunday’s collection of Super Bowl ads failed to impress advertising columnist Stuart Elliott. “The commercials that CBS broadcast nationally during the game were, by and large, disappointing,” he writes. “They represented a missed opportunity for marketers and agencies to demonstrate that they had at least some understanding of how contemporary consumers think and behave.” Continue reading Super Bowl Ads: Too Much of Vintage Vibe and Tired Tactics?

A recent survey suggest that while six out of 10 small business owners say they believe social media tools are valuable to their company’s growth, just three percent of the 835 surveyed believe Twitter has the most potential to help the company. Twitter faces challenges convincing small business owners of the advantages of using the short-messaging system to reach customers and expand their brands. Continue reading Small Businesses See More Potential in LinkedIn Than Twitter

Twitter is getting ready to launch its advertising API sometime in the first quarter. Many have speculated that 2013 would be the year that the social network would reach the $1 billion mark in advertising revenue. The introduction of mass-market advertising could help achieve this milestone. The API will target large advertisers and their agencies by providing the opportunity to launch scaled-up campaigns across Twitter. Continue reading Sources Indicate Twitter is Ready to Launch Advertising API

Ad execs are imagining ways the upcoming Google Glass Internet-connected eyewear could transform the ad industry, despite Google’s repeated assertion that there are no plans for advertising on the device. “Those who make their living via augmented reality have even more vivid dreams. For them, Google Glass isn’t some weird 20 percent project, it’s the future of advertising,” writes Mashable. Continue reading Is Google Glass Poised to Change the Advertising Industry?

Marketing executives expect continued growth for interactive advertising this coming year. “According to AdMedia Partners and its 19th annual survey of industry leaders, nearly one-half (45 percent) of respondents believe digital advertising will grow by 10 percent to 15 percent in 2013,” reports MediaPost. During the past two years, the median growth rate remained consistent at 13 percent, says the report. Continue reading Marketing Execs Anticipate Growth in Interactive Advertising

Google uses targeted ads and so does Facebook. But it turns out that Amazon’s treasure trove of 152 million customers’ data is at the top of the digital heap. “Since last year, the world’s largest online retailer has been packaging information on what it knows about consumers so that some marketers can use it to make split-second decisions about where to buy ads online and how much to pay for them,” reports Technology Review. Continue reading Will Amazon Generate New Ad Revenue with Customer Info?

The relationship between Hollywood and Facebook may be showing signs of strain. While the entertainment industry was quick to embrace the social network as a marketing tool, major studios are now expressing doubt. “Some industry executives are increasingly skeptical that Facebook ads and promotional campaigns that ask users to ‘like’ a movie can deliver big box-office returns,” writes the Los Angeles Times. Continue reading Studios Question the Value of Marketing Movies on Facebook

During CES last week, representatives from television networks, software companies, cable providers and advertising firms gathered for the Second Screen Summit. 2012 was a busy year for second screens, as multiple companies, along with the Olympics, came out with companion products. But the direction and profitability of second screens remain in question. Continue reading CES 2013: Second Screen Use On The Rise, But Revenue Is Not

Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos got a “wake-up” call a decade ago, when he got word of a project at Google to scan and digitize product catalogs. “He saw it as a warning that the Web search engine could encroach upon his online retail empire, according to a former Amazon executive,” reports Reuters. That was just the beginning of a rivalry that will continue heating up in 2013. The two will compete even more fiercely in the online advertising, retail, mobile gadgets and cloud computing realms. Continue reading Are Amazon and Google on a Collision Course for 2013?

Digital may be a less lucrative proposition for traditional media companies than originally anticipated, according to 2012 figures that indicate legacy avenues remain primary ad revenue drivers. For the first nine months of 2012, digital advertising only accounted for about 15 percent of total newspaper ad sales, despite an increase in online readership. Additionally, radio posted digital ad revenues of $561 million for the same period, a mere 4.6 percent of the $12 billion the industry generated in total ad dollars. Continue reading Digital Ad Revenues Smaller Than Expected for Media Firms