Media Measurements in the New Age

I have to admit that I really enjoy playing Literati on yahoo.com.  Recently, Yahoo's site started downloading video ads that run for at least ten to ifteen seconds before the viewer can access the game room.  Everyone on the web seems to be working hard to "monetize" their online products.  I certainly understand that ... and Yahoo certainly has a checkered history (at best) of being profitable.

What I wonder about, though, is the value to the advertiser.

First of all, Yahoo's setup doesn't seem to target very well.  I am a male in the 50+ age demo.  I'm seeing lots of ads for Herbal Essence shampoo and other products targeted for women.

What's worse is that the advertiser may be paying for more exposures than they're actually getting.  In order to play Literati, the player has to go to the "game room" and connect with another player.  Clicking on a player initiates the ad.  But the ad can be "skipped" after about ten seconds.  Is that counted as exposure?  What's more, when you get to the player's profile, very often they are not active or choose not to play.  So, I end up going back to the game room and starting the process over (many times) with the same result:  seeing only a short segment of an ad that may not even be targeted for me.

I wonder if the advertiser is paying for all this worthless exposure.  The last time I attempted to connect with a player, I probably saw the first ten seconds of the Herbal Essence ad about ten times.  Yes, there was some exposure, but it was really worthless for the advertiser.

As advertising on the web matures, someone out there has the opportunity to get very rich by inventing a secure system for auditing the actual value of exposure.

"If I had eight hours to chop down a tree, I'd spend six hours sharpening my axe."

Since the advent of the internet, marketers have been struggling to figure out how to use this shiny new tool in the toolbox.  They've also struggled with what to do with their tried and true marketing tools. 

Pacific Business News (a Hawaii weekly newspaper) just announced that it has revamped its publication strategy and it seems that they have figured out how their traditional print publication can coexist with their online edition. 

Up until now, both the print edition and the online edition featured breaking news.  The trouble with a weekly print publication in the internet age is that breaking news isn't very exciting when it's a week old and readers are used to getting instant gratification on their iPhones, tablets and computers. 

What PBN has done now is to rethink their product and use each of their two different formats to its best advantage.  The e-bulletins and web updates will cover braking news ... and the weekly print publication will focus solely on features and analysis. 

It's not rocket science, but it's gratifying to see companies finally understand how to properly use all the tools in the toolbox. 

United's "Little Corner of the World" ... Costs Extra

Once upon a time, United Airlines promoted Hawaii as "our little corner of the world."  They offered mai tais on board ... flight attendants were outfitted in aloha wear ... and there was special advertising that featured the destination. 

Over the years, United seems to have lost its love for the islands.  At one time, bonus upgrades and certificates specified that they were not valid on Hawaii flights.  That caused a rebellion among United customers in Hawaii.  There were cards and letters sent to the corporate office and letters to the editor in the newspapers.  As a result of the customer backlash, and made these perks available to Hawaii residents. 

If Hawaii was excluded from these offers, it essentially meant that these perks were worthless.  And, as island residents, we use airlines more than the average American.  We have to in order to go anywhere.   

That was a few years ago.  Apparently, corporate memory is short.  This week United announced that they were launching a new "subscription" service whereby customers could buy a one year "subscription" to unlimited use of premium seats in economy for $499.  But, guess what.  It's an extra $100 if you live in Hawaii. 

We'll have to see if Hawaii customers will remind United once again that they are part of the US.  Even if we aren't United's "little corner of the world" it would be nice to be attached to the rest of the country. 

Signs are sooo important

Ok.  Wait.  Let me figure this out.  Sunday-Tuesday 10-6.  Wednesday-Saturday 10-6.  Oh, I get it.  Open daily 10-6.

Whew.