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Canadian Tire hits top spot, CH-TV blasts upward – Media Monitors for the week of September 11-17, 2006
Check out others topping the radio charts by category and brand in the Toronto market for the week of September 11-17, 2006.
Super heroes to compete for top spot in space
Debuting on September 23, CHUM Television’s Space channel presents a new series that counts down who’s hot in genre film and television. Space Top 10 Countdown airs Saturdays at 6:30pm ET/3:30pm PT (6 x 30 min.) The show looks at the top 10 superheroes portrayed in movies, featuring interviews with journalists who critique them, the stars who’ve portrayed them and the creators of the super power wonders, and then poses the question: who should top the list? Featured in the series are such heroes, anti-heroes, villains and cyborgs as the Dark Knight, Batman, Wonder Woman, the memorable characters from X-Men, and Spiderman. The series repeats on Sundays (11:30am ET/8:30pm PT).
Cameos by sports greats to enliven new Showcase hockey comedy
Hockey legends Phil Esposito, Dave ‘Tiger’ Williams and Darryl Sittler will turn up playing themselves on Showcase’s new comedy series, Rent-A-Goalie, premiering on Sunday, October 1 at 9:30 p.m. ET/PT (8 x 30 min.) Series creator Christopher Bolton plays a hockey-crazed guy who’s now serving coffee and quips in a popular café. The show is described as ‘the perfect blend of hockey, machismo, Italian-Canadian customs and coffee.’ Produced by Georgian Inc./RAG-TV Inc. and directed by T.W. Peacocke (Gemini nominee for Canada Russia ’72).
Metroland hires director for its expanding online properties
Toronto’s Metroland Business Ventures has hired Leslie Andrachuk as director of online operations and site development with responsibility for launching such Metroland online properties as eyeweekly.com and Real Estate News. Previously, Andrachuk was director of marketing and promotions at the Globe and Mail, director of national marketing communications at Sympatico.ca, and worked on a number of telecom and web start-ups overseas and on the west coast.
PMB elects Auchterlonie as new chair
The Print Measurement Bureau has elected Fred Auchterlonie, VP client services at PHD Canada, as its new chairman, succeeding Larry Thomas, VP/publisher, Reader’s Digest Canada. New PMB Directors elected this year are Anna Carestia (P&G Canada), Geoff Craig (Unilever Canada), Kirby Miller (Canadian House and Home), David Richardson (TVA Publications), and Diane Williams (GlaxoSmithKline).
Welcome to MiC
Media in Canada welcomes our new writer, Jesse Kohl, to the team this week. While studying journalism in Toronto at the turn of the millennium, Jesse cut his teeth writing about punk bands, activists and obligatory campus news stuff. Since then, he’s covered everything from a blue Stephen Harper rally to the tribulations of cottagers in Muskoka. As he cuts his teeth again at MiC, feel free to drop him a line (or a tip) at 416-408-2300 ext. 255 or jkohl@brunico.com.
‘Incredibly dynamic environment requires us to rethink models of engagement’ – On the MIC with Paul Woolmington
When media folks talk about holistic planning, Naked Communications is the shop most describe as the Holy Grail. The UK-HQ’d agency recently opened an office in NYC headed up by former Media Kitchen top chef Paul Woolmington. He’ll be in Toronto next month for the second annual Media in Canada Forum: Getting to Engagement. MiC asked him for a preview of his keynote speech, in which he will discuss the path to what he terms ‘communications nirvana.’
Which brands get engagement? ‘Mini, for one. It’s an iconoclastic brand. And if you’re working on a brand like that and you can’t create engagement, you might as well shoot yourself. The same goes for an iconic brand like Virgin. They have a head start because they’re bursting with personality and obviously have a lot going for them. Where I live in northwest Connecticut, there was a Mini Cooper day at Lime Rock racetrack and 10,000 to 15,000 Mini enthusiasts attended, some driving all the way from the west coast.
Rising young media star
This is the ninth installment of our ‘Rising Young Media Stars’ series, in which we profile the next gen media minds. Curious as to who these new thinkers were, and what they were thinking, strategy and Media in Canada canvassed the industry, asking media shops to single out their top innovative and strategic recruits. And we’re scouting for more of the same – so tell us about the hot talent in your shop.
Heather Loosemore
Media planner/buyer, Genesis Media, Toronto
Claim to fame: Bringing in banners, backgrounds and big boxes to create a high-impact, contest-driven campaign on wish.ca and betterthanbeer.com for Bacardi Breezers (a joint venture with john st.) ‘In downtown Toronto,’ she says, ‘you can’t miss the combination of wild postings and OOH, plus a viral online campaign to drive consumers to a unique URL to answer the question: ‘What is better than beer?’ This was for Bacardi MIXX and really spoke to the young, socially active male target. It was like taking that youtube feel that’s been so successful and putting it into a very unpredictable campaign.’
Talk to MiC
Hey, Media in Canada readers, share your ideas with us. ‘The New Plan’ showcases your savviest media campaigns, ones that exemplify the way forward in the new mediaverse. ‘What’s on your mind?’ is for quick and pithy raves – like M2 Universal president Hugh Dow’s thumbs up about the Toronto Star‘s new downloadable edition, or Zenith Optimedia prexy/CEO Sunni Boot’s rant about the probable fate of serials. Got it? OK, ball’s in your court. Email our staff writer, Terry Poulton (tpoulton@brunico.com) or phone her (416.408.2300 x252).
Lavalife’s new online magazine targets singles 18-34
Although the official launch of Lavalife Magazine isn’t until next month, the online extension of Canada’s top-ranked dating site went live in late August. Advertisers in the debut issue of the monthly included Nike, Smirnoff Black Cherry, L’Oreal and Alliance Atlantis. Ad sales director Elizabeth Wetzel says the new magazine will leverage ‘an urban, hip lifestyle brand’ and keep its readers engaged with lively articles about dating issues, as well as contests and interaction. ‘In addition to standard IAB sizes,’ she says, ‘we offer new IAB half-page ads, roadblocks, section takeovers, site sponsorship, CRM and tailor-made advertising programs such as customized content and co-branding.’
Founded in 1987 and targeted to singles 18-34, Lavalife markets its web and telephone products in over 60 markets across Canada, the US and Australia and has more than 600,000 active members, who exchange 1.3 million messages daily.
Xtra magazine surveys buying habits of gay and lesbian consumers
Dino Bertucci, advertising and marketing manager for Xtra magazine, says he wasn’t surprised by the recent news that Wal-Mart USA has begun marketing directly to homosexual consumers after hiring a gay-marketing agency and joining the National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce. That’s because the giant retailer’s market research evidently discovered the same kind of persuasive data as is reported in Xtra‘s just-released reader survey.
From its Toronto HQ, a team from Canada’s most widely read gay publication – with national readership of 175,000 – compiled info that, says Bertucci, reveals the gay market to be ‘compelling enough to be an irresistible choice for advertisers.’ As a result of the DINK factor (double income, no kids), the income of Xtra readers is $25,000 higher than the average Canadian household income, while their education level is double the national average, and 23% own a business. Additionally, he says that many of the survey’s 900+ respondents professed ‘a need for status and prestige and considered themselves opinion leaders exerting a great deal of influence over the straight market.’
Some of the survey’s key findings are as follows:
* Home: 50% own their own home; 16% plan to purchase a new home; annual amount spent on mortgages $3.4 billion, on renovations $420 million, on home décor $235 million, on furnishings and appliances $124 million.
* Automobiles: $470 million ($9 million on motorcycles) spent annually.
* Investment: over 30% have more than $100,000 to invest.
* Home electronics: $64 million spent annually.
* Health and Fitness: annually, $33 million spent on fitness membership fees; $24 million on vitamins and wellness products; $16 million on fitness and exercise equipment.
* Computers: $83 million spent annually on home computers and $21 million on computer software; 7 hours more per week using the Internet than the national average.
* Fashion and Beauty: $200 million spent annually.
* Alcohol consumed per month: 1.5 million beers, one million spirits, 5 bottles of wine per respondent.
Bertucci adds that Xtra‘s regular advertisers include such major marketers as Gillette, Mazda, Subaru, Mercedes, Rogers, Telus and Virgin Mobile, and that targeting gay consumers ‘pays off. For example, Rogers reached the number-one spot for best cellphone provider (in the survey). Is it coincidence that Rogers also purchased national coverage of the gay market through the inside front cover of our Ultimate Pride Guide this June, and has had a consistent national campaign in Xtra?’
Next year, Xtra plans to repeat its national reader survey, but this time with a twist. ‘We are inviting advertisers to suggest questions to ask the gay market with respect to their products and industry,’ Bertucci explains, making the results ‘the most comprehensive study ever done on the gay and lesbian market in Canada.’
CBC’s hockey mega-series acquires Sears and Ford as major sponsors
Sears Canada signaled its official broadcast and merchandise sponsorship of CBC’s upcoming Hockey: A People’s History series by showcasing its line of vintage hockey jerseys during CBC’s reception and sneak-peek, held at Canada’s Hockey Hall of Fame this week. The jerseys, plus other branded memorabilia, will be sold on Sears’ website, while the retailer’s brand is incorporated into a number of platforms supporting its Christmas Wish Book DVD. Some 400,000 copies of the catalog DVD will be distributed nationally, and contain the first hour of the epic series. Sears will also sell limited edition branded memorabilia and apparel through its website, which will be promoted during the broadcasts.
As presenting sponsor for the five-week HD series – which premieres on September 17 at 8 p.m. for a five-week run – Ford of Canada will run 30-second commercials and billboards on CBC Television and CBC Radio, plus have logo integration on the program’s website and the series DVD.
TMN offers users personalized viewing features
‘Consumers today are faced with an overwhelming number of entertainment choices across multiple platforms (so) it’s critical for broadcasters to create a strong online brand (to provide) the information they really want,’ says Astral Media’s interactive director Barbara Bailie. That’s why The Movie Network has begun enabling subscribers to tailor scheduling information and content based on their individual interest and preferences.
Users can create individual profiles and access personalized features on TMN’s home page, then build their own schedules, and have program reminders and viewing recommendations sent via email or SMS. If they select The Sopranos, for instance, other suggested series and movies in the same genre will be sent. As well, highlights from Movie Entertainment, TMN’s weekly entertainment show, will be available for streaming. TMN viewers can rack up ‘Movie Miles’ rewards including prizes, exclusive content and gifts.
Nielsen Media Research Spend Trend: Personal care
TV gets personal
Magazines are a distant second to TV in the personal care category. Radio has been gaining each year to take over third place from OOH. Fitness, health and diet advertisers dominate spending this category leaving personal appearance products such as cosmetics and hairstyling to round out the list of top five brands.
Brunswick News chooses Canadian Primedia for sales & marketing
Brunswick News, publisher of the Times & Transcript in Moncton, the Telegraph-Journal in Saint John, The Daily Gleaner in Fredericton, plus 14 community newspapers and three specialty magazines, has chosen media sales company Canadian Primedia Sales & Marketing to represent its publications to advertisers and their agencies – with Toronto-based marketing vet Ron Clark in charge.
