New for fall
The Canadians are south this week sussing out the new programming and trying to sort out what they’re going to buy. In the meantime, Media in Canada does a quick round-up of the U.S.’s new shows, almost all of which are bound to be picked up for this country. Coverage includes fall and midseason.
BBM Commercial Television Tracking Service
Please open the attached links to view the following charts for Toronto based on the broadcast months of April ’04 to end April ’05 (13 months)
a) Total Commercial GRPS based on monitored Conventional and Specialty stations
b) Total Commercial GRPS based on monitored Specialty Stations
Digital Garage to build podcasts
Toronto-based Digital Garage Media, a branded entertainment marketing agency, is now adding podcasting to its repertoire. The agency’s podcasting service builds marketing programs around a podcast encouraging companies, such as a packaged goods firm for example, to sponsor a music or video game channel to reach its primary demographic.
‘The objective here is to encourage the creation of podcast content,’ says Geoff Clendenning, managing director at Digital Garage. ‘We can create an on-pack contest on behalf of the client or even within retail outlets or online. And then aggregate content to build entire communities around the sponsored podcast.’ He says this will help advertisers link their brand with a very niche podcasting community. According to Clendenning, the agency is currently shopping this service to several tier-one companies.
Notes from the media landscape: Trackable mag ads + Google’s latest ad opp
In an effort to create magazines that can read you, NYC-based Mediamark Research (MRI) announced today that it will begin testing a new technology that can print an interactive microchip on a page, giving advertisers the ability to electronically measure readership of not just magazines, but of individual pages within mags as well. The technology is called radio frequency identification (RFID) and it’s already in place at EZ pass highway tolls in the U.S.
This project is part of a deal with Cambridge, Mass.-based TagSense, a company that has developed the means of relaying data between printed RFID tags and electronic ‘readers’ stationed nearby. Readers can be installed in retail outlets, etc. in an effort to measure when, where and for how long consumers are exposed to pages within a magazine. Though the technology is still years from deployment, MRI said it could begin a large-scale market trial in as little as 18 months.
On Tuesday, Google began its beta testing of ‘AdSense for Feeds,’ a new version of its program that gives access to Web site owners to place AdSense units into their RSS or atom feeds. This allows advertisers that have purchased keywords via Google’s AdWords system to be displayed. The search engine’s entry into this channel is aimed at creating feeds as a medium that can be monetized by publishers.
Astral Media Outdoor swallows Passeport Media
Astral Media Outdoor (AMO) bought Passeport Media yesterday, adding 23 new digital ad boards, called Totems, to its already existing 3,700 ad faces in Quebec and Ontario. Both companies are based in Montreal. This move is set to grow the airport billboard biz by expanding Astral’s already significant presence at Montreal’s Trudeau airport and adding new ads at Calgary International.
Adding to the network of plasma and LED ad boards now in place at the Montreal airport, Totems are 40-inch LCD and LED digital screens that will dominate the Customs area, offering the only advertising opportunity there. Eyeball count? More than three million international, American and domestic travellers per year. Not to be outdone, in Calgary the acquisition brings similar visibility with 11 plasma and LED digital boards in strategic locations throughout Calgary International. The company hopes to reach ‘mobile, urban professionals with a high consumption quotient.’
ComBase Market Focus: Atlantic Canada
* 54% of adults in Atlantic Canada read last weekday issue of their community newspaper.
* 47% read yesterday’s weekday daily.
* 27% of community newspaper readers are exclusive community paper readers.
* 36% of Atlantic adults are light TV viewers.
* 28% of Atlantic adults did not listen to radio yesterday.
* 10% listen only to CBC radio.
Even in the most desirable target groups, community newspapers are better read than daily newspapers in Atlantic Canada.
* Among adults with a college/university+ education, 56% read community papers compared to 35% that read the daily.
* Among adults with household incomes over $75K, 62% read the community paper compared to 52% reading the daily.
* 42% of adults aged 18 to 24 read the last weekday issue of their community newspaper compared to 19% who read their weekday daily newspaper.
* 59% of professionals read their community paper compared to 34% who read the daily newspaper.
* 62% of adults with a household income over $75,000 read the last weekday issue of their community newspaper compared to 52% who read their weekday daily newspaper.
Exclusive community newspaper readers in Atlantic Canada – those who only read their community paper and cannot be reached with advertising in daily newspapers – include 29% of women and 31% of self-employed adults.
Source: ComBase 2003-2004 Study
ComBase, the Community Newspaper Database, is a syndicated consumer-media survey of more than 400 Canadian markets that provides market-by-market information. It is an initiative of the Canadian Community Newspaper Association and its nearly 700 members across the country. For more information, contact Kelly Levson, senior project manager, kellylevson@combase.ca.
History TV brings the true Hollywood story
History TV is unveiling a programming block called ‘Fact & Film’ to attract a male-skewed 25-54 demo beginning May 29 at 8 p.m. ‘Fact & Film’ couples an hour-long documentary that examines a world event and a blockbuster feature inspired by the true tale.
Kicking it off is the network premiere of doc Protecting the President followed by In the Line of Fire, starring Clint Eastwood. Anne Medina will host the strand. June 12 at 8 p.m. brings yet another doc, The Truth About Friendly Fire and accompanying film Courage Under Fire. On July 10, the documentary Deadly Enemies reveals the history behind biological weapons followed by the 1995 feature Outbreak. Sponsorship opportunities are available.
CBC revives its archives with new retro production arm
The first in a line of shows coming out of CBC TV’s new retro production department, Jimmy MacDonald’s Canada, a hit show from 1964 that fanned pro-monarchy, anti-youth culture sentiments, will be resurrected as an eight-episode series debuting on June 12 at 11 p.m. This time around, the mockumentary by the same name will be using 75% news and documentary footage from the ’60s. Actor Richard Waugh will play the title role.
Jimmy MacDonald’s Canada will cover a different subject matter each week beginning with rock ‘n’ roll on June 12. Other topics in the pipe include technology, fashion and food. Joining Waugh is veteran comic Teresa Pavlinek who plays a prissy columnist. ‘I believe this show is aimed at a psychographic more so than at a demographic, ‘ explains Maria Mironowicz, head of the retro production department. ‘I think it appeals to the curious, to anyone interested in archives, or to people who just want to see what it was like before.’ Other shows slated for a mid-September debut include Pop-Up Royals, a comic look at the Queen’s many tours of Canada with Scott Thompson hosting in character as Her Majesty; a one-hour doc entitled John and Yoko Give Peace A Song, about their famous Montreal bed-in and two hour-long documentaries airing on CBC Newsworld called Extreme Weather.
SexTV handles touchy subject
Leave it to Citytv to produce stimulating programming. This time it’s SexTV celebrating National Masturbation Month with the show ‘SexTV’s Most Memorable Moments In Masturbation History.’ The one-off will air Saturday May 28 at 11:30 p.m. ET on Citytv Toronto and 11:00 p.m. PT on Citytv Vancouver.
Highlights of the ep will include the invention of the vibrator, Cyndi Lauper’s runaway hit ‘She-Bop’ and of course, the infamous episode of Seinfeld, ‘The Contest.’ City’s demo for SexTV as a whole is 25-54 male skewed. The caster says there are still ad opps available.
Viacom Outdoor beefs up research dept
There are two new additions to the research team at Viacom Outdoor Canada. Michele Erskine, who will be based in Toronto, comes to Viacom with a blend of both agency and client-side expertise. She has contributed to a number of industry committees, including the PMB research committee and the BBM radio technical committee. Erksine had spoken at many industry conferences including strategy magazine’s ‘What Women Want’ and ‘Understanding Youth.’
Nicole Gervais, who will be working out of the Montreal office, has more than 17 years of experience in advertising at shops such as Cossette, PALM Publicité and most recently, OMD. She has worked on campaigns for Air Canada, Volkswagen, Allegra and Loto-Québec. Both will hold research manager titles at Viacom.
Cieslok promoted at Titan
Jörg Cieslok is the new SVP/national sales director at Mississauga, Ont.-based Titan Outdoor Canada. He was previously VP. In addition, the company has hired two new employees. Karen McDonald signs on as sales co-ordinator. She comes to Titan from M2 Universal. And Karen Geller will be joining as a sales account executive at the end of the month when she finishes her stint at Echo Advertising.
Titan Outdoor Canada was created last year when its NYC-based parent co Titan Outdoor LLC purchased and merged Cieslok Media and Skye Media.
CanWest Media Works appoints new senior exec producer
Zev Shalev has been appointed senior executive producer in charge of entertainment and info program development at CanWest MediaWorks. He will be responsible for building CanWest’s entertainment franchise in his new role. Formerly executive producer at Toronto 1, Shalev helmed that company’s current affairs programming including entertainment show The A-List. He will report to SVP of programming and production Barbara Williams and Steve Wyatt, SVP of news and information.
Event
June 6-7
Online Media, Marketing and Advertising Conference and Expo WEST
Fairmont Hotel, San Francisco
http://www.mediapost.com/omma/westindex.cfm?ip=Overview
Designed by and for the online marketing community, the Online Media, Marketing and Advertising Conference and Expo WEST speaks to interactive media planners, buyers, marketers, sellers and suppliers. Presented by MediaPost, keynotes include Rishad Tobaccowala, chief innovation officer, Publicis Groupe Media and president, SMG Next. The conference is divided into media, marketing, advertising and online publishing streams. Topics in the media stream include ‘How Consumer Control Affects Media Consumption, and How to Plan Media in the Era of Consumer Control’ and ‘Is Micromedia in the Wikipedia? (or ‘Harnessing Blogs, Podcasting and other Massive Bundles of Tiny Fragments of Media’).’
The better way rolls out smart ads
The Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) approved the rollout of LCD screens in subways stations across Toronto on May 12, opening the door to new digital smart ads that offer very localized messaging opps. The screens will provide news, sports and weather updates to the TTC’s 1.1 million daily commuters. Advertisers already on board include Shoppers Drug Mart, Pfizer, Ford, Bally’s, Pizza Hut and KFC.
‘This is a brand new medium that we’re building from scratch,’ says Glenn Davies, president of sales and marketing at Toronto-based private digital network operator ONESTOP Media Group. ‘We had 13 national advertisers out of 15 in the pilot program and we generated more than $1 million in ad revenue.’ He goes on to add that digital advertising is affordable for all advertisers because of the low production cost. ‘By having a digital template, it’s very easy,’ he says.
Antiques Roadshow makes pit stop at Sears stores
Toronto-based Sears Canada has partnered with CBC Television and CBC Newsworld to bring the Antiques Roadshow to 15 Sears locations across the country. Events featuring free antiques appraisals are scheduled in Ontario, B.C., Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba Sears stores from now until mid-June. The events are also coupled with an in-store contest, courtesy of CBC Television, with a grand prize consisting of a trip for two to the BBC’s Antiques Roadshow in the U.K. this fall. Other prizing includes a trip for two to the Antiques Roadshow in L.A. and Pulaski Collection reproduction antique furniture, inspired by the TV program. The contest and in-store events have a primarily female, 25-54 skew. The deal was brokered by global communications agency mediaedge:cia. Contest details can be found at http://www.cbc.ca/contests.
