Attention! Updated Spot Radio and TV Cost-Per-Point estimates are now available in SRDS.com.

Most broadcast media buyers understand that an indispensable method for measuring cost-efficiencies is by cost-per-point. CPP is the cost, per 1% of an indicated audience, of buying ad space in a given media vehicle. This data provides buyers with what a CPP should be in the upcoming quarter, by market, by daypart.

As a reminder, Radio and TV/Cable database subscribers can find the SQAD information as follows:

SQAD Spot Radio Cost-Per-Point Estimates

This data can be found under the Radio Search.

TV Household Cost-per-Point Levels

This data can be found under the TV & Cable Search.

Log in now to view the data or if you don’t currently have access to these databases, let us know.

There's no denying this was an absolutely off-the-wall yet masterful episode of Mad Men. We were allowed a glimpse into Don's youth, which explains a lot about his character, including his penchant for women in kerchiefs. As you can imagine, growing up in a bordello leaves a lasting impression on a young lad, as does being beaten with a wooden spoon. Young Dick Whitman, as he was then known, makes friends with Amee, one of the working girls who wears a kerchief. When he falls ill, she nurses him back to health and teaches him a few things along the way. While this might seem totally unrelated to this week’s plot, it does explain Don’s view of women.  

Let's go onto the heart of the episode—satisfaction—in this case, client satisfaction, or lack thereof.

Ken Cosgrove is busy handling the prized Chevy account. He's pitched seven different creative campaigns in six weeks and the Chevy executives hate each of them. In fact, the only thing Ken has to show for his time in Detroit is a bum foot, and abrasions resulting from a car accident suffered while joy-riding with the inebriated Chevy execs. The partners loosely gathered to discuss next step and  Don is angry that he didn’t make the pitch, as if it's Ken's fault the Chevy folks don't like the creative. 

Side note: Did you find it ironic, if not humorous, when Don was saying he thought the timbre of his voice could sway the execs? Jon Hamm does the voiceovers for the Mercedes Benz spots currently running and there is something to be said for his timbre.  Don tells the creatives they will work the entire weekend to develop fifteen ideas for Chevy.

Cutler calls in his doctor to give the team an energy boost in the form of an injection. The doctor calls it his own mix of vitamins and stimulants, but it was certainly amphetamines. Everyone is clearly "amped" after their shots. The office becomes a chaotic mess with flying exacto knives, and glassy-eyed, erratic staff running about, like boys on the playground. Only Peggy and Ginsberg do not partake and remain level headed. Stan and the others are fast-talking and unproductive. Ken, energized by the magic potion, tap-dances for Don, broken foot and all. Again, I couldn't help but think he's dancing as fast as he can for both client and upper management!

Still broken hearted over his breakup with Sylvia, Don spends a lot of time hanging out in the back hallway of her apartment. She calls him at work pretending to be her husband to freak him out and convince him to just leave her alone. But as we've seen, Don doesn't handle rejection well.

Charged up by his injection, Don frantically tries to find the right words or angle to win her back. In fact, he spends the entire weekend working on his pitch to her, not Chevy. He remembers an old soup ad they created in the late 50s and finally finds it. Sure enough, there is a woman in a kerchief, leaning over as a boy eats oatmeal. The tag line is: "Because you know what he needs." Enter the flashbacks and bingo! Don finally knows what to say to get Sylvia back. He calls in Peggy and Ginsberg who think they’re about to hear a fabulous idea to save Chevy. Instead, Don rambles on about "her" and what he is going to say. Peggy is so irritated and frustrated by everyone who received an injection.

Meanwhile, it’s Don and Megan's weekend with the kids. We get to see blonde Betty, cold as ever. Foolishly, Megan leaves the kids alone as she goes to meet her producer and Don is still at the office. Late that night, Sally hears a noise and finds a woman rummaging around the apartment. She says she raised Don and calls herself "Grandma Ida." The woman knows  just enough to be believable—if you're twelve. But Sally figures out that something isn’t right and finally calls the police. Of course, the woman manages to scare the kids and leaves with jewelry, silver and whatever else she can stuff in her bag. By the time Don returns home exhausted, the police, Meghan, Betty and Henry are all there. Betty, selfish as ever, only thinks about herself and how this will reflect on Henry's gubernatorial campaign. Looking around at all of the accusing faces, Don faints. The next morning, he and Sylvia wind up on the same elevator. After spending the entire weekend creating an eloquent speech to win Sylvia back, he says not a word during the uncomfortable descent.

In the end, Don calls Sally to tell her it’s his fault the back door was unlocked. Sally answers that the woman seemed to know about him, which leads Sally to believe she doesn't know her dad at all.

The best line of the episode was the final one, when Don took himself off the creative side of Chevy. He said he'd just approve the creative but do nothing else on the campaign because "every time we get a car, this place turns into a whorehouse." Interesting choice of words given his upbringing and the way he uses women. But I guess this episode all goes back to client satisfaction—Joan and the Jaguar account; SCDP tap-dancing and jumping through hoops for Chevy.

Has anyone else noticed the choice of books the characters are reading? Last week it was "The Last Picture Show", this week it’s "Rosemary's Baby." You know those are not just randomly chosen. What do you think they signify?

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.

Our data team strives to provide users with the most updated media planning data within SRDS.com. In April, the team made a total of 8,501 updates to the SRDS.com databases with the largest chunk of updates coming from the business publication database. Here's the full breakdown:

• 1,921 newspaper updates
• 54 out-of-home updates
• 409 TV & cable updates
• 717 radio updates
• 1,207 digital updates
• 3,343 business publications updates
• 850 consumer magazine updates

We know that current data matters, so log in and check out some of the changes!

This week's episode of Mad Men begins with a potential IPO and ends with a merger, proving once again that you never know what will happen. One thing for certain is that there are many secrets.

To begin with, Bert, Pete and Joan secretly meet with a banker to take SCDP public. They are positively giddy at the thought of becoming millionaires, especially Pete, who imagines winning back Trudy with his new-found wealth. Trudy continues to string him along and make him pay for his past transgressions. Pete goes to the nearby brothel with one of the new guys to celebrate the impending IPO,  and sees his father-in-law trailing a half-clothed prostitute. They lock eyes and mumble hello. Nothing good can come from this encounter.

In other news, Pete, Don and Roger plan to have dinner with the Jaguar client, Herb. Roger tells Pete the meeting is canceled and persuades Don to bring Megan and her visiting mother, Marie, along. The dinner is a delicious disaster. Don is late; Megan and Marie are bored to tears and Marie insults the wife. Thank goodness for subtitles, although even I could pick up the word "idiot" in French. When Don finally arrives, the men get down to business.

Herb has a young guy, Chris, at one of his dealerships who helps write flyers. When Herb brings Chris up, Don thinks Herb is asking about a job for Chris. Don decides he’ll at least go through the pretense of an interview. But no, Herb wants Don to allow Chris to review all of the SCDP ad work on the Jaguar campaign to make sure it's okay. Don's incredulous look is priceless. Things go downhill pretty quickly after that and SCDP ends up quitting the account. The dinner is over before it started. And Roger is a complete no-show.

So what has he been up to? Roger, always ready to work any possible angle, convinces his stewardess girlfriend to keep him posted on the comings and goings of hotshot execs at the airport. While the Jaguar account is running of the road, Roger is working his magic with a top dog at Chevy. Mikey, the Chevy guy, is complaining that he couldn't find a decent NY ad agency for their new concept car so he’s heading back to Detroit. Roger skips the Jaguar dinner, flies to Detroit and returnslater that night with the opportunity to pitch Chevy.

The next morning at the office, Don announces he quit the Jaguar account. Pete flies off the handle (and down the stairs!) and starts yelling at Don in the middle of the office, ranting about taking the company public and how this will ruin everything. Joan herds the team into the conference room while everyone else watches through the glass. Don is caught off guard about the IPO and says Herb should have been dealt with months ago. Joan is furious; if they weren't going to hang on to the account, it made her acts worthless. If she could deal with Herb so could Don. It was awesome to watch Joan in action, seething and sharp-tongued. After she storms out, Roger announces they have the opportunity to pitch Chevy - in three days. As they leave the room, the other employees scurry out of their way like mice. Don rounds up the creative team and is thrilled to discover they’re working on a concept car to compete with the Ford Mustang.

Over at Peggy's shop, Ted and his partners are also working on the Chevy account. Ted is stressed because one of the partners has pancreatic cancer and he's tired of being the nice guy. They let the Alfa Romeo account go and he's second-guessing that decision. Then he kisses Peggy. It must have been some kiss because Peggy couldn't get it out of her mind for the rest of the episode. She pictures Ted when kissing her boyfriend, Abe. She thinks about the kiss and powders her nose before going to Ted's office later. Oh yes, Peggy thought about that kiss a lot. She and Abe purchase a crummy apartment that needs tons of work in a so-so neighborhood, just as Abe wanted. Peggy, now, is not so sure about the decision and is perhaps wondering what could be with Ted.

On to Motor City for the pitch. At the airport, one of the pompous ad guys from a bigger shop comes over to banter with Don and Roger. Word spreads quickly up and down Madison Avenue. It seems like everyone but S and D knows about Vicks pulling their account from SCDP. The head of the Vicks account is none other than Trudy's dad, Pete's father-in-law. He is enraged at Pete for visiting the bordello, never mind that he was there as well. His daughter is a princess and Pete is a no-good low life. So that quickly became another loss for SCDP. Gotta love Roger though, he manages to have the airline lose the competitor's luggage.  

Don and Ted commiserate at the hotel bar. Two little shops competing with two big shops means they'll steal the creative ideas from the little shops and give the business to one of the larger agencies. They present their pitches to each other and they are quite similar. Don, who probably is still annoyed with the others for wanting to take SCDP public without telling him first, suggest the two shops merge and go in as a larger shop. Ted is intrigued, especially since one of his partners is dying, and what Don is saying makes sense. The next morning Roger, Don, Ted and Harry Hamlin's character go in to make the pitch. I love Harry Hamlin and his line, "Just so we’re clear, unless this works I'm against it," made me laugh. Such a typical boss-like thing to say. Well it works. They get the Chevy business and come back to NYC to merge.

Peggy is the first to find out when she is called into Ted's office, hoping to be kissed again and instead seeing Don there.  She has all kinds of unanswered and unasked questions but they assure her everything will be fine. I couldn't tell if Don was more excited about landing the account, merging or shutting the others out of a major decision for SCDP.  I don't know about you, but I'm pretty sure it will be anything but an easy ride. So do you think the concept car is the Camaro or the Chevelle?

Are digital campaigns the best way to market to millennials? It sure seems like many marketers think so. If you haven’t noticed it across industry headlines, there’s been an uptick in brands committing major resources to getting in front of Generation Y digitally.

Take Coca Cola. The company just released its first-ever digital-only campaign to teens called the “The AHH Effect.” Mobile platforms are the medium of choice for the campaign with most of the content primed for quick hits, including mini-games, videos and multimedia content. There are 17 digital experiences, starting at ahh.com. Adding an “h” to the URL allows visitors to access a new experience. Going forward, Coke plans to use paid and owned media on Facebook and Twitter to encourage teens to create their own experiences for the brand. Coke will select and include 25 users experiences in the campaign.

Retailer Nordstrom is launching a campaign promoting the concept of “Youphoria,” according to the New York Times. Tactics include videos featuring young adults involved in various outdoor activities like chopping wood. Naturally, these millennials are dressed to impress in Nordstrom gear.  It’s meant to show that everyone can find an affordable style at Nordstrom that fits their character. The videos are available on YouTube and promoted via Twitter, Facebook and the Nordstrom website.

Other companies, like Budweiser, are opting to reach millennials through a product change supported digitally. The company’s newly designed bow-tie beer-can will be released this spring, hoping to take advantage of the hip fashion trend of wearing bow-ties, according to MediaBistro. The can will be marketed directly to younger beer drinkers with a multimedia campaign that spans digital, print, and TV promotions.

As these brands jump on the millennial bandwagon, they'd also be advised to study some of the brands that this generation already loves. According to iMedia Connection, these include Coachella, Nike and Pretzel Crisps.

Are you using a digital campaign to reach your target millennials?

Did you know that srds.com helps agencies and marketers keep pace with all types of Latino-targeted multimedia? Our Hispanic Media and Market Source™ print service offers everything media planners and buyers need to develop an integrated marketing campaign to communicate with this market effectively.

That’s why when we saw this just-released infographic from Scarborough, we had to share it. Based on a custom study commissioned by AHAA and AARP, the image identifies the different business opportunities within the generationally diverse Hispanic population. Specifically, it highlights how marketers and ad agencies can effectively reach Hispanic millennials, Generation Xers and Baby Boomers by recognizes cross-generational differences and cultural orientation.

Here are three interesting tidbits.

1. Hispanic consumers are more likely to travel abroad than non-Hispanics. Hispanic Baby Boomers are 22% more likely than Hispanic Millennials to travel outside the U.S.
2. Hispanic consumers are 77% more likely than non-Hispanics to plan to switch wireless providers in the next twelve months.
3. Hispanic Baby Boomers are 73% more likely than their Hispanic Millennial counterparts to have life insurance policies.

Download the full report here or take a look at top-level findings in the infographic below.

Have you seen the AdWeek story from last month about the latest online advertising blunder? A banner ad for a criminal lawyer’s firm appeared on the same page as his DUI mug shot. Ouch! While this is a relatively small-scale mistake, take a look at the McDonald’s ad screenshot above. It’s definitely not a PR nightmare but it certainly doesn’t do the fast food chain any favors.

With all of the targeting capabilities, keyword analysis and advanced data systems that marketers have access to, it’s surprising that so many mistakes like this still happen with online ads. There’s even a Pinterest board featuring some of the biggest digital gaffes.

As more small businesses and local companies begin to explore online ads, they still need to be equipped with the basics so slipups like this don’t happen. With the Internet, even the tiniest error can be blown out of proportion for the whole world to see.

We’re currently working on a white paper that covers the basics of online media planning, including best practices for marketers so that you can cut down on the chances of making mistakes like these. You can also visit iMedia Connection for some good information on how quality, brand safety and advertiser category data can protect you from an online ad fail.

“Before the iPhone, cyberspace was something you went to your desk to visit. Now cyberspace is something you carry in your pocket.” - Paul Saffo

It's true, mobile and specifically smartphones have changed everything. But it's still not as easy as it seems for marketers and agencies to develop extremely effective mobile promotion plans and strategies. Retailers are expected to invest $55 billion annually in mobile by 2015, according to a new study from Juniper Research. With high stakes both in terms of investment and consumer demands, companies want to know which steps to take in order to create a successful mobile strategy.

I'd like to share the steps I think can help get the ball rolling.

1. Objectives: Identifying goals and objectives for the mobile channel.

It goes without saying that mobile goals and objectives should be related to the overall business objectives of the company. To help with the process, think about how a mobile channel can help you meet your business objectives. Many brands could have avoided developing mobile apps for download that were abandoned shortly thereafter by asking these questions:

• What do you want your mobile app to accomplish?
• Would you like to drive traffic to a store?
• Would you like customers to have any channel for support?
• At customer need can you meet that helps to achieve your business objective?

Tiffany & Co’s ”Find your Engagement Ring” mobile app is a perfect example of execution based on extensive, well-formulated research on the target audience and clearly defined business objectives. It clearly targets men who have a problem identifying the ring size for women they would like to propose to. It still showcases the product, but it solves the major hurdle in the purchasing process.

2. People: Defining the profile of the target audience.

Existing customers, new customers, what do you know about your target? Social media can be the hero and provide a wealth of knowledge about your different segments, especially smartphone users. The more marketers know about social media and mobile usage, the clearer it becomes that mobile and social experiences are interconnected and inseparable. According to OnSite Consulting’s 2011 report, 56 percent of connected smartphone users follow a brand on social media. By listening to the conversation on social networks and identifying what is being said about your brand and product, you can also identify specific problems and pain points to address with your mobile app and inform the direction of your strategy.

It is also helpful to look at the “Customer Hourglass,” Altimeter’ social model of purchase. The funnel looks at the entire customer experience pre- and post-sale. Incorporating the customer hourglass and understanding how to engage with your target consumer at each step will provide you with invaluable insight into their specific needs, which then could be satisfied by a mobile app.

3. Strategy: Determining the right approach for meeting said objectives.

Once you have identified your target audience and set your objectives for the mobile channel, choosing the right mobile development strategy becomes easier. It is important to keep in mind that your strategy is more than an appropriate technology, but it is also about reaching the right people with the right features required to meet the objectives you’ve set. Effective mobile solutions require unique and specific planning, tactics, integration and implementation. Use scenarios to establish interaction models. Scenarios must be realistic and in-context. If a feature doesn’t work within a realistic user scenario, cut it. Mobile users demand two main things when it comes to mobile experiences: content and convenience. At this stage, you should have a close to complete idea of your mobile application, functionality, features, usage scenarios, support system and operating systems.

4. Technology: Choosing the development technology that fits the strategy.

There are many development options available, and the development space is undergoing changes. This stage will be handled primarily by your technical team or a vendor, but it is important to establish right amount of cross-functional rapport to understand the process. In the perfect scenario you should have a team consisting of marketing, user experience, strategy and it members available through the entire process When choosing the development option, try to stay up to date with trends and general developments of the mobile space. In conclusion, remember that customers are increasingly looking for a full experience. To stand out in a sea of choices, your app must not only to draw attention initially, but withstand the test of time by delivering the promised value quickly and providing an incentive for continued engagement.

Marketers/Agencies: What are your best practices for creating a mobile strategy?

If the chart above is any indication, the digital music space is overflowing with options for anyone looking to stream some tunes. From music video site Vevo, to free music streaming service Songza, to the interactive Internet radio service Slacker, the digital music options are truly unlimited.

But according to Kantar Media SRDS employees, there’s a clear favorite among the pack.

Pandora is the most used Internet music service among our employees with iTunes trailing as a far second. Pandora is a top automated music recommendation service that has been around and digital for more than a decade. Its top perk is that when you listen to your favorite song or band, the site mines through its Music Genome Project database to find songs with musical similarities to your choice. Pandora offers users two subscription plans: free/ad-supported and fee-based/no ads.

Even though the online radio business is crowded, that isn’t stopping social networks and other digital companies from trying to grab some market share. Last week, Twitter made an announcement that it’s launching an iPhone app that helps users find music that's trending on Twitter and songs based on the artists/bands you follow. Whether the app will make a big splash remains to be seen, but it doesn’t look like any online radio service will top Pandora anytime soon for those working at Kantar Media SRDS.

How do you listen to music digitally?

One of my co-workers forwarded me this article, and if you haven’t read it yet, here’s the point:

Mashable reports that Android Police discovered code in YouTube’s most recent app update that suggests that Google may be developing pay-to-view YouTube channels. Specifically, the code alludes to subscribing and unsubscribing from paid YouTube channels, but only on the web version of the site. No subscription info in apps on the horizon, yet.

The idea that “high-quality” video content producers would charge their users to view videos is a tricky subject. Right off the bet there the question of what constitutes a channel that you’d have to pay to view? I don’t know that I would pay to watch any YouTube channel, but then again, I know many people that surf YouTube more than they use Google. They want to see how to cut a pomegranate rather than read about it. Tutorials and how-to’s might be prime for this time of payment model, but the real question is, will users pay?

Time will certainly tell. The other most logical channels that would charge would be TV show channels and those that are tied to musical performers. Whether or not this is just another rumor, it’s hard to ignore.

Publishers: Do you think it’s worth charging fees for users to view videos on your brand’s YouTube channel?

Scarborough's newest infographic is particularly useful for digitally-minded yet location-specific media companies and marketers. Specifically, it tells the local story of how online media consumption has evolved over the past few years by identifying the top markets in key areas of online media to paint a picture of national trends.

One interesting nugget of info: Atlanta, Austin, San Francisco and Washington, DC are almost always in the top 10 for every online media activity in every year measured.

The infographic can help media and marketers narrow their focus, using layers of data to reach digital audiences and consumers more efficiently. Download the full infographic here.

Did any of the data surprise you?

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?

We’ve added updated Scarborough Newspaper Penetration reports to the new Local Market Info link in SRDS.com. DMA Profiles & Maps will also be housed in this drop-down menu, which can be accessed by all SRDS.com users.

The reports offer valuable media planning data for local newspapers and their e-editions, including daily average reach and percent reach as well as Sunday average reach and percent reach. Log in now, explore the data and let us know what you think.

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!

We often post interesting insights from our colleagues on the healthcare research side of Kantar Media. Now the healthcare team has some big news.

They’ve just launched their own blog for media companies, marketers and agencies. Posts will focus on the latest research and insights into professional and consumer healthcare media markets.

• Insights into the media usage of consumers and healthcare professionals
• Attitudinal and behavioral findings about brands and media
• Multimedia audience measurement data and ad intelligence
• Comments on related industry news

There will also be white papers, infographics and more. Check it out now and subscribe!

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.

Recently, a user asked why we deleted our Quick Station Search function in the SRDS.com radio database. We were happy to let her know that the search ability definitely had not been eliminated. It just looks a little different.

You can still get the results you want by using the open search. For example, you can enter call letters, frequency or code call and get all the results that match your search criteria. Take a second to make a search selection that will yield more accurate results. For example, when conducting a call letter search (shown below), you should click Title Only.

Also, you can use the search options to search against only radio and/or only title (which contains the call letters and frequency).

If you have any other questions or would like to sign up for a 30-minute training session, please let me know.