OMNI.10/BC gets smart with kindness campaign
Somebody stays out in the cold to pump your gas. Somebody shovels your driveway, leaving behind a small card stating, ‘You’ve just received an Unexpected Gift.’ OMNI.10/BC’s random-acts-of-kindess campaign won the station its first national award in 2005. This year, the Unexpected Gift Christmas campaign is getting the multi-platform treatment, and sponsors are signing on for integration.
Lowe agencies go digital with Stella Artois trap
‘Are you ready to challenge a friend to a game of wits? To the victor – a chalice of Stella Artois.’ Of course, users can only click ‘Yes.’ The second phase of digital experiences is live at StellaArtois.com.
Canada’s Redux gets Tickle from US
Redux Media expects to be at the forefront of viral marketing placements in Canada, thanks to inking a deal with San Francisco’s Tickle Grapevine.
House bounces back while CSI falls
BBM/NMR Top 30 – Nov. 27-Dec. 3, 2006
Global’s House climbed back up to #2 on BBM/NMR’s Top 30 AMA ratings for the week of Nov. 27 to Dec. 3. That helped push CTV’s three CSI series to #3, #4 and #5. CTV isn’t complaining about CSI‘s drop from the top, though, because the new #1 is one of their own: Criminal Minds. Of the top 15 shows based on AMA rankings, Global’s only got four spots fighting CTV’s domination.
Media strategists advise CRTC not to alter 12-minute rule
As the federal regulator of Canadian broadcasting wound up its first major television hearings in seven years this week, controversy swirled in the mediaverse. Should the rule limiting TV commercials to 12 minutes per hour be loosened or even scrapped? Some networks say yes. But the ACA and several leading media strategists say either course would be a disaster.
CBC goes all out to push the ‘fun in fundamentalism’
Promotion for CBC’s unveiling of its new sitcom, Little Mosque on the Prairie, is heating up with a teaser campaign and lots of national and international press. Producers are stressing the comedic spin and taking care to note that it’s not political satire. Judging by the buzz thus far, and the strategy, the series has potential to draw in some eyeballs.
MiC’s K.I.S.S. Pick: PETA creates sleuth campaign
Once again, People For the Ethical Treatment of Animals has lived up to its reputation for concocting effective guerilla campaigns on a shoestring. This time out, they’re placing looking-for-love ads in the personals column of a free website. Sample: ‘Attractive, fun-loving brunette seeks long-term relationship’ – with the brunette actually being a pit bull.
YTV puts thumbs in ring, courts older crowd
In a bid to get laughs out of young kids and bring in an older crowd, Corus has imported a live-action, fictional thumb wrestling league for its Friday nights in YTV’s New Year schedule. Already, Spin Master is working with YTV on a tie-in, and the net is pursuing other promo opps for marketers.
Which market sectors did TV advertisers favour
in which city: BBM Analytics
Now that the first quarter of the 2006-7 broadcast season is behind us, which categories were the most active in the first quarter on conventional stations in Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary and Montreal Franco?
M2 Universal wins CBC account
Nine media agencies responded to CBC’s August RFP with bids to handle media strategy and buying for the net’s English-language services. Toronto’s M2 Universal got the nod and will succeed incumbent MBS in early 2007.
Striding Man walks from board to board
One video board wasn’t enough for Diageo’s Toronto appearance for the Johnnie Walker ‘Keep Walking’ campaign. The Toronto Yonge-Dundas Square execution uses four screens, giving the Striding Man figure a chance to, well, move around and get some attention.
J&J’s new interactive mystery designed to appeal to female gamers
Even when women are their key demo, few consumer packaged goods companies aim advergames at the distaff side. But Ottawa’s Fuel Industries – jumping on a recent Neilsen study identifying fully 64% of gamers as female – has created an interactive animated mystery to specifically appeal to women while touting Johnson & Johnson’s Reach toothbrushes.
Road hockey rivalry and poker-faced players
Canada loves hockey. That much we know. We also love our NHL stars. Now CTV’s specialty nets are adding some notable off-the-ice and online twists to our national sport.
Christmas is for kids – and TV:
Nielsen Media Research
Forget about all that knee-sitting stuff. Santa just has to sit back in his easy chair, TV remote in hand, to see what kids want for Christmas. A whopping 93.1% of total media spending in the toy, games and craft category goes into TV. And total spending has skyrocketed over the past four years, thanks to the big spenders – companies selling digital and video games and all the necessary hardware to go with them.
ZenithOptimedia US ops splitting;
Canadian office might follow suit
Whatever changes may be made by ZO’s Canadian counterpart ‘won’t be quite as radical’ as yesterday’s announcement of the impending divorce between Zenith and Optimedia down south, Sunni Boot tells MiC. But, she adds, ‘best practice’ nowadays for media biggies, such as the one she heads up, is to form two distinct brands.
