Monday, March 31, 2008

SURFING THE WEB

A new analysis of online consumer data shows that large Web companies are learning more about people than ever from what they search for and do on the Internet, gathering clues about the tastes and preferences of a typical user several hundred times a month.

These companies use that information to predict what content and advertisements people most likely want to see. They can charge steep prices for carefully tailored ads because of their high response rates.

Privacy advocates have previously sounded alarms about the practices of Internet companies and provided vague estimates about the volume of data they collect.

The Web companies are, in effect, taking the trail of crumbs people leave behind as they move around the Internet, and then analyzing them to anticipate people’s next steps. So anybody who searches for information on such disparate topics as iron supplements, airlines, hotels and soft drinks may see ads for those products and services later on.

Consumers have not complained to any great extent about data collection online. But privacy experts say that is because the collection is invisible to them. Unlike Facebook’s Beacon program, which stirred controversy last year when it broadcast its members’ purchases to their online friends, most companies do not flash a notice on the screen when they collect data about visitors to their sites.

When you start to get into the details, it’s scarier than you might suspect -- You're recording preferences, hopes, worries and fears.

But executives from the largest Web companies say that privacy fears are misplaced, and that they have policies in place to protect consumers’ names and other personal information from advertisers. Moreover, they say, the data is a boon to consumers, because it makes the ads they see more relevant.

These companies often connect consumer data to unique codes identifying their computers, rather than their names.

During the Internet’s short life, most people have used a yardstick from traditional media to measure success: audience size. Like magazines and newspapers, Web sites are most often ranked based on how many people visit them and how long they are there.

But on the Internet, advertisers are increasingly choosing where to place their ads based on how much sites know about Web surfers.

Web companies once could monitor the actions of consumers only on their own sites. But over the last couple of years, the Internet giants have spread their reach by acting as intermediaries that place ads on thousands of Web sites, and now can follow people’s activities on far more sites.
Large Web companies like Microsoft and Yahoo have also acquired a number of companies in the last year that have rich consumer data.

Web companies also can collect more data as people spend more time online. The number of searches that American Web users enter each month has nearly doubled since summer of 2006, to 14.6 billion searches in January.
antweaver

Thursday, March 27, 2008

MAGAZINE EMBEDS GLOW-IN-THE-DARK AD ON COVER

It’s not embedded Swarovski crystals or shameless Nike plugs, but Vice—the irreverent free glossy with 14 international editions based in New York—has figured out a new way to sneak an advertiser’s product onto its cover: glow-in-the-dark ink.

The magazine’s Canadian edition is running an ad for BMW 1 Series—visible only in the dark—on the cover of its latest issue. The ad appears on the magazine’s entire print run—some 55,000 copies.

And that's not all -- Trackable ink is here -- So big brother will know if you're reading your favorite magazine on the couch or on your toliet seat.
antweaver

Wednesday, March 26, 2008

THE GROWING POWER OF GREEK BLOGGERS


The first study ever conducted on the Greek blogosphere by Panteion University sheds the light on the growing power and influence these blogs have on the general public. While only 30% of Greece is connected to the internet (with an even smaller portion of those being 'bloggers'), there are currently 40,000 Greek blogs with a readership that is reaching 500,000.

According to the study, a typical Greek blogger is:

Male, employed, 30 years old, lives in Athens and has a university education. He follows traditional news sources (the press, radio and television) for less then an hour a day. An Internet user for eight years, he is online for more than four hours a day, using a broadband connection.

Some other interesting numbers about the Greek blogosphere:

- Greek blogs get updated once or twice a week or less, with bloggers spending less than five hours a week on them.- Most bloggers 'blog' because they like writing and want to influence other people.

- Only 8% of Greek blogs get more than 250 hits a day, with 55% getting less than 100 hits a day and the remaining being read by close family and friends of the blogger.
antweaver

Friday, March 21, 2008

DOCUMENTARY FILM FESTIVAL IN GREECE

The Huffington Post has a good (if somewhat lengthy) article on Dimitri Eipedes, the founder of the Thessaloniki Documentary Film Festival in Greece. This year marked the 10th anniversary of the festival--now one of the most significant doc festivals in Europe. The festival attracts l000 documentary entries from all over the world--not to mention 65,000 spectators.
The article draws attention to one particularly interesting documentary film shown at the festival:
"The wildest documentary: "Surfwise" (view trailer). A good Jewish doctor, head of the American Medical Association for California, after two divorces and plenty of financial success, decides to drop it all and become a surfer on the beach. His idea: modern society, its money, mores and education system, is inhuman and unhealthy, while he himself is full of health, both charismatic and self-assured. He takes off for Mexico and, what is most incredible, convinces a woman to join his dream and to raise nine children together, each with his or her own tiny surf board, all sleeping together in one small caravan. "They were free as puppies," notes the proud Dad. The children eat gruel for breakfast and then hit the waves."
antweaver

MEDIA LANSCAPE

Broadcast-network TV's place in the media landscape is changing, and consumers can probably expect less scripted fare, and more shows aimed at reaching broad swaths of audience.

Event programming will continue to be the backbone of broadcast network TV, which advertisers continue to rely on to reach large groups of audience to launch movies and introduce new products to the marketplace. Broadcast networks need to be careful to avoid going too niche, which is really the strength of cable networks in the USA (here in Greece, NOVA).

With more consumers able to get entertainment and information online, TV networks are finding that distribution of content over their own air simply is not enough. They must also attract audiences via the web and digital devices such as cellphones and iPods.

Big broadcast networks, like MEGA and STAR will have to cut back on the number of hours of scripted programming they produce. It is harder today to put on a full day of great scripted programming. The costs are prohibitive.

In the future, you're still going to see the great scripted programming, but you're not going to see a full day seven days a week.
antweaver

Thursday, March 20, 2008

WHAT'S ALL THE HULA?

Will Hulu do hoops around iTunes?

In Greece there’s a strong opportunity for the RIGHT player(s). NOVA is for sale, and, in the right hands this COULD be the opportunity that could change television in Greece as we know it.

Below, a look at where TV is heading.

News Corp. and NBC Universal have made Hulu.com, (online video-sharing site) available to the general public.

The oddly-named site represents the two media companies' quest to capture some of the consumer attention that has gone to other video-sharing sites, most notably Google's YouTube.

Hulu features clips and full-length episodes of well-known programs including "House" and "Chuck," as well as some movies. Hulu has a potential lure for advertisers who like online video, but are more comfortable with professionally produced content as opposed to the grainy, edgy and wacky material that makes it to YouTube and other sites of its kind.

The media market is shifting drastically and we need to join the game. TV on your computer is here to stay.
antweaver

Wednesday, March 19, 2008

PICASSO'S ARTWORK DISTURBS PARENTS

School children in Thessaloniki were temporarily banned from visiting the exhibition of Picasso's 'Suite 347' prints at the city's Telloglio Arts Centre this week.

The collection of erotic prints by Pablo Picasso has sparked a dispute in Salonika after parents and school headmasters called into question whether they were suitable for minors.

The decision was rescinded when it was found that the offending prints were not being shown to schoolchildren visiting the exhibition.

With all the naked Greek statues...what could be so offensive?
antweaver

Monday, March 17, 2008

HEALTH MINISTRY TO START MARKETING CAMPAIGN TO SLIM DOWN OUR CHILDREN

The statistics don't lie. There's a growing epidemic of overweight children in Greece and its not getting better.

- 54 % of children between the ages of 6 and 11 are overweight
- 40 % of children between the ages of 12 and 17 are overweight
- Fast food consumption has increased nearly 1,000% (staggering!) since 2000.

Result: Over half of Greece's youth overweight.

Greece's Health Ministry is beginning a marketing campaign, including television advertisements, that will also involve high-profile athletes visiting schools, to encourage youngsters to adopt a healthier lifestyle involving more exercise.

This is not enough. Television adversements should be geared to adults and not children. The media companies need to refuse airing junk food advertising during children’s programming and viewing times.
antweaver
antweaver

Thursday, March 13, 2008

Tuesday, March 11, 2008

DIRTY MONEY

It’s time to air your dirty laundry

It’s much easier to steal the inside scoop then it is to work for it. Just as it is much easier to sleep to the top.

An employee of “Telia Kai Pavla” was handing over their top stories to Vassia Loi, host of "TV Weekend" before Desi Kouvelogianni had gone to air. Now, Desi has no TV home.

Sham on you Vassia. Slap, slap to the hand. Now, I have to ask…was this for sexual favors? Hmmm.
Medicine-tongue

Friday, March 7, 2008

GREEK TV NETWORKS SHOULD GREENLIGHT ECO-CONTENT

The amount of green in eco-friendly programming is growing in the US, and even networks whose stock in trade is irreverence are trying to do well by doing good.

With the environment becoming a bigger issue to consumers—and businesses trying to court them—television networks are creating more green programming and campaigns.

Advertisers are well aware of that growing appetite.

US networks are rushing to respond.

GreeK TV is several steps behind.

NBC last week said its “The More You know” campaign will feature a commitment to environmental awareness and the network is seeking sponsors for that effort.

Last week, Planet Green said it will air a daily show featuring former Food Network fixture Emeril Lagasse cooking with fresh and organic ingredients. The show will be shot inside Whole Food Markets stores; the retailer is a production partner on the show, providing promotion as well as locations.

Eco-lifestyle programming is really a new genre of TV.

My experience tells me that the content needs to be very relevant to people with an interest in being more green.

But there are pitfalls to jumping on the green bandwagon.

If the eco-efforts are real and substantive, the viewers will take that away from the association with the program. Conversely, if the client is in the program just because it’s cool to be green, the viewer will realize that as well.
antweaver

INFORMATION ON THE MOVE

Put down your frappe television promotion executives and get to work! Here's a nice opportunity for a tie-in promotion. Do I have to spell it out?! Sorry, not my job.

The City of Athens Mobile Information Booth is ready to hit the city's neighborhoods and document the problems and concerns of citizens, as well as inform them on municipal works.The booth, a van actually, is equipped with full electronic equipment including screens and projectors'. Starting in April and lasting until June; the booth will travel to all seven of the City Districts and inform citizens on the City's new Greenery Charter and the school competition "Regeneration of my Neighborhood".

The traveling booth was sponsored and built by the Greek company Saracakis.
antweaver

Thursday, March 6, 2008

COME TO THE GREEK ISLANDS

FUNNY VIDEOS
http://www.greekfriends.com.au/story/title/Why_To_Come_To_The_Greek_Islands-1
antweaver

A NEW RATING SYSTEM FOR TV SHOWS

Audience beyond TV, and appeal beyond ratings


TV ratings have been the gospel for the broadcasting and ad industries for nearly 60 years. They are the yardstick by which our business has determined success or failure.

However, as we begin to turn our attention to this year's upfront market, the question we find ourselves asking is, Do TV ratings still stand up as a reliable and usable measure that advertisers, agencies and broadcasters need to make the right investment decisions? In a multiplatform, digital media world where engagement is as important as headcount, it's time to think about a different currency.

TV just isn't TV anymore

We must go beyond TV ratings to evaluate a show's true market value in terms of total audience size, value of PR and buzz, and program appeal.

They say that TV isn't what it used to be, and that certainly rings true. Networks in the US have expanded their content beyond telecast into multiplatforms that reflect the widening berth of TV's landscape.

We buy shows, not ratings

In Europe, advertisers buy ratings. In the U.S., they buy shows. TV buying in Europe has largely become a commodity, a mechanism to deliver an audience for advertising messages. A marketing director rarely questions the programs they are in, just the ratings, the reach and cost per thousand. Media auditors regularly track media buyers on prices paid and level of discount. Where the U.S. differs from its European counterparts is that here, TV is rightfully more than just a ratings number. Each program also includes sponsorship, integration and promotional opportunities as important parts of the buying consideration. This is not the case in Europe, because in many TV markets, the regulations restricting branded entertainment, sponsorship and product placement are so draconian that you are limited to literally buying the audience that is in the commercial break.

For U.S. advertisers and networks, quality does count and has a value. The show is a brand in its own right, and it is worth something for a marketer's brands to be associated with. Research shows that advertising effectiveness in high quality programming on average delivers 44% higher ad recall than in low quality shows.

Over the decades, 20-30 ratings gave way to 2-3 ratings that reflected growing industry competition and consumers splintered by choice. Mass marketing (and similarly, mass ratings) has given way to more targeted and sophisticated approaches.

Engagement: our staple currency

Despite TV CPMs increasing year after year, advertising recall of TV commercials has been in steady decline. In some estimates, TV advertising is eight times less efficient in the '00s as it was in the '60s. Engagement is of equal importance to TV ratings. We know from analysis of the market that program appeal and engagement are more likely to drive greater ad awareness and response. Yet TV ratings alone fail to address this need.

Research needs to broaden to address the current landscape. We should rank network and cable program size across broadcast TV, web, online video and mobile; its value in terms of PR and word-of-mouth buzz; and audience appeal.

For example, while reality programs have their share of criticism, it was found that a show whose viewers have a stake in the show or its contestants enjoys a more engaged and regular audience. The high viewer involvement in shows like "Heroes," "The Office" and "30 Rock" helped them to gain a much higher ranking than the TV ratings alone justified.

It makes sense the networks are leveraging the opportunity presented when consumers increasingly access and interact with the content in different places. This is creating a new economy for TV. There's no question that digital platforms are increasingly valuable to advertisers. So too is the interest and appeal that a program generates.


In Greece, TV executives need to push for a far better rating system. Research needs to encompass much more.
antweaver

Wednesday, March 5, 2008

TO BLOG OR NOT

Bloggers and traditional media outlets in Greece have been buzzing over the past couple of weeks after it was revealed that press-gr.blogspot.com, one of the most popular Greek blogs, was acting as a vehicle for Internet blackmailers. According to reports, numerous Greek statesmen, clergy, media stars and businessmen have allegedly been blackmailed by anonymous users/commenter's on the gossip site. Right!!! This seemed like a good accusation by the social elite to find out who is behind the successful blog that threatens to expose their own corruption.

Blackmail is a felony in Greece so a court order was granted to find out the site's anonymous owners. The trail led authorities to a newspaper editor from Greece who denied any wrong doing.

The uproar now is that legislation is being drafted to outlaw anonymous blogs or commentary. This from a country that tried to outlaw video games a while back. Absurd! I was under the impression that .com blogs could not be regulated with Greek legislation. Let's see what happens.

It is obvious that the Greek political system is not comfortable with the idea of people blogging around uncontrolled. The Greek political system is not comfortable with the idea of freedom of expression, too -- I suppose there is lots of corruption and hypocrisy that the elite doesn't want exposed.
antweaver

Tuesday, March 4, 2008

WHEN JOURNALIST AREN'T HAPPY, THE NEWSPAPER INDUSTRY ISN'T HAPPY

Earlier this month, Kiyoshi Martinez started an experimental Web site that gives journalists a chance to vent their feelings about their profession and their work lives. And have they ever. AngryJournalist.com is a simple yet powerful concept: a gripe board where journalists are asked to say what's making them angry today. It's the modern-day equivalent of the anonymous suggestion box in the company lunchroom.

antweaver

CALLING ALL SINGLE GREEK BACHELORS

Want a chance to meet a Greek girl and be on reality television at the same time? The next The Bachelorette Series on ABC will feature Greek American DeAnna Pappas (a former contestant on the show The Bachelor) as she will now be given the opportunity to find herself a bachelor out of a group of contestants that will compete for her attention and love.The great thing is there is a chance for single men out there to enter the competition! The show is looking for "attractive, single men who are looking to settle down." Get your brothers, cousins, nephews or anyone who you would think would want to submit their information to ABC; or nominate someone who you think would be good for the show.

Email ABC at chase@kasstinginc.com and submit the following:
Name, age, phone number, email address, job, the reason that they would be good for the show/ are looking for love and a current photo.
antweaver

Monday, March 3, 2008

GREEK SCULPTOR'S DESIGN WINS EUROPEAN CONTEST FOR COMMEMORATIVE COIN

In honor of the 10 year anniversary of the beginning of the circulation of the euro, the EU will unveil a new 2 Euro coin. This is only the second time that a commemorative coin has been minted. Greek sculptor George Stamatopoulos's drawing of a primitive stick figure blending into the euro symbol was chosen by 41 percent of the 140,000 Europeans who cast votes. He beat out four other designs; all of which can be viewed on the site below. The new coin will be circulated to all of the 15 nations that use the Euro starting January of 2009. Euro Design Contest
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