Blog format is changing for the better!!! February 24, 2009
Posted by Mark Blei in : Uncategorized , add a commentPlease be patient as I move us over to our new more functional home.
Panasonic orders staff to buy �1,000 in products – Times Online February 13, 2009
Posted by Mark Blei in : Uncategorized , add a commentIts electronic gadgetry is gathering dust on the shelves of high street stores, nobody is buying new fridges and the mountain of unsold plasma televisions is growing by the day.
However, in desperation, Panasonic has hit on the perfect counter-attack against the consumer slump: it has ordered every member of staff to go out and buy £1,000 of Panasonic products.
Large swathes of corporate Japan are expected to follow suit, either by directly commanding or indirectly “pressuring” employees to divert part of their salaries towards the goods that their employers produce.
Toyota has already tacitly applauded a “voluntary” scheme in which 2,200 of its top brass decided to buy new Toyota cars, and the president of Fujitsu recently e-mailed 100,000 staff and gently pointed out how nice it would be if “employee ownership rates” of Fujitsu PCs and mobile phones were a little higher.
The 10,000 Japanese staff affected by Panasonic’s unorthodox strategy do not have long to consider their purchases.
Management insists that staff buy their Panasonic goods — whether they need them or not — by the end of July.
Upper-level managers, all of whom have been “encouraged” for years to fill their homes with Panasonic goods as a symbol of corporate loyalty, are being asked to spend at least 200,000 yen (£1,500).
A Panasonic spokesman said that because the “Buy Panasonic” request was made to management-level employees, the company did not expect refusal rates to be high.
Read The Rest—> Panasonic orders staff to buy 1,000 in products – Times Online
Pioneer to Close Unprofitable Flat Screen TV Business : MediaBytes with Shelly Palmer February 9, 2009 February 9, 2009
Posted by Mark Blei in : Uncategorized , add a commentIf you are having trouble viewing our video player, check out MediaBytes on YouTube.
Watch Shelly’s commentary on Pioneer closing its unprofitable flat-screen TV business and how this is a sign of the time for the Consumer Electronics industry.
President Obama is set to make Melissa Hathaway his head of cyber security. Hathaway, who also worked in the Bush administration, will be in charge of reviewing and maintaining secure computer networks for the government. Hathaway is responsible for the cyber security plan developed during the Bush years.
DreamWorks and Disney are expected to announce a distribution deal this morning after DreamWorks contract with Universal expired on Friday. Sources say Disney will distribute six films a year for DreamWorks, while also helping the company financially. Disney will receive a distribution fee of 8% from DreamWorks.
The USA Network has signed a $200 million deal for basic cable and broadcast rights to 24 films by Universal Pictures. The contract will give USA exclusive premier rights to Universal films, including Bruno, the sequel to Borat. While the deal is expected to be worth $200 million, if Universal’s films flop at the box office, USA could end up paying half the amount.
LG will cut costs by 30% this year in accord with its forecast which predicts a 20% drop in sales. CEO Nam Yong said the consumer electronics manufacturer would not cut jobs immediately, rather it would stress productivity and efficiency to get through the tough economic times. LG may relocate 20% of its domestic work force to growth industries like solar energy development.
Led Zeppelin front man Robert Plant and country singer Alison Krauss took home all five awards they were nominated for last night at the Grammy’s. Other winner’s included Coldplay for song of the year, and rapper Lil Wayne, who took home 4 awards.
Media Post Accounts On The Move Feb 9, 2009 Issue February 9, 2009
Posted by Mark Blei in : Uncategorized , add a commentFor more great MediaPost content and Newsletters CLICK HERE
| CBS Films |
| MPG |
| MPG was awarded media planning and buying duties on the $100 million CBS Films account. |
| Aldi |
| McCann Erickson |
| McCann Erickson was tapped as lead agency for grocery store chain, Aldi. |
| ALPO |
| Fallon |
| Fallon has been named agency of record for Purina’s ALPO brand of dog food. The agency will handle creative and strategic planning responsibilities for the brand. Creative breaks in the upcoming weeks. |
| iNSPIRE! |
| Boost Mobile |
| iNSPIRE! has been named the national Hispanic agency of record for Boost Mobile. The agency will provide strategic planning as well as media planning and buying. |
| Starbucks |
| Draftfcb |
| Draftfcb was awarded a direct marketing and CRM assignment from Starbucks. |
The Importance of Brand Building in a Recession February 9, 2009
Posted by Mark Blei in : Uncategorized , add a commentRead The Rest—>The Importance of Brand Building in a Recession
How to be a LinkedIn superstar February 9, 2009
Posted by Mark Blei in : Uncategorized , add a commentArticle Highlights:
- Read why this unique social tool is particularly well-suited for marketing professionals
- Check out four areas you need to focus on in creating your LinkedIn profile
- Learn best practices for communicating, networking, and research on LinkedIn
I’m a huge fan of LinkedIn. In fact, I am constantly professing my love for LinkedIn. However, I still encounter a lot of naysayers who argue that they don’t want to add another thing to their list of things. I completely understand. I took stock the other day of all the social networks that I participate in, and it totaled more than 20. I even use the social network capabilities of sites like Netflix (to see what movies my friends are watching) and Rhapsody (to share music with them).
But I put LinkedIn in a category all its own. LinkedIn is for business — not for catching up with friends or planning family reunions. I use it solely for connecting with people I meet and interact with in business settings.
Of course, much has been written about the opportunities that LinkedIn presents to advertisers. And indeed, it is a social channel that offers plenty of opportunities for marketers looking to build their brands. But what about your own personal brand? What about you and your company’s professional reputation within your industry? Whether you’re on the brand, agency, or service side, marketing is all about building relationships. And in interactive marketing especially, the people you meet and do business with expect you to be wired into their community.
In an effort to do my part to keep LinkedIn legit and help out those who fear yet another social network, let me give you my tips on how to best utilize LinkedIn for you and your business.
—->How to be a LinkedIn superstar
READ THE REST—>
Advertising to Mobile Phones Now the Norm February 5, 2009
Posted by Mark Blei in : Uncategorized , add a commentAnd a significant number of users say they respond to such messages
NEW YORK Advertising to mobile phones is becoming an increasingly mainstream phenomenon, to judge by a Limbo-GfK Technology Mobile Advertising Report released today. (Limbo is a mobile social network whose free services to members are supported by the revenue from mobile ads.)
Thirty-three percent of Americans with mobile phones said they recalled seeing mobile advertising during the fourth quarter of 2008. Among those with iPhones, the figure was even higher, at 41 percent. “The vast majority of these ads were seen in SMS text messages,” the report notes.
Read The Rest—>Advertising to Mobile Phones Now the Norm
DTV Transition Postponed Until June 12 : MediaBytes with Shelly Palmer February 5, 2009 February 5, 2009
Posted by Mark Blei in : Uncategorized , add a commentIf you are having trouble viewing our video player, check out MediaBytes on YouTube.
As expected, the House of Representatives passed the bill to postpone the end of analog television. The Democrats easily got the majority needed to pass the bill, which saw legislators voting on strict party lines. Once President Obama, who is expected to approve the bill, signs off, the end of analog television will officially be June 12, 2009.
Ironically, the Pew Research center recently found that 97% of people questioned were aware of the transition from digital to analog television. The survey also found that 81% of respondents had “heard alot” about the transition.
Nielsen, which originally stated that an average of 95.4 viewers watched the Super Bowl, is now reporting that 97.5 million Americans tuned in to the game. The new number would make the contest between the Steelers and the Cardinals the most watched Super Bowl in history and the second most watched program in the history of television.
After posting a loss of $16 billion dollars, Time Warner was notified by Google that they would either have to spin off AOL or sell Google back its 5% share at market value. Google invested $1 billion in AOL during a bidding war with Microsoft over search. That same deal valued AOL at $20 billion, a supremely inflated price compared to the $5.4 billion Google believes AOL is currently worth.
Time Warner Cable announced that they will be expanding their metered broadband tests. A spokesman noted that the trials will soon begin in four new markets and will feature offers of 5GB, 20GB and 40GB of usage a month. The company will charge users who go over set limits $1/GB.
Time Warner, TWC Report Q4 Losses on Writedowns February 5, 2009
Posted by Mark Blei in : Uncategorized , add a commentMomentum for premium services such as DVRs has continued to decline.
NEW YORK Time Warner and Time Warner Cable on Wednesday reported fourth-quarter losses on $24.2 billion in impairment writedowns to account for the lowered value of assets.
TW, which expects to soon spin off TWC, also projected a 2009 profit for its remaining content businesses of 66 cents per share.
Read The Rest–> Time Warner, TWC Report Q4 Losses on Writedowns
Nestle Seeks Consumers' Design Advice February 5, 2009
Posted by Mark Blei in : Uncategorized , add a commentNEW YORK Who needs a design firm? Apparently not Nestle Confections and Snacks. The candy maker is asking consumers to pick the latest packaging for its Goobers, Sno-Caps and Oh Henry! brands. To come up with the finalists it used the Web-based shop MarketSplash by HP.
Participants are invited to go to Adeliciousdilemma.com to vote through March 6. For their trouble they are entered to win one of five $100 candy prize packs. Online marketing including a YouTube video supports.
The brand package redesign that receives the most votes will be on shelves by year’s end.
Read The Rest—>Nestle Seeks Consumers’ Design Advice
