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.

Unlike the Super Bowl, March Madness doesn’t bring to mind classic TV commercials and millions of dollars for a 30-second spot. The focus is on brackets, betting and the fear that your team will lose in the second round.

But marketers and agencies have increasingly put their chips on the table for the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament, making it more of a brand promotional opportunity than ever before. Trend data from Kantar Media reveals that the tournament has actually become one of the most valuable properties in all televised sporting events for advertising.

Here are the three biggest takeaways from the report:

1. Since 2004, the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament produced more than $5.9 billion in national TV ad spending from 266 different marketers. In 2012, ad revenue exceeded the $1 billion mark for the first time.
2. Digital isn’t just an add-on anymore. This year’s features will include multi-screen digital access to the tournament via PC, smartphone and tablet devices, steaming-live games and ad-sponsored videocasts. There will also be a sponsored bracket game and sponsored “Social Arena” where viewers can follow game tweets and participate in fan chats.
3. The cost to advertise in the tournament has grown over the years and always peaks in the championship game. Last year, the average price of a 30-second TV ad in the championship was $1.34 million, up 8 percent from 2011.

Click over to Kantar Media for an extensive overview of trend advertising data on March Madness.

Broadcast media buyers and planners use SQAD data for media cost forecasting, specifically to find out what a CPP should be in the upcoming quarter, by market, by daypart.

Cost per Rating Point (CPP) is a metric used to determine the cost of buying ad space to reach 1% of their target audience. It allows media buyers and planners to compare the costs of advertising on different media outlets to determine the most efficient and cost-effective placements.

Here’s where broadcast planners can find this updated information in Kantar Media SRDS:

SQAD Spot Radio Cost-Per-Point Estimates by MSA

Go to the Radio Media database and on the welcome page, click on the SQAD Spot Radio Cost-per-Point Estimates link.  It will pull up a list of PDFs with SQAD data by metro market. The radio CPP data is only available to subscribers of the Radio database.

TV Households Cost-Per-Point Levels by DMA

Go to the TV & Cable Media database and on the welcome page, click on the DMA Maps and Profiles link. It will pull up a list of PDFs with SQAD data by DMA. This data is only available to subscribers of the TV & Cable database.

If you’re interested in accessing the Radio or TV/Cable databases, let us know.

It’s no wonder why the Super Bowl and Academy Awards take place during the winter. Audiences are more likely to enjoy the comforts of their own homes while temperatures drop, and are more apt to turn on TV. Consequently, advertising during these highest-profile programs is a must for big names looking to reach millions of Americans.

Kantar Media has released a report containing historical advertising data for the Oscars, showcasing ad pricing trends, top marketers and other insights. Last month, they released something similar for the Super Bowl.

Here are three takeaways from the new report:

1. The Cost of Oscar Advertising: The average cost of a 30-second spot—$1.7 million in 2013—increased slightly during the past few years but has not exceeded the peak levels from 2006-08.
2. Oscar Spending By Top Advertisers: In 2012, almost half of total ad revenue came from four companies:

3. First Time Oscar Advertisers: Last year, 29% of advertising made their Academy Awards debuts, including Google and Hulu.

Check out the full insights report now.

For years, many businesses focused their marketing and advertising efforts at a national level. But with the rise of social media, search and mobile, the game has changed. It’s clear that the key to cost-effectively reaching your best prospects is to laser-target campaigns and go local. In fact, an updated BIA/Kelsey forecast expects advertising revenue for all local media to reach $147.1 billion by 2016, at a 2.1% annual growth rate.

On the surface it may seem difficult to adapt a national marketing plan for a local market, but the creative itself doesn't necessarily need to change too much. It's all about determining how to best make it resonate for that audience and more importantly, where to place it so it reaches your target audience. Many marketers use SRDS.com to get the data they need to make informed decisions about local advertising opportunities. Here's why:

1. Any Media Type: Access detailed information on every available media property that accepts advertising, including websites, newspapers, radio stations, TV & cable stations, magazines and out-of-home opportunities.
2. Every Market: Conduct a DMA drilldown with comprehensive local media data for all 210 DMAs across the U.S.
3. Background Check: Research new markets with consumer demographic data.
4. Due Diligence: Even if you work with an outside agency, guarantee that they are selecting the right ad opportunities for your brand in markets you may be unfamiliar with.
5. Actionable Data: Listings include all the data points you need to compile a plan, including rates, contact info, audience metrics and much more.
6. Smart Spending: Small businesses, retailers and restaurants all use SRDS.com to find innovative and affordable ad placements that go beyond the budget-breaking TV buy.
7. Ask Around: Don’t miss out on this unique service. Marketers from Kohls, Dr Pepper, Crate & Barrel, Shoe Carnival and possibly your direct competitors already rely on SRDS.

See SRDS in action and let us know how we can help with your local marketing needs.

Per Ad Age, 30-second spots in this year’s Super Bowl sold for around $3.7 million - yep, they're already sold out. For any marketer buying one of these spots, this is likely the largest single advertising investment all year. Recouping this kind of investment takes a massive lift in sales and/or customer acquisition activity—a lift most companies won't see. This is why, for most advertisers, it’s an easy decision to stay away from the big game. How then, does any advertiser decide it’s a good idea to spend this kind of money?

It starts with the understanding that any marketer buying a spot in the Super Bowl won’t see a direct equal return on the money spent—not right away anyway. Buying a spot in the Super Bowl is more about being culturally relevant. There are still no other events where an advertiser can present a brand message to an American audience upwards of 100 million people all at one time. 

And boy, do we like those brand messages. We tweet, like, share, vote on, upload, blog and discuss in person what we’ve seen. The Super Bowl is also one of the few events where there’s analysis of the game and the advertising in the newspapers the day after.  You don’t see columns in the Chicago Tribune about who won and lost the advertising race on the last episode of Grey’s Anatomy. 

Astute marketers can take their participation in the game and use social media as a force multiplier to generate buzz and excitement around their message both before and after the game. Creating contests, leaking additional video content and tweeting out questions around the ads are just some of the ways advertisers create this buzz.

Sometimes the marketers don’t have to do anything. Just this week I went looking for classic Super Bowl ads via branded channels on YouTube. These ad views will register with the marketers long after the ads have run in real time. 

Advertisers/Marketers: Do you think advertising in the Super Bowl is worth the cost?

For years, mega-sized advertising agencies beat out their smaller counterparts 9 times out of 10 because they could access large-scale media buys for a better price. But Matt Murphy, Founder and Executive Director of fusion92, believes that this trend may be slowing, as hyper-local advertising allows “mid-sized and smaller firms with broad regional knowledge and full-service advertising capabilities that include digital expertise” to gain a clear advantage.

Hyper-local advertising targets individuals at the neighborhood or ZIP code level and delivers timely, relevant ads that often have a local component in the creative or messaging. Consumers are inundated daily with ads on every media channel, with most being ignored because they don’t have any relevance to the user. But hyper-local advertisers can create smarter, more targeted approaches that vary by location.

Agencies already use SRDS.com to reach targeted markets by DMA. They have access to media planning data for local websites, print magazines, newspapers, radio, TV and out of home.

But just because these agencies are tailoring their campaigns for local markets doesn’t mean they are ditching large national campaigns. On the contrary, it’s more about using data and technology to customize a large campaign so that it is better matches the targeted audience.

It makes sense that a message incorporating something about your neighborhood (a free appetizer at the Chili’s down your street, for example) has a greater chance of resonating. And not just for you, for everyone in your ZIP code. For users in Chicago, Chicago Bulls imagery or a sound clip from the Chicago Symphony Orchestra might make strike a personal (and memorable) note.

Another reason agencies should consider hyper-local advertising is that it’s cost-effective. Digital technology such as Foursquare encourages users to share location information, making it easy for advertisers to reach their target markets, both through traditional methods and digital channels. According to Murphy:

“Advertisers can segment target audiences to ZIP-code levels, build customizable creative for local components of national campaigns and use digital and traditional advertising channels to distribute hyper-local ads and generate market share gains across multiple regions.”

The ad industry is only going to get more competitive, but if smaller agencies can take the bull by the horns and become more agile, then they have a big opportunity. Plus, the technology and data is already there, so why not use it? 

Thanksgiving is just around the corner, meaning that Black Friday is right on its coattails. While I’ve never had the experience of shopping the day after Thanksgiving, it’s widely practiced in the U.S.

Even during the past few years when our economy has been on the rocks, shoppers have still trekked out in the cold with their bellies filled with turkey and stuffing, ready to get the best deals on electronics, toys and more.

In 2011, Black Friday sales increased 6.6% over the same day of 2010, according to ShopperTrak, a retail technology company, resulting in $11.4 billion in retail purchases – the largest amount ever spent on the day. Retail foot traffic rose as well, increasing by 5.1% over Black Friday 2010.

That means if you haven’t already, you’ll soon see ads everywhere on the hottest Black Friday deals.

ShopperTrak released a press release earlier this month predicting that national retail sales, as compared to the same time period last year, will rise 3.3% during November and December, the peak holiday shopping months. They say retail foot traffic will increase 2.8%.

The National Retail Federation also predicts a rise of just over 4% in store sales during the holiday season. NRF CEO Matthew Shay says:

“In spite of the uncertainties that exist in our economy and among consumers, we believe we’ll see solid holiday sales growth this year.”

Online shopping continues to grow and for the first time, more than half of shoppers say they will use the Internet for gift buying, according to the NRF.

But these forecasts don’t mean that advertisers and marketers should sit back and relax and just let the sales pour in. They’re going to have to put in the work too.

ShopperTrak says retailers will have to earn the expected sales increases of 2012. Bill Martin, ShopperTrak founder, says:

“Those 32 days provide extra time for consumers to shop more frequently and to visit more stores during the holidays. But retailers must prepare to capitalize on the holiday opportunity while managing the increase in operating costs that go hand-in-hand with extended store hours on more shopping days.”

One thing that this group needs to be extra mindful of is that there are two extra weekends this holiday season because Christmas falls on a Tuesday and the fact that there is a weekend between Christmas and New Year’s Eve.

One thing is certain, Black Friday is sure to be just as crazy – if not more so – then last year.

Marketers and advertisers need to be creative in their ads, where they place them (many are using SRDS.com data to help make their decisions!), as well as the deals they’re offering.

Happy Holidays!

Happy Election Day!

If you’re a media buyer who has decided to postpone your advertising decisions until after the presidential election, you’re not the only one.

According to a survey from Strata Marketing, a media buying and selling software company, almost half (47%) of non-political ad buyers are waiting until election season ends to buy ads for their clients. Why? They want to avoid competing with political ads.

“STRATA suggests this means that media buyers are becoming increasingly concerned about costs, yet lack of available inventory is another challenge.”

Other insights from the survey include stats on agency expectations for this year and next:

• Only 35% of agencies participating in the survey believe their business will be better in the second half of 2012, while 19% expect it to be worse.
• That’s a big difference as compared to Strata’s survey during the second quarter which found only 7% believing that the second half of the year to worse. 
• Unfortunately, it doesn’t look like they believe 2013 will be much better. Almost one-third of agencies don’t expect their businesses to return to a strong growth period until after 2013.

You may remember we tackled the subject of integrating local media plans with congested political environments in our April 2012 Media Mixology event (slides and audio here).

If you’ve been putting off your media buying until after the election, now’s the time to get back into SRDS.com and get back to business. Let us know if there’s anything we can do to help and, whatever you do, get out there and vote!

In only two days, ad:tech will take place in New York City. If you haven’t heard, ad:tech is one of the best digital marketing events around and it’s worldwide.

Our Kantar Media SRDS team will be there at Booth 1803 along with team members from Kantar Media Intelligence, Audiences and Compete. We’d love to see you, so if you’re at the show stop by to introduc yourself.

We love media and all things digital, so the ad:tech conference program looks full of excellent topics. Here are some of the sessions we’re most excited about:

1. Follow the Money: Investors Place Their Bets on the Future of Advertising - Will the digital advertising bubble pop? Depending on who you ask, we’re already seeing it happen. This session will include a discussion about the future of advertising from the perspective of the people that fund it. They’ll talk about the new products, services and technologies that they’re backing – the startups they think will change the ad business moving forward – as well as how the financial performance of industry darlings post-IPO has shifted their thinking.
2. Cross-Platform Media Strategy: Advanced Reach & Targeting - There are real challenges when it comes to buying different types of media and integrating them into a single plan – but when it’s done right, a cross-platform campaign can be one of the most effective tools in digital marketer’s toolbox. The session will include examples of how to bundle search and social with TV, radio and print for maximum reach and engagement, and they’ll also explain how to measure the effectiveness of each disparate medium.
3. Mobile Marketing: Best Practices for Cracking Today’s Most Intimate Channel - According to a recent study by Ericsson ConsumerLab, more than 1/3 of smartphone users get online before even getting out of bed. So how do marketers engage these mobile consumers on a meaningful level? Senior marketers will bring you up to speed on mobile, relate it to other topics like search and social, and explore ways to take advantage of today’s technologies to extend the platform and engage consumers.
4. New Marketing Platforms: Wearable Devices, Advanced TV & More! - Google and Apple are both working on wearable devices, nearly 40 percent of American households have at least one TV connected to the internet, and location-aware mobile apps can track shoppers and send precision-targeted ads when they’re within a certain radius of a store. The “future” of advertising is now. In this session, you’ll get a first look at the cutting-edge platforms marketers have begun adding to the mix – some at scale – as well as glimpses into the products and services coming down the pike in the next 12 months.
5. Publishers and Tablets: New Strategies for Monetizing and Creating Content - Is the love affair between publishers and tablets fading? No, but is because a more mature relationship. We’ve lost the breathless headlines about new tablet apps, and feverish pushes to buy tablet-specific ads. Now the focus is on creating sustainable tablet revenue streams, including figuring out subscription models that entice print subscribers, as well as developing unique tablet content in a cost-effective manner. This session will present some of the newest strategies for creating and monetizing tablet content and audiences.

[Note: be sure to check out the SRDS Tablet Media Library to see some of the best apps from business, consumer and newspaper publishers.]

6. Next-Gen Ad Attribution: Make the Most of Effective Accountable Measurement - Click-through rates, post clicks, impressions, tracking mechanisms and site analytics all serve their purpose, but don’t always accurately account for the various influences along the purchasing path. Today’s marketers must analyze how various channels interact to determine where attribution makes sense. Much has been said about different ad attribution models. What is the best way to measure and should marketers restrict themselves to these pre-determined models? Leading brand and technology experts will share insight into today’s ad attribution and where marketers should look next.

Sensing a pattern here? All of these sessions involve some aspect of digital advertising or online marketing, two topics that we’re always trying stay at the forefront of.

What sessions look the most intriguing to you?

Click here to see the full ad:tech NY schedule.

As consumers, we're probably over the political ads, especially those of us living in swing states. And working in the media business, the political ads are certainly squeezing out and driving up the cost of our client campaigns. It's happening in TV, radio, and even online, including online videos. Online video advertising company Mixpo says demand for online video ad space will outstrip supply by 20 percent or more in 11 swing states.

But it's the last crunch before the election; there's not a lot we can do.

On a more positive note, we're seeing some advertisers using the election in their creative and social media campaigns. 7-Eleven has promoted red/blue coffee cup selection for the past 4 presidential campaigns. A FedEx Office spot shows two candidates agreeing to a "clean" campaign while one is actually picking up snarky signs about the other. Boston Market is taking what might be a safer approach asking website visitors to vote between 2 meal choices, but using right-wing/left-wing language that might be inflammatory.

We've all used borrowed interest before, either for ourselves or for clients. In this heated environment, is the benefit of relevance worth causing annoyance with our audiences? Let us know if you're seeing it work, or (perhaps more interestingly) failing spectacularly.

If you've ever tried to convince a creative-focused client just how important a strategic and well-thought-out media plan can be, or for that matter tried to explain to your parents what you do for a living, you might want to grab a copy of Millward Brown's latest POV piece: "The Overlooked Power of Media: Enhancing the Memorability of Communications" (that's a PDF link).

A bit basic for an experienced media pro, it is nonetheless a good introduction to the idea that different media strategies can be effective for different groups. I particularly liked author James Galpin's assertion that the right media choices deliver "not only messages, but memorability."

That's one to hang on the computer monitor.

Galpin makes a case for options beyond broadcast media, reminding us that "TV can be less cost-efficient than more targeted media like cinema, magazines, and online." Good ammunition if a small local client comes to you wanting to buy space during the Super Bowl.

Quoting the paper at length:

Therefore, advertisers need to go beyond the question of just how much to spend. All GRPs are not created equal; smart media decisions can significantly enhance memorability and enable marketers to get the most out of their communications investments.

How about you: what's your go-to explanation for the importance of media planning?

(via @Millward_Brown)

Over at Business 2 Community, Eric Wittlake has a post aimed at helping address the challenges of marketers trying to reach business-to-business audiences. He offers "Six Free Ways to Find the Best B2B Advertising Opportunities." In short, they include:

1. Google
2. Free list research tools
3. Google Ad Planner
4. Media Kits and Research
5. Twitter and Content Curators
6. Delicious

It's a pretty good list, especially if you are heavily constrained by budget to the point of only using free resources.

Of course, sometimes you get what you pay for, and what you don't invest in dollars will cost you double in time. That's where SRDS comes in, with our Business Publication Media database.

While it isn't free, it is the single best place online to find the entire universe of business publication advertising options, including print journals, websites and direct marketing lists.

No detective work required:

• 9,000+ print media listings
• 5,000+ digital media listings
• 25,000+ direct marketing lists
• 60+ media brands with iPad and tablet apps at the SRDS Tablet Media Library
• Over 190 market classifications

In fact, the detailed media listings on SRDS.com also include most of the same information Wittlake mentions, including Google Ad Planner Profiles (plus audience metrics from Kantar Media Compete), links to media kits, and third-party or publisher research.

Here's a video showing the Business Publication Media database in action.

If you like what you see, learn more here.

What about you? How do you find B2B advertising options?

I was reminded that Ben Franklin told us "time is money" when a colleague recently asked me why any advertiser would use an online ad network versus buying directly from a website. While I considered my answer, I realized how timely it was that I had just read Greg Skipper's article "7 things you don't know about ad networks and are afraid to ask" on iMedia Connection.  

Working directly with a site publisher offers advantages, the kinds of advantages that help CMOs, CEOs, CROs, COOs, and CFOs all sleep well at night. Prime inventory, great service, transparency, brand safety, and a tailored program to name a few. Since we know time is money, we suddenly realize scale is missing here. To gain scale working with individual site publishers you need lots and lots of time. So much time, in fact, that it would cost you more to do it this way than work with an advertising network. 

I know, I know. Ad networks can be a scary play for an advertiser.  Do you ever really know all the places your ad went? Are you getting what you paid for? How do you know the inventory you bought isn't cheaper someplace else? Can they really guarantee a safe environment for my brand? The answer to all of these depends on you and asking the right questions to understand what you don't already know about ad networks.

Ad networks are getting better at transparency, and as Skipper points out, "high quality networks stand to gain the most as advertisers get more sophisticated with regards to transparency." The better you are, they better they'll have to be. 

Also know that networks cannot afford to be pricey: "If they charge too much, advertisers won't buy; if they charge too little, publishers won't leverage the ad network."  While you may not be getting the absolute lowest price ever, consider how much time and effort you save by letting the network give you scale, and realize the ad network is adding value to the process.

Why not just purchase inventory through an exchange? You have to realize that exchanges are the open market bazaar of the internet—simply a place for buyers and sellers to come and trade. The ad network, on the other hand, offers "value in the form of data, technology, and optimization, and then sells that inventory to advetisers." 

Like anything in life it all comes down to you: kick the tires and ask all the questions—even the ones you're afraid to ask—before you buy to make sure you understand what you're getting.  And know that ad networks wouldn't be in play unless they provided a valuable service to folks every day.       

SPOILER ALERT: this post discusses AMC's "Mad Men," season 5, episode 10.

Desperate times call for desperate measures, and Lane Pryce is a financially desperate man. His across-the-pond antics have cost him $8,000—which he needs to wire within two days. Where will he find that kind of money? It certainly helps to be the Money Man at SCDP. He manages to get a $50,000 line of credit from one of their creditors, and what seems to be the answer to his prayers is actually the start of his hell.

His grand scheme is to present this $50,000 as an accounting surplus and suggests SCDP provide Christmas bonuses to the partners and staff. Roger, Bert, Don, and Pete were all delighted with this idea and Pete suggested they wait until the Christmas party to let the employees know. Lane wants to push the bonuses through right then and there to improve morale. Pete, naturally, has his own agenda since he is trying to bring Jaguar back into the fold, and argues the fact the company is going to pitch Jaguar is morale-boost enough. Lane is clearly frustrated and anxious, but as the other partners side with Pete he has no choice but to agree. Later that evening he crept back into the offices and forged Don's signature on a check to himself so he can make his payment to the Brits. He's a nervous wreck about the entire fiasco but even more so when a major client, Mohawk Airlines, pulls all of their advertising due to a mechanic's strike.

Speaking of airplanes, what an intense scene in the front lobby when Joan was served with divorce papers. The poor receptionist had no idea what fury would be unleashed until a model airplane came crashing down on her desk. "SURPRISE! There's an airplane here to see you," yelled Joan, who was furious the girl had called her out to the lobby. Joan is a woman used to being called to the lobby for flower deliveries—not divorce papers. Dashing Don Draper to the rescue. He practially scooped her out of the office in an attempt to calm her down.

Don and Joan head off to the Jaguar dealership so he can get a feel for the performance of the vehicle. Of course, this is all homework for the upcoming pitch but the two of them clearly enjoyed negotiating the test drive, minus the car salesman. Off they went in the sporty little bright red two-seater to a bar in midtown. The scene between Don and Joan was one of the best of the season. She acknowledged he was the only man in the company who never sent her flowers or even tried to approach her. Don admits he was afraid of Joan when he first started. The exchange between the two of them about divorce, love, and being a single mom was pretty powerful and one could easily see the couple they could become. The exchange between Megan and Don upon his return home in a drunken stupor was just as powerful.

Megan is so unlike Betty in this situation. When she threw her plate of food against the wall and yelled at him to sit down at the table there was no doubt about who was in control. This could have been the wake-up call Don needed, because he was back to business the next day.

Upon realizing there would be less money coming into the firm with the Mohawk strike, the partners decide to forgo their individual bonuses but agree to provide the year-end bonus to the staff. Lane looked like he was going to get sick on the spot, his panic was so palpable.

Upon announcing to the employees they would receive a bonus, Don reminded them there was much work to do over the next six weeks preparing for the Jaguar pitch. He rolled up his sleeves, told them weekend work was expected, and not to plan on seeing their families over the upcoming holidays. They clapped louder for that proclamation than they did for the bonuses. Yep, Don is back and ready to work.

Speaking of back, ex-employee Paul Kinsey is a Hare Krishna? Well, kind of a Krishna since he isn't really that into it, hasn't had a lot of visions, and wrote a script for Star Trek. The script isn't great but he wants Harry to try to get it to NBC for review. Harry is torn because he doesn't want to hurt Paul's feelings, but doesn't really like the fact that Paul is deep into the Hare Krishna scene. Paul's girlfriend tried to use her body to convince Harry to tell Paul the truth about how awful his script is. Paul is, after all, the best recruiter and she cares more about the cult than him. Despite the shaved head and robes, Paul still wants to be a productive member of society. He accepts Harry's gift of $500 to head to California and try to make it as a writer, leaving the Hare Krishnas and the girl behind.

The team at SCDP is waltzing into 1967 with high expectations and deep secrets.

Last week, our friends at Kelly Scott Madison released their latest annual analysis on the current media and advertising landscape and upcoming industry trends, titled the "2012 State of Media Report."

According to KSM:

the industry is currently in the midst of a revolution due to unprecedented rates of consumer technology adoption, platform convergence and increased access to analytics. Not only has the introduction and true embracement of cutting-edge gear, such as tablets and continuously-evolving mobile devices changed the very way consumers absorb media, but now more than ever trends are showing that users increasingly expect to interact with all content providers through multiple online and offline formats.

Elizabeth Kalmbach, KSM’s vice president of strategy, notes that the mass adoption of digital media has forced all media to produce and deliver content across all formats, or risk losing audience share:

What’s incredible is we’re seeing media that used to be highly segmented now depending upon one another for survival. Cable, radio, broadcast, print and digital formats all find themselves in the same position; they need each other’s content to function and hopefully remain profitable. It’s a fragile ecosystem, and if one source dies all will be affected.

The full 55-page report is available for download from the KSM website, and includes the following key findings:

• Faster Technology Adoption: It took tablets less than two years to reach the 40 million unit mark; that same level of adoption took seven years for smartphones.
• Market Clutter: Less than 4 percent of videos on YouTube exceed the 100,000 viewer mark. Now more than ever, advertisers have to find the most appropriate delivery method and make strong marketing decisions in order to avoid having their messages lost in the clutter.
• Privacy Issues: As the industry continues to battle consumer misconceptions and fears over privacy issues, education and self-regulatory practices will be key to maintaining order. Regulators will continue to face outcry from advertisers that are unsure of how costly proposed standards will benefit all those involved.
• Data Overload: The digital media industry is "drowning in data" and will only overcome this issue by successfully understanding how their key target groups are currently consuming media, thus allowing them to separate insignificant performance metrics from those that matter most.
• Wireless Spectrum shortage: Better known as wireless signals, spectrum is a finite resource and licensed to companies by the government. Its availability over the coming years will become a large issue as smartphones and tablets are essentially rendered useless without it. Cable, broadcast and mobile providers will fight to maintain a hold on spectrum, and whoever wins will literally own the market.

We're pleased to show off the latest round-up of Kantar Media Professional Health advertising expenditure data in April's Medical Marketing & Media.

The post features a wealth of information from Kantar Media about the health of advertising in professional medical journals for 2011, including

• Top 5 Medical/Surgicals Journals by Ad Revenue
• Top 25 Advertisied Companies
• Top 25 Advertised Brands
• Top 10 Online Brands (by frequency of ad occurences and quantity of sites used)

The short version?

"Journal advertising continues to be an effective promotional tactic and cost-efficient part of a multimedia marketing program," according to MM&M. Further:

Medical/surgical dollars managed a $24-million increase to $401 million for the year. That translates to 6% more in spending and the second straight rebounding year, driven by newly advertised products coupled with a number of market leaders from the past two years still maintaining high visibility.

The article is available at MM&M Online or as a PDF download.