Freakiest TV Commercial of 2010?

Thanks to our friends at Adfreak.com for calling this one to my attention. A man with a baby's head. Or is it a baby with a man's body? Either way, it's disconcerting. This point of this Argentine spot for the PS3 was that gamers should retain their childlike wonder as they grow older—or as the tagline says, "Live in a state of play." Thus, we see our heroic but confused man-baby progressing through life in a literally regressive state, playing with his shaving cream and a female co-worker's earring, giggling at remote-control car locks—but unable to hold back the tears when confronted with a barking dog. He's an emotional wreck, which actually doesn't seem like a very fun way to live. Still, the commercial does have its charms, with the expert special effects endowing the overgrown baby with a freaky quality that's endearing as well.

Fox News Rides Red Tide to Ratings Win

Fox News kicked ass in the ratings on Election Day, easily beating the other cable news nets, even beating the broadcast networks. The network averaged 6.96 million viewers in prime time. CNN finished a distant second in the 8 p.m.-11 p.m. time slot, averaging 2.42 million viewers. Pulling up the rear was MSNBC with 1.95 million viewers and 669,000 adults 25-54. Read the Mediaweek article here.

Pandora Adding 100,000 New Mobile Users Every Day.

If I was in the radio business I'd be scared shitless. If I was selling CDs, I'd be losing sleep at night. Pandora is a wonderful service. It's a wonderful FREE service. Alllaccess.com is reporting that Pandora CEO Tim Westergren told a press conference last week that the company is currently activating 100,000 new users every day on mobile devices. Now Pandora is pushing ahead, looking to work with auto manufacturers to make the service available in the dashboards of new vehicles. Is it the end of the world as we know it? There will always be a place for local radio, but with Pandora's formula of targeting listeners with the music that they want to hear, radio's slice of the pizza may shrink.

PIB: Magazines Show Growth in Pages, Ad Revenue

Good news on Madison Avenue this morning...
PIB: Magazines Show Growth in Pages, Ad Revenue

Three out of Four Americans use Web and TV Simultaneously

According to an article in today's MEDIAWEEK, if you never surf the Web while watching TV, you are distinctly in the minority.

That’s according to new study conducted by Nielsen on behalf of Yahoo, which found that three out of four Americans use the Web and TV simultaneously, and half do so every day.

Indeed, multitasking is no longer the domain of the fantasy football-playing males; it is now commonplace among most demographics the study found—in fact more women (77 percent) claim to do so than men (73 percent). The average multitasker spends over 2.5 hours per week using the Web and TV at the same time, and the total time spent multitasking has surged by 19 percent over the past year, says Nielsen.

On behalf of Yahoo, Nielsen surveyed 3,417 individuals in total, including 490 folks who are part of the company’s ‘Convergence Panel.’ Among the convergence-inclined, for 54 percent of them, the Web draws more of their attention than TV does while multitasking. Contrastly, 30 percent of respondents claim to be able to focus on both media equally, while 16 percent said their gaze is typically more fixated on TV.

Interestingly, even as so many TV networks encourage fans to log onto their Web sites to further immerse themselves in specific shows’ online content, most Web/TV multitaskers are surfing for completely unrelated material (like checking email or Facebook). According to the survey, just 7 of respondents say their report online consumption is frequently related to the TV show or ad they are watching while multitasking.

However, there is good news for networks that put big money into original programming, like high priced scripted comedies and dramas. Frequent multitaskers tend to both watch TV and surf the Web during news and sports programming, not their favorite crime procedural.

Per Nielsen, close to 25 percent of sports viewers also log onto the Web at the same time in a given week. Comparably, just 14 percent of drama viewers do so, and only 7 percent of comedy viewers claim to go online while watching TV.

This Blew My Mind!

Besides the fact that this guy makes better use of the white board than the guy on the UPS TV commercial, the concepts introduced here really made me think. Check it out, what do YOU think?

Fox Sells 80% of Super Bowl Avails in Upfront, CW Wraps

MEDIAWEEK: Although it’ll be a good three months before the New Orleans Saints and Minnesota Vikings kick off the 2010-11 National Football League season, Fox has already sold a significant chunk of its most valuable pigskin inventory.

According to a number of industry sources, the broadcaster has moved a whopping 80 percent of the available spots during its Super Bowl XLV broadcast.

While exact pricing figures were unavailable, Fox is believed to have commanded rates above and beyond CBS’ year-ago rate of $2.5 million to $2.8 million per 30-second spot.

The bulk of the Super Bowl deals were hashed out over the last few weeks, as Jon Nesvig, president of sales for Fox Broadcasting, responded to a flurry of interest from automotive clients. On May 17, prior to Fox’s New York upfront presentation, Nesvig told reporters that he had secured a few preliminary agreements to get clients in the big game.

“It’s a good predictor of prime time,” Nesvig said, anticipating a strong upfront marketplace.

Last year, CBS sold around 39 minutes of Super Bowl air time, for a total haul of $213 million.

Various industry sources estimated that Fox was able to command CPM hikes between 8.5 and 9 percent over last year’s pricing, an improvement that contributed to an overall volume increase of about 20 percent. All told, Fox is believed to have brought in anywhere from $1.8 billion to $1.9 billion in prime-time commitments, in what will go on the books as the second most-lucrative upfront in the network’s 24-year history.

All told, Fox moved roughly 80 percent of its available inventory, in line with historical sell-through numbers. (Hampered by the recession, last year’s bazaar was an anomaly; per analyst estimates, Fox sold closer to 70 percent of its airtime during the 2009-10 upfront.)

Traffic on Newspaper Websites WAY Up.

According to today's issue of MediaWeek, newspapers may be struggling with their printed editions, but they are making significant progress increasing web traffic to their online platforms. I must confess, I'm doing virtually ALL of my newspaper reading on my iPad and laptop. I still subscribe to a couple of newspapers, but it seems like all I do with the newspapers is pick them up off my driveway and put them into the recycling bin. The New York Times web products are incredible, customizable, and well executed. Their iPod and iPhone apps are wonderful. Even The Connecticut Post, our local daily here in Bridgeport CT, is putting out a surprisingly good product. It's no wonder that web traffic is up.

A Short History of the iPod in a Single Graphic

In the late ’90s and early aughts, MP3 players were known, well, as MP3 players. However, when Apple launched the iPod on October 21, 2001, it was such a huge success that it only took a couple of years for most people to simply start using the name “iPod” when they referred to an MP3 player.

Apple sold 125,000 iPods by the end of 2001; it sold a flabbergasting 225 million by 2010. Coupled with the music management/online music store one-two punch that was iTunes, the iPod turned out to be one of the most successful gadgets of all time.

In the amazing infographic below, you can see the rise of the iPod and iTunes (and how they’ve affected our lives) over the last nine years. It’s true: The rest of the MP3 market never stood a chance.

Thanks to Ricky Linn for this amazing infographic, and to Mashable for the info.

Estimate: 800,000 U.S. Households Abandoned Their TVs For The Web

Are you, a cord-cutter or a couch potato? Make no mistake: The big cable, satellite, and telco carriers are still sitting pretty with more than 100 million TV subscribers. Nevertheless, a new report claims that more and more viewers are "cutting the cord" in favor of watching their favorite shows via over-the-air antennas (remember those?), Netflix, Hulu, or other Web-base options. What about you? Let us know. more...

Q1 Cable New Ratings Are In. CNN Tanks, Fox News Continues to Grow.

Q1 cable news ratings are in. CNN's Anderson Cooper down 42%. CNN's Morning Joe down 29%. CNN's Larry King down 43% (losing 771,000 viewers.) CNN's Campbell Brown show has it's worst quarter ever. At the same time, Fox News had it's biggest year in '09, and it continues to add viewers. Greta Van Susteren up 25%. Bill O'Reilly up 28% (reaching 3.65 million viewers.) Glenn Beck up 50%.

Digital Ad Revenue to Rocket for Local TV, Radio

The growth of digital advertising revenue for local TV and radio will outpace overall ad spending for those media between 2009 and 2014 according to a BIA/Kelsey forecast released Tuesday (March 9).

Digital Ad Revenue to Rocket for Local TV, Radio

Questions For NBC, The Network That Prevents You From Watching The Olympics

After a mega-hyped buildup by the media, and a lifetime of preparation by the athlete, NBC has effectively blocked us from seeing Lindsey Vonn compete live at 2:00 today. Just another illustration of how NBC has hijacked the 2010 Winter Olympics from US viewers. NBC - the Olympics is not a "special presentation of NBC", it is an international sporting event that is news. Wake up, you can't build a wall around news coverage. Henry Blodget nails this story here:

Saints 'Super' Win Unseats M*A*S*H

-By Marc Berman , MediaWeek

Sunday’s matchup between the Indianapolis Colts and the New Orleans Saints broke the record books, outperforming the prior high set by the series finale of sitcom M*A*S*H in February 1983. Super Bowl XLIV averaged a mammoth 106.48 million viewers, according to the preliminary national results from Nielsen Media Research, building by 8 percent from the year-ago Pittsburgh/Arizona matchup (98.73 million on Sunday, Feb. 1, 2009).

Here are the five most-watched Super Bowl telecasts historically:

Super Bowl XLIV (CBS, Feb. 7, 2010), New Orleans/Indianapolis: 106.48 million
Super Bowl XLIII (NBC, Feb. 1, 2009), Arizona/Pittsburgh: 98.73 million
Super Bowl XLII (Fox, Feb. 3, 2008): NY Giants/New England: 97.45 million
Super Bowl XXXX (NBC, Jan. 28, 1996): Dallas Pittsburgh: 94.08 million
Super Bowl XLI (CBS, Feb. 4, 2007): Chicago/Indianapolis: 93.18 million

The series-premiere/preview of nonscripted lead-out Undercover Boss clearly benefited, with 38.61 million viewers from 10:13-11:13 p.m.

Comparably, that was the largest audience for any new series following The Super Bowl since the advent of people meters in 1987, the largest debut of any reality series ever and the most-watched new series premiere overall on television since ABC’s The Dolly Show on Sept. 27, 1987.

The debut of Undercover Boss also scored the largest audience for an entertainment program this season, and the third-largest post Super Bowl audience behind NBC’s Friends on Jan. 28, 1996 and CBS’ Survivor: The Australian Outback on Jan. 28, 2001.

To watch all of the Super Bowl ads, go to AdweekMedia's Super Bowl site.

Billboards Now Interactive, Will Get to 'Minority Report' Levels of Cleverness

Interesting article from Fast Company about the coming interactivity of digital billboards. Paper and paste are gone, long live pixels!

BAM's 2009 Holiday Party

Thanks to all of the clients, staff, friends, colleagues, and neighbors that attended our Holiday Party last night. We shared some holiday cheer, and enjoyed each other's company and conversation (and some good wine and hors d'oeuvres).

Art & Copy

I recently heard about a movie called "Art & Copy", a film that is described as "a powerful new film about advertising and inspiration." I found the official website and decided to follow it on Facebook, which is how I found out that the film was being screened in nearby Westport CT. I attended the screening the other night, and I'm here to tell you that if you're in the ad biz, particularly if you're on the agency side of the biz, you just have to see this film. Check out the trailer, and hit up the website for info on screenings near you.

Thanks Lee

Visionary behind Apple's '1984' advertisement steps down

By AppleInsider Staff

Published: 01:50 PM EST

Lee Clow, creator of numerous legendary Apple ads including the iconic "1984" TV spot, has resigned from his position as chief creative officer at TBWA/Media Arts Lab.

For decades, the lab has handled TBWA's client Apple, bringing cultural cornerstones ranging from the "1984" ad that heralded the debut of the Macintosh computer to the more recent "Get a Mac" ads featuring actors John Hodgman as a PC and Justin Long as the Mac. According to AdAge, Clow, a personal friend of Apple co-founder Steve Jobs, has stepped down from his position at age 66.

"Media Arts Lab was founded in 2006 to serve Apple, as well as embody Mr. Clow's vision of a new type of ad agency that makes culture, rather than just commercials," the report said.

TBWA was also behind Apple's "Think Different" campaign and the silhouette iPod advertisements, both made while the organization was under the helm of Clow. He has worked in advertising for more than 40 years, though his best known work has been with the Mac maker. Other memorable campaigns, according to AdAge, include the Energizer Bunny and the Taco Bell Chihuahua.

Lee Clow, photo via AdAge

Clow will be replaced by Duncan Milner, who has worked on Apple ads and been with TBWA since 1990. Milner has also done campaigns for Nissan, Levi's and Pedigree.

This year marked the 25th anniversary of the Mac, which launched with the original Macintosh 128K on Jan. 24, 1984. It was the first mainstream computer with a mouse pointer, windowed desktop, icons and folders priced at a level that was more affordable than previous offerings, like the Lisa. The first Mac cost $2,495, while the Lisa cost four times higher.

The introduction of the Macintosh was declared with the Ridley Scott-directed "1984" advertisement, which aired during the third quarter of Super Bowl XVII on Jan. 22, 1984. The 60-second TV spot was made for a budget of $900,000 and is considered to be a masterpiece in advertising.

Did You Know 4.0

The line it is drawn
The curse it is cast
The slow one now
Will later be fast
As the present now
Will later be past
The order is
Rapidly fadin'.
And the first one now
Will later be last
For the times they are a-changin'.

A Dozen Years... Happy Birthday BAM.

September 11th marked our 12th birthday. I'm sure that's not what you think of when September 11th is mentioned. It's certainly not what I think of. It's a day to reflect, not a day to celebrate anything at all.

But later, usually after a few days pass, my thoughts turn to how fortunate I am (and to celebrating.)

I can't help but think about how far Bob Abbate Marketing has come in our first dozen years. I'm so grateful for the people we've come to know along the way. From those first couple of clients who gave us a shot in the early days, to the terrific clients around the country that we are now so fortunate to be working with. Without you there would be no us.

It's not just our clients that have fueled our growth. Our talented staff and our strategic partners have been integral to our success. Your unique ability to think both creatively and strategically gives us a competitive edge. Jeanne, Julie, Christina, Dick, Eric, Tom, Jeff, Sam, and all that came before you, your dedication and creative spark is amazing and will always be appreciated.

Next, a big thank you to our media partners and suppliers. You are our secret weapon. Your assistance, creativity, and proven ability to think beyond CPM, AQH, dollars and clicks will always be welcomed here. You are the greatest reps in the business because you share in our belief that our mutual success is achieved only when we work together in the best interest of our clients.

I'm fortunate to be able to wake up every morning and go to work at a job where I love what I do, I love those I work with, and I love the clients we work for.

The next dozen years begins this morning. Let's celebrate!