New OLN series swims with sharks
The four-part, hour-long series, Shark Hunters follows the adventures of folks who chase monster Mako sharks in contests. The show debuts on OLN on Monday, May 22 at 9 p.m.
Alice sets air date
The much-touted Canuck comedy Alice, I Think has revealed its debut date. The B.C.-set show about a teen girl from ‘one of those loving families that fail to prepare a person for real life’ will unspool on The Comedy Network, starting Friday, May 26 at 8 p.m. The series follows Alice as she tries to fit into the high school scene after years of home schooling.
Nat Geo reveals Hidden Worlds
The National Geographic Channel is unrolling the Canadian premiere of a four-part series, Hidden Worlds. The programs look at various spots in the world where wildlife rule. Episodes include ‘Australia’s Dingo Island,’ ‘India’s Otter Paradise,’ ‘Africa’s Hog Heaven,’ and ‘River Jordan – Waters of Life.’ These glimpses into the secret lives of wild animals will air Thursdays at 9 p.m., beginning June 8.
Barlow names media director
North Vancouver-based Barlow Media has named Robyn Seymour to the post of media director, effective immediately. Seymour will oversee such accounts as Kal Tire, Go2: The Resource for People in Tourism and the Barnes Wheaton GM Group of Dealers as well as leading a media team of nine and pursuing new business development. She hails from M2 Universal where she lead the media team on BC General Motors dealer group and Michael Hill Jeweler.
Events
May 1-5
Media Buying Academy’s Boot Camp
Chicago
888.MBA.BUYER
www.mediabuyingacademy.com/
Topics cover basics, research and how to buy a variety of media.
May 8
Media Buying Academy’s Boot Camp
NYC
888.MBA.BUYER
www.mediabuyingacademy.com/
Topics cover basics, research and how to buy a variety of media.
Summer season lineups take shape
In the past few years summer has become a separate programming season for conventional TV broadcasters looking to head off mass migration of regular season viewers to cable and specialty nets. Announcements of programming highlights have just begun but all networks and many specialties are expected to offer some short-run summer fare or tempt viewers with the early launch of regular season shows.
ZO ad forecast sees a healthy future in Internet, radio, and pay TV
Ad spending grew across all media last year with the biggest gains seen in Internet, radio and pay TV. Only conventional TV experienced a decline in spending between 2004 and 2005. ZenithOptimedia is projecting these trends in allocation of media dollars will continue through 2008. Ruth Klostermann, director of strategic resources for ZenithOptimedia in Toronto, says last year was one of the best sales years in recent memory for radio and outdoor. She says these media, along with the Internet, are benefiting most as advertisers increasingly embrace media mix strategies. The Internet is getting a bigger slice of the pie through ad spending as well as investments in Web site development and online marketing. The Institute of Communications and Advertising estimates that Internet-related spending now accounts for 4% of marketing budgets.
CBC.ca goes after the daytime primetime audience with new broadband site; searches for sponsors for FIFA microsite
The primetime audience is online at work. And in a move that goes after the daytime primetime aud, the CBC is unveiling a broadband-heavy video channel today on cbc.ca/video. Bob Kerr, director of business and platform development says the site promises to host episodes of The National on demand, in addition to both clips and full episodes of documentaries, among other content. In addition, a microsite for the FIFA World Cup is in the works for the net, slated to go live in late May. Kerr says the microsite is available for sponsorship and speculates that it will likely net ‘half a million to one million page views daily. I expect really big traffic.’ Sponsorships on the World Cup site will be sold via AOL Canada, as the company sells ad inventory for CBC.ca. Jonathan Lister, VP, audience for AOL says: ‘The primetime audience is online during the daytime. We’ve watched this category grow over the last year and now we can target them. The benefits [to advertising online] is that it’s cost-efficient; we hit them during the time of day when they’re not used to being targeted, increasing relevancy, and it’s fully measureable. You’re now seeing tier-one content online.’
A study conducted by comScore Media Metrix has found that folks at work like to surf the net for news and info – and they don’t feel guilty about it, either. The stats, unveiled yesterday in a joint presentation given by folks from CBC and AOL Canada, points to an emerging daytime audience. Findings include:
* uniques to the news/info site category have increased 16.8% over the last year
* Canucks consume news/information at the highest rate (at a reach of 80%), versus those in the U.S. and in France (at 65%)
Animated short debuts on Onestop’s digital media network
Onestop Media and Decode Entertainment (both of Toronto) are bringing programming to the TTC’s digital screens. The 15-second animated shorts, entitled Dudson began airing this week on the Better Way’s digital media net. The series follows the adventures of a cab driver named, yup, Dudson. Ninety episodes – sans audio – are on order and Ian Gadsby, VP, programming and operations for Onestop hopes this will pave the way for more content created specifically for this medium. Gadsby says: ‘Eventually, this [content] could work with brands. On the network, we are always looking for more content opportunities.’ More properties are in development, he adds, though these are dependent on funding and the right producers. Dudson is suitable for all ages, and airs daily with new episodes introduced each week.
Restaurants nab gold: BBM Commercial TV Tracking by ad category in Toronto
Please open the attached link to view BBM’s Commercial Television GRP Trending. The charts track the top 20 TV advertising categories for the first six months of the broadcast season this year versus last year. Restaurants maintain the lead, followed closely by motion pictures and furniture stores.
Toronto’s top categories
A 135-foot sugar maple boasts a sign of spring in Montreal
Astral Media Outdoor’s highest billboard, a 135-feet high ad face facing Highway 15’s northbound traffic in Montreal, is boasting a sign of spring. The billboard, which touts the exit for shopping mall Carrefour Angrignon, depicts a sugar maple, and the creative was extended beyond the ad face to include the pole. The pillar is wrapped to look like the bark of the tree, while a sap bucket stands at the ready below. Julie Godin, marketing coordinator for Astral says the clients are thrilled with the unusual execution. Beauchemin Communication Marketing did the creative. The billboard is seen by at least 50,000 per day.
Canadian Family goes online
Canadian Family is now online. The new site, at canadianfamily.ca, houses family-tested recipes, parenting tips, style advice and product reviews for the typical Canuck family. Seven main content channels include: parenting, style, food, products, health, fun and connections. A monthly e-newsletter is also scheduled to launch within the next couple of months, says Sonia Giampietro, marketing manager for the pub. She adds that there will be sponsorship opportunities within canadianfamily.ca by way of online advertorials and the like.
Notes from the media landscape: Burger King to star in X-box games
Burger King has hooked up with Microsoft in a first-ever deal that will have a QSR’s icon as a video game star. Three games are in the works slated for end of the year, and in them, the King is an interactive Clint Eastwood. Distribution is via U.S. franchisees at a bargain $3.99 with the purchase of a meal. This is yet another foray into non-traditional media for Burger King. The Super Bowl earlier this year marked the debut of a TV ad that featured the chain’s singing and dancing ‘Whopperettes.’
BBM Media Snapshot: Canadians and debt consolidation
* 400,000 Canadians (2%) used a debt consolidation service within the last 2 years.
* 66% are between 25 to 44 years old.
* Their average personal yearly income is $51,700, which is higher than the national average of $39,500.
* Atlantic and Prairies have the largest incidence of those using debt consolidation, 1.7 and 1.6 times respectively, compared to the national average of 2%.
* 20% have no RSP.
* 74% of those using debt consolidation own their own house.
* Mortgage (65%), followed by personal overdraft protection (63%), personal line of credit (44%), and automobile loan (44%) are the credit services they are most likely to have.
* Last year, 23% changed their job (2 times the national average) and 16% specified that they were laid off (3.4 times the national average).
* Their top 3 media by yesterday exposure are: radio (80%), TV (78%), and Internet (59%).
* Those who use debt consolidation services are 1.6 times more likely to prefer classic hits and AOR/mainstream rock, when comparing their favourite radio formats to national averages.
Source: BBM RTS Canada Fall ’04 / Spring ’05, 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.
History to air Da Vinci Code programming
History TV will air a week of Da Vinci Code-themed programming nightly from May 8-11. Sponsors for this programming strand include Capital One, Mazda and The DaVinci Files. As part of their sponsorship deal (done direct), the brands involved will be included in tagged promos on all Alliance Atlantis nets, plus placement in online media supporting the event on Nationalgeographic.ca and Historytelevision.ca. The week-long themed programs will also be promoted via print ads in various commuter papers in Toronto and Montreal. In the latter, transit ads will also appear. Radio spots in seven markets across Canada will also be in rotation.
Monday, May 8 at 8 p.m. sees Beyond the Da Vinci Code, a one-hour long special that questions the existence of Christ’s wife and a holy bloodline. Then on Tuesday, May 9 at 8 p.m., The Real Da Vinci Code is hosted by Tony Robinson. Digging for Truth: The Da Vinci Code Bloodlines tracks the holy bloodline through the ages on Wednesday, May 10 at 9 p.m. And on Thursday, May 11 at 8 p.m., Secrets of the Dead: Shroud of the Christ explores a relic found in the 1350s. At 9 p.m., follow former monk Mark Dowd as he untangles fact from fiction in Opus Dei and the Da Vinci Code.
