Media Experts scores Dexit
Toronto-based Dexit has given Media Experts, also of Toronto, media planning and buying responsibilities for its business. Dexit is a new business category offering an alternative to using cash in which customers can pay for purchases by ‘tapping their Dexit tag.’ (The device is a keychain tag one loads with money.)
Dexit is currently building a network of strategic licensees and partners in the GTA, with plans to expand elsewhere in Canada and internationally in 2005. Selina Waxman, Dexit’s director of marketing, sites Media Experts’ ‘fresh and innovative approach to media valuation’ (See ‘Going Metrics,’ Strategy, December 2004) as being a key element in choosing the company to deal with ‘the diverse needs of a brand new business category.’
http://www.mediaexperts.com
http://www.dexit.com
TBWA speaker series taps Dow and Hughes for media session
Last week’s 10th instalment of TBWAToronto’s luncheon speaker series focused on issues facing the media industry and was led by two of the industry’s top minds, Hugh Dow, president of M2 Universal and Lorraine Hughes, president of OMD Toronto.
The discussion focused on a variety of topics ranging from how to deal with time-consuming client audits to how media innovation should be compensated. The two shared some of their ideas for ROI-friendly creative buying solutions in our ever-changing media world and also offered valuable insight into what media buying execs view as the future of the industry. The session closed with some spirited Q&A about what’s in store for television media buyers with on-demand and personal digital recording technology as well as advice for industry newcomers looking to break into the biz.
For a copy of the video from the session, contact TBWAToronto’s new business supervisor, Carissa Reiniger at: (416) 260-4093 or carissa.reiniger@tbwa-toronto.com
Paranormal paparazzi bothers stars from beyond the grave
Ever wonder what Ol’ Blue Eyes is up to these days? Dead Famous, Bravo’s new eight-part series may have the answer for you. The British-made hour-long doc series, airing Sundays at 6 p.m. starting Jan. 9, explores the after-lives of some of the celebrities of yesteryear, including Jim Morrison, Lucille Ball and Frank Sinatra. With the help of paranormal and psychological experts, former Top Of The Pops host Gail Porter travels through California and Nevada to explore locations made famous by the infamous to answer questions regarding the mysterious circumstances of celebrity lives and deaths.
Drumming up viewers
CBC is ready to unspool its fifth TV movie based on First Nations drama series North of 60. The two-hour film has already grabbed multiple honours at the 2004 American Indian Film Festival, but the audience for the series and prior movies goes well beyond the Native community with viewers from all demos, says CBC’s Ruth Ellen Soles.
North of 60: Distant Drumming features a murder mystery as well as controversy over Canadian versus Native law enforcement in the north. The movie is set to air Sunday, Jan. 30 at 8 p.m. Ad slots are still available.
BBM Top 20
For a list of the top 20 TV shows for the week of Dec. 13 to Dec. 19, according to BBM, click the links below:
http://www.mediaincanada.com/articles/mic/20041221/nat12132004.pdf
http://www.mediaincanada.com/articles/mic/20041221/que12132004.pdf
http://www.mediaincanada.com/articles/mic/20041221/ont12132004.pdf
http://www.mediaincanada.com/articles/mic/20041221/tor12132004.pdf
http://www.mediaincanada.com/articles/mic/20041221/van12132004.pdf
BBM GRPs
Please open the attached link to view BBM’s trended weekly Commercial GRPs and average weekly GRPs from December 03 to end November 04 for Toronto & Vancouver.
http://www.mediaincanada.com/articles/mic/20041221/TorontoCMRChart_Dec04.pdf
http://www.mediaincanada.com/articles/mic/20041221/VancouverCMRChart_Dec04.pdf
ComBase Market Focus: Lloydminster, Sask. (CA)
– 85% of adults 18-plus report reading any edition of a community newspaper in Lloydminster; 89% of women and 80% of men report the same
– 35% of adults 18-plus report reading any edition of a daily newspaper; only 37% of women and 34% of men reading a daily
– 73% of those who read any edition of a community newspaper own their own homes
Source: ComBase 2003-2004 Study
ComBase, the Community Newspaper Database, is a syndicated consumer-media survey of more than 400 Canadian markets that provides consistent and accurate, market-by-market information to assist in the buying and selling of community newspaper advertising space.
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.
http://www.combase.ca
PMB Factoid
Newfoundlanders are more than twice as likely to drink light/amber rum.
Pattison names new VP
Bob Leroux has joined Oakville, Ont.-based Pattison Outdoor Advertising as VP of national sales. Leroux comes from Astral Media Outdoor where he specialized in O-O-H ad sales. His 12 years of experience also include a stint at Urban Outdoor Trans Ad.
Event
January 27
The World Advertising Research Centre presents Measuring Advertising Performance in 2005: New Context, New Metrics
Waldorf Hilton Hotel, London, UK
http://store.warc.com/ProductInfo/3282.asp
Correction
It was incorrectly reported in the Dec. 14 issue of Media in Canada that Cossette was responsible for Coca-Cola’s synchronized holiday display in Toronto’s Dundas Square. The agency behind the project was in fact MacLaren McCann.
Happy Holidays
It’s that time of year when industry members turn their planning and buying talents to procuring the elements of the annual turkey dinner. So we’re going to do the same and go on hiatus until Jan. 4. Best wishes for a happy and safe holiday season from your friends at Media in Canada.
CHUM tops in 12+ in BBM report
David Bray is SVP of Hennessy & Bray Communications. He can be reached at (416)431-5792 or davidbray@sympatico.ca
As the winter winds begin to howl, things are heating up in anticipation of the CRTC decision coming out of the hearings held in early November. Nothing less than the future of radio in Canada is at stake. For now, the race for ratings is as hot as ever as demonstrated by the Fall BBM released yesterday.
Taxi wins third consecutive Agency of the Year gold
For the third year in a row, Taxi has walked away with strategy magazine’s top prize in the Agency of the Year competition, handed out last night at a ceremony in Toronto’s Distillery District. Strategy is a sister publication of Media in Canada.
In a departure from tradition, this year the awards for best media director and best media operation have been separated from the AOY competition. Instead these awards will be announced in strategy’s Best Media Agency issue in April, along with our Best Media Plan competition winners.
Toronto Star revamps Sunday edition
The Sunday Star will relaunch with a new look on Jan. 16. The paper will still be a broadsheet, but will have more of a magazine feel, with more feature stories. It will be full colour throughout, and have four sections: a front section that includes news, features, opinion pieces and finance, an analysis section called ‘Ideas,’ a sports section called ‘The Score’ and a section called ‘Buzz’ that will have arts, entertainment and lifestyle pieces. The front page of the new paper will have a poster-front image, and the design of the paper will be updated throughout. Giles Gherson, editor in chief of the Star, says this type of Sunday paper is a first for North America, and will have the feel of British papers like The Sunday Times, The Sunday Telegraph and The Observer.
The Star created a task force about a year ago to look at why the Sunday edition was underperforming compared to the rest of the week’s editions. ‘The Sunday paper never had the circulation of Saturday and other days,’ says Gherson. ‘Although it’s not a small circulation, questions were asked why we aren’t doing better.’
He says this is an opportunity for the Star to re-brand its editorial to be more inclusive of different cultural communities and younger readers. Greg Lowen, VP of strategic planning, marketing and new ventures, says that Sundays have less competition from other media, so it’s a perfect opportunity for advertisers to get their message across without a lot of clutter. He predicts that the relaunch will expand advertising in categories including packaged goods and pharmaceuticals, as these are advertisers who might appreciate the paper’s magazine-like feel.
