Dose halts printing, moves to offer more online and via mobile
The year-old, multi-platform Dose (a property of CanWest MediaWorks) has ceased production of its daily print format and is moving instead into a more comprehensive online service and increasing its wireless content offerings. When asked for comment, Hugh Dow, president of M2 Universal in Toronto says the lack of significant advertising was a big clue. ‘We speculated it to change [its format] to a weekly instead of a daily. That was viewed as more likely and this was not expected and is certainly more drastic.’ Dow says that the paper faced significant competition in the markets where it was offered.
As a result of the change, dose.ca will become the youth channel of the Canada.com network. Perhaps it’s a sign of the times for Dose‘s 18-34 demo. While there has been a lack of advertisers for its print property, dose.ca has gained significantly online. Comscore MediaMetrix reports that monthly uniques number more than 160,000 and a survey done by Ipsos-Reid finds that dose.ca visitors are visiting frequently and spending a lot of time on the site. Dow agreed with the strategy to move Dose online. ‘Without question the digital arena is a considerable avenue of growth. It’s certainly a priority for us.’
Multimedia Frisk campaign is honestly mouth-opening
The folks behind the new Frisk campaign are banking on the notion that honesty is like a breath of fresh air. But what about brutal honesty? The campaign, promoting new Frisk Liquids is entitled ‘don’t be afraid to open your mouth’ and ups brand interactivity by way of a website (openyourmouth.ca) complete with snarky virtual host, talking OOH, and brand ambassadors trained to say what’s really on their minds.
Habbo gets gamin’ with Super Mario Bros. integration
Interactive tween environment Habbo Hotel is getting its game on today with the integration of the revamped Super Mario Bros. video game. Habbo has created a two-part branded maze for inhabitants to join in the game. The mission? To rescue the princess and win a prize pack consisting of a Nintendo DS Lite system and the new Super Mario Bros. The deal, brokered by Starcom Mediavest in Toronto and CHUM Interactive, marks the first time that a video game has been integrated within the online environment. And in addition to the game within, a virtual picnic area, branded the New Super Mario Bros. Garden boasts an online billboard that links to the game site. The integration will be in place for the next two weeks.
GRPs peak in November 2005: BBM Commercial Tracking Grids for Montreal Franco March 2005 to April 2006
Please click the link below to see the 13-month trending of Montreal Franco commercial minute GRPs.
Canadian Smart Living to debut in September
Transcontinental Media will debut a new consumer pub this fall entitled Canadian Smart Living, a mag focusing on consumer electronics and lifestyle. The new mag will be included as a reader premium in more than 200,000 subscriber and newsstand issues of other Transcon titles. Publisher Joe Tersigni says the new publication’s target is typically married or living with a partner, in their 30s or 40s with kids under 18 living in the home. Canadian Smart Living editorial aims to be more female-friendly, reflecting the trend that more women are making the purchasing decisions for consumer electronics. The magazine’s debut issue hits newsstands in early August. A holiday guide is slated for November.
Notes from the media landscape: AOL does VOD
At a time when ad space on auto sites is in high demand, AOL in the U.S. will be launching an auto-themed VOD service. The channel will collate clips that are used in dealers’ showrooms. Other pre-produced content from car manufacturers will also be offered.
BBM Media Snapshot: Do single men buy more flowers as gifts than married men?
* 8.4 million Canadian men (61%) purchased flowers for gifts during the past year.
* 70% of married men purchased flowers for gifts in the past year, compared to only 46% of single men who purchased.
* However, among single men who do buy flowers as a gift, those aged 18 to 24 are almost 4 times more likely to purchase flowers for gifts when compared to the national average.
* 10% of single men who purchased flowers for gifts also used dating services last year (2.7 times more likely than the national average).
* In terms of yesterday exposure, the top media among single men purchasing flowers for gifts are: TV (86%), radio (80%) and Internet (70%). The top media for married men are: TV (91%), radio (87%), Internet (62%) and daily papers (59%).
* The top radio formats among single men who purchase flowers for gifts are: sports (3 times more likely), modern/alternative rock (2.7 times more likely),and urban (2.2 times more likely) when compared to the national average. Married men are 2 times more likely to prefer sports.
Source: BBM RTS Canada Spring ’06, individuals 12+
The preceding information is from BBM RTS, a syndicated consumer-media survey of over 60,000 Canadians, conducted twice a year by BBM Canada. For more information contact Craig Dorning of BBM Canada: cdorning@bbm.ca.
MTV premieres Blowin’ Up
MTV will unleash the comedic reality series Blowin’ Up beginning Saturday, May 27 on CTV as part of the MTV on CTV block of programs. The half-hour show features Jamie Kennedy and his sidekick, Stu Stone, as they claw their way to hip-hop fame. Making cameo appearances are Ice-T, George Lucas, Tara Reid and Russell Simmons. The first episode has Kennedy and Stone getting sage advice from Method Man.
Lalonde new publisher of Metro Vancouver
Maryse Lalonde has joined daily newspaper Metro Vancouver as publisher. Lalonde comes from 24 Hours where she was VP of sales. Her more than 22 years of experience in the print and media industry includes stints at CanWest, Transcontinental and Sun Media groups. Metro Vancouver is a joint venture with CanWest, Torstar and Metro International.
PMB Factoid
People who garden; by education
http://www.pmb.ca
Tvtropolis hooks up with Sears to invade your metropolis in June
CanWest MediaWorks is flexing its multi-platform muscle and aligning with strategic partners to hawk its newest baby. In time for the June 1 launch of specialty Tvtropolis, the net slated to take over where Prime once was — the company is using its TV, print and online properties to give folks a taste of what’s to come.
MIC’s KISS pick of the week: Arnold creates a grassroots campaign with a rubber stamp and stickers
The fact that local consignment shop Fashion Go-Round had no budget for their awareness campaign didn’t faze the creative guys at Toronto’s Arnold Worldwide. ‘The campaign probably cost around $100,’ explains Chris Hall, associate CD on the project. ‘It’s literally a rubber stamp and some stickers.’ The strategy, he explains, fell out of the store’s belief that ‘everything gets a second chance.’ In March, the creative team and some of the Fashion Go-Round folks went out to local doctors’ offices with fashion magazines to donate. Flip through the pages of the magazine and you’ll find branded stickers hawking the local consignment store on fashion print ads. The stickers bear the message: ‘Available soon at the Fashion Go-Round Consignment clothing store, where everything gets a second chance.’ Shopping bags and business cards bearing the logos of the Gap, Banana Republic and Talbots (among others) got the same treatment. Used shopping bags used to carry away purchases from the store bear Fashion Go-Round’s stickers and the rubber stamps obliterate original business cards culled from employees’ past shopping trips.
Hall says: ‘[The challenge was] how do we do this in a respectable way? We wanted to give a small, local retailer a presence with some big brand thinking.’
Quebec’s only Francophone beauty mag launches
Pure magazine launched yesterday, hitting newsstands across Quebec. The mag, a sister publication to Shoppers Drug Mart vehicle, Toronto’s Glow, will be published by Rogers six times a year and distributed to 65,000 Optimum card bearers and on newsstands. The Quebec-only Pure bears an introductory cover price of $1.99 and advertisers already onboard include L’Oreal, Revlon and Maybelline, among others. Pure‘s content includes international beauty and fashion trends to health, lifestyle and cuisine ideas aimed at women in Québec. A one-page ad costs $7530.
Viacom changes to CBS; 24/7 Canada rebrands as 24/7 Real Media
Viacom Outdoor Canada has changed to CBS Outdoor Canada. The company is a division of CBS Corporation. The change in company name will not affect its day-to-day operations.
And in a bid to align itself with its parent company, digital marketing shop 24/7 Canada has adopted its parent company’s name, 24/7 Real Media. Canadian operations will remain unchanged. Seven-year veteran Peter Rehdner has been named GM at the Toronto-based company.
