Have a Great weekend everybody! Otto the octopus wreaks havoc October 31, 2008
Posted by Mark Blei in : Uncategorized , add a commentA octopus has caused havoc in his aquarium by performing juggling tricks using his fellow occupants, smashing rocks against the glass and turning off the power by shortcircuiting a lamp.
Staff believe that the octopus called Otto had been annoyed by the bright light shining into his aquarium and had discovered he could extinguish it by climbing onto the rim of his tank and squirting a jet of water in its direction.
The short-circuit had baffled electricians as well as staff at the Sea Star Aquarium in Coburg, Germany, who decided to take shifts sleeping on the floor to find out what caused the mysterious blackouts.
A spokesman said: “It was a serious matter because it shorted the electricity supply to the whole aquarium that threatened the lives of the other animals when water pumps ceased to work.
“It was on the third night that we found out that the octopus Otto was responsible for the chaos.
“We knew that he was bored as the aquarium is closed for winter, and at two feet, seven inches Otto had discovered he was big enough to swing onto the edge of his tank and shoot out a the 2000 Watt spot light above him with a carefully directed jet of water.”
Director Elfriede Kummer who witnessed the act said: “We’ve put the light a bit higher now so he shouldn’t be able to reach it. But Otto is constantly craving for attention and always comes up with new stunts so we have realised we will have to keep more careful eye on him – and also perhaps give him a few more toys to play with.
“Once we saw him juggling the hermit crabs in his tank, another time he threw stones against the glass damaging it. And from time to time he completely re-arranges his tank to make it suit his own taste better – much to the distress of his fellow tank inhabitants.”Link HERE
Workplaces need to embrace social networking tools October 31, 2008
Posted by Mark Blei in : Uncategorized , add a commentWe’ve all heard the ‘horror’ stories. IT departments who block Facebook, YouTube, Twitter and MySpace. We’ve all got friends who can’t access even personal email until they get home in the evening. Personally, I think it’s silly, because of some of the massive benefits that I, and others I know, have experienced through social networking.
A study completed by the UK ‘think tank’ and research firm, Demos, is trying to convince enterprise bosses to embrace the new technologies.
Any attempt to control employee’s participation on these sites can limit the way staff communicate, as the Demos study said, but also, can limit the firm’s opportunities for new business as well.
READ THE REST HERE—–> Workplaces need to embrace social networking tools
Google may scrap Yahoo deal October 31, 2008
Posted by Mark Blei in : Uncategorized , add a commentWASHINGTON–Google Inc. may decide to scrap its proposed partnership with Yahoo Inc
rather than accept government-imposed antitrust restrictions on it, according to two sources familiar with the companies’ discussions.
“Are they more serious about walking away? Yes. Have they decided? I’m not sure,” one source told Reuters Friday.
“Yahoo wants the deal, and they’re willing to have Google sign anything at the Justice Department to have them do it,” said the source.
A second source said that Google and Yahoo, Nos. 1 and 2 in the Internet search market, could announce as early as Friday that the deal had fallen apart.
Google and Yahoo representatives could not be immediately reached for comment.
Read The Rest Here —->Google may scrap Yahoo deal
Digital Out-of-Home Ad Spend Triples October 31, 2008
Posted by Mark Blei in : Uncategorized , add a commentThe US digital out-of-home (OOH) media industry – which includes video ad networks, digital billboards and ambient ad platforms – is on pace to grow 11.2%, to $2.43 billion in 2008 and now comprises 29.1% of overall out-of-home ad spending, according to the “Digital Out-of-Home Media Forecast 2008-2012” from PQ Media.
Read The rest Here——>Digital Out-of-Home Ad Spend Triples
Financial Services Firms Lag in Digital Marketing – MarketingVOX October 31, 2008
Posted by Mark Blei in : Uncategorized , add a commentNearly half of marketers at financial services firms say digital initiatives will be integral to their marketing within two years, but their lack of experimentation, low digital budgets and difficulty with measurement are preventing them from realizing digital’s full potential now
Read the Rest —-> Financial Services Firms Lag in Digital Marketing – MarketingVOX
Industry Buzz & Snippets: 10/31/08 October 31, 2008
Posted by Mark Blei in : Uncategorized , add a commentAd Networks and Analytics:
- Contextual analysis and content matching firm Inform Technologies laid off 20 employees. 59% of its employee base, or 29 employees, will be retained.
Agencies and Marketing Execs:
- Publicis has managed to remain solvent in a time when other agencies and companies have begun to flounder. Organic revenue rose nearly 4% in Q3.
Biz Buzz:
- JetBlue partnered with IdeaCast to offer advertising on in-flight seatback video screens.
- Google joins Yahoo and Microsoft in providing OpenID. But the move looks hasty; John Battelle admonishes speculators to prepare for war.
Gaming:
- Despite progress with its in-game advertising model (even Obama’s using it), Electronic Arts (EA) lowered its profit forecast for this year — and also plans to cut 6% of its workforce. Many jobs will move overseas.
- MTV Networks inked a licensing agreement that may enable it to bring Beatles tracks to Rock Band.
Legal, Government and Regulation:
- Google won the legal right to digitize out-of-print versions of books, as well as provide previews to in-print books. In partnership with publishers and authors, it is also preparing a means by which everyone can profit from the deal: when users run a search for something found in a book, they can preview the page and possibly purchase the work. View the settlement agreement.
Mobile:
- Publishing house Simon & Schuster is availing 500 of its classic titles — including Nancy Drew and Hemingway books — for download on mobile phones.
- Motorola announced plans to cut 3000 jobs — 5% of its workforce — and delay the planned spinoff of its mobile unit.
- BMW — yes, the car maker — plans to launch a discount mobile phone service.
Overseas:
- Hard times for behavioral advertising are far from over. British ISP Orange has just denounced Phorm, arguing the “privacy issue” it presented “was too strong.” “It is our policy to be clear and transparent on how [customer] data can be used, without compromising privacy,” a spokesperson said.
Search:
- Google may unveil a SearchWiki, which currently enables select users to manipulate the order of their search results.
- Rumor has it Google and Yahoo may just abandon their sponsored search ad deal.
- Bloomberg observes Yahoo’s gaining search share.
Social Networks:
- Facebook — the warm, pulpy foundation upon which other people’s fortunes are made — purportedly helped register over 50,000 voters.
- PeopleJar, a social network targeted to self-promoters from all walks of life, proffers a new way to connect with friends: via search.
User Experience:
- This year’s Presidential election may be the most-polled election in history — leading to the creation of more data aggregating websites.
- Speaking of elections, November 4 of this year may also be the most closely-watched and recorded voting period ever.
Marketing Vox is a great source for industry news and newsletters subscribe by clicking HERE
Media Life People October 31, 2008
Posted by Mark Blei in : Uncategorized , add a comment
Hank Close, president of ad sales at MTV Networks, is leaving his position when his contract expires at the end of the year. Close won’t be replaced due to the company’s new sales structure.
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Discovery Communications has promoted Ian Parmiter to senior vice president of integrated advertising sales marketing, effective immediately. Parmiter will be in charge of ad sales sponsorship and partnerships.
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Kerry Knott, senior vice president of government affairs at Comcast, is leaving the company, although he will stay on as strategic counsel. Knott, whose replacement still hasn’t been named, had been with the company for five years.
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USA has signed on actress Emily Rose to star in the pilot “Operating Instructions” (working title), lifting the cast contingency on the project. Rose will star as a trauma surgeon who returns home from a tour of duty to take a position at a military hospital.
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Brides.com has named Linda Kennedy advertising director, effective immediately. Kennedy joins from People.com, where she was advertising manager.
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Premiere Radio Networks has named Alison Horn vice president of music syndication sales, reporting to executive vice president of sales Carol Terakawa. Horn was previously brand solutions manager at KTLA-TV in Los Angeles.
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A mad man should fit in just fine at NBC’s zany sitcom “30 Rock.” Jon Hamm, who plays Don Draper in AMC’s “Mad Men,” is in talks to guest star on the show, whose third-season premiere aired last night. Hamm would play a neighbor of Tina Fey’s character and a possible love interest.
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Actor Bradley Whitford has signed on with NBC to produce and star in its upcoming comedy pilot “Off Duty.” Whitford will play a fading police officer who antagonizes his up-and-coming partner.
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Edith Evans Asbury, a former reporter with The New York Times, died at her home on Thursday at age 98 following two years of declining health. Asbury often covered hard news, a rarity for women in her day, and also interviewed several 20th-century icons, including Amelia Earhart and Georgia O’Keeffe.
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Ad agency Mullen has added Juan Perez as executive creative director, working out of the company’s Winston-Salem, N.C., office. Perez has previously held positions at Energy BBDO, TBWA/Chiat/Day and GSD&M.
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Digital agency Atmosphere BBDO has named Andy Bhatt executive director of production, effective immediately. Bhatt was previously head of interactive production at Wieden + Kennedy.
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Falls Church, Va., ad agency SmithGifford has added Jason Pasch, naming him new media designer. Pasch joins from EFX Media, where he worked as a web designer.
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Omnicom has launched a new consultancy called Mobile Behavior, which will aim to include mobile communications into clients’ marketing mix. The new arm will be led by Alan Rambam, who previously headed the company’s youth and mobile marketing business.
MEDIA LIFE MAGAZINE IS A GREAT RESOURCE FOR GREAT INDUSTRY INFORMATION TAKE A LOOK AT THEIR WEBSITE HERE
MediaPost People on the Move October 31, 2008
Posted by Mark Blei in : Uncategorized , add a comment| ROSE CAMERON, formerly senior vice president/planning director for Leo Burnett, has been appointed chief strategy officer at Euro RSCG Chicago. |
| Night Agency hired EVAN ZELLER as account director. Most recently, he was an account director at Modernista! working on Hummer, Cadillac and Business Week. |
| Publicis USA named JOHN RABASA as executive vice president, managing director, Publicis Modem & Dialog in San Francisco. |
| JUAN PEREZ joined Mullen as executive creative director of the agency’s Winston-Salem office. |
| Perfect Fools hired JASON KOXVOLD as its first creative director for the New York office. He was most recently a creative director at Draftfcb New York. |
| Kaboodle hired SHARI GUNN as vice president of advertising and business development. |
| ComScore hired PAT PELLEGRINI as vice president of research for international operations. He most recently served as vice president of research and new product development at Arbitron. |
| ANDY BHATT joined Atmosphere BBDO as executive director of production, working across all clients. Prior to this role, Bhatt was head of interactive production at Wieden + Kennedy New York. |
| MELANIE JONES was named chief financial officer of Mindshare North America. Jones served as Mindshare’s controller since 2005. |
| Campfire hired SEAN GANAAN as creative director. Prior to joining Campfire, Ganaan served as digital creative director at Anomoly. |
| RICHARD HREN was named strategy director at Euro RSCG Discovery. Hren most recently served as director of product marketing for SPSS. |
| Organic hired RANDI BARSHACK as vice president of marketing. She previously served as vice president of worldwide marketing at Mercado. |
| Fuor Digital hired BRIAN WEBER as director of new business development and marketing. |
| David&Goliath has promoted DAVID CUCCINELLO and SEAN VIJ to associate creative directors. Cuccinello was previously senior art director and Vij was senior copywriter. |
| Sullivan hired RENEE PEET as practice lead, Travel and Luxury, and JEANNE CLOPPSE as practice lead, Healthcare. |
| DAN GERBER was named senior account manager for the east coast at Pandora Media. |
| ELLEN MELTZER was named associate publisher of American Heritage Publishing. She previously served as advertising director of The American Prospect. |
| Bailey Gardiner hired JENNIFER WILLIAMS as an account director. |
| Worktank hired SCOTT RUSSELL as vice president, client services and SHANNON HOFMEISTER as group account director. |
| Kinetic hired CRAIG TRACHTENBERG as research and insights manager, US. |
| Hallmark Magazine promoted AMY PALANJIAN to lifestyle editor. |
| Moxie Interactive hired MICHAEL WINTER as vice president, group media director and promoted ANDREW LOVASZ to vice president, search director and CHRIS PICKETT to vice president, technology. |
| JOHN LUMPKIN was named vice president, associate publisher of Playboy Digital, and ROBERT EISENHARDT was promoted to vice president, associate publisher for Playboy magazine. |
| ALEX ALONSO was named vice president of marketing for mun2. Prior to joining mun2, Alonso oversaw strategic planning for Carat’s accounts active in the US multicultural space. |
| PERRY KIRK was named president of Ubiquitous Media. She previously served as president & CEO of Ambient Planet. |
| Funtank hired SCOTT TANNEN as president. |
| ALAN SCHULMAN, former executive creative director and director of user experience at imc2 has been named chairman and chief creative officer of U.DIG>The Digital Innovations Group. |
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| LESLEY SOLOMON has been named senior vice president of marketing at Prospectiv. Most recently she served as senior vice president, marketing and sales at Gather.com. For more great MediaPost content and Newsletters CLICK HERE |
The Revolution Will Be Downloaded October 31, 2008
Posted by Mark Blei in : Uncategorized , add a commentFor proof that the viewer wants to be in charge, look no further than the Summer Olympics. Not only did the opening ceremony in Beijing have a gigantic DVR audience of 3.25 million viewers, but NBC said 40% of its online viewers used the Web to view events they had first seen on TV.
In today’s media environment, consumers have come to demand the flexibility of getting online content whenever they want, from TVs and personal computers to iPods and mobile devices. Brand and content owners basically have two options for packaging and delivering online content for viewer consumption. Each option requires different technologies, and each has its own place in the media ecosystem.
Read The rest—>Video Insider � Blog Archive � The Revolution Will Be Downloaded
Our Core Value Problem October 31, 2008
Posted by Mark Blei in : Uncategorized , add a commentI don’t mean to sound like a pessimist or set off alarms for the sake of hearing a bell ring, but we have a core value problem that will only get worse, not better, based on the tracks the online sales train is running.
Two weeks ago in this OPI offering, David Koretz pointed to the dramatic disparity between the spending allocated to online advertising versus the time consumers spend on Web sites. Why does this disparity exist? One simple answer: Online inventory is cheaper, so advertisers don’t have to spend as much as they do with other media. And I can’t think of a worse label for a medium to bear than “cheap.”
Read the rest—->Online Publishing Insider � Blog Archive � Our core Value Problem
