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Internet grocery purchasing, by age
Rogers to acquire Sprint Canada parent Call-Net
Toronto-based Rogers Communications is fast-tracking its telephony expansion with the purchase of Call-Net Enterprises, the parent company of Sprint Canada. In a deal announced this morning, Rogers is acquiring 100% of Call-Net, which includes Sprint’s home phone, local business service, IP data, long distance and wireless services to approximately 600,000 consumers and business customers in Canada.
Ted Rogers, president and CEO of Rogers, said the purchase would enhance the company’s ability to provide customers with all the services they want in one package, on one bill, from one provider.
Rogers stated: ‘This positions us immediately to offer primary line telephone service across our residential and business bases of wireless and cable customers. It also provides a substantial additional base of customers to cross-sell our portfolio of communications and entertainment products [to] and a skilled and knowledgeable employee group with strengths in telephones sales and marketing.’
What impact the deal will have on branding of the services or on the advertising assignments is unknown.
Rogers’ estimated $85 million advertising business is currently under review with incumbents Marketel of Montreal, and media AOR Toronto-based Media Buying Services taking part. A decision is expected sometime this summer.
The Sprint Canada creative and media assignments are handled by Sharpe Blackmore EURO RSCG of Toronto.
Ad opps with online chat
Remember those futuristic videophones from the Jetsons? Well, new instant messaging technology is making video chats available to the masses – and giving you the opportunity to run ads while the conversation windows are loading. ‘It’s targeting an engaged audience,’ says Subtej Nijjar, communication services marketing manager at MSN Canada in Toronto. MSN’s Messenger 7.0 launched last month, along with its ‘MSN Video Conversation’ application, which includes new IM ad opportunities like in-window text ads and sponsorship of ‘MSN Tabs,’ in-window icons that link to MSN Web pages for news, information and services. Canadian advertisers already on board with the new in-window opportunities include Levi Strauss Canada, as well as Unilever Canada’s Axe body spray.
Advertisers can run rich media ‘commercial-like experiences.’ Nijjar says the ads will likely run for 15 seconds and will range in price from $10 to $25 CPM depending on the size and the targeting. ‘We’re doing tons of user testing to determine time limits and sizes for the ads,’ he says.
New tech aids complex content for mobile
Toronto-based LogoVision Wireless has launched a new multi-media transmission technology that facilitates transmission of complex content such as colour motion video and high-quality audio to wireless devices. The new method bypasses cellular networks to use an IP-based transmission model to improve processing capability. Advanced algorithms, object-based transmission, and lightweight Java component technology are all being used to deliver and play rich video and audio content on a standard Java-enabled cellphone over low bandwidth wireless networks. This means mobile users can preview movies, and watch and listen to live broadcasts with high-quality audio.
LogoVision is currently negotiating with two radio stations to pilot its technology as a less expensive alternative to satellite radio in delivering unregulated content.
http://www.logovisionwireless.com
CHUM To Rebrand MTV Canada and MTV2
MTV Networks International has decided to exercise its right to terminate its agreement with Craig Media for channels MTV Canada, a youth culture channel, and MTV2, a music video channel. The nets will be rebranded effective June 30. The new names were unavailable at press time.
MTV Canada and MTV2 were among the channels CHUM acquired in its purchase of Craig Media in December. MTV Networks had the right to terminate its agreement upon a change of ownership. CHUM will be required to pay remaining licence fees of approximately $10 million. In addition, MTV Networks International will no longer have the option to acquire an equity interest in the channels.
Bell City Chase series brings reality TV to your city
Fans of The Amazing Race and Fear Factor unite! This year, the 2005 Bell City Chase series, presented by Volvo, is entering its second season bringing reality TV to your city. A one-day, real-life urban challenge that’s a combination obstacle course and scavenger hunt, the Bell City Chase series invites 300 teams of two in cities across Canada to push themselves to the limit via ChasePoint Challenges, sponsor-owned booths scattered throughout each city consisting of local trivia, puzzles, athletic activities or gastronomical endurance.
Bell is the title sponsor and technology partner of the event providing the means and the equipment –including the Blackberry, Push-to-talk phones and cellphones – to keep teams connected. As the grand prize, members of the national winning team will each drive away with a new V50 Volvo. This year, MOTRIN* IB will own the finish line, providing the requisite relief while new sponsors Sleeman and VIA Rail Canada have committed to multi-year deals. Other sponsors include Extra sugarfree gum, CanWest MediaWorks, McDonald’s and Delta Hotels.
In the fall, a five-part series of the event will air on Global and Prime highlighting the spirit of the competition. The series will feature regional events and profile each city’s finalists as they vie for the national championship. The 2005 Bell City Chase series hits Vancouver on May 14, Edmonton on May 28, Calgary on June 11, Toronto on June 25, Ottawa on July 16, Montreal on July 23 and Halifax on Aug. 6. The competition kick-off was in Victoria on May 7. The event is expected to attract more than 3,500 participants across the country.
Canada Day Jam should bring families out in force
Corus Entertainment’s The New Country 95.3’s free country music concert is back for a third season. Along with sister companies Max Trax Digital Music and CMT Canada, New Country is organizing Maple Lodge Farms Canada Day Jam. The fest begins at noon on Friday, July 1 at Sunnyside Park in Toronto and features, in addition to the concert, a midway, a petting zoo in the Family Fun Zone with YTV’s Weird on Wheels on hand and an evening fireworks display at Ontario Place.
Apart from presenting sponsor Maple Lodge Farms, space is still available for other advertiser involvement. The rain-or-shine event runs from noon until 9 p.m. Last year’s event brought together more than 100,000 country music enthusiasts.
http://www.corusentertainment.com
New pub for allergy sufferers
It’s pollen season and what better time could there be to launch Allergic Living magazine. The publication for allergy sufferers covers the latest allergy research and treatment in addition to all the trappings of a lifestyle magazine including home decor, cooking dining, parenting, travel, health and beauty but all skewed to living and dealing with allergies.
Allergic Living is endorsed by Anaphylaxis Canada (www.anaphylaxis.org) and the Canadian MedicAlert Foundation (www.medicalert.ca). The pub is being put out four times a year by AGW Publishing of Toronto.
http://www.allergicliving.com
BBM Media Snapshot: Canadians who drive minivans
* 3.2 million (12%) Canadians drive a minivan.
* There is an equal split between men and women driving minivans.
* Minivan drivers mostly live in large households. 71% have households of 3 or more members.
* 55% of the minivan drivers – 1.4 times the national average – have children living at home.
* 64% of minivan drivers are between the ages of 25 and 54 years. 5% of minivan drivers are teens.
* The average personal yearly income of Canadians who drive a minivan is $34,000, slightly higher than the national average of $30,000.
* 63% of minivan drivers own or lease more than one vehicle per household.
* Minivan drivers drive on average 15,700 kilometers per year, somewhat higher than the national average of 13,500 kilometers per year.
* Minivan drivers are evenly spread across Canada’s regions.
* The top four media for yesterday exposure against minivan drivers are television (87%), radio (85%), daily newspaper (53%), and Internet (52%).
* Looking at radio weekly reach, the top three formats among minivan drivers are adult contemporary (21%), news/talk (19%), and classic/mainstream rock (10%).
* The top three television program genres watched in an average week by minivan drivers are movies (68%), news/current affairs (64%) and suspense/crime drama (43%).
Source: BBM RTS Canada Fall ’03 / Spring ’04
The preceding information is from BBM RTS, a syndicated consumer-media survey of over 55,000 Canadians, conducted twice a year by BBM Canada. For more information contact Craig Dorning of BBM Canada: cdorning@bbm.ca.
Britney and Kevin get chaotic on Global
Curious? For the inside scoop that even In Touch can’t deliver, tune in to Global Television beginning Wednesday, May 18 for the new reality TV series Britney and Kevin: Chaotic. The six-episode series starring mommy-to-be Britney Spears and husband Kevin Federline gives viewers a glimpse inside the couple’s relationship and includes never-before-seen footage of home videos during their courtship, engagement and wedding. Also included is new footage and commentary with Kevin and Britney.
The new reality show will be following Global’s Wednesday night lineup of That 70’s Show and Gilmore Girls, targeting 18-34s with a slight female skew. It airs at 10 p.m. in Ontario, Quebec and B.C.; 8 p.m. in the Maritimes and Alberta; and 9 p.m. in Winnipeg and Saskatchewan.
FA Cup Final should score huge aud
Here’s the reason why soccer fans won’t be heading to the cottage this long weekend: English Premier League rivals Arsenal and Manchester United vie for the FA Cup on Saturday, May 21 at 10 a.m. ET, 7 a.m. PT on Rogers Sportsnet. The two clubs are the only ones left from over 600 teams originally in the competition and the broadcast is expected to draw big numbers.
MPG grabs WPP veteran
U.K.-based media agency MPG continues its expansion, nabbing rival WPP Group’s eight-year veteran Suzie Warner as global director of marketing. The newly appointed Warner has just come off a stint with WPP’s Burston-Marsteller where she was director of brands and integrated marketing, having worked on international campaigns for Jim Beam Brands and Heineken International. She will oversee MPG North America, including Toronto-based MPG/Maxxmedia, as well as all global marketing projects supporting MPG’s pan-regional and multi-national campaigns.
Weiss gets a Brainstorm
After nearly 20 years with the firm, Ed Weiss is leaving Echo Advertising to take on the role of media director at The Brainstorm Group. Both are Toronto-based agencies.
Weiss punches the clock for the last time as Echo’s associate media director this Friday. He will be in his new post at Brainstorm on May 30.
Event
May 11
Magazine Day 2005
Bonaventure Hilton Hotel, Montréal
514-499-9847
www.magazinesquebec.com
The Association québécoise des éditeurs de magazines’ (AQEM) 7th Annual Magazine Day features workshops and panel discussions with leading francophone publishers, editors and art directors. Highlights include workshops with Jean-Marc Léger (‘Perception and Reality: What do Quebeckers think of their magazines?’) and Nathalie Marcil of Ipsos Decarie (‘Advertising and Magazines: A Matter of Love and Convenience’) among others.
