Last week, the IAB released a report showing that online ad revenues increased 22% in 2011 reaching $31 billion, a record-breaking figure. Mobile saw the fastest growth with a 149% increase to $1.6 billion, while digital video increased 29% year-over-year and search was up 27%.

So if you haven’t dabbled in digital media planning yet, what’s holding you back? We’re planning to release a white paper on the 10 best practices of digital media planning soon, but until that’s ready, let us dispel a few of the most common fallacies we hear about online advertising.

1. It’s expensive. Like all forms of advertising, there are cut-rate and costly ways to achieve your goals, reach the right audience and get your message across. The benefit of digital is that you can reach thousands of highly-targeted people at the same time, meaning it might actually cost a lot less to run an online ad campaign versus other mediums. Plus, targeting can make your campaigns more effective without a gigantic uptick in price. 

2. It’s obnoxious and scam-like. It doesn’t have to be if you use behavioral targeting and think about your target audience. Are you using the right message, is the creative clean and crisp? Your online ads shouldn’t look junk mail. A poll commissioned by the Digital Advertising Alliance (DAA) found that 75 percent of consumers surveyed prefer the current Internet model where majority of content is free, but includes ads. Further, more than 75 percent said they should be able to choose the types of ads they see and how they are generated. Consumers want some control over their ads. Marketers and agencies need to ensure they can deliver relevant, valuable and engaging advertising.

3. It’s complicated. You don’t have to be an expert to plan and execute a digital campaign. As with other forms of advertising, objective dictates strategy. Good planning is the key to a successful ad campaign, along with audience development and research. Do your homework and start small. Make realistic and specific goals that can be measured. Google Adwords and social media advertising are often among the first online ad mediums marketers begin with.

4. Banners are dying. While it’s hard to argue that banners are exceptionally effective, marketers should still consider using them in the right context. Banners can be successful as part of an overall digital campaign, but creativity and media placement are critical. Remember that conversions are tough to achieve with any display ad, but banners do offer an easy and cheap way to introduce your brand to prospects. Plus, do you think billboards are going away any time soon? Probably not.

5. It’s unnecessary if I’m a local business. False! Digital offers a unique proposition for local advertisers and marketers, especially because smartphones and location-based apps offer enhanced ways to target the right consumers. BIA/Kelsey’s March 2013 forecast of U.S. local media ad spending reports that digital’s place in local advertising will continue to expand. They expect traditional spending to drop from $109.4 billion to $107 billion in 2013 and digital spending to increase from $23 billion to $25.7 billion.

In the SRDS.com database, we offer media planning data on more than 22,000 local and national websites. The right digital sites are out there. It’s up to you to explore the possibilities.

Hopefully this makes the world of online advertising a little bit more approachable. Just like other media types, every campaign should be backed by a well-thought plan, including objectives and specific metrics to determine if your digital effort is successful.

Stay on the lookout for our digital media planning white paper that delves deeper into these topics and more!

 

Music for this Episode

• Intro music for this episode: "Ode to Earl" from Alabama Tory by Grass It Up
• Outro music for this episode: "Route 5 Rag" from Grass It Up Live by Grass It Up

Everyone is busy juggling something in this episode of “Mad Men” - oranges, clients, spouses, kids. 

We open with Roger trying to juggle oranges sent from Sunkist to inspire the team working on a pitch to secure the account. Don seems a little annoyed speaking of the prospective client because "it's pretty clear they're too cheap to get out of print." TV was the media darling of the late 60s, much like digital is today. I wonder how many similar conversations are going on in agencies right now regarding the migration to digital and mobile media from traditional. Seems the juggling of advertising dollars, media buys and placement lives on.

Meanwhile, back at SC&P there's always an undercurrent.

Pete is treated to a surprise office visit by his mother and her male nurse, Minolo. Minolo is a charming, dashing young fellow who dotes on Mrs. Campbell. Peggy and Mrs. C have a brief interesting conversation in which Mrs. C tells Peggy she and Pete should work it out for the sake of their child. Peggy's face is priceless as she whispers that she and Pete are just friends. Mrs. C goes on to say she has found a deep love with Minolo. Finally, after Mrs. C calls her "Trudy" Peggy lets out a sigh of relief realizing the old lady is confusing her with Pete's wife. 

Peggy, Pete and Ted visit OceanSpray and enjoy a few too many cranberry cocktails. Peggy and Ted flirt until he goes to phone his wife. Pete calls her out on the mutual attraction between the two, which she wisely brushes aside. She relays the gist of the conversation with Pete’s mother to him. He is mortified at the thought of his mother having relations with the younger Minolo, and the two of them are still laughing when Ted returns. Ted, who always seems to feel like the odd man out, is uncomfortable and wants to head back to NYC. When Ted returns home, his wife is waiting up and complains about how much time he's spending at work. Different couple but same argument.

The next morning, things are in a tight squeeze at SC&P when it's revealed Roger and Don are working on a pitch for Sunkist and Ted is working on a pitch for OceanSpray. It’s the beginning of the juice wars. Lots of yelling and door slamming with poor Ted lamenting to Jim Cutler about "my juice" vs. "his juice." Jim reminds Ted that as of now they have zero juice accounts so they better figure out which one to pursue.

Don always has something else on his mind and it usually relates to a woman. This time it's Sylvia's son, Mitchell, who has just been classified 1A by the draft. Mitchell confides to Megan, who contemplates helping him run to Canada. Don quickly nixes that idea. Arnold comes to speak to Don about Mitchell and Sylvia, indicating he could tell something was up as he had caught Sylvia in little lies the past year.

Don the rescuer wants to help Sylvia by keeping Mitchell from getting drafted. He asks Pete for help but no go. Pete suggests asking the bigwigs from GM since Chevy is their account. At dinner with GM/Chevy and the partners, Don brings up his friend's son who is 1A. He talks about how the kid had his whole life ahead of him, how distraught his mother is and all but flat out asks them to intervene through their government connections. They murmur sympathies, the partners look incredulous and Don was just Don. The next morning, Ted barges into Don's office aghast at his behavior at dinner. Ted tells Don he should have said something to him because he knows the Brigadier General and will put in a call, but only if they agree to quit battling and move forward as one solid agency. Their handshake was a binding agreement. Ted holds up his end of the agreement and Mitchell will not be drafted.

While all of this is unfolding, Sally and her frenemy, Julie, are in NYC for a Model UN. They meet Mitchell in the lobby of the Draper building and the school girl crushes begin. They both think he is dreamy and write a "what I like about Mitchell" note. All young girls know these silly things are NOT to be shared with the boy.

Julie, who deliberately calls Megan "Mrs. Draper" to annoy her, helps take out the trash. In doing so, she sneaks downstairs to the Rosen apartment and slides the note to Mitchell under the door. Julie gleefully tells Sally what she did. Sally is mortified. She convinces the doorman to give her the apartment keys, again, and creeps into the Rosen kitchen via the back door. If you recall, off the kitchen is the maid's room. As she tiptoes across the kitchen floor she hears a moaning from the maid's room and sees her dad and Sylvia. Startled, she screams, drops the keys and flees. Daddy Don rushes after her but doesn’t catch her. Don is distressed and ends up in a bar. When he finally stumbles home, Megan and the girls are having dinner. Arnold stops by to offer his thanks for saving Mitch. Don is terrified Sally will say something about what she saw and convinces her, through a closed door, that he was just comforting Sylvia. Sally doesn't believe it but loves her dad and says it's fine. Ever notice how little these two talk face-to-face? It's always over the phone or through a door.

When Pete confronts his mother, she is very lucid and tells Pete, "You've always been unlovable." Ouch, that's pretty harsh for a mother to say, even if I do agree. Pete reprimands Bob Benson about referring Minolo, whom he feels is taking advantage of his mother. Bob indicates that Minolo is not interested in women, but is a kind, loving person who makes others feel special. Bob touches his knee with Pete's and leaves it there just long enough for Pete to get the message. He tells Bob to “tell Minolo he gets one month of pay and is disgusting."  Well that puts to rest some of the Internet rumors about Bob.

Peggy is still in her dark, crummy apartment. She traps a rat and it drags itself under her sofa to die. I can't help but think the bloody trail across the wooden floor is foreshadowing of a murder scene to come. Remember last season when Don doodled the noose then Lane hung himself? With only two episodes left this season the puzzle pieces are starting to fit together.

Smartphones and tablets make our lives easier as consumers, but for marketers they’re a blessing and a curse. Sure, they give marketers another potential way to reach and connect with prospects. But that doesn’t make it easy. Cluttered is an understatement when describing the digital world. It’s easy to be lost if a marketer doesn’t make moves to ensure that the brand can be found by your prospects.

Being discovered online happens two ways: organically through browsing sites and social networks (the prospect isn’t specifically searching for your brand) and through search engines (they are more often than not searching for your brand or something related).

In the last 10 years, marketers have focused on being discoverable through SEO. But these days, being discoverable goes way beyond traditional search. Of course, it’s still important that your brand shows up when prospects searching for related keywords. If you’re a small chocolate company based in Austin, Texas, if someone types on Google, “dark chocolate store in Texas,” you definitely want to appear in those results.

But the truth is that not every prospect knows specifically what they’d like to search for, and many surf the Internet to kill some time. We now live in a world of browsers and it’s common for someone to scan the headlines on Daily Beast then look for funny cat videos on YouTube and then browse through dessert recipes on Pinterest.

Being more discoverable on these heavily browsed sites can set brands apart in the digital landscape.

Here are some of our ideas to ensure that your brand is found amongst the crowds.

1. Create relevant, high-quality content with a focus on engagement rather than lead generation. Ask your customers what topics interest them and create content around that. Once you start to determine the themes/posts that get the most traffic/shares, you can then work on optimizing to make sure that you’re getting email addresses and other key information from your prospects. Keep this in mind for your blog and website specifically, but for other types of content too, including white papers, infographics and podcasts.
2. Social network thoughtfully. Before you jump in and create an account with every social media site out there, take a step back to determine where your current customers engage. Your brand’s presence should depend on where your consumers and prospects interact. If you’re a b-to-b company focused on researching the behaviors and attitudes of lawyers, it might not make sense to spend most of your time on Facebook. LinkedIn might be a better fit.  If you’re a brick-and-mortar store with customers that love coupons, Foursquare might be for you. Do your research, ask your customers which sites they’re on and use that to inform your strategy.
3. Engage in every way you can. Crafting your own original content is essential, but it’s also important to read and engage with your customers and prospects elsewhere. You should already read the magazines and newsletters they read. Is there an upcoming Tweetup related to your niche topic? Take part! Link to outstanding articles that you think they would enjoy on your blog. Retweet them when they say something your brand would agree with. Consider advertising on the sites they visit. Comment on their content. Get in front of them in all the places possible – not just on the sites you own. And above all, remember to be authentic.

What are your ideas for ensuring your brand is found online?

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Even if you’re not planning to attend the ARF Audience Measurement 8.0 Conference in New York next week, there’s a chance you could still hear two great presentations – for free!

Our colleagues at Kantar Media are welcoming SRDS.com users to attend the following learning sessions without having register for the full conference. Here are the details.

• Monday, June 10th 2013 - Marriott Marquis, 1535 Broadway, New York NY

             8:15 - 8:45 AM: Beyond Demographics: Accelerating Automotive Advertising Success - Empire Room, 7th floor

• Tuesday, June 11th 2013 - Marriott Marquis, 1535 Broadway, New York NY

             8:15 - 8:45 AM: Understanding the Hispanic Audience - Majestic Room, 6th Floor

If you’d like to attend either session, click here to pre-register.

Make that another cha-ching for BuzzFeed. According to a recent press release, BuzzFeed is launching its new Social Storytelling Creator Program, which trains agencies on how to create BuzzFeed-like branded content. Really it’s a way to teach interested advertisers on how to produce high-quality sponsored content (native advertising) that will ultimately appear on BuzzFeed.com.

Agencies that complete the program are “accredited” by BuzzFeed. They receive a badge to place on their website, gain access to a new analytics tool as well as other benefits. You don’t have to pay BuzzFeed to enlist in the program either. But the company does plan on requiring minimum budgets from the agencies' clients, meaning if you join the program, you should be ready to spend major bucks to advertise on BuzzFeed and show off what you’ve learned in the program by creating some star-quality content

Once an agency completes the program, they can post stories directly to the BuzzFeed site, although BuzzFeed staffers will review the articles before they’re live.

The pilot program will launch in Q3 with VaynerMedia as the first agency to sign on. The pilot will include:

• Training on the BuzzFeed platform from team members that work exclusively on branded content
• Kickoff workshops with each client participating in the program
• Weekly joint content reviews between BuzzFeed team members, agency team members, and agency clients piloting the program.
• Aggregate reporting for agency across all clients to determine best practices and successful content formats
• Staff exchange program between agency and BuzzFeed
• Early access to new BuzzFeed features, and creative/ad products

It sounds like a no-brainer win for BuzzFeed.

When you enter the corporate world, you might assume that your test-taking days are over. Not so at AOL. ClickZ reports that AOL is the first large-scale company to require every member of its digital sales team to pass the IAB Digital Media Sales Certification exam. The goal is to ensure that employees always stay up-to-date on all topics and trends related to online advertising.

To become certified, each staff member must pass the IAB test, which covers general knowledge of the interactive advertising ecosystem, selling digital media, managing digital advertising campaigns and analyzing campaign performance.

According to IAB, the exam is designed for salespeople with 2-5 years of digital industry experience who already have a good understanding of industry issues, players and operations, along with knowledge of each major digital platform.

The test costs $400 for IAB members and $500 for non-members.

Since the exam launched, more than 900 people have applied to take the test, according to AdWeek and more than 600 individuals have passed so far.

Will AOL’s competitors like Google, Yahoo! and MSN follow suit? My guess is no for Google, since the company is already synonymous with digital expertise, but possibly for Yahoo! and MSN.

Automotive manufacturers have been very active in the online video market. But each company is taking a different approach to reach their prospects, according to Kantar Media's newest white paper. The paper provides insights on digital video with a focus on car advertisements.

Did you know that the categories with the highest percentage of brands using online video are video games and auto manufacturers? If you think about it, it makes sense. Both of these industries benefit the most from showing their products in action.

Here are few other nuggets of info we learned after reading the piece:

1. Dodge and Honda had the greatest share of voice among auto manufacturers in digital video.
2. Dodge's share of voice for digital video ads was more than four times greater than its share for TV.
3. Almost three-fourths of the auto manufacturers that advertised via online video place more than half of their digital video ad time on TV Network websites.

Download the full report here and let us know what you think!

Sponsored content (or native advertising) is becoming a smoother and less intrusive way for digital publishers to make revenue without relying on display ads. Major sites like BuzzFeed, Forbes, The Huffington Post and Gawker all offer native advertising. And ethics aside, this model seems to be working. According to AdWeek:

“In the wake of a Pew report that sponsorship advertising was up 40 percent in 2012, Forbes Media is touting the growth of its own revenues—thanks, in part, to its success with native ads.”

But when you consider a medium like print, advertorials are typically frowned upon by readers and the writing staff. Especially in newspapers, advertising and editorial are viewed almost like church and state. Even if you clearly label something as advertising, many print readers get angry.

Is that about to change?

ESPN: The Magazine announced that in its upcoming 15th anniversary issue, it will run an editorial sidebar with the words "Cold Hard Facts presented by Coors Light" on the page, according to AdWeek. Unlike the online native advertising model where the advertiser manages the content, ESPN will have complete control over the sidebars. MillerCoors won’t even get to see the content before publication.

That may sound a tad dicey for an advertiser, but when you consider the fact that ESPN and MillerCoors have a long-standing relationship in broadcast-sponsored content, it’s really not a big risk. If you watch SportsCenter, you’ll often see segments called “Coors Cold Hard Facts." During these segments, the anchor asks a sports analyst six questions, alluding to a six pack of Coors. Again, MillerCoors doesn’t control the content. They’re simply paying to be tied to ESPN and content that they believe will be interesting to their target audience.

So is this case really an advertorial? I don’t think so. It’s an interesting take on sponsored content but because Miller isn’t producing the content I have a hard time labeling it an advertorial. This isn’t purely pay-to-play. It’s pay to be mentioned as a sponsor and be associated with our high-quality content. And that’s OK with me.

Do you place different values on digital, broadcast and print sponsored content?

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As a recent college graduate, I’m always interested in career-related articles, like “the top-paying jobs for people in their 20s” or “the most popular majors for Generation Y.” So when I saw iMedia Connection’s list of the 5 hottest job opportunities in digital marketing, curiosity struck and I clicked.

Good news for SRDS.com users. Digital media planner made the list!

According to the article, “While the traditional media planner of yesteryear is somewhat of a one-person department (or even merely a name on a list of approved outsource vendors), the digital media planner and buyer might be part of a department in the making.”

But while digital media planner is a hot career, that doesn’t necessarily make the industry any easier to break into. Read on for 7 things you need to read to help you get the digital media planner job of your dreams.

1. What is Media Planning? – Walk before you run. Let us give you the basics on media planning. Simply put, it’s one of the four key disciplines within advertising, along with account management, brand planning and developing creative. Typically media planning is a role that falls to an outside agency, but some companies choose to keep it in-house. More >>
2. Digital Media Planning Guidelines – Last year, our friends at Milward Brown analyzed the evidence from several of their studies to create straightforward, evidenced-based guidelines for marketers who want to make the most effective use of digital media as part of an integrated campaign. It’s a must-read for any on in the online advertising space. More >>
3. 7 Best Practices for Digital Media Planning - There’s no reason to fear digital if you’ve done your homework, says Ginny Ewing, one of our in-house digital experts. Smart planning, smart targeting, as well as relevant and powerful creative are your best tools to fight the fear. More >>
4. Top 5 Marketable Skills for New Media Planners and Buyers – It’s nice to hear that digital media planner is one of the hottest jobs right now, but do you have the skills needed to land the role? We asked SRDS.com users, “What advice would you give to new graduates looking for a media job at an agency?” More >>
5. Our 40 Favorite Websites on Media, Advertising & More – When you’re in the business of loving media, staying up-to-date with industry news, tips and trends isn’t just optional, it’s a necessary obsession – and a fun one at that! Check out the favorite industry newsletters/sites of Kantar Media SRDS employees at the link.
6. Media Planning in 2013 – At the end of 2012, Jacki Premak shared her predictions for what the changing world of media planning would be like this year as well as recommendations and considerations to keep in mind. Her main takeaway: Media planning in 2013 will consist of innovations and opportunities mixed with the everyday challenges we’re all accustomed to. More >>
7. How To Find the Best Digital Advertising Opportunities - Ad pros know that time is money when you’re crafting a campaign. While Google can be great for basic information, it can be frustrating to use when you’re looking for advertising opportunities for your plan. Simply put, website ad rates are hard to find through a search engine. Find out how to easily get the right information on digital ad opportunities here.

Have a question about the role Kantar Media SRDS has in the digital advertising world? Let us know.

Ad network Jun Group understands that advertisers often have a difficult time trusting networks and publishers. That’s why it’s now offering a money-back guarantee if it delivers undesirable ad types, including pop-under ads, autoplay videos, phony impressions and ads on ghost sites.

The Jun Group campaign, “Clarity,” promises advertisers total transparency and control to see where your ads are running.

Jun Group isn’t a tiny player in the game either. The network distributes videos on premium content, apps, music/entertainment platforms and social games. Its clients include Microsoft, Allstate, Jim Bean and Cadillac. The publishers in the company’s portfolio include Disney, Forbes, Food Network and others.

According to AdWeek:

“Besides promising clients that nothing bad will happen with their ads, Jun's new pledge (100 percent viewable, 100 percent opt-in, 100 percent guaranteed) is tied to the release of a new analytics product.”

The product allows advertisers to look up where each of their ads is running or has run. It also gives them the ability to allocate their budgets toward desired sites.

Jun Group isn’t the first network to guarantee high-quality placements. In 2008, Undertone Networks began a program in which it promised advertisers a refund of up to $50,000 if ads didn’t appear on high quality digital publishers.

Undertone Networks don’t state how many of these refunds have actually been delivered, but you have to think that it must be pretty tough for an agency or advertiser to find their ad running on “poor-quality” sites. It’s not like those are the sites they visit on a daily basis or that they have the time to surf for them.

So while it’s unclear how effective these pledges and guarantees are or will be in the future, they do seem to offer some measure of clarity that’s not easy to find among many networks.

Advertisers/Marketers: Does a pledge like this make you more willing to work with an ad network?

Leave it to Mad Men to insert a historical moment like the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. to establish time period and provide an emotional backdrop. And what an emotional episode, “The Flood” was. All of the NYC agencies gather for the Ad Club of New York awards and both Peggy and Megan are part of the team nominated for the Heinz Bean campaign. Ironically, neither of them still works for SCDP nor is Heinz Beans still a client.

That's how quickly things change in the advertising world. As Paul Newman gives his politically infused speech—celebs pontificated their beliefs at awards back then too—news breaks out of the Martin Luther King Jr. assassination. Amid much dismay, disbelieve and distress, the program goes on as planned, but everything changes thereafter.

Riots break out around the U.S., including in NYC and Washington D.C. In case you didn't catch it, Sylvia and Dr. Rosen are in D.C. for a conference. Don is borderline frantic hoping to hear that his mistress is safe. The next day, no one expects the African American secretaries to work. Peggy's heartfelt conversation and hug showed she really does understand and value her secretary. On the other hand, the stiff hug Joan gives Dawn is almost unbearable to watch because it seemed so contrived.

Speaking of changes, who knew that Pete had a heart? Pete goes ballistic when Harry whines about his clients expecting make-goods because the breaking news interrupted network programming. I honestly thought I'd never agree with Pete on anything but his accusation of Harry being selfishly worried about his commission seemed spot on. I thought it was going to be another fight fest. Thankfully Bert steps in and forces them to shake hands and apologize. However, those were the most pathetic “apologies” ever.

Pete, feeling bad about the assassination and Dr. King’s family, reaches out to Trudy to make sure she and Tammy are OK. Trudy is still unwilling to welcome Pete home. So there Pete is, in his dark, dreary bachelor pad in a one-sided conversation with the delivery guy. A tragedy like this puts everything into perspective and Pete once again realizes the serious mistakes he’s made.

Betty, looking very Joan Crawford with her dark hair, is in full-blown mommy dearest mode. She chastises Bobby for picking at the uneven wallpaper in his room. As if the wallpaper itself isn’t enough to give him nightmares, the uneven edges just beg to be ripped. Betty is at her best when she's raking Don over the coals, this time for forgetting to pick up the kids for his weekend. Don heads through the rioting neighborhoods to bring the kids safely to the city. While the children are away, Betty and Henry have a heart-to-heart about his political aspirations, where Henry decides to run for state senator. Betty is thrilled, until he mentions he can't wait for everyone to meet her. You can see it in her eyes; the distress of having to wear something other than a robe. Glad to see she's still vain. I'm hoping Betty will return to her blonde roots soon and January Jones will dump the fat suit.

Back at the Draper penthouse, Megan decides to take Sally and Gene to a MLK memorial in Central Park while Don and Bobby hang back. Bobby is grounded from TV and since Don doesn't know how to spend time with his son they go see "Planet of the Apes." Like father like son, they watch the movie.

Bobby's comment to the porter, "We come to the movies when we're sad" triggers an unexpected emotion from Don. In a tortured monologue with Megan by his side, he confesses he’s faked loving his son since his birth. It was Bobby's comment to a stranger that makes Don feel love for his son. He truly didn't know what to do with this emotion. This was Emmy-worthy acting by Jon Hamm.

Again, this emotionally charged episode found Peggy and Abe, mostly Peggy, searching for an apartment to buy. Peggy finds one on the Upper East Side and Abe is extremely non-committal. He reminds her it’s her money to spend. He goes on to say,  he "always imagined them raising their children around other types of people." That’s all Peggy needs to hear. She finally realizes all of her dreams are within reach: a great career and a great guy who wants to be with her for the long haul. She looks pleased as punch as he pounded out the story of his career.

Because it's Mad Men, there's always something disturbing, right? This episode it's Rogers’ creepy insurance contact. He tries to communicate by not talking, which is never effective. His idea for an ad includes a Molotov cocktail. In today's world, can you imagine anything so preposterous? Actually, it was pretty ridiculous in the 60s as well. His words, "This is an opportunity. The heavens are telling us to change" are prophetic but he's still too far out there for the likes of SCDP.

So what's next?

Foursquare’s CEO Dennis Crowley announced that the company will try to make money outside of its app via check-in data, according to an article from AdAge. The company’s strategy involves a new ad product that uses the app’s location and psychographic data to contextualize ads on other platforms, giving advertisers the ability to use the data to target ads that are bought through ad exchanges or networks even when the individual isn’t using Foursquare.

From a revenue standpoint it makes a lot of sense for Foursquare to go this route but it’s a little surprising that it hasn’t happened sooner. Already Facebook and Twitter offer similar location-targeting ads and smartphones can be geo-located by apps and ads without Foursquare data. So the question is whether or not agencies and other marketers consider this data to be valuable enough to pay for it. That’s the real make or break for Foursquare.

Do you think that the ad world will respond well to this strategy?

What a fitting title "The Collaborators" is for this episode of Mad Men as every character collaborates with someone on some level.  

Let's start with the extremely insensitive Pete. He and a neighbor’s wife have a tryst in his NYC apartment. She is fonder of Pete than he of her and suggests several secret signals to let him know she is thinking about him. He clearly wants none of it. Later that evening when she shows up beaten and bloody at the Campbell home, Pete knows he is busted. He tries to rush her off to a hotel and callously offers to call a cab for her. He’s less than thrilled when Trudy drives her. Women talk and sure enough by the time she returns home, Trudy knows all about the affair. Trudy goes on to prove that she is no shrinking violet. She reads Pete the riot act and throws him out of the house the next morning. Pete can't win at the office either as he and Don don't see eye-to-eye on the Jaguar account.

Unforgettable Herb, the local Jaguar dealership owner who played a key role in SCDP landing the coveted Jaguar account, still thinks he's all that. He makes a pathetic come-on to Joan, saying "I know deep down there's a part of you that's happy to see me." Her quip, "And I know there's a part of you, you haven't seen in years," was one of my favorite lines of the show.

At SCDP, Herb tries to throw his weight around to alter the Jaguar buy from national to more locally-focused. Herb pitches Don and Pete an idea for radio spots, touting his dealership over the national campaign, even though everyone (including Herb) has already signed off on national. Naturally, the men at SCDP will increase the campaign for more money. But that’s not what’s going on here. It would just be a shifting of dollars.

Don is masterful in the meeting with Herb and the British gentlemen representing Jaguar. Herb tries to push the idea of a local focus as that of SCDP. Pete is jovial as he's onboard with Herb's idea. Then Don begins his pitch as only he can. His tone, demeanor and smooth presentation make it sound like going local is the best thing for the client – a witty and effective use of reverse psychology. Anyone can afford a Jaguar. The guy driving a truck should just go down the road and get a new Jag. He says it so earnestly you almost believe he wants this campaign switched. Everyone at that table, with the exception of the two individuals that matter, knows what he is doing and is powerless to stop it. Naturally, Don and the Brits won and the campaign remains national as intended.

Later in the episode, the Heinz folks "Beans" and "Ketchup," make a “non-visit” to SCDP. Ketchup is curious about the increase in sales of beans since that division signed on with SCDP. The Ketchup division’s upstart is happy with his current agency, DDB, but wants to see what Don and his team can develop. As soon as "Ketchup" leaves the room, their client "Beans" stresses that this meeting did not happen. He emphatically insists SCDP forget this meeting as he doesn’t want the Ketchup division to be even more successful than it already is. So Don tells them to back off from Heinz Ketchup even though, "Ketchup is the Coca-Cola of condiments."

Stan relays this humorous story to Peggy on one of their late-night calls. Peggy then tells Ted about it because she thinks it's funny. Surprise! The next morning Ted insists she go after the Heinz Ketchup account since they're shopping around for a new creative agency. I must admit, I was very excited about all of the advertising discussions this episode. I have no doubt there are still some closed door dealings and client loyalty issues going on today.

Speaking of Peggy, she's still navigating her way through the good ol' boys way of doing business. There aren't many women creative directors and she's uncertain how to manage her mostly male team. She doesn't want to seem too bossy or shrew or motherly. Her little pep talk doesn’t incite any excitement among the team because it seems flat and false. The team in turn plays a practical joke on her to not-so-subtly highlight her overly-critical tendencies.

Viewers were also treated to some flashbacks into Don's earlier life this episode. Since his formative years were spent living in a brothel, it's little wonder why he treats women the way he does. To offer Sylvia money (whose husband is a surgeon) is very insulting. Even more disappointing was that she happily took it. Their relationship is interesting and though Sylvia may not realize it yet, she has the upper hand. The restaurant scene between those two was ripe with subtext and undertones. Sylvia later expresses a fear, saying they can't fall in love. But I'm afraid it's too late for Don. Sylvia is his drug of choice and lucky for him she's only a floor away.

Mistress and wife meet in the laundry room and Megan has an emotional breakdown. The two ladies have a heart-to-heart conversation as Megan shares she recently had a miscarriage. She is upset and feels guilty because she wasn't sure she wanted the baby and hadn't even told Don. She finally tells Don and he of course wants what she wants. I'm sure what she really wants is for him to be faithful. Don is a playboy and being faithful isn’t in his nature. So yes, we had collaborations of all sorts this episode.

In the world at large, the Vietnam War is definitely heating up. Did you notice any time there was a TV or radio in the background the news was about the war? It'll also be interesting to watch how that major event is woven into the storyline. 

Until next week!

Only Don Draper would choose "Dante's Inferno" as a beach-read while in paradise. The book’s opening line – "In the middle of the journey of our life I found myself within a forest dark, for the straightforward pathway had been lost" – sums up Don and the entire cast in this episode of Mad Men. The episode was all over the place and bear with me as this recap may be as well.

We begin the episode around Christmas with Don and Megan on a work junket at the Royal Hawaiian hotel. Blue drinks on white sand, a luau, leis; who could ask for anything more? Yet Don still seems a little morose as he heads to the hotel bar in the wee hours of the morning. He meets Pfc. Dinkins, a drunken soldier on leave and about to be married, who notices their matching army-issued Zippos and strikes up a conversation. Pfc. Dinkins persuades Don to give the bride at the wedding away as she has no family in Hawaii. Don reluctantly agrees after the young soldier says in a pay-it-forward style, "One day I'll be the man who can't sleep and talks to strangers." Did anyone else notice we were almost 10 minutes into the show before Don spoke his first line and it was in conversation with a total stranger?

Meanwhile, back in New York, the offices of SCDP are decked out in garland, snowflakes and Christmas decor that just looks sad and tired. There is false cheeriness about. It's the week between Christmas and New Year’s and it’s very busy. Specifically, the new team is working on creative for Dow Chemical and Don also has to create an ad for the Royal Hawaiian. 

On to Roger, who is seeing a shrink. Time will tell how helpful that will be. Roger’s beloved mother has died and the funeral scene is both funny and not. His mother's friends dote on him, his ex-wife shows  up with her new husband, an upstart from the agency sends oodles of unwanted food Roger, and a drunken Don throws up in the corner of the deceased's opulent home. Distressed Roger throws everyone out, while classic Roger makes a move on ex-wife, Mona, who wisely pushes him off. The next day, Roger walks in the office and finds a shoe shine kit left to him. He learns that his shoe shiner died and because Roger was the only person asking about him, the kit was brought to him. Alone in his office, holding the shoe brush, Roger bursts into tears. Now, Roger didn't even cry when his mother died. I have to believe the overwhelming grief stems from more than just this death, but rather his personal regrets.

Needless to say, all of this gloom impacts the SCDP creative team. The ad they create for Royal Hawaiian includes a suit coat, tie and shoes on the beach with foot prints leading into the water. The tag line reads "Leave it All Behind." The client is underwhelmed and quite put off by the implied suicidal messaging. "Where's our hotel? Where's Diamond head?" he asks. Don's reply: "Anyone can do that. This is thought-provoking advertising." Yes, thoughts of death. Don honestly seemed surprised by the negative reaction. It appears death is going to be a predominant theme this season.

Peggy is now at her new shop in crisis mode. The ad she and her team created for KOSS headphones includes a play on Shakespeare with the tag line "Lend Me Your Ears". Clever, but like today's campaigns, sometimes current events can transform your ad  from incredible to insensitive. In this case, there was a comment from a comedian about American GI's in Vietnam cutting off the enemy’s ears and making necklaces of them. A more recent example is the controversial Tibetan Groupon Super Bowl ad from a few years ago.  Understandably, the client is up in arms, as is Peggy's manager. But Peggy keeps her cool for the most part. She does seem a trifle power-hungry and bossy though.

On a different note, I was struck by how times have changed when Peggy was unable to reach the top boss Ted. Today he'd be reachable via cell phone, texting or email no matter where he was. At any rate, on NYE she and her team work to resolve the issue at hand. Ted comes into the office to see who could possibly be working on NYE. He slightly chastises Peggy for keeping the team when she has developed a brilliant solution. There’s a big difference in Ted and Don as managers, in that Ted had no problem complimenting Peggy. Clearly, the move from SCDP has been beneficial to her.

Betty is another lost soul. She can't relate to Sally at all anymore; although most of that is due to Sally's teenage angst. I still don't know who Sandy is but she seems to represent Betty's youth. She's a 15-year-old girl, staying at the Francis house and set to go to Juilliard to study violin. However, she wasn't accepted to the school after all. She and Betty have quite the conversation where she tells Betty she would rather go live in "the Village" in an abandoned house with others who are just doing their thing. I also liked her line to Betty, "Why don't you just be the way you are," when Betty mentions watching her weight.

It seems Sandy just wants to be herself so she runs away to the Village. Betty searches for Sandy in a decrepit, rat-infested shamble and finds several guys, making goulash and living in filth. She hangs around long enough to discover Sandy had been there. She sold her violin for $10 to one of the guys who has some choice words for up-tight "Blondie." Betty returns to her established home and acts like nothing happened. She continues to provoke Henry, this time by initiating a rather disturbing conversation. There's bound to be trouble ahead for these two.

Speaking of trouble and love, Don is back to his old tricks. A while back, Don, Megan, Dr. Rosen and his wife are coming in from separate evenings out when the doorman has a heart attack. The doctor saves his life and the two couples become friends. Don invites the doctor into SCDP and is very curious about what it's like to have the power to save a life. Don tells him that he hopes Rosen conducts the first heart transplant in the States. New Year’s Eve finds those four and others celebrating at the Draper’s penthouse. There's a snowstorm raging outside when Dr. Rosen gets a call and must go into the hospital. He and Don go to storage to locate a pair of skis so Rosen can get into work. While the good doctor is off saving lives, Don sneaks into bed with Mrs. Rosen.

Yes, as Dante says, the forest is dark and in this case, the straight forward path Don had been on is lost. There's no turning back and more doors to open.

The buzz word “SoLoMo” is a combination of the words “social,” “local” and “mobile.” Solomo represents a concept which is a tidal wave in our evolving society: the convergence of social, local and mobile technology. Our lives are changing dramatically as technology becomes more mobile, empowers deeper social connections and becomes localized.

What is SoLoMo?

• —Is it using social media sites like Facebook, LinkedIn or Twitter?
• Or is it local like Foursquare, checking in on Facebook, advertising on my phone?
• What about the “mo” – is that mobile like seeing ads in my ipad or my browser if I search on my phone?

In short, the answer is yes to all of the questions above, and how they all work together and why it matters to consumers or to marketers. SoLoMo is a heady combination that when used well can dramatically improve lives and help companies increase their ROI on ad spends, and connect with consumers in a meaningful way.

SoLoMo is must for digital marketers because it allows them to target and communicate with your prospects in new and unique ways because technology has evolved in such a way that it allows us to intereact with consumers throughout the sales cycle.

How are you seeing marketers and agencies use SoLoMo effectively?

Digital marketing intelligence provider AdGooroo recently announced it added search marketing intelligence data on the Yahoo! Bing Network for clients. As part of this news, the team also published a special report on the performance of Yahoo! Bing that's essential for any digital marketer.

Full disclosure: AdGooroo, like SRDS, is part of Kantar Media.

We asked SRDS.com users, “What advice would you give to new graduates looking for a media job at an agency?”

We found out that the most marketable skills of today's students aka tomorrow's media directors are:

1. Media research knowledge
2. Digital/mobile/social media advertising savvy
3. Adaptability and flexibility
4. Proficiency in Microsoft Excel
5. Excellent communication

Media professionals also stressed the importance of willingness to learn and openness to new opportunities. As the media landscape continues to evolve, it’s important that we continue to evolve with it. At Kantar Media SRDS, we're dedicated to providing the information and data needed to compete in to today’s advertising world.