July 2009 Newsletter

Feature Story

Reinventing the Industry--Make It New!

Article by: Kim Ramser, DOmedia Business Development & Industry Relations

“Make It New!” That was the theme of the 2009 AAF National Conference in DC earlier last month. The conference focused on changes in the advertising industry and what media professionals have to do in order to re-invent and emerge from this down time in an even stronger position than before.  While we are definitely living through a time of change, most of these seem to be falling into three categories: changes in revenue trends, agency expectations and strategy.

New Revenue Trends

Jack Myers’ presentation about the future of the advertising industry started out from a typical economist’s point-of-view–without a lot of optimism. He is predicting a 24% decrease in revenue—not this year, but in 2011. The recovery may be later than anticipated. Since 1923, advertising revenues have faithfully followed the GDP  (Gross Domestic Product) with about a 6-month lag time, but Mr. Myers is predicting a slower recovery for this industry, stating that media demand is no longer outpacing supply as it has in recent years. In addition, many challenges exist today for advertisers because of increased technologies—click fraud, Tivo and piracy—just to name a few. He also believes that media disintegration is ahead.  And while this is disconcerting for the advertising industry as a whole, it offers those of us in the out-of-home and alternative media sectors a reason to be optimistic…as the old “stand-bys” struggle with a new media world, we are perfectly positioned to deliver valuable brand messages to an always-in-demand consumer audience.

New Agency Expectations

Let’s face it…agencies are bombarded every day by sales calls. How do you make your company stand out? What makes a buyer interested enough to hear your pitch? What types of media are being considered today?

Marketers are interested in alternative media because customers are consuming media differently today. Alternative media has the ability to break through the clutter and reach consumers where they spend their daily lives. However, they know that you have to break through on a large scale or your brand will be forgotten and overlooked.

Marketers want to drive brand equity. How will your media vehicle accomplish this goal? Have a strategy in mind for that specific brand. Who is the target demographic or psychographic audience the agency is trying to reach? How does your company help them reach that target?

Agencies are also looking for partnerships. They want companies that will collaborate and brainstorm. Work with them to make the idea a reality.  Follow through on the concepts.  Compete on innovation, not price. Buyers want to invest in ideas--not media.  There are ways to make more traditional media alternative.  Which brings us to a change in media strategy…

New Strategies

Media companies need to take a hard look to at how they connect with consumers. What does your vehicle do to help a brand break through the clutter and stand out? Look at new ways to use your media products. Re-invention may not be in what products you offer, but how you use them.

Sometimes, all it takes is a change in perspective. Think about this… When DirecTV was the first to launch 85 channels, it wanted to make sure it launched its message in big way. In order to make a splash, they bought every ad in the Wall Street Journal. Running a single ad in the Journal, even full-page, is your typical newsprint execution. Buying out every single ad in the Journal is an exceptionally effective and non-traditional approach to the medium.

Closer to our out-of-home home, ING Direct decided to use transit to reach the morning business commuters in Washington, DC. But instead of just buying every platform unit in the system, it also wrapped the trains and paid for the morning commuter fare in select DC Metro stations. ING went a little further than executing a typical station domination campaign. You couldn’t help but notice your commute was free!

Let’s face it, we may not be in a typical industry revenue cycle with recovery right around the corner, but by using innovation and inventing new concepts, your company will be in a stronger position when the recovery does finally happen…and you may just build a better business in the meantime. Invest in ideas. Explore new strategies. Differentiate and sell on innovation, not price—Make it new!


Source: Jack Myers, jackmyers.com; AAF American Advertising Federation, aaf.org

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What's New @ DO

My Account Pages Get a Makeover

Once again, a lot has changed at DOmedia in the past month. The changes are obvious before even logging into your account. We’ve created a brand new homepage you can call your own. To get there, simply select “Media Seller” on the right-hand side of the domedia.com screen. To avoid this step in the future, just bookmark this new page for all of your return visits.

This new Media Seller homepage features customized information specific to your needs, as well as quick links to help you DO what you came here to do. Once you log in, you have the option to update your account, update your media profiles, or add new media profiles. Plus, with the “News You Can Use” section, you’ll always be up-to-date on what’s new and exciting here at DO.

And for those visitors new to the site (or even you veterans in need of a refresher course), “How Does It Work” provides a quick introduction to DOmedia, an explanation on how buyers use the site to find media sellers, and step-by-step instructions on how to create an account.

New My Account Pages

The most exciting part, though, is only available to media sellers with an approved DOmedia account (in other words: you). Begin by logging in, then click on the My Account link located under the Marketplace tab. From this page, you can manage your company profile, media profiles, or access the DOmarketplace.

By clicking, “Manage My Inventory,” you can see a complete list of all your current media profiles, and also gain access to your Image Gallery or Support Files. You can also check out DOinventory, where you can easily manage availability for all of your assets in one place.

To make it as simple as possible to edit existing and add new media profiles, the My Account pages have undergone a bit of a makeover.  We’ve added helpful hints, data field explanations and a bunch of interstitials (geek talk for the magical blue button with all the answers).

So, what do you think? Shoot us an email at theteam@domedia.com with any questions, concerns, suggestions or just general feedback. Your input fuels our future improvements, so keep it coming.

Creative Corner

Nationwide Insurance Puts the Pedal to the Metal
to Get Their Message Across the Finish Line

Carl Edwards, Kyle Busch and friends weren’t the only ones driving at this year’s Speed Week in Charlotte, NC. During the popular annual NASCAR event held this past May, Nationwide Insurance drove fans to another finish line: the Nationwide event tent. With a little help from EMC Events, a division of EMC Outdoor Advertising, it was impossible to miss the buzz of excitement around the contest featuring a chance to win a “Meet & Greet” with NASCAR legend Dale Earnhardt Jr.
 
Nationwide used eye-popping props and face-to-face contact to promote the contest to NASCAR fans. Members of EMC’s street marketing team carried huge blue and white inflatable balloons branded with the message, “Win A Chance to Meet Dale Earnhardt Jr.,” throughout the event. Continuing the campaign message, team members rode specially outfitted backlit recumbent bicycles, allowing Nationwide to extend its promotion well into the night.  
 
As the inflatable messages floated above the crowds, visitors were also presented with VIP lanyard passes, branded backpacks and the directions to Nationwide’s registration tent. Reaching consumers through a variety of entertaining media and face-to-face contact really helped drive contest traffic throughout the event.  
 
Nationwide was able to collect valuable consumer information from thousands of audience members by creating a fun and engaging promotion for Speed Week fans. With numerous messages reaching consumers from so many directions, taking this fun promotion to the streets earned Nationwide Insurance, a longtime NASCAR sponsor, the winning checkered flag.

In the DOspotlight

Entry Media

For more than a decade, Entry Media has been putting a new “spin” on out-of-home advertising . . . literally! Using customizable multi-patented advertising sleeves (cleverly coined as AdSleeves®), Entry Media has developed an effective way to reach consumers by placing ads on turnstile bars in locations ranging from NFL stadiums to college arenas to subway systems and everything in between.

Every year, billions of consumers walk through the entrances to stadiums, fairs, amusement parks, subways and venues of all kinds, making these high-traffic areas the perfect opportunity to reach and influence a targeted audience. And the turnstile ads are nearly impossible to miss since consumers must literally reach out and grab the ad to enter the venue.

With a recall rate of 66.7%, turnstile ads are more likely to be remembered by consumers than any other facility signage! And because Entry Media is the only provider of its kind, it can ensure a brand complete exclusivity on the turnstile space. No competition, impressive consumer recall, and only located in high-traffic areas. Advertising Age said it best, “AdSleeves® make turnstiles a successful ad medium.”
 

To learn more about Entry Media, click here.

Tip of the Month

Here at DOmedia, we want to help you make the most of your media listings on our site. One way we’re doing that is by letting you in on a useful tip or trick every month, making your DOmedia experience as beneficial as we can. Have a question you’d like to see answered in the next month’s edition? Email us at theteam@domedia.com or call us at 866.939.3663.

Create Your Image Library

You’re in the media biz, so you already know the importance of a picture (it speaks 1,000 words, right?). Posting images of your media helps buyers see exactly what you’re offering.

If you’re adding a media listing for the first time, be sure to add your images first—this establishes your Image Library.

From the My Account page (under Marketplace), click on Manage Your Image Gallery. From here, you can upload images that can later be assigned to specific media profiles.

*For best results, be sure your image is less than 650 pixels wide at 72 dpi, and saved as a JPG, PNG or EPS file format.

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Recap of Last Month

What? You Missed the Last Issue?
It’s Okay, Here’s The Recap!

Last month, DOmedia business development & industry relations expert, Kimberly Ramser, explained how your business can thrive in a down economy by focusing on the positive, getting creative, and knowing your customers.

DOmedia also announced the exciting new addition to our team, Jeff Bell, as company chairman. Jeff brings with him years of experience leading award-winning campaigns for some of the biggest brands in the country! Welcome aboard, Jeff!

Next, we highlighted GoMobile for its creative experiential campaign used to launch Miller Chill. Also highlighted was Reactive, the out-of-home digital signage company using interactive technology to engage consumers.

To read the full June newsletter, click here.

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Follow Us!

Welcome to the DOmedia Twitter page! From site features and enhancements to Q&A support, we'll keep you up-to-date on all things DOmedia. Let's tweet! www.twitter.com/domedia

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