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WELLINGTON : Wellington's back; AdMedia ed David Gapes checked out the health of the agency sector in the capital last month. Here's his report

2009-11-25T10:55:00.000-08:00

Currently, Saatchi has three creative teams, but has not had a CD since John Plimmer's departure more than two years back, although Auckland-based national ECD Mike O'Sullivan visits six or seven times a year. That's about to change.

"This year," says GM Jonathan Russell, "we're moving to a different structure, and a Creative Director will be appointed."

The trigger for this was the departure in February of senior creatives Nigel Richardson and Steve Cooper, 15-year veterans at the agency and two of the few remaining links with its brilliant past. "They were guiding lights, and will be hugely missed," Russell says.

Will the new CD be an internal appointment? "I'm keen for a Kiwi," he says, "but there aren't really that many senior Kiwi creatives out there - so it will probably be Australasian."

Revenue has grown by about 70% in two years - 25-30% in the past year, and the agency has retained its #2 position in the capital. Russell acknowledges, however, that Clemenger is still #1, at around twice the size of Saatchi.

And the drift north? "That's stabilised," Russell says. "On the commercial side, NZ Post [a Saatchi client] is still here, as are Mitsubishi and National Bank [both at Clemenger] but we've yet to see national advertisers coming back."

Government business remains buoyant, but Russell doubts there's much new business to be won in this area. "In terms of election promises, the government money has been pretty much allocated already, although overall it will continue to be strong, and there's lots of pitches ahead as the three-year terms roll over.

But while the commercial scene remains static, agency activity is anything but, with an ever-increasing number of Auckland agencies taking interest in the government work. "M&C are beefing up," Russell notes. "So's FCB and Ogilvy."

How does Russell now see the Creative Wellington brand - a brand that Saatchi helped establish in the 1990s? "That's our future," he says. "It's about embracing the concept, and Saatchi Wellington will have a key role in that."

The Wellington brand has, he says, received a boost from the establishment of Peter Jackson's Park Road Post. "We've just spent a lot of time there finishing a major New World campaign, and we've all got to make sure we use it every time. It's an amazing facility that will attract more and more creative talent to the city. There is always, Auckland and Sydney - but we need and want to use Wellington people."

One issue, however, continues to dog Saatchi and the other Wellington agencies - talent.

"This is the biggest issue in town," says Russell. "Be it suits, media, anyone. You know how tight it is in Auckland? Well, magnify that by 10 or 20, and that's the situation in Wellington.

And the work? "When I was a client, I realised early on that you can have the best TVC, but unless the brand delivers at other moments of truth, you're stuffed long term. People see then that the advertising is puffery and can actually turn people off the brand.

"More and more we have to be about the total brand experience - and that's what I love."

Y&R

Now: 21 staff (five of whom are Mediaedge:cia).

Two years ago: 15.

Y&R Wellington is a full-service agency with a creative department of seven and a full complement of media and accounts service people.

"Auckland," says MD Chrissie Lahood, "is drifting - like moths to a flame."

Northern agencies are "jumping on planes and heading south", attracted by the three-yearly government pitch cycle. Many of them, Lahood says, are just one or two people on the ground in Wellington with a backroom in Auckland.

Then there's growth coming in the form of new shops set up by people who've left major agencies. "Two people doing really well are Ken Double and John Fisher, (a former Saatchi creative team who set up Doublefish a year ago). "A lot of agencies here now use them." In fact, she says, many freelancers are now getting work direct from clients, and as clients start feeling confident about this trend, we'll see more of it.

But Wellington agencies need to walk the talk, she says. "As government departments work to become more carbon neutral, they'll want partners doing the same. Sustainability is likely to be built into procurement. They may also want their agency based here for the same reason.

"Wellington media people have their shit together - the media agencies share. They have events where they invite media leaders like Joan Withers and Brent Impey to lunch in Wellington. Creative agencies could learn from them. Not all clients want to be serviced just by a suit.

"We do lots of training around social marketing - we go to overseas social marketing workshops and seminars. This is huge for us - and for many other agencies around town.

"We're upskilling and growing. We're investing in our people; everyone here is learning and growing smarter, in everything from te reo Maori to social marketing. We are also using the mighty resources of our Auckland office.

Lahood, a creative for most of her working life, was promoted from CD to MD only in October last year. Just one month later, she'd hired her replacement as CD - Jeremy Southern, who's ex-Clemenger Sydney and Y&R Adelaide. Lahood retains an ECD role - "so I am still very much involved in the creative side".

DraftFCB

Now: 2 staff.

Two years ago: None.

FCB had an office in the capital until 10 years ago, when it closed amidst the northern drift. Now, FCB's been back for 18 months - drawn, naturally, by the lure of government business.

Wellington manager is Dennis Carroll, who joined from Y&R Wellington (where he'd also been manager) at the end of 2005. He was joined a couple of months later by senior account manager Anna Goodman, who's ex-Designworks.

Growth, says Carroll, is a priority. The agency's new premises have been set up to accom-modate 10-12 people.

"At the moment, in an average week, we'd have up to 12 people commuting from Auckland on different projects - creatives, media [DraftFCB is, he says, the third largest-billing media shop in NZ] and digital guys." And indeed, when AdMedia called, Auckland-based GM Brian van den Hurk was on hand. "So," says Carroll, "the next stage is to build the resource base here - and we'll be taking on fulltime creatives as we grow."

For the moment, though, the agency works with freelancers and mixes up teams between the two cities. "We work as one business, and try not to characterise a project as an Auckland one or a Wellington one." There's a lot of reverse commuting, as well.

"We've got Public Trust, a Wellington client which has staff in both cities. Ditto Vector Gas. The Ministry of Health was in Auckland, then moved to Wellington, and has just moved back to Auckland. Then there's the Ministry of Education, which has key Pacific Island and Maori audiences in Auckland. For a while there, we were effectively the fourth largest Wellington agency not in Wellington."

The agency is dedicated to social marketing and "absolutely believes" in it as a tool for change. In the past two years, he says, social-change communications have caught up to the commercial sector - "the two are now on a par".

Tendering for government contracts is difficult, he says. "Often there's no relationship and you're effectively responding to a paper-driven initiative. But at the end of the day, it's taxpayers' money - and that's accountable. So while it would be great to have a more commercial approach, government departments do need to work within that constraint."

And it's not all about government business, Carroll says. "There's still a lot of good commercial business here, too."

Carroll doesn't buy totally into the Creative Wellington concept - "it's more of a Creative NZ thing, really".

And have they had the visit from Mr Draft yet? "Nope. But we do hope to see him because they are pretty interested in this part of the world."

Frank - The Advertising Agency

Now: 23 staff.

Two years ago: 29.

Frank, says MD Alister Shennan, is emerging from its merger with Redrocks and is now moving into an acquisition phase.

"We've moved the business into that whole environment/sustainability space. We do work for Rio Tinto, a poster-boy for energy. We also do all the work for the Energy Conservation Authority and the Ministry of Environment, and have just been appointed by Environment Canterbury to do all their creative work."

Frank has also landed a "significant" Auckland account (which Shennan declines to name), and is thinking about opening an Auckland branch. The agency already has a designer working out of serviced offices in Auckland. "We're looking at a high-profile project that will be a good launching pad for us into Auckland."

Shennan is not particularly impressed with Auckland agencies looking south. "A lot of those brands couldn't make it work in Wellington, so they left ... and the market has a memory!"

There is a lot more government business around, he says, but it's a lot more competitive. "In an average tender, there can be up to 27 agencies responding to the RFP."

He says Frank does 20-30 RFPs a year, and is one of the leading agencies handling government accounts in the $1m to $2m bracket.

And these people are smart, sophisticated marketers, he says. "Fifteen years ago, they were wearing cardies. Now, the public sector is staffed by a different breed - experienced corporate people who have often spent time at Telecom, Westpac, National Bank and the like, and have chosen to stay in Wellington."

Like most, Shennan is also troubled by the shortage of agency talent. Frank's answer has been to hire young graduates and team them up with experienced people.

And Creative Wellington? "Still seems to be strong - although I haven't heard so much of this since Bigsy left. But the creative product coming out of Wellington is as good as anywhere."

Promotus

Now: 22 staff.

One year ago: 12.

Promotus is one of the few Wellington agencies to thrive without the government sector. "It's a hard nut to crack," says MD Sigrun Peace.

"It's tightly held and the pitching process is so rigorous. It takes so much resource - and to be honest, we don't need to. Arguably, if we picked up one really significant piece of government business we'd probably look for more, but we don't want to get speed wobbles.

"We've had amazing growth and a lot of it we didn't have to pitch for. We won Mitsubishi Electric's Black Diamond Technology, and we didn't pitch for it - it just walked in the door. Same thing with the Marac media business.

"We've also set up a business model that's quite unique. We've always been media-driven, and that's been a big part of our success, but I'm a firm believer in the full-service model."

Promotus also partners other agencies. "On Marac, we do the media, Whybin the creative, and I enjoy that. Whybin doesn't have a Wellington office and we've formed a nice working relationship that could lead to bigger things."

A significant part of the agency's growth came from Foodstuffs, an account it shares with Saatchi (Promotus does the retail, Saatchi the brand work). "Foodstuffs asked us to pitch for their print work, which was mainly outsourced," says Peace. "Our pitch was speculative because we didn't have the in-house capability. So when we won it, we set up a completely new division - the print production unit with five new staff - specifically to service Foodstuffs." Interactive is mainly outsourced.

Is the market growing? "The Redrocks merger sort of took one player out," she says, "but Wellington remains fairly constant. And, of course, the main agency brands seem to be gravitating back down here."

Clemenger BBDO

Now: 82 staff.

Two years ago: 94.

CEO/CD Philip Andrew (far better known as "Duster") has a rep almost as lustrous as the man he was promoted to replace 15 months ago - the legendary Peter Biggs. He retains his old CD role (and still sits on the creative floor), and he shares overall management with MD Lesley Brown (whose office is on the suits floor).

Clemenger, of course, has the lion's share of the really big government contracts, including ACC, LTNZ, the Ministries of Health and Labour, plus Trade & Enterprise, Wellington City, Civil Defence, and the Alcohol Advisory Council.

Andrew acknowledges the national agencies' renewed interest in Wellington but observes that the "two-city thing" is very difficult. "You have to have replicated cultures in both cities - and cultures are what drives an agency," he says.

"Having said that, there's a lot of agencies moving back because there's a lot of business to be done in this town. Also, there's many ad people with big-agency experience who have set up smaller consultancies - that's a big change.

"The northern drift has slowed dramatically," says Brown. "It's pretty stable here now and other agencies now see a reason to return. But that needs to be established by people on the ground. It's high-maintenance, fast turnaround business and you have to be here."

Interactive, she says, has been a huge growth area. "A year ago, 20% of our client base would be using interactive. Now 90% have at least an element of interactive in their campaigns. The interactive guys are adding a whole new dimension to the agency."

"Government pitches can be very difficult," says Andrew. "If you ask a question, that - and the answer - get sent to every agency in the pitch. Agencies are not used to that - they're more used to doing lunch, having a good chat, and lots of schmoozing. And schmoozing is definitely not a good call with government."

Does Clemenger have a relationship with Aim Proximity (owned by the Clemenger Group, and sharing the same Courtenay Place building)? "We do share some clients with Aim," Andrew says. "And we often pitch with them."

But there are challenges, he says, "because we work with Aim on our own business like ACC but they also work with Saatchi on Telecom". And, adds Brown, Aim (which has Toyota) and Clemenger (with Mitsubishi) also have competing business, "so there are some things we can't even consider working on together".

Andrew says a coup for Clemenger has been the hiring of John Plimmer and Chris Bleackley, who'd left Saatchi to form Cake. "These guys could have worked anywhere in the world, but they wanted to work at Clemenger Wellington.

"We're fiercely proud of what we've created here - we're now rated the fourth most creative agency in Australasia."

"Wellington has grown up so much," says Brown. "It's such a divine, easy city to live in."

Aim Proximity

Now: 37 staff.

Two years ago: 27. (Aim Auckland has 80).

"From a purely Direct perspective, Wellington seems to be shrinking - a combination of the Auckland drift and the tendency for Direct to be absorbed into full-service agencies," says MD/CD Brett Hoskin.

"We're now the only large Direct player in the market."

Aim NZ is now ranked by the Won Report as the #7 DM shop in the world. RBR is also in Wellington, of course, and so is Frank, which Hoskin says has a "very online Direct focus" but is becoming more of a full-service shop.

But the creative and full-service side of advertising is definitely undergoing a resurgence, he believes. "Wellington's isolation actually works for us because we have a non-conformist, zanier way of doing things. We tend to be more creative - which is the Wellington way.

"The Creative Wellington brand is good for us to market ourselves off."

Where Aim Wellington has grown, he says, is in the digital space. "We now have a digital designer, developer and Flash developers.

"Our two offices are set up as different agencies so we can work on competing business. So Aim Auckland works on BMW, and we work on Lexus; they work for AA and we work on State."

So, over 50% of Aim Wellington's business is in Auckland. "Where clients reside is kind of irrelevant," Hoskin says. "But for Telecom and Xtra, we have all our Aim Wellington client service working in Auckland - on a separate floor. We also work for Shell Australia, who chose us over an Australian provider."

Like most, Hoskin also identifies talent as a problem in the capital.

"It's hard to secure senior people, and we'd like to see more agency players - to help attract more quality staff."

M&C Saatchi

Now: 3 staff.

Two years ago: 1.

M&C had a very low-profile one-suit office in the capital for seven years. "But we had to step up - and it's lucky we did," says Auckland-based national CEO Nick Baylis who, with Strategy Director Jacqueline Smart, pays weekly visits to Wellington.

"This is part of the commitment we made to clients like Te Mana [Ministry of Education] and Police," says Baylis.

The Aucklanders have desks in the Wellington office and have Wellington business cards.

The three suits now on the ground will soon be augmented by two more.

"We're also looking at bringing in a creative resource," he says. "M&C Wellington needs to become a full office in its own right.

"Why? Because if you're going to be an agency in Wellington, it needs to be a proper agency. It works fine at the moment but it's important to have creatives for the culture."

Ideally, Baylis says, M&C would like to get some brand business as well, "which would really cement our presence in Wellington".

M&C has a global policy of outsourcing media. "M&C has a 'village' structure," Baylis says, "which means we have partners." In media, M&C works with Carat Wellington.

"We do Direct ourselves, and we use M&C Direct in Sydney, which is huge."

Creative Wellington is a fantastic brand, Baylis says. "Wellington is probably the best-branded city in the world ... OK, maybe not the world, but it leaves Auckland for dead.

"The creative resource is here - there's no need to import people.

Part of being a Wellington agency is to have Wellingtonians on board.

"Duster will tell you he's been doing it for years, of course. But I think there's a new wave coming ..."

BitTorrent cuts online video deals

2009-11-25T10:15:00.000-08:00

n the latest volley in the growing battle to distribute movies, television shows and other video content online, BitTorrent plans to announce deals today with Paramount, MTV Networks, 20th Century Fox and several smaller studios.

As part of the deals, BitTorrent users will be able to purchase or rent movies such as "Mission Impossible III" and buy TV shows such as "24" when the company's service launches in February.

The deals follow a similar one San Francisco-based BitTorrent struck earlier this year with Warner Bros.

BitTorrent's moves come amid a flurry of activity in the budding online video industry.

In recent months, Apple Computer debuted its own movie downloading service, AT&T began offering a similar service to its DSL and satellite TV customers and Microsoft announced agreements with Paramount and Warner Brothers to offer movie downloads to its Xbox 360 game console.

The movie studios and television networks are responding to consumers who are spending increasing amounts of time and money on the Internet or playing video games instead of watching television or movies, analysts say.

They also are trying to learn from the music industry's bruising and costly battle with digital distribution by embracing, rather than fighting, the technology, said Mike McGuire, vice president of research in the San Jose offices of Gartner.

"Over the next couple of years, you're going to see a whole bunch of this experimentation from the studios and the networks," he said.

The deals with BitTorrent collectively represent one of the more interesting experiments. The company's software has been widely used to distribute pirated movies and other files over the Internet.

But BitTorrent -- and the video industry -- is hoping to use its popularity to its advantage by building its new video distribution service around the software.

That should give it an advantage over rival video download sites, said Ashwin Navin, BitTorrent's president and co-founder. Typical digital media stores, such as Apple's iTunes, distribute files from a central bank of computers. That system can lead to lengthy waits for files when many users are trying to access the servers.

In contrast, BitTorrent's software is a peer-to-peer system. Users upload files as well as download them, broadening the number of distribution points. As particular files becomes more popular, more of BitTorrent's customers will have them on their computers, and thanks to its software, will help in distributing them.

"We guarantee it will be a fast download," Navin said.

That may be the case, but other elements of the company's service are still a bit fuzzy. BitTorrent hasn't said, for instance, how much it will charge for downloads. And while the company promises to have "thousands" of titles available when the service launches, it's listed very few of them to date.

Regardless, the company has a tough challenge ahead of it. Apple, with its dominance of digital music, has the inside track to be the leader in video as well, analysts say.

And one key drawback of BitTorrent's service, at least at first, is that customers will be able to play downloaded videos only on their computers. Navin says the company plans to let consumers eventually download to portable devices, so they can watch the videos in their living rooms.

Unfortunately for BitTorrent, by the time it gets to the living room, competitors such as Apple and Microsoft will already be there, analysts say.

BREAKING: Rok plans to launch mobile media store

2009-11-25T10:03:00.000-08:00

Mobile entertainment company Rok is to launch a mobile media store that will let users upload their personal music and movie collections to their PCs. Rok Media Store will also offer movies, music videos and other content to buy, for storage and play on mobile phones.

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OMD to go beyond volumes, focus on creativity

2009-11-25T09:57:00.000-08:00

To see more of The Economic Times, or to subscribe to the newspaper,go to http://economictimes.indiatimes.com Copyright (c) 2007,The Economic Times, India Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune BusinessNews. For reprints, email tmsreprints@permissionsgroup.com, call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write toThe Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303,Glenview, IL 60025, USA.

Mar. 7--MUMBAI, India -- After a long innings at an agency that was once Trikaya Grey's media department, Grey Worldwide's arm Media and finally Mediacom, Jasmin Sohrabji moves to what she calls a start-up operation: Omnicom's media shop OMD. In a tete-a-tete with ET, she talks about the unique challenges facing this late entrant to a market dominated by global rival WPP.

What are the immediate challenges that OMD faces in India?

Firstly, in terms of getting infrastructure in place, the work is already on. We need to start immediately, and we'll be up and running within a month or so. OMD is effectively launched. The challenge is to gain some critical mass. People are talking about it because it's new. But, it's not going to remain news if you haven't started delivering. We will not be able to attract good talent without critical mass of business.

What is the structure of OMD in India?

It will operate as a 100 percent Omnicom company. In most other markets, the Omnicom agencies have some equity, over time, we'll see how it goes in India. Omnicom globally has a media holding company called OMG (Optimum Media Group) with two brands: OMD and PHD. PHD is a much younger brand, in most of Asia we don't see PHD coming so soon, but it will eventually come.

Will growth come mainly from globally aligned business, or will local clients also play a key role?

The mandate for me is to set the operation up, not to worry about where the business is coming from. There's no agenda that it has to be creatively or business-wise aligned with Omnicom or OMD. I'm free to set the place up, and aligned business is available to pitch for - - but all of them may not be open to looking out.

It's relatively easy to assume that now that it's come to India, clients will give us the business, but I don't want to think of it that way. I'd like to treat it in India as a start-up, not as a global company that's making an entrance. Some of Omnicom's clients in India have come to accept an unaligned agency in India, and it's not like all the businesses are being badly serviced, they've all established themselves. I'm assuming that if OMD has decided to open shop, it has some idea of long-term and medium-term aligning some of this business. But given my heritage, I don't think that aligned business will be predominant.

How big do you see the operations scaling up, in terms of staff?

Harish Shriyan is on board as managing partner, and we're first looking for people in finance and admin. If all goes as per expected in the first year, we'll have a 20-plus team in terms of media -- but that's dependent on the type of business we get. While I've got a list of people I would like to talk to, given that its a start-up its a bit of a chicken and egg situation. The plan is not to wait, but to have a few key people in all functions.

How will OMD India position itself vis-a-vis the already established competition?

OMD's positioning globally has been creativity and insightful thinking. That's a strong positioning and opportunity even for us in this market. Most media shops are positioned on volume, very few go other routes. I'll be carrying forward the OMD Worldwide culture here, which is very much creativity in media thinking. They believe in investing in proprietary research, not just tools.

In a way its very familiar, because when I was at Mediacom, we positioned ourselves on planning and research. We always pitched that way -- our credentials talked about the number of awards won, for instance. At OMD, there's a similar focus on creative thinking, so I feel like I fit in very well. I see it as a progression, so it should be a very easy transition for me. We will be looking for acquisitions -- for allied services and stuff like sponsorships, interactive, we'll be either starting up or looking at acquiring.

The OMD brand name is still relatively unknown. Do you think this will be a disadvantage for a start-up?

I agree it's not as familiar a brand. But in some ways we're better off than if we were aligned to an agency and then moved out to be independent -- for instance, years after Mediacom was established, people used to call us Grey Media. The unfamiliarity is only a temporary thing, if we win businesses, it won't be a problem.

What are the targets for the India operations?

The present agenda is not to say, we have to be ranked in the top two or three in the next year or so. I'm looking at it more as, in the next two-year span, we should be in a comfortable situation. Which means that we'll be seen not as an investment market, but a performing, delivery market.

OMD internationally may have a longer horizon, but that's the target I've set for myself. Of course, the agenda is long-term for OMD. The long-term motivation is not missing out on a major market when going global.

Labels push for subscription to use iTunes store

2009-11-25T09:50:00.000-08:00

The world's biggest music labels are expected to ask Apple to introduce a music subscription service to its iTunes digital media store as part of negotiations to renew their agreements with the computer company.

Universal and other labels say a subscription service could prove more lucrative for them than iTunes' prevailing model of charging consumers 99 cents per track, because it would increase consumption of music. It would also entitle the labels to a share of monthly payments, in addition to small licensing fees each time their songs are played.

Nonetheless, music companies have largely been forced to accept Apple's terms as iTunes accounts for about 75 per cent of online music sales in the US in spite of competition from Microsoft's Zune and other services.

Nigeria: Licensing and intellectual property

2009-11-25T09:40:00.000-08:00

FROM THE ECONOMIST INTELLIGENCE UNIT

Foreign companies seeking to launch businesses in Nigeria often prefer to enter the market through licensing agreements with locally controlled companies rather than by establishing their own subsidiaries in the country. This is because of the difficulty of coping with frequent government policy shifts (usually implemented at very short notice) and the significant overhead costs to maintain a local subsidiary. Licensing is most prevalent among multinational pharmaceutical companies but is also becoming customary in the high-tech sector where numerous international brands are partnering with locally established firms to penetrate this new and rapidly growing market for information technology and communication products.

Multinational companies that have established local subsidiaries or affiliates also enter into licensing agreements to extend the local use of their trade names, trademarks and the manufacture of their products. These include Mercedes-Benz (Germany), Procter & Gamble (United States) and Unilever (Netherlands/UK). Notable local licensees include the following: Boulos Enterprises, which imports, assembles and distributes various products for Suzuki (Japan); Cadbury Nigeria, which manufactures beverages under licence from Cadbury Schweppes (UK); General Motors Nigeria, which also imports, assembles and distributes various products (for instance, Chevrolet and Lumina cars); Nigerian Bottling Company, which bottles Coca-Cola, Fanta, Sprite and Five Alive brands of soft drinks under licence from Coca-Cola (US); and SCOA Nigeria, which assembles light pick-up vehicles under a licence from Peugeot (France).

Patents, trademarks, copyrights and industrial designs are legally recognised. However, enforcement of intellectual-property rights in the courts is generally very slow. According to the Business Software Alliance and IDC, retail losses from software piracy totalled US$82m in 2005, an increase from US$54m in 2004. Nigeria was among the 20 countries with the highest piracy rates.

Most companies consider the damages awarded by the Nigerian courts to be far too small to be an effective deterrent. Sometimes, the most important victory is simply obtaining an official injunction, which is subsequently advertised in the local newspapers. Injunctions have been issued in the past to protect Araldite (Novartis, Switzerland); Betnovate products (GlaxoSmithKline, UK); Bic ballpoint pens (France); Butterfly sewing machines (China); and Exhar's Maloxine brand malaria tablets (Belgium). Offenders who breach injunctions can be jailed for contempt of court. Even with an injunction, however, the complainant must pursue a lengthy judicial process to determine the substantive issues in the case.

The situation is, however, beginning to change. In 2005, the Nigerian Copyrights Commission (NCC) launched the Strategic Action Against Piracy (STRAP), a campaign designed to combat piracy and to establish a suitable environment for the management of the copyright system. The NCC's STRAP officials have embarked on a campaign to prosecute offenders for copyright infringements. A landmark case in this regard is the prosecution in March 2007 of the chief executive officer of Multichoice Nigeria Limited, Nigeria's largest cable-television company, for broadcasting European league matches without the consent of the copyright owners, Entertainment Highways Limited.

The Copyright Optical-Discs Plants Regulations (2006) for the first time empowers the NCC to exercise administrative and enforcement measures over the production processes of optical-discs manufacturers and replicating plants engaged in the replication and or duplication of copyrighted works.

Property-right infringements are most common in the music, video and pharmaceutical industries, and they are fuelled by the availability of reproduction equipment, raw materials and a vast informal sector operating out of unlicensed premises and in some extremely remote parts of the country. The NCC estimates that 9 out of every 10 CDs, VCDs and DVDs sold in Nigeria are pirated.

Once conferred, a patent gives the patentee the right to prevent the making, importation, sale or use of the patented product; the stocking of the product for sale or use; and the application of the patented process. However, the scope of protection conferred by a patent is determined by the terms of the claims. This is interpreted by the descriptions (and plans and drawings, if any) that are included in the patent.

The courts review any opposition to a patent. If they declare a patent null and void, they may also order that royalties be returned. Although the courts tend to uphold patent rights, the judicial process is slow and awarded damages are not substantial; hence, relatively few companies bother to secure judicial protection.

Most brand-name manufacturers have registered their marks in Nigeria. Nevertheless, trademark theft is not uncommon, and trademark owners have recourse only to the slow processes of the congested courts.

Although the government has come under increasing pressure to act against patent and trademark piracy, the authorities have not yet responded with legislative revisions. Any eventual legislation would probably be based on the recommendations of government officials (specifically, the Nigerian Law Reform Commission's working draft of a proposed law) in co-ordination with the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) and the Intellectual Property Law Association of Nigeria, a local pressure group of intellectual-property practitioners.

Enforcement of legal provisions on copyrights is similar to that on patents and trademarks, that is, an action in court. As with patents and trademarks, the most powerful weapon appears to be a court injunction restraining the other party. When the substantive suit is finally determined, however, the court's award of damages often barely covers the legal costs. This acts as a disincentive, preventing rights owners from seeking to enforce their rights.

Conventions. Paris Convention; Universal Copyright Convention; Bern Convention; World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) Convention; WIPO Copyright Treaty; WIPO Performance and Phonographic Treaty; Rome Convention.

Basic laws. Patents and Designs Act (1970) Cap 344 LFN 1990; Trade Marks Act (1965) Cap 436 LFN 1990; Copyright Act (1988) Cap 68 LFN 1990 (amended by the Copyright Amendment Decree 96 of 1992); Copyright Optical Discs Plants Regulations (2006).

Patents

Duration. Twenty years from date of application. Patents cannot be renewed but must be maintained by paying annual maintenance fees.

Priority claims. Because Nigeria is a Paris Convention country, foreign priority can be claimed if the application for the same was made not more than 12 months before the filing date in Nigeria.

Novelty. An invention is considered new if it does not form part of the state-of-the-art and if it has not been made available to the public anywhere at any time prior to the date of application (or the foreign priority date, if not more than 12 months earlier). The invention may have been displayed at an official internationally recognised exhibition within six months prior to application date.

Fees. Around US$60 for official fees; US$300-500 for attorney and other fees.

Unpatentable. Plant or animal varieties, biological processes, inventions contrary to public order or morality, and scientific principles and discoveries.

Compulsory licensing. Application may be made to the courts for a compulsory licence if, after four years from the patent application date or three years from the grant date (whichever is later), a patent is not worked in Nigeria, is insufficiently worked, work is prevented by importation or the patentee refuses to grant a licence on reasonable terms, thus prejudicing development of industrial and commercial activities in Nigeria. Compulsory licences may also be granted if necessary to work a patent capable of being worked but which has not been so worked.

Industrial designs and models

In accordance with the Patents and Designs Act (1970) Cap 344 LFN 1990, industrial designs may be registered and protected for five years, and protection is renewable for two additional five-year terms.

Fees. Around US$35 for official fees; US$300-500 for attorney and other fees.

Trademarks

Types. Only goods may be registered. Services may not be registered, though the proposed Industrial Property Law would allow such registration (when promulgated). The international classification of goods now applies. Goods registered under the old classification are to be reclassified as soon as possible on payment of the necessary fees.

Duration. Seven years from application, renewable for additional periods of 14 years thereafter.

Legal effect. Registration confers legal rights.

Fees. US$55 for official fees; US$300-500 for attorney and other fees.

Not registrable. Marks that are similar or identical to a prior registered mark or a pending application; deceptive or scandalous matter; names of single chemical compounds.

Copyrights

Types and duration. The Copyright Act of 1988 covers six broad groups: (1) literary works, which encompass computer software; (2) musical works; (3) artistic works; (4) cinematographic films; (5) sound recordings; and (6) broadcasts. Performer's rights and folklore are protected as neighbouring rights.

For the first three types, protection is for a period expiring 70 years after the end of the year in which the author dies (or for a corporate author, 70 years after the end of the year in which the work was first published). However, protection for photographs (classified under artistic works) expires 50 years after the end of the year in which the work was first published. Protection for types 4-6 expires 50 years after the end of the year in which the work was first published, recorded or broadcast. Copyrights cannot be renewed.

Legal effect. Copyright generally confers the exclusive right to control use of the work in Nigeria. Reciprocal extension of copyright protection is possible where Nigeria is a party to a relevant international agreement. The copyright owner has the right to claim authorship of the work, except when it is included incidentally or accidentally when reporting current events by means of broadcasting. The owner can also object and seek relief in connection with any distortion, mutilation or modification of the work, and any other derogatory action in relation to the work, where such action would be prejudicial to the author's honour or reputation. Publishers, printers, producers or manufacturers of works in which copyright subsists must keep a register of all works produced by them, showing the name of author, title, year of production and the quantity produced.

Any qualified person may apply to the Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) for a licence to produce and publish a translation of a literary or dramatic work that has been published in printed or analogous forms of reproduction for teaching, scholarship or research. The NCC also maintains a databank on authors and their works. Notification to the NCC by the rights owner is necessary to obtain protection for the work. There are no fees for this service.

Applications for patents, trademarks and industrial designs are submitted to the Patents and Trademarks Registry.

Patents. Patent applications in Nigeria must include the applicant's full name and address and, if that address is outside the country, a Nigerian service address; a description that is sufficiently clear to enable a skilled person to put the invention into effect, with any relevant plans and drawings; a claim or claims; signed power of attorney (if the application is made by an agent); information on prior foreign application (if any); and, where desired, a declaration by the true inventor requesting to be mentioned as such in the patent and stating the holder's full name and address. The official fees (around US$60) must be paid on submission of the application. The governing law does not provide for examination for novelty or patentability of an invention. Patent examinations are conducted for formal correctness only; patents are granted at the patentee's risk as to existence of a prior patent. After the patent is granted, the registrar publishes notification of the grant, including a description of the patent. This process generally takes 2-4 months and is finalised with the certificate of registration (Letters Patent). Besides the official fees, other costs are generally US$300-500. The registration procedure is usually straightforward since there is no substantive examination process.

Grant of a patent is not conditioned on its publication in the Federal Government Gazette; publication merely serves as notification to the public of the details of the patent as granted. In the past, the registrar published notifications of grant of patent in the gazette, usually 1-6 years after the grant. Because of administrative lapses, however, the Patents and Trademarks Registry has not published details of any grant in the gazette in more than ten years. Nevertheless, the absence of publication does not affect the validity of such patents.

A provision for priority registration allows for filing an application to register a patent (within six months for a design and 12 months for an invention) after the same patent has been filed overseas. This confers on the registrant the same rights that would have applied if the patent were filed in Nigeria on the same day it was filed overseas. For example, a design patent filed in London on January 1st 2006 and then filed in Nigeria no later than July 1st 2006 enjoys protection in Nigeria with effect from January 1st 2006 if eventually registered.

Priority is defined by the Paris Convention, to which Nigeria is a signatory. The provisions of the convention are incorporated into Nigerian law under the Patents and Designs (Convention Countries) Order of 1971. This order declares the 75 countries and jurisdictions listed as convention countries.

Trademarks. A trademark application, which must be accompanied by a signed power of attorney, states the name, description, address and nature of the business of the proprietor of the mark and gives an address for the service of all correspondence on the applicant (usually the agent's address). The application is examined for registrability and to confirm that the trademark does not conflict with any other registered trademark or pending application. If the results of the search are positive, the registrar will issue an acceptance notification to the application (usually within three weeks of filing the application), and the mark will be forwarded for publication in the trademarks journal. Upon being advertised, any party wishing to record an opposition to the registration of the mark has two months to do so. If no objection is raised, the Patents and Trademarks Registry will issue a Certificate of Registration. The official fee to register a trademark is US$55; other costs, including attorney fees, are US$300-500. Registration lasts for an initial term of seven years and is renewable for consecutive 14-year terms.

Ordinarily, the trademark-registration process should take no more than 12-18 months. However, because of the largely irregular publication of the trademarks journal and frequent disruption to staffing at the Registry, the procedure has been known to last much longer even when no opposition has been lodged against the application. The certificate of registration provides conclusive evidence of the registration of the trademark.

Industrial designs and models. Registration for these applications are filed with the Patents and Trademarks Registry, and designs are published in an official gazette. The process usually takes about three months. Official fees are around US$35; other costs run US$300-500.

Copyrights. The Copyrights Act of 1988 (Cap 68 LFN) created the Nigerian Copyright Council on August 17th 1989. The council became known as the Nigerian Copyright Commission in 1996. There is no formal registration procedure for copyrights in Nigeria, since a copyright attaches automatically to a work on its creation. For evidentiary purposes, however, it is prudent for a rights owner to notify the Nigerian Copyrights Commission of ownership of the work, which is then noted by the commission in its records. There are no charges for this service. Obtaining absolute protection for copyright can be difficult. The high costs incurred in trying to curb the activities of pirates, even when ownership rights are clear, usually deter rights owners from pursuing remedies.

Johnnic Communications, a South African media and entertainment group, opened the Nu Metro Media Store in Lagos in June 2005 to sell books, music, CDs and DVDs. Nu Metro is entering into partnerships with Nigerian producers to create a structured distribution network that aims to curb piracy. According to Israel Edjeren, marketing manager of Nu Metro, "We are here in Nigeria primarily to legitimise the distribution of the Hollywood movies and strengthen the hands of our brothers here [the local producers] by joining our forces together to create an enduring modern and effective movie-distribution structure." The company's first product release in Nigeria is the "Celebration Collection", a series of 12 of the most popular Nigerian home movies. Anthony Ward, director at Johnnic Communications, noted that Nu Metro's entry into Nigeria's home-entertainment market, estimated to be worth more than N5bn, would elevate the industry and make it more viable for practitioners and stakeholders.

The fast-food industry in Nigeria is rapidly expanding, especially in the commercial and wealthy capitals of Lagos, Abuja and Port Harcourt. Debonair Pizza, Steers Steak House and Nando's, of South Africa, launched franchises in 2004.

Nigerian Breweries began local production of the Heineken brand of beer in 2004, under licence from its majority shareholder, Heineken Breweries of the Netherlands. Prior to this, Heineken had been entering the Nigerian market strictly as an import. To meet local preferences, Nigerian Breweries unveiled a new big (60 cl) bottle of the beer.

New licensers typically identify the potential of local partners by assessing their handling of products with similar marketing characteristics. The existence of long-established trading companies and business conglomerates has substantially simplified this task for new licensers. Many simply approach all the major trading houses, then list those interested in the product that do not already distribute, manufacture or market competing brands. Other relevant factors may be the prospective licensee's existing branch network, available transport for distributing products around the country, and financial and human resources. Good sources for information are bilateral chambers of commerce and Nigerian consulate offices in home countries.

Local conglomerates are chosen most frequently as licensees for international brands. The following are some examples: AG Leventis Nigeria (Mercedes-Benz, Hoover); CFAO Nigeria (Otis Elevators, Mitsubishi and Renault); Mandilas (Electrolux, Carrier and Volkswagen); Paterson Zochonis Industries (Thermocool, Cusson's Imperial Leather); SCOA Nigeria (Peugeot); John Holt (Yamaha); UAC of Nigeria (General Motors); and UTC Nigeria (Kenwood household products).

The Patents and Trademarks Registry, the Designs Registry and the National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion are other avenues for interested parties to gather relevant information, particularly on terms of similar agreements.

Licensers may not restrict their licensees' freedom of action, except as necessary to safeguard patent rights. For example, limitations are permitted on the scope, extent, territory or duration of the agreement, but they may not go beyond what is necessary to protect patent rights. Tie-in clauses presumably would be allowed if patents could not operate without them.

Although the Trade Marks Act does not use the term "licensing", it makes provision for registering a person other than the registered proprietor of a trademark as a registered user. This provision has been interpreted to permit the licensing of a trademark and to allow the registration of such licensee as a user of the mark.

Under the Patents and Designs Act of 1970 (Cap 344 LFN 1990), licensing agreements must be registered with the Registrar of Patents to be effective against third parties. But only the licenser can institute civil proceedings; licensees may sue in their own name only after the licenser has unreasonably or negligently ignored a request to sue. Nevertheless, the licensee's right does not prejudice the licenser's right to intervene at any time in the court proceedings.

The National Office of Industrial Property (NOIP) Act of 1979 set out requirements for companies to register any contract involving the right to use trademarks or patented inventions or covering the supply of any form of technical assistance. This includes technical expertise in the form of plans, diagrams, operating manuals or detailed engineering drawings; plant and machinery; and operating staff, managerial assistance or personnel training.

The National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion (NOTAP), successor to NOIP, approves management contracts and technical-service agreements covering training, research and the transfer of technical know-how for all industries, including manufacturing, engineering and agriculture. According to central-bank guidelines, a maximum of 5% of project cost is now allowed for consulting fees, but this is limited to projects with very high technology content for which indigenous expertise is not available. NOTAP reports to have licensed 3,000 patent-rights agreements to date between Nigerian enterprises and foreign companies across all sectors.

NOTAP was given the mandate in 1998 to commercialise locally developed research-and-development findings, inventions and innovations from research institutes, universities, polytechnics, private laboratories and workshops. The office has undertaken some initiatives to help small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Nigeria to make effective use of intellectual property through NOTAP's Patent Information and Documentation Centre.

Management service agreements also can be registered with NOTAP, which issues a certificate of registration. Approval is granted to transfer fees only for technology-based projects for which indigenous expertise is not available. Service agreements for such joint ventures should include a programme for training Nigerians for eventual takeover. A company seeking to register its technology-transfer agreements must go through NOTAP, which is empowered to deny registration for agreements it finds unacceptable.

Royalty and fee payments require prior permission from NOTAP. Permissible limits for licence or technical-service charges/royalties are 1-5% of net sales value. Approval for management service agreements is limited to 1-5% of the Nigerian company's net profit before tax. If the Nigerian company is not expected to generate a profit for some years (which is known as the gestation period and usually applies to agriculture), this is limited to 1-2% of net sales for the first 3-5 years.

NOTAP charges a presentation fee of N10,000 and a registration fee of N35,000 for contracts valued at N1m-10m; N50,000 for contracts valued at N10m-20m; N100,000 for contracts valued at N20m-50m; N200,000 for contracts valued at N50m-100m; N300,000 for contracts valued at N100m-250m; N400,000 for contracts valued at N250m-500m; N500,000 for contracts valued at N500m-1bn; and N750,000 for contracts valued at N1bn and above. There is a penalty fee of N20,000 for every agreement that is not registered within 30 days after its effective commencement date.

The banks will not facilitate remittances of foreign-currency payment for royalty or fees due to a licenser without proof of NOTAP registration.

Continuing change MediaStore

2009-11-25T09:29:00.000-08:00

In terms of commercial property ownership, Europe is shrinking as UK supermarket giants Tesco and Sainsbury's snap up property on the Continent (p28).

But care needs to be taken because with expansion comes the danger of clone operations. Variety is the spice of life, so it is important that in the march on the Continent, these British brands retain the flavour of the countries they are entering, and do not do away with the qualities that make each of them individual.

Banking back

There has been a turnaround in the UK's high streets. A decade ago banks deserted the main shopping areas, but now they have returned in force (p50), while mega stores, book stores and phone shops are in danger of shrinking or being replaced entirely by all-singing, all-dancing "media" shops (p46). Should we lament these changes and start asking what will be left of the high street? Banks, and media stores, are hardly a colourful collection of retailers. But what will stop this onslaught? The high street should not be forever a slave to covenant, so it is time landlords looked at wide-ranging offers to save our high streets from blandness

operation creativity

2009-11-25T09:17:00.000-08:00

"This is something you wouldn't have thought a media agency could put together," says PHD president Fred Forster. "It's harder for media agencies because [the industry] hasn't caught up yet in terms of remuneration."

2007 is also shaping up to be a good year for the media shop. It's worked on several high-profile campaigns, including the Sunsilk "Bride Has Massive Hair Wig Out" viral effort and the media-rich Dove Pro-Age campaign in Quebec. For the former, PHD took the concept, the brainchild of Capital C, and leveraged it into a "Wig Out Weekend" on MuchMusic, featuring branded content compounded by exclusively Sunsilk commercials.

J&J taps 3 in communications-planning twist

2009-11-25T09:07:00.000-08:00

JOHNSON & JOHNSON'S $3 billion global media review came to a dose last week, as it consolidated duties in North America, Europe, the Middle East and Africa, Asia-Pacific, and Latin America. Interpublic Group of Cos/ new J&J-dedicated media shop, J3, takes over the $1.3 billion business in North America, with communications-planning assignments distributed among independent Naked, WPP Group's JWT and Interpublic's newly created Sandbox (see box).

In putting communications planning at the center of its marketing development, J&J is following such players as Unilever and Procter & Gamble Co. Communications planning marketing mixes customized to a brand based on what research shows to be the best times, places and channels for reaching the brand's key consumers.

But J&J's system has a twist. The North American assignment, which has yet to be fully portioned out to J&J's brands, constitutes an extended trial of three agency models: keeping communications planning within a brand's creative agency at JWT, putting it within an untested holdingcompany shop with Sandbox, or placing it with a planning boutique at Naked.

"There will be specific brands assigned to Sandbox, Naked and JWT," said Kimberly Kadlec, worldwide VP-chief media officer, J&J. "We're working with marketers now to assign those.... But the idea is to build some significant success models and grow this model globally."

Among others who have tried communications planning, most have kept it within media shopsUnilever at WPP Group's MindShare globally, P&G with Publias Croupe's Starcom Media Vest Group and Aegis Group's Carat in North America.

"It really became apparent there was a true gap in strategic thinking as it related to media," said Ms. Kadlec. "Communications planning really embodies what I believe the brands were missing."

J&J's media-buying-and-planning assignment-what it terms the "media leverage AOR"-also includes a novel twist by incorporating such far-flung disciplines as creative production, promotion, event marketing and other nonmedia outlays not normally covered by such assignments.

One of the main reasons, Ms. Kadlec said, is "to take advantage of the new resources that are available at the media companies themselves. NBC has a digital studio. Meredith has a creative and marketing team. Time Warner does a lot of creative. ... There are new offerings from large media companies that we would like to leverage better, and we believe this team will help us do that."

While J&J didn't consolidate media buying globally, it did unite it regionally in an effort to better leverage the scale of its media outlays, Ms. Kadlec said. In addition to Interpublic's North America assignment, OMD will become regional agency of record for Latin America and AsiaPacific (with UM and Initiative retaining Japan and some Southeast Asian island countries). Aegis Group's Aegis Media will take regional duties in Europe, the Middle East and Africa from Initiative.

Loyd Grossman in nuts line

2009-11-25T09:02:00.000-08:00

Loyd Grossman is extending his eponymousbranded food range into snacking with the launch of a premium nut mix line.

The TV presenter and writer has teamed up with Premier Foods, which produces his range of sauces, pasta, bread and soups under licence, and nut processor Sun Valley Snacks to develop a product called Loyd Grossman Indulgent Nut Mix.

Three variants of a cashew, pecan, almond and macadamia nut mix have been developed - Caramelised Red Onion, Black Olive and Sundried Tomato.

Principles Agency, the strategic advertising, marketing and media shop based in Leeds, has designed the packaging to reflect the Loyd Grossman brand's values of sophistication and indulgence.

The pack design uses the same core black and cream elements as the rest of the range and reflects the nuts' healthy properties. The useof understated shades of maroon, purple and red for the variants is intended to appeal to upmarket consumers.

The product is being rolled out first in Sainshury's. A supporting press advertising campaign, also created by Principles Agency, is planned for later this year.

Sales of nuts, seeds and dried fruit hit the £500m mark at the end of 2010, a growth of 50% since 2001, according to Mintel. However, sales of peanuts have shrunk by 4% over the past five years to £117m as consumers perceive them as high in salt and fat, instead opting for healthier, more upmarket alternatives such as Brazil nuts, walnuts or almonds.

Big Brother stars open Virgin store

2009-11-25T08:59:00.000-08:00

BIG Brother fans flocked to see two former housemates open a store in Middlesbrough.Richard Newman and Lea Walker, otherwise known as Dicky and Dolly were in the seventh series of the show.They appeared at the Virgin Media shop, in the Cleveland Centre, on Saturday.Fans chatted to the pair about the current show and were invited to enter a prize draw for eviction night tickets.Visitors to the store were also given the opportunity to try out the media products on offer.Paul Williams, retail director at Virgin Media, said: "We've always found that combining mobile phones with music and entertainment is a perfect way to engage Virgin customers and our brand new store will certainly showcase the latest and greatest phones and technology that Virgin has to offer. "Having Dicky and Dolly there to open the store is an added bonus."

FEELING GROOVY: Local record stores amp up as vinyl becomes big--again

2009-11-25T08:52:00.000-08:00

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Aug. 9--Tower records is gone.

And as of last month, Virgin Megastore is too.

So are scores of local independent record shops, slaughtered by the iPod, iTunes, Amazon.com and "big box" stores like Best Buy and Target.

R.I.P. record stores, you old dinosaurs you. Right?

Wrong. Independent record stores are alive and well in the Chicago area. Some even claim to be--gasp--making money. Some crazy folks are even opening new ones.

Customer service is one reason. But another, perhaps more surprising factor is the growing demand for LPs.

Two of the newest record stores--Permanent Records on Chicago Avenue and year-old Revolver Records on 18th Street in Pilsen--opened specifically to specialize in vinyl, carrying thousands of used and rare records.

It's a quest for tangibility that is, in some ways, driving the vinyl craze. To some music lovers, CDs, at about 16 grams, feel less substantial than a 180-gram audiophile vinyl record. And that's not counting the record jacket, with its poster, perhaps, and liner notes and art on the back and front.

There's something alternative, even subversive, about vinyl, especially when everybody is carrying around iPods.

"If everybody from your mom to your grandparents has ear buds in their ears, how do you differentiate who's cool?" said Eric Levin, president of the Atlanta-based Alliance of Independent Media Stores. "The girl at the end of the dorm hall spinning records is infinitely cool. It's a huge youth movement. Vinyl is just out of control. It's like somebody pushed the cool button again."

Elliot Pence--a 19-year-old sophomore at DePaul University who sports an inner-lower-lip tat that reads "romantic," a nose ring and an occasional pompadour--concurs, noting a trend toward nostalgia among his peers.

"I think vinyl is definitely coming back, along with vintage clothes and just wanting something different," he explained.

Pence said he had only ever been to Virgin once. "And that was to buy movies," he said.

"I like to buy from independent places, to try to keep them open, 'cause I like them better than giant corporations. They're so much more personal and the staff really knows their stuff and actually cares about the music."

The Jazz Record Mart on East Illinois Street was looking pretty alive on a recent Tuesday afternoon with a half-dozen customers sifting through its bins, including Gustavo Verdesio, a University of Michigan professor with a collection of 2,500 albums in his Ann Arbor, Mich., home.

On this summer day, Verdesio was looking to add three or four more. In his hands he had CDs by jazz pianist Fred Hersch and jazz saxophonist Chris Potter and a rare album by jazz pianists Tommy Flanagan and Kenny Barron that he didn't even know existed before he spotted it in the bin. It was $7.99.

Verdesio was thrilled.

"It's the sensual experience of touching the records," he said, explaining why he goes online for music as a last resort. "If it's secondhand, it's the arbitrariness of how the records are located. And there are people around you, so you get a feeling of community. Buying online is a lonely experience. I have nothing against lonely experiences but it is nice to alternate."

A few aisles away, Ashley Crawford was clutching a CD by jazz saxophonist Cannonball Adderley. In town from Mystic, Conn., to visit family, Crawford said she prefers visiting record stores to ordering on the Internet.

"I try not to buy records online," said Crawford, a high school music teacher with a collection of about 200 records and so many CDs she has lost count. "I like seeing and holding what I am about to buy."

Somehow, there's just something more real about a record or CD as opposed to the kilobytes that make up an MP3, record store customers said. How do you give someone a download as a gift, anyway?

About 3 miles west, Lance Barresi, co-owner of Permanent Records on West Chicago Avenue, copied onto a Post-It note a quote from a Detroit publication that amounts to an anti-download manifesto for the independent record store: "Is that what music is to you: undersized, inconsequential and disposable?"

"Most people don't care about that kind of thing," said Barresi, who, with store co-owner Liz Tooley, owns more than 10,000 albums. In the store on this particular afternoon, he was listening to Caribou's "Start Breaking My Heart." "But the kind of people who are interested in it are devout."

Levin of the Alliance of Independent Media Stores said that when he throws a record on a turntable in his Atlanta stores, people sometimes look confused.

"They say, 'Hey, that doesn't sound like my download,'" he said. "And it is inherently different. There's magic in that groove."

Take a favorite album, one from before all music was recorded digitally first, play it on CD and then play it on vinyl, said Val Camilletti, owner of Val's Halla in Oak Park, a store packed with used records of every genre, from ballet to classical to hip-hop to rock.

"Play the CD and you will hear that it sounds perfect and it sounds fine," Camilletti said. "Put the LP on, and what happens to me is a kind of tingle in the back of my neck and a feeling in the pit of my stomach. I can't describe it. It is literally the warmth or the actual expansion of what sound is."

Permanent Records even started a label, also called Permanent Records, to press 180-gram records of CDs by bands like psychedelic rockers Warhammer 48K.

"We've always done well with vinyl," said Brian Smith, general manager of Reckless Records' three Chicago stores. "If they want a mainstream release, they're more likely to go to Best Buy."

Three miles south of downtown is Revolver Records, opened in June 2006 by Marlon Hernandez, a man with a 30,000-album record collection. On a weekday afternoon, the store was filled with the smooth soul of the Stylistics.

Revolver, like Permanent, is banking on vinyl for survival. The focus is on soul, funk, jazz, rock and hip-hop.

"We're doing fairly OK," Hernandez said. "I make most of my money off of vinyl and rare stuff ... We sell a lot of soundtracks, particularly Blaxploitation stuff, 45s."

For Camilletti of Val's Halla, vinyl is key to keeping the store, which has been open 35 years, afloat. "It is the cushion that helps us survive financially. And it is the fun stuff for us."

Levin said: "People think that people aren't shopping [at record stores] anymore. It was rough going for awhile for a lot of us. But I am working on a 20-year plan, not a two-year plan. We haven't had a downward trend in sales."

In some ways, the tangibility factor goes beyond a record or CD simply being something solid compared to a song downloaded on an iPod, customers and owners say. The experience of actually going into a local record shop feels like a more authentic experience.

It's part of what Camilletti calls "the mystique of music."

"If you want to learn about music, you've got to do it in a store," said Rick Wojcik, owner of Dusty Groove America, a store that actually got its start on the Internet in 1996 before moving into a good old-fashioned bricks-and-mortar shop in Hyde Park, and later, in Wicker Park. "Stores allow customers to connect to the music in a way you don't get from sound samples on a blog."

Back at the Jazz Record Mart, deejay Jeremy Williams was browsing albums looking for some to add to his collection of 500 records.

He does buy online, he said, but loves browsing the record stores.

"I probably wouldn't buy a CD here because of MP3s. They are a lot cheaper," he said. "But I look for dance records. You can't buy records at Best Buy."

- -- -

Want to get your groove on? Search the racks at these survivors:

Dusty Groove America, 1120 N. Ashland Ave.; 773-342-5800, www.dustygroove.com. The storefront for this locally based e-business that's popular worldwide is just as organized and unfussy as their site, making for easy navigation amid the tables of soul, funk, jazz, hip-hop and world music.

Jazz Record Mart, 27 E. Illinois St.; 312-222-1467, www.jazzmart.com. New digs or not, you can almost smell the history soaked into the stacks of jazz, blues, gospel and R&B albums in this large room filled with warm tunes, friendly staff and good vibes.

Permanent Records, 1914 W. Chicago Ave.; 773-278-1744, www.permanentrecords

chicago.com. Visitors are welcomed to this new shop -- which specializes in independent and underground music of all genres, with a focus on rock -- by robin-egg-blue walls, and lots of posters and records on display, along with books, magazines, DVDs and other music paraphernalia.

Reckless Records, 3161 N. Broadway Ave.; 773-404-5080, www.reckless.com (plus locations in Wicker Park and the Loop). Savvy hipster employees serve up a side of guidance -- when prompted -- with the stores' heaps of vinyl, DVDs and CDs in genres from rock to underground hip-hop.

Revolver Records, 1524 W. 18th St.; 312-226-4211. This intimate storefront in Pilsen is packed with jazz, rock, hip-hop, soul, R&B, and rare and reissued vinyl. There's an impressive graffiti-inspired mural emblazoned on one wall, plus T-shirts and a listening station.

Val's Halla, 239 W. Harrison St., Oak Park, 708-524-1004, www.valshalla.com. A year ago Val's moved to this one-room space with new and used CDs on one side and vinyl on the other. All genres are represented, with a slight emphasis on pop and rock. The walls are pretty much covered with posters, memorabilia and vintage magazines for sale. And then, of course, there's the Elvis shrine bathroom.

GLOBAL NEWS LINE

2009-11-25T08:48:00.000-08:00

* AYLING QUITS SANCTUARY

Sanctuary Group chairman Robert Ayling and three nonexecutive directors have exited the London-based music company's board. Ayling departed along with James Wallace, Tina Sharp and John Preston, following the Aug. 2 announcement that Universal Music Group had secured acceptance from Sanctuary shareholders of its £44.5 million ($87.7 million) bid for the company. Wallace was senior independent nonexecutive director/chairman of the audit committee, Sharp chaired the remuneration committee, and Preston was a member of the audit and remuneration committee. Sanctuary's board now consists of chief executive Frank Presland and finance director Paul Wallace. Sanctuary hired Ayling in April 2006 to solve financial issues that had nearly brought the company into bankruptcy. Ayling was chief executive of British Airways from 1992 to 2000.

-Lars Brandie

* MOBOSS WAP ALBERT FOR O2

The 12th edition of the United Kingdom's Music of Black Origin Awards, taking place Sept 19, will be the first industry awards ceremony to be held at London's new 02 Arena. The venue, on the south bank of the River Thames In Greenwich, opened July 7. Owned and operated by Anschutz Entertainment Group, it was previously known as the Millennium Dome. The MOBOs have been held at the 126year-old Royal Albert Hall in London for the past three years. The London-based MOBO Organization stages the event.

-Juliana Koranteng

*ITALY'S DIGITAL SALES UP 44%

The value of digital music sales in Italy soared In the first six months of 2007, according to research that auditing company Deloitte conducted on behalf of industry body FIMI. Digital album sales increased 66% in 2007's first half, while singles grew 33% compared with the same period in 2006. The overall value rose 44% to euro2.7 million ($3.7 million). Unit figures were not available. According to FIMI president Enzo Mazza, "Digital sales now account for about 7% of the Italian market. We estimate that can be divided into roughly 3% online and 4% mobile."

-Mark Worden

*ROK LAUNCHES MOBILE MUSIC SERVICE

U.K.-based mobile-technology developer ROK Entertainment Group has launched an international digital-entertainment service. ROK Media Store aims to challenge the dominance of Apple's iTunes Music Store and iPod players. Free "jukebox" software available at rokmediastore.com allows users to upload their CD collection to a computer hard drive. Users can then side-load their collection onto memory cards to play on mobile phones. Copyright is protected via ROK's proprietary encryption and compression technologies. The site also sells online music from a catalog comprising tracks from independent labels; ROK says it is talking to the four major labels about expanding its selection. Tracks cost £0.79 ($1.59) for U.K. buyers, euro0.99 ($1.36) in continental Europe and $0.99 for U.S. customers. Video material will be made available later this year. "The majority of mobile phones come with a memory card," ROK marketing director Bruce Renny says. "And as there are far more mobile phones than there are IPods, we're aiming for that much larger market."

Small Stakes

2009-11-25T08:45:00.000-08:00

Since the start of 2005, 22 EPs have appeared on The Billboard 200 or the Heatseekers chart. In 2007 alone, eight EPs-defined by Billboard as releases priced less than $9.99, with five to nine different songs (or fewer than five, if the release is not named after one of the songs)-have entered one of those charts, and six of them came out on independent labels . All told, 15 of the 22 charting EPs have been indies. And the trend has retailers and labels taking notice. (For a major label EP strategy, see story, page 45.)

"I've definitely noticed an uptick in EP sales recently," says Michael Kurtz, executive director of the Music Monitor Network, a coalition of independent regional music chains. "They've emerged as an inexpensive way for fans to get the feel of a band, and for bands to keep their relationships with fans going between records."

Some indies are releasing EPs out of necessity. In July, Sub Pop put out the Flight of the Conchords' "Distant Future" EP to play on the success of their HBO show, because that same success prevented the band from being able to find time to record a fulllength; this week, that EP tops the Heatseekers chart. Meanwhile, many other labels view the EP format as a way for bands to experiment with their sound at a reduced level of risk.

When Beirut released its debut album in spring 2006, its immediate success came as somewhat of a shock to the band's label, Ba Da Bing. Label head Ben Goldberg realized that the band wouldn't be able to quickly turn around a fulllength, but that there were a few songs in the can that would not really fit in with the sound of the next album. "We had a collection of live songs we wanted to record, and we wanted to give people a taste of the live show, so we went ahead and put out the EP," Goldberg says. The risk paid off; the "Lon Gisland" EP charted and has since sold 14,000 copies, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

Goldberg says, "EPs are an opportunity to experiment with things, to test the water and to open up a band's sound. EPs are also more quickly forgotten than full-lengths, so the risk is lower." Despite this, Goldberg still sees major problems with the format. "They're honestly not my favorite things, because they're not cost-effective. They cost as much to make as a regular CD, even though the sale price is lower."

Victory Records head Tony Brummel echoes this viewpoint. Despite releasing Straylight Run's "Prepare to Be Wrong" EP, which has sold 58,000 copies, and Aiden's 24,000-selling "Rain in Hell," Brummel says, "I'm totally not interested in the EP. They're not financially feasible and often tend to lose money. Major retailers charge the same to stocka record, be it an EP, a CD or a single. We've released EPs thinking they would help a band's other albums, and they've done nothing. I think people really want full-lengths."

But Eric Levin, Atlanta-based head of indie retail coalition Alliance of Independent Media Stores, says he's seen a resurgence in 7-inch and vinyl EP sales, and that putting them out is smart from an A&R standpoint.

"The consumer is OK with paying four or five dollars for an EP,"hesays. "Itkeepsthe band's name out there, and because music production and recording has become so much easier, they make more sense to produce now than ever before."

Steven Peterson, of Long Beach, Calif., band Run Doris Run, may be a case in point. "An A&R guy we worked with told us releasing a few EPs was a better move than releasing one full-length, because the more music out there with your name on it, the better," he says. "Besides, we'd rather release five great songs than a full-length with five great songs and five mediocre ones."

In some cases, consumers will also purchase EPs with minimal promotion from the record label-and catering to completists can result in decent numbers. Sub Pop's Steve Manning says that he purchased almost no ads and didn't push interviews for Iron and Wine's 2005 EP "Woman King." Yet it moved 94,000 units, according to SoundScan. The Yeah Yeah Yeahs' "Is Is," released last month, has moved 25,000 units and peaked at No. 72 on The Billboard 200 by offering live recordings of previously unreleased fan favorites.

"When a band has a rabid fan base," says Mike Fratt of six-store Nebraska-based chain Homer's Records, "an EP is a great way for us to keep them coming back and have fresh product on the shelves."

NBC chief warns over iTunes pricing

2009-11-25T08:32:00.000-08:00

"We know that Apple has destroyed the music business - in terms of pricing - and if we don't take control, they'll do the same thing on the video side," Mr [Jeff Zucker] said at a breakfast hosted by Syracuse's Newhouse School of Communications.

As part of NBC's push for more flexible online pricing, Mr Zucker said he urged Apple for months to price one programme at Dollars 2.99 per download - as opposed to the current Dollars 1.99 - as an "experiment" but was rebuffed by Steve Jobs, Apple's chief executive. Mr Zucker also suggested Apple had rejected requests to share revenue from sales of iPod devices, which are more profitable than the digital media store.

CEDIA Honors Outstanding Member Achievements and Service With Electronic Lifestyles(R) Industry Awards

2009-11-25T08:25:00.000-08:00

007 Lifetime Achievement Award George Feldstein, Crestron Electronics, Inc. - Rockleigh, NJ 2007 Residential Electronic Systems Contractor Volunteer of the Year Ray Lepper, Home Media Stores L.C. - Midlothian, VA 2007 Manufacturer Volunteer of the Year Joaquin Rivera, Stewart Filmscreen - Torrance, CA 2007 Sales Representative of the Year Don St. Peters, St. Peters Sales Agency, Inc. - Indianapolis, IN 2007 Electronic Systems Contractor of the Year Logic Integration - Englewood, CO 2007 Electronic Systems Technician of the Year Mike Musgrave, Audio/Video Entertainment - Laguna Niguel, CA CEDIA is an international trade association of companies that specialize in designing and installing electronic systems for the home

A New Horizon for Fast Growing Media Shop; - Horizon Media Launches New Website and Logo

2009-11-25T08:17:00.000-08:00

NEW YORK, Nov. 5 /PRNewswire/ -- Horizon Media, the largest independent media services agency in America and the fastest growing in the industry, has updated its website and logo to reflect the entrepreneurial and trusting service the independent shop provides to its clients and media partners. It is the first branding and image revamp in ten years. To see the new site, visit www.horizonmedia.com.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20071105/NYM181LOGO )

"Our new blue logo speaks to our name and all the possibilities associated with looking out on the horizon," stated CEO Bill Koenigsberg. "The most important message I wanted to communicate in updating the site is the Horizon position of 'business is personal' which recognizes the trust that agency and client must develop with one another. Once that trust is built, it is the bridge to taking greater risks with innovative strategies and clients feel comfortable with us leading them. It's that personal connection with clients that is the true motivating driver and that is why Horizon Media is known for having clients for life. It drives people to go the extra mile."

The homepage clearly depicts that message with an image of Horizon's CEO who greets visitors and personally invites them to "please step inside our office and find out why ... " The 2006 Media All-Star CEO of the Year (as selected by Media Week) goes on to inform how Horizon goes the extra mile to make it personal and explains "first, because our commitment to client success is passionate and ingrained in corporate culture. Second, because we are passionately committed to the growth and development of our talented employees."

From the homepage, visitors can browse a menu of options to learn more about the independent media shop. A click on Mission provides the company's mission statement to help clients sell products and build brands by providing effective marketing counsel and profound insight regarding brand consumers and their targeted communication channels.

Once inside the website (or Bill's office as it appears from the site), a new Horizon becomes visually clear. Who we are provides insights such as Bill's perspective on the advantage of independence, trust as the key ingredient to client relationships and talent training and growth. Click again on About Us to see the senior team leaders and learn more about their talent and expertise. Communication Planning provides an overview of brand strategy, channel and consumer insights as well as research.

Media Channels provides an intimate look at the different media groups and the key talent that runs each division from traditional to non-traditional media. Fast Facts provides a list of key facts about the fastest growing independent agency in America including key milestones and annual billings. A separate icon for Press Releases will provide up to date information for press and other visitors to read recent announcements from Horizon. Another icon for Contact us allows visitors to contact the agency for inquiries or services questions. Join Us provides a full overview of the media shop's human resources and talent growth initiatives for a career in marketing services, buying or planning.

About Horizon Media

Founded in 1989, Horizon Media, Inc. is the largest U.S. independent media services company. Dedicated to helping clients sell products and build brands through insightful marketing counsel, media-neutral strategic planning and effective negotiation and placement, Horizon's exceptional holistic approach to brand marketing and development has resulted in estimated billings of $1.8 billion and established the company as the fastest growing agency in the industry. Headquartered in New York City with a full service office in Los Angeles, Horizon also has offices in Orlando, Atlanta, and Amsterdam, Netherlands. Horizon is also the founding member of Columbus Media International, a multi-national partnership of independent media agencies. For more information, please visit the company's website at www.horizonmedia.com.

Apple and Fox clinch deal to rent films on iTunes

2009-11-25T08:05:00.000-08:00

The agreement would allow consumers to rent new Fox films by downloading them from Apple's iTunes digital media store for a limited period, according to a person familiar with the situation.

A digital file protected by FairPlay will be included in new Fox DVD releases, enabling a film to be transferred or "ripped" from the disc to a computer and video iPod.

The launch of iPod-ready films on DVD would "help Apple sell a load more video iPods", said one studio executive.

NBC's Zucker eyes TV shake-up on back of Hollywood strike

2009-11-25T07:59:00.000-08:00

"Things like that are all vestiges of an era that's gone by and won't return," Mr [Jeff Zucker] told the Financial Times.

"I think there were a tremendous number of inefficiencies in Hollywood and it often takes a seismic event to change them, and I think that's what's happened here," he said of the strike, predicting that "the development process will change forever."

Mr Zucker appears to have patched up relations with Apple after a pricing dispute last year led NBC to pull its shows from the iTunes digital media store. "We've said all along that we admire Apple, that we want to be in business with Apple," he said. "We're great fans of Steve Jobs."

NBC chief seeks TV shake-up

2009-11-25T07:54:00.000-08:00

"Things like that are all vestiges of an era that's gone by and won't return," Mr [Jeff Zucker] told the Financial Times.

BBC to sell downloads through iTunes; [USA 2ND EDITION]

2009-11-25T07:37:00.000-08:00

The BBC's commercial arm is to offer UK audiences full-length programmes as paid downloads for the first time, after striking a partnership with Apple's iTunes media store.

The shows will be a mixture of recently aired shows that are no longer available free on the separate BBC iPlayer catch-up service, and programmes from the BBC archives. No price details were available, but Apple charges Pounds 1.89 for other shows on iTunes in the UK.

The deal could mean that paid downloads of BBC programmes are available on iTunes months before the launch of Project Kangaroo, the BBC's on-demand streaming and download partnership with ITV and Channel 4, which is due later this year.

Seattle and Cupertino Have Media Player Competition from Minneapolis

2009-11-25T07:30:00.000-08:00

J. River technology is behind yet another multiple launch of branded digital media stores, extending the company's position as the dominant independent media player. New stores include TDS Telecom, Charter Media, and HickoryTech.

J. River already provides players for Televisa, Time Warner and over a dozen others. Collectively, these companies have more than 50 million paid customers, who are outside the Microsoft and Apple camps, and ready to buy digital content by download or subscription service.

"We have helped more companies build their digital offering than any other player software company," said Jim Hillegass, J. River's CEO. "There is a growing trend for major companies to engage the clout of their own brands to deliver leading edge digital music, movie, and TV services."

J. River has succeeded in giving these corporations the tools to build an interactive, sticky channel to their customers. Not only do they deliver the latest digital store technology, they supply the most open and comprehensive device integration, giving the customer choice in their use of devices ranging from iPods and PlaysForSure devices, to cell phones and media receivers.

J. River is the premier B2B provider of branded media players to the industry with more than twenty branded media players delivered.

Apple Introduces iTunes Movie Rentals

2009-11-25T07:10:00.000-08:00

In the weeks leading up to Macworld Expo, widespread reports predicted that Apple would abandon its hard-line stance against rentals and begin offering movies for rent on the iTunes Store. Those reports proved to be dead-on. By adding a movie-rental feature to iTunes, Apple enters new territory for its online digital media store. Rentals cost $3.99 for new releases and $2.99 for older titles. iTunes movie rentals are unlikely to appeal to everyone. Some people still prefer to own their media, and others will have no qualms about taking what they can get via BitTorrent. And perhaps the biggest concern people will have is the 24-hour window, since some people enjoy watching a movie on an iPod or iPhone during their free time over the course of several days. Despite a few opening-day glitches, which Apple is likely to smooth out, the new service is surprisingly robust and easy to use.

ACP's Top Gear buy unsettles buyers

2009-11-25T06:58:00.000-08:00

Abstract (Summary)

The Media Store's associate media director Andrew Lamb said: "It is true that ACP have a strong representation of male-targeted magazines, a segment that is drastically underrepresented from the other major publishers - Pacific Magazines in particular."

Media buyers have expressed concern that ACP Magazines now has a stranglehold on the men's magazine market, after the publisher acquired the rights to publish car magazine Top Gear .

ACP announced this week that it has gone into a joint venture with the UK's BBC Magazines to publish its titles in Australia, with famous car brand Top Gear the first, due to launch in the middle of this year.

There will be a second magazine launch by the end of the year. The addition to its men's portfolio follows its acquisition of Emap Australia last September, which handed it Zoo Weekly and FHM , alongside its existing Ralph and Men's Style .

Phil Scott, group publisher at ACP, said: "We had five of the top 10 a decade ago. We have seven of the top 10 today, and we're working on making that eight or nine."

Although there are competitors in the market - News Magazines publishes Alpha and GQ - media buyers said ACP now controlled the young men's market.

The Media Store's associate media director Andrew Lamb said: "It is true that ACP have a strong representation of male-targeted magazines, a segment that is drastically underrepresented from the other major publishers - Pacific Magazines in particular."

However, he added: "One needs to remind oneself that there are a multitude of other options to affectively reach men."

James Parkinson, trading director Australia Group M, said: "I'd expect the publication to go well and will have the significant benefit of SBS's TV show to drive it.

"Having said that I wouldn't mind ACP having a bit more competition."

John Preston, founder of media agency Match, added: "Most people would say monopoly is not a good thing, because competition is good, and to be able to trade off between publishers is advantageous to the client.

"But, on the flip side, if a client doesn't have enough money to buy all the magazines that ACP has in its stable, the agency will in affect trade between the different magazines to get the best rate."

Mitchell's trading director Alex Pekish said ACP now had control of young men's market, but in print there were still other ways to target older men, such as business publications and supplements.

The Top Gear announcement came as the publisher confirmed that it is to move FHM upmarket and change format, as revealed in B&T (issue Feb 29).

It will have a new wider format, new paper stock, an overhaul of the editorial package and the magazine will stop taking phone sex ads resulting in the loss of around $1m worthof advertising.

Mortgagebrokers.com and Remax'sMortgage Referral Program Launch New Website

2009-11-25T06:50:00.000-08:00

TORONTO, March 19 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ - Mortgagebrokers.com (the "Company") announced that its strategic alliance partner Remax Ontario/Atlantic Canada has launched a new website (www.remaxrsp.com) fully dedicated to its unique and exclusive program with MortgageBrokers.com. Under this partnership any of the 9,000+ RE/Max realtors are encouraged to use the services of MortgageBrokers.com and its rapidly growing national sales team.

By participating in this program, the portion of RE/Max sales professional's referral fees will be deposited into a Retirement Savings Account managed by Canada's largest insurance company Manulife Financial (http://www.manulife.com/remax ). Manulife Financial Corporation trades as 'MFC' on the TSX, NYSE and PSE, and under '0945' on the SEHK. Manulife Financial can be found on the Internet at www.manulife.com.

In June of 2006, Remax Ontario Inc. and Mortgagebrokers.com consummated their 10 year strategic alliance, which included several RE/Max executives and franchise brokers participating in an equity offering by Mortgagebrokers.com. On June 9th of that year, the Company completed an offering in which it issued a total of 2,112,470 shares of its common stock and a purchase warrant at a price per share of $1.00.

Mortgagebrokers.com CEO Alex Haditaghi firmly believes that the Company is on track for sustainable growth and profitability in 2008, "Our business model is unique in that we are operating in a robust Canadian economy and a mortgage/housing industry that has avoided the sub-prime woes of the US market. Because we act only as funding "middle-men" between buyer and seller for residential and commercial mortgage transactions, we have eliminated any type of credit, underwriting or inventory risk on the loans we originate and close. The risk analysis and thus the burden, if any, are borne by the lending institutions. In addition, the Canadian mortgage industry, in general, has had very little interest in risky, sub-prime loans."

Haditaghi believes that Mortgagebrokers.com has the right model at the right time: "Our consolidation business plan is very attractive in environments such as we are in today because we can provide small and medium shop broker's access to strategic growth partners such as RE/Max Manulife, Wells Fargo Financial as well making available a larger lender base. This allows the broker to offer more competitive products, increase their brand power and utilize an infrastructure which will allow them to reduce their expenses by providing centralized back office services such as payroll, compliance and marketing".

With a current market cap of approximately $3.7 million, Mortgagebrokers.com feels that there exists tremendous potential for investors to participate alongside the Company in the ongoing expansion of its business model. In Haditaghi's opinion, the market value of Mortgagebrokers.com has been affected as a result of the overall weakness in the U.S. mortgage industry. Mortgagebrokers.com common stock is trading at all time low in spite of the fact that the Company has had seven consecutive quarters of revenue growth. Even with the current challenges in the residential and commercial real state market, Mortgagebrokers.com continues to grow and will continue to strive towards its goal of being North America's largest and fastest growing mortgage brokerage firm.

This share price does create a great opportunity for current shareholders and future shareholders to be part of a great company that is rapidly growing and has its goals set on being one of North America's largest mortgage brokers.

Kelly and Cocker launch digital media shop

2009-11-25T06:40:00.000-08:00

Martin Kelly, the former media director of Agency Republic,has launched a start-up with Andy Cocker, the trading director at Isobar UK.

The independent agency, called Infectious, will offer media planning and buying across digital media, with Kelly responsible for planning and Cocker for buying.

The founders are also looking to recruit a third partner to build the data and technology backbone of the agency. Infectious will seek to win business from clients with small-to-medium-sized online spend of around £2 million, and is looking to build partnerships with digital creative agencies in a bid to bring in business.

The agency, which is due to launch on 19 May, aims to capitalise on developments in digital media such as the rise of social media and behavioural targeting.

Kelly said:"There are a multitude of changes taking place across the internet and digital media markets. The pace of change is not slowing as the market matures, it's actually getting quicker."

A Reason To Believe

2009-11-25T06:35:00.000-08:00

On that day, record stores across the United States will give out free promotional music CDs, vinyl and videos as well as other bag-stuffers, and host performances and meet-and-greets by everyone from Metallica (Rasputin's in Mountain View, Calif.) to Regina Spektor (Sound Fix in Williamsburg, N.Y.).

The idea, conceived last fall at the indie store-focused Noise in the Basement convention, initially was launched and embraced by the three U.S. rock coalitions: 124-unit Music Monitor Network (MMN), which includes 23 stores in Canada; 51-unit Coalition of Independent Music Stores; and 32-unit Alliance of Independent Media Stores (AIMS); as well as the 27-unit Newbury Comics chain and the 17 independent record stores run by the 60-unit Value Music chain. In addition, another 100 U.S. stores have signed on to support the concept, as have an additional 25 stores around the world.

In fact, the idea proved so popular that organizers were forced to have a sign-up cutoff date for fear that there wouldn't be enough promotional material to supply all stores. Maine Governor John A. Baldacci has also chimed in by proclaiming April 19 Record Store Day in that state.

With the mainstream press continually writing about how digital developments are causing the death of the CD, "it seems that there is a perception that record stores are something of a joke; like we are all dinosaurs stuck in the tar," says Eric Levin, owner of Criminal Records in Atlanta and head of AIMS.

Consequently, "it was time for the record stores to step out and throw ourselves a party," MMN president Michael Kurtz says. "We want to get the word out on what is happening in our stores and show our place in the community."

More important, Kurtz says his goals include evolving the event in a few years into a big volume sales day, like Black Friday, to help establish the indie record store as a different class of retailer from the mass merchants and online retailers. If that happens, maybe indie record stores can get special functional discounts like those afforded to the rackjobbers that service the discount department stores. Plus, retailers hope the day "will attract the kids, the generation that we lost, who don't know what a good record store is anymore," Kurtz says.

Artists have come out of the woodwork to support Record Store Day, including numerous testimonials on recordstoreday.com, which measures 60,000 unique visitors per month.

The April 19 lineup also includes Panic at the Disco meeting with fans at Waterloo in Austin and Steve Earle and AlIison Moorer doing the same at Manifest in Charlotte, N.C.

"Once we explained what Record Store Day was, Metallica was like, 'Lef s do it,'" says one of the band's managers, Marc Reiter of Q Prime Management. "It took no convincing on our part. [Metallica] shops at Rasputin's. They love [California's] Amoeba and they loved Tower."

In fact, Q Prime is trying to get as many of its acts involved as possible, whether it be through signings, in-store performances or working as clerks or cashiers in the stores, he adds.

"It's like lightning in a bottle when music consumers discover artists at an indie record store, particularly for new and developing artists who want to have an authentic, meaningful, long-term career," Spektor manager Ron Shapiro says.

In addition to signings and performances, MMN director of marketing Carrie Colliton estimates the stores participating in the event will give away 100,000 units of promotional merchandise, from about 25 different suppliers. This includes 3-D glasses from the One Little Indian label to screenings of a new 3-D version of Björk's "Wanderlust" video; an EP from 36 Crazyfists; a 12-inch album sampler from both Sony BMG and Universal Music Group; a Flyleaf EP from Octone; a Nonesuch sampler; and a Rhino Records calendar and the Freaky Creature Comics Book from WEA.

Also, plenty of catalog promotions and commercial releases are being issued in time for Record Store Day, including a $9.99 sale for Metallica's CD catalog and reissues of the band's first two albums on 180-gram vinyl. WEA is also supplying the event with for-sale 7-inch singles featuring the Black Keys, Panic at the Disco, Death Cab for Cutie and Jason Mraz. Whaf s more, participating stores will feature DVDs for $3.99-$9.99 and a massive selection of CD catalog for $10 or less.

So far, the reception for the event has been "overwhelming," according to Levin. "I don't think anyone could have imagined it would have rolled this quickly, received international attention and so many retailers and labels looking to participate, all in the first year," he says.

In the United Kingdom, Stephen Godfroy, director of the Rough Trade East store in London, says he's hard at work lining up performances and in-store signings. He reports that other U.K. stores have also embraced the concept.

"We heard about it from our friends in the trade and grabbed the baton to celebrate Record Store Day here in the U.K.," he says. "I know of 25 other U.K. stores involved, but I am sure there are plenty of others who have heard about it and are embracing the day."

But what about the name? To be sure, record stores are not just record stores anymore, what with all the DVDs, Tshirts, dolls, trading cards, comic books, collectibles and other product lines on offer. "We have mostly all morphed into something else," Bull Moose VP of operations and marketing Chris Brown says. "We need a new name."

Value Music buyer Brian Poehner agrees with Brown, saying that his stores are more like "pop-culture stores. We have a better selection of videogames than any Gamestop out there, and the same goes for DVDs. We are a multidimensional type of store and we are changing with the times."

HOW AGENCIES ARE HELPING THEIR CLIENTS HELP THE ENVIRONMENT

2009-11-25T06:30:00.000-08:00

GREEN GUIDANCE: Initiatives include everything from measuring a campaign's carbon footprint to preserving the honeybee population

WHAT STARTED AS A low rumble as marketers began talking about green issues has grown to a rather loud din. And as marketers recognize the best business practices of sustainability, they more frequently turn to their marketing partners for guidance. These are some agencies coast to coast that are helping fuel the green machine.

PHD

The Omnicom Group media shop in January launched PHD Sustain, aimed at reducing the environmental impact of PHD's media plans. PHD has teamed up with a researcher from the University of California, Berkeley, to measure the environmental impact of each media channel-for instance, the amount of electricity required to power a 30-second spot.

Using those data, an Environmental Media Sustainability Index is created for media planners. The software tool shows how green options, such as solar-panel billboards, can lessen a media plan's environmental hazards. That way, when media planners are considering costs per thousand for clients such as Enterprise Rent-A-Car and Discovery Communications, they can also factor in sustainability. "For those who are truly concerned with sustainability, it matters," says PHD North American CEO Matt Seiler.

PORTER NOVELLI

Omnicom's Porter Novelli has developed the PN Styles database of 12,000 U.S. consumers, including what it has determined to be the most important segments of the green consumer audience. It recently helped Hewlett-Packard Co. launch its HP Imaging and Printing Group's environmental printing solutions initiative.

RAPP COLLINS WORLDWIDE

Also at Omnicom, Rapp Collins has formed an agencywide Green Council to develop sustainable options and green alternatives in print production. A recent example is a PepsiCo direct-mail campaign. The Lipton PureLeaf effort targeted "Whole Foodies" and focused on the consumer's healthy-living attitude using paper that was 30% post-consumer waste.

KETCHUM

Ketchum has established a network of green-focused individuals within all of the agency's practices. Earlier this year, it launched the Ketchum Sustainability Network, a 20-person team specializing in sustainability and environmental initiatives. Dave Chapman, partner and director, is the Omnicom-owned agency's lead on green initiatives. Ketchum has 30 green-focused efforts around the globe, including the "Help the Honey Bee" initiative for Häagen-Dazs, which supports sustainable-pollination research programs.

SAATCHI & SAATCHI

"We're not a fad," says Adam Werbach, CEO of Publias Croupe's Saatchi & Saatchi S. He adds: "We aren't jumping on the opportunity; we honestly feel like we've been building it."

There's no disputing that Mr. Werbach isn't new to green. At 23, he was the youngest president of the Sierra Club. And before he sold his consultancy, Act Now Productions, to Saatchi & Saatchi, it was pushing companies to adopt sustainable practices. Now's he's spearheading Saatchi & Saatchi's green efforts via the S operation created last January.

Mr. Werbach has added 15 staff members to the core of 40 from Act Now. These aren't exactly typical agency folks. They include a former energy chair of the Clinton Global Initiative, a minister, a manufacturing-process expert with 30 years of experience in Detroit auto plants, consumer-products-packaging experts, experts in product-life-cycle analysis and architects accredited by Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. "We are as much management consultants as marketers," Mr. Werbach says. Clients include General Mills' Green Giant brand, health insurer WellPoint and Wal-Mart Stores, which earlier turned to Mr. Werbach as a sustainability consultant.

LEO BURNETT WORLDWIDE

Leo Burnett's global campaign for the World Wildlife Fund may change its image as an agency for marketers that are not exactly synonymous with sustainability. Publicis-owned Burnett helped the World Wildlife Fund debut "Earth Hour" in 2007, when it plunged the skyline of Sydney, Australia, into darkness. This year Burnett helped push the promotion globally, as more than 40 cities worldwide shut off their lights for an hour. Burnett Senior VP David Brot, who led the U.S. effort, says the project "resulted in a dialogue with management about how to make Burnett a greener place. There's a lot of pride in our leadership role."

MANNING SELVAGE & LEE

Late last year, Publias' Manning Selvage & Lee launched its global Eco Network, led by Sheila Gruber McLean and Megan Jordan. For Home Depot, MS&L helped launch the Eco Options product line of energy-saving devices and sustainable forestry materials. MS&L says what sets its green offering apart from other agencies' is that it focuses on driving business value. Clients tapping the network also include General Motors Corp., Philips, Coca-Cola Co., Financial Times and Best Buy Co.

DROGA5

Independent DrogaS expanded the Tap Project, its cause-marketing initiative to bring all children dean drinking water, into a national effort this year. The agency asked shops coast to coast-including Saatchi & Saatchi, Hill Holliday and Goodby, Silverstein & Partners-to volunteer to create citycentric creative campaigns to promote World Water Week. During the event, restaurant patrons are asked to make donations for water that's ordinarily provided for free. Proceeds go to UNICEF, which will help children in developing countries obtain dean water.

WEBER SHANDWICK

Weber Shandwick's Cleantech and Planet 2050 practices lead its green efforts. Cleantech, headed by William Brent, works with companies engaged in renewable energy and energy efficiency. Planet 2050, led by Brendan May, is the agency's global corporate-responsibility and -sustainability practice. Siemens and Honeywell have used the green-practices program of Weber, part of Interpublic Group of Cos. All of Weber's U.S. offices recently were certified for meeting international environmental standards.

GOLIN HARRIS

Managing Director Scott Farrell heads GolinHarris' Geolmpact, founded in 2007. The Interpublic PR agency develops sustainability messaging across multiple dimensions of corporate and product communications. Geolmpact is helping Dow Chemical Co. leverage its global sustainability initiative.

OGILVY PUBLIC RELATIONS WORLDWIDE

The agency is part of Ogilvy Group's Greenery, founded late last year. Jamie Moeller, managing director-global public affaire practice, heads the WPP Group shop's green efforts. CDW Corp. is working with Ogilvy to launch its corporate-citizenship and -sustainability program, which includes measuring the company's environmental footprint.

HILL & KNOWLTON

WPP's Hill & Knowlton approaches the area as a cross-discipline expertise, tapping regulatory affairs, policy creation, and stakeholder and influencer outreach. HSBC has employed Hill & Knowlton's green expertise for its "No Small Challenge" campaign designed to encourage customers to use paperless banking options. The company has since charged H&K with creating awareness surrounding the unveiling of the bank's first LEED-certified branch in Greece, N. Y.

LANDOR ASSOCIATES

Landor Associates' research indicates that sustainability must be integrated into an organization as a brand. As a result, the WPP-owned agency decided against creating a stand-alone green unit and has instead embedded sustainability and its green knowledge across the organization. Russ Meyer, global chief strategy officer, is Landor's point person on green efforts. Some of those tapping into its green expertise include BP, News Corp. and Earthpark, an environmental learning center being developed in Iowa.

EDELMAN

Mitchell D. Markson, president-consumer brands and global creative director, heads up Edelman's Goodpurpose initiative. The PR agency says its sustainability expertise is aiding Wal-Mart, Starbucks Corp. and the Environmental Defense Fund.

IMC2

Independent digital agency IMC2 recently launched Clear Sky Digital Media, a free online tool marketers can use to calculate the carbon footprints of their online campaigns. Clear Sky Digital Media, developed with ICF International and an environmental researcher at Stanford University, converts online media buys into a kilowatt-hour measure of the energy necessary to support their delivery. That measurement is translated into carbon emissions and then used to determine the cost of purchasing reliable offset credits from organizations that fund emission reductions.

HORIZON MEDIA

Horizon Media slashed the amount of paper used in media buys when it started applying a system called Eleven, which is totally paperless, to maintain buys for local TV, cable and radio. "The total carbon footprint of this process is being reduced 100%," says Amy Berke, senior VP-brand strategy in Horizon's Los Angeles office.

Many agencies are also getting greener on the inside, and it goes beyond recycling paper.

* WPP Group's Tackling Climate Change is a holding-companywide initiative to reduce its energy consumption. The company has identified four areas for conservation: office, IT travel and procurement. WPP says up to 70% of the electricity used in its U.K. offices comes from renewable sources. The company plans to cut the energy used by computers in its offices worldwide by 30%.

* Grey last fall launched its Green It Forward initiative and website to encourage Madison Avenue agencies to share and swap eco-friendly practices. The WPP agency itself took steps to reduce its carbon footprint, including corporate discounts for bike purchases.

* Omnicom digital agency Organic is partnering with San Francisco nonprofit Live Neutral to help offset its carbon footprint. Using a survey of the number of commuters at the agency and an analysis of its financial data, Organic calculates carbon generated by the agency and then purchases carbon credits from Live Neutral to offset its environmental impact.

* Omnicom's BBDO Worldwide tied the greening of its agency back to its clients via the new Project Greener Light initiative. BBDO, New York, for example, replaced all incandescent light bulbs in the office with client GE's compact fluorescent lights and, to bring the idea home, made the CFLs available to staffers at a discounted price at another client, Lowe's.

* Publicis' Media Vest formalized an office greening effort last October, in part because a large number of the agency's employees, with an average age of 26, identified it as a priority. Beyond the usual recycling of paper and glass, the New York office has introduced green cleaning agents for the floors and bagless vacuum cleaners. Even the agency's food isn't going to waste: After officewide events, extra food is donated to area homeless, senior and youth programs.

And then there's the contrarian:

Goodby, Silverstein & Partners has no plans to set up a separate "green" unit. "To us, that smacks of opportunism," says Harold Sogard, vice chairman of the Omnicom-owned agency. "In advertising, all the time we are supposed to represent what is going on in the world around us and connecting with popular culture. The green movement is part of popular culture now, but to set this up as a separate unit seems silly. People try too much in this business to jump on trends to say, 'We're on that/ and it's bogus."

That's not to say Goodby isn't forgoing the opportunity to be involved in green campaigns.

It created Häagen-Dazs' honeybee ad and Hewlett-Packard's environmental "Dandelion" ad and participated in DrogaS's Tap Project.

MusicGiants and J. River Ink Integration Pact

2009-11-25T06:26:00.000-08:00

MusicGiants, a distributor of HD entertainment, and J. River, an independent provider of media player software, have partnered to deliver their products to a network of independent digital service providers.

The two companies are combining technology to provide solutions for the next stage of digital media delivery.

Jim Hillegass, CEO of J. River, said, "We believe that a strong, open, and independent network of digital media companies will be a welcome alternative to proprietary solutions from Apple and Microsoft."

The first implementation of this new approach is a new player and service, using the MediaNet music subscription service to provide non-stop, unlimited playback of WMA content streams, with a built-in option to purchase a hi-def download from the MusicGiants store or a CD.

"By including our HD Media Store inside the J. River player, millions of digital media customers will have the opportunity to purchase music that sounds exactly the way the artists intended it to be heard in full resolution, said Scott Bahneman, CEO of MusicGiants.

TDG: Global Home Server Market Poised for Rapid Growth

2009-11-25T06:18:00.000-08:00

According to new research from TDG, an analytics and advisory firm focused on emerging consumer technologies, global diffusion of Home Servers will grow from 1.2 million in 2008 to more than 90 million by 2015.

TDG's latest report, One Platform to Rule Them All: The Age of the Home Server Begins, identifies several factors which will spur widespread market availability of and consumer demand for easy-to-use, inexpensive Home Server platforms in the next few years, including:

-- Mainstream adoption of broadband Internet service and home networks;

-- The rate at which consumer-created and commercial digital media content is being stockpiled in consumer homes, and its impact on in-home storage requirements;

-- The proliferation of in-home, mobile, and portable digital media devices which require synchronization, backup, and interoperability with other devices; and

-- Swift declines in the cost of digital storage which place manufacturing and distributing inexpensive Home Server products well within the reach of most OEMs.

Though the PC has been the incumbent device for such store-and-serve functionality, the tide is now turning. According to Ted Theocheung, senior analyst with TDG, "The long-standing presumption in favor of the PC as 'the' digital media store-and-serve platform is shifting to a new class of devices with more CE-like characteristics that deliver simple, reliable, and targeted functionality. For mainstream consumers, the PC will become more of 'a' client on the home network, as opposed to 'the' Home Server."

One Platform to Rule Them All: The Age of the Home Server Begins offers a thorough analysis of the evolution of digital home store-and-serve solutions; discusses the key drivers and inhibitors impacting this market; offers both global and regional forecasts of Home Server diffusion thru 2015; and provides a detailed set of recommendations for companies looking to enter this market space.

TDG is an analytics and advisory firm specializing in the broadband media and digital home markets.

Retail Track

2009-11-25T06:08:00.000-08:00

he stores that rock America met Sept. 17-21 in Baltimore for the Noise in the Basement Creative Conference.

Officially the 11-chain, 96-store Music Monitor Network's (MMN) annual convention, the confab really serves as a gathering for most of the coolest record stores in the United States, including members of the Coalition of Independent Music Stores, the Alliance of Independent Media Stores (AIMS) and the Southeast Coalition of Urban Retailers (secUR), as well as J&R Music World of New York; Vintage Vinyl Records of Fords, N.J.; Newbury Comics; and the Value Music Group of Indie Stores. Billboard estimates that about 270 stores with nearly $500 million in annual revenue were represented at the convention.

The Pretenders, the Hold Steady, Nappy Roots, Rachael Yamagata and many others performed at record-label product presentations during the day and club showcases at night. But amid all the great music, Noise in the Basement attendees also wrestled with some hot-button issues.

EXCLUSIVES: MMN president Michael Kurtz said that all retailers need more transparency when labels are giving exclusives to big boxes. For instance, if indie retailers had known ahead of time that Judas Priest's "Nostradamus" was going to be available exclusively at Best Buy, they would have altered their buying and marketing plans, Kurtz said.

Label and distribution executives said they would try to be more sensitive regarding exclusives, but they claimed that sometimes they didn't have prior knowledge of some exclusives because deals are often cut by artists' managers. They also acknowledged that superstar exclusives are probably here to stay.

Sony BMG Music Entertainment executive VP of sales Jennifer Schaldler said that in return for such exclusives, retailers provide "an unbelievable amount of marketing" behind the release, often spending far more than the label itself would if it distributed a record conventionally.

On the other hand, the practice of providing multiple retailers, each with their own exclusive tracks, may soon be winding down. "The one-offbonus track has worn out its welcome," Schaidler said.

DELUXE VERSIONS: Labels and merchants found some common ground when discussing deluxe versions of albums. Putting out such a release with new bonus materials after a regular version has been out for a while can spur the core fan base to buy the album again, but it alienates them too, retailers said. Retailers told labels that regular and deluxe versions of albums should come out on the same date so that consumers can make an informed purchasing decision. "LII Wayne was fair because the fans got to chose which one to buy" because both versions of "Tha Carter III" came out on the officiai street date, says Michele Seawrlght, owner of North Georgia Compact Disc in Norcross, Ga., and head of secUR.

Bryan Burkert, owner of the Sound Garden in Baltimore, suggested that a deluxe version should perhaps come out ahead of the regular version. Sony BMG's Schaidler seemed to find some merit in that idea, pointing out that there could be a window where dedicated fans get a high-end version of the album, with casual listeners getting a regular version later.

VINYL: WEA senior director of configuration development Billy Fields said he is working hard to get vinyl out by the CD street date, "which isn't easy because of production issues" at vinyl plants. Fields said he wants to put out deluxe and regular versions of vinyl too, just like CDs. He added that the company is looking to get catalog records back out in vinyl that should have always remained available in the format.

Retailers complained that labels should do a better job in packaging vinyl so that it doesn't get broken in transit. Also, Newbury Comics CEO Mike Dreese said that when labels decide how to allocate their vinyl dollars, he thinks that it would be wiser for them to improve vinyl packaging than to opt for higher-grade vinyl.

RECORD STORE DAY: The second annual Record Store Day is expected to be held in April 2009 and will be more global than this year's event. Kurtz said he plans to travel to Japan to meet with indie store owners to help them get Record Store Day off the ground, while Bull Moose VP of marketing Chris Brown said he plans to go to the United Kingdom to meet with merchants there.

Kurtz and other indie retail leaders acknowledged that that they had overlooked urban music retailers this year and want to ensure they rectify that next year. WEA VP of urban sales Ray Arceneaux acknowledged that the labels were aware of the issue and assured merchants that labels are committed to making it happen on the urban end as well.

Eric Levin, owner of Criminal Records in Atlanta and AIMS leader, noted that some labels took a wait-and-see approach on Record Store Day this year. But after the media coverage that this year's event generated, "nobody is skeptical anymore," Universal Music Group Distribution president/CEO Jim Urie said. "I can't imagine there is a record label that won't be a part of it next year."

Cox Launches 'Media Store and Share' in Northern Virginia and Fredericksburg; Free service allows customers to back-up files online and share them wit

2009-11-25T05:55:00.000-08:00

"We're committed to helping our customers get more out of what they're into," stated Chris Pantoya, Vice President-Sales and Marketing. "Media Store and Share is a perfect example of bringing that strategy to life. Customers can back-up their files in their own secure, online vault -- and if they choose, they can share those files with friends and family."

Media Store and Share allows customers to manually transfer files from their computer into their online vault. PC users can also download a separate program that will automatically copy specified file types from the customer's computer into the storage vault on a regular basis -- providing essential online back-up. Media Store and Share also lets customers store music for personal use and create custom playlists with their music files.

Customers can access the new Media Store and Share service by logging into their primary Cox account through the Internet Tools link on www.cox.net. The easy-to-use application walks the customer through the process of uploading files, creating folders and sharing files with other users.

"With Media Store and Share from Cox, there's no hopping between several separate video and photo sites to store and share different types of files," stated Pantoya. "The integrated storage vault allows users to keep various file types in one place and share them with as few or as many people as they'd like."

Media Store and Share is the latest in a series of enhancements for Cox High Speed Internet customers. In the last year alone, Cox has increased speeds and added PowerBoost for uploads; increased mailbox sizes; strengthened Internet safety with the Cox Security Suite powered by McAfee; and added new features like Cox Rhapsody music and free access to myNOGGIN. Customers recognize Cox as an Internet provider of choice, as evidenced by the 2007 PC Magazine Readers' Choice Award. Cox has received this honor four out of the last five years.

About Cox Communications:

Cox Communications is a multi-service broadband communications and entertainment company with 6.2 million total residential and commercial customers. The third-largest cable television company in the United States, Cox offers an array of advanced digital video, high-speed Internet and telephony services over its own nationwide IP network. Cox Business is a full-service, facilities-based provider of communications solutions for commercial customers, providing high-speed Internet, voice and long distance services, as well as data and video transport services for small to large-sized businesses. Cox Media offers national and local cable advertising in traditional spot and new media formats, along with promotional opportunities and production services. Cox Communications wholly owns and operates the Travel Channel. More information about the services of Cox Communications, a wholly owned subsidiary of Cox Enterprises, is available at www.cox.com, www.coxbusiness.com, and www.coxmedia.com.

Las Vegas Review-Journal The Online Guy column

2009-11-25T05:38:00.000-08:00

Backing up and sharing digital files got easier for Cox high-speed Internet customers with preferred and premier service levels. The 5-gigabyte online vault stores digital files which can be retrieved from any online computer.

I set up my vault and uploaded files to it in less than two minutes. To get started, users should log into their Cox accounts, head to the "Internet tools" link, then go to the "media store and share" link on the left side of the page. The instructions guide the user in setting up folders, including creating areas for music, photos, videos and documents.

The service is a consumer version of an FTP (file transfer protocol) site used by many users with a need to move large files across the Internet.

"We're committed to helping our customers get more of what they're into," said Leo Brannon, senior vice president and general manager of Cox Las Vegas.

Customers can also download a free program that will automatically copy specified files from their computer into the storage vault on a regular schedule. This backup service isn't available for Macintosh users, but the manual process is quick and easy.

--YellowPages Travel (www.yellowpages.travel)

Searching for the best rates for air, hotel, rental cars, tours and just about anything involving travel just got easier. Shoppers enter their dates and locations once, then the site fills in the blanks on many of the top travel Web sites. Icons for each travel portal appear on the return page, then a click takes you to the destination site, such as Orbitz, Expedia, CheapOTickets, or any of the 24 sites searched by the service.

I found it easy to complete my searches, as a new browser tab is launched for each portal search. Comparing fares and rates is simple, shortening the time spent looking for the best deals.

--Free Shipping (www.freeshipping.org)

Attention online shoppers. Bookmark this site. Now.

With links to more than 800 merchants offering either free shipping or other coupon deals, this is a must-visit spot for bargain hunters. Shoppers can search by brand or category and can also find merchants offering free overnight shipping.

Who doesn't like free?

I've posted more online shopping tips from this site on my Tidbits Blog (www.lvrj.com/blogs/onlineguy).

Send me your online shopping secrets via e-mail or post them to my blog and I'll share the best ones in a future column. Use the subject line "shopping."

CHRISTINE WALKER

2009-11-25T05:31:00.000-08:00

Three years ago, Christine Walker had a nervous breakdown. Not a real one, thank goodness. She just had to pretend to be ill for a film intended to raise the profile of Nabs.

Indeed, it would be hard to find anybody of a less nervous disposition than the blunt-speaking matriarch variously dubbed the Maggie Thatcher of Media and the First Lady of British Advertising.

In a long career, her nerve and resilience have been constantly tested. Yet the girl who's one of the boys while exploiting the fact that she isn't one - exited at the top with a pile of money and her place in advertising history assured.

Not only was she one of the architects of Zenith Media, the first big media buying operation, but she also launched Walker Media, which became the UK's largest independent media shop.

Passionate and obsessive, she has been an inspiration for women in a testosterone-fuelled business. Yet her achievements extend well beyond being an industry pioneer for her sex.

"Christine has played a unique role in the shaping of our industry as we know it today, often by the sheer power and dynamism of her own personality," Sly Bailey,Trinity Mirror's chief executive, says.

"There are many who could learn from the Christine way of doing things: great relationships driving great results for clients. She's an inspiration."

Any client who has sat drinking, smoking and talking with her into the small hours could not fail to be impressed by her charm, her incredible depth of media knowledge and her abhorrence of blandness.

Walker's work ethic was instilled in her during her first job selling ad space at Haymarket: "It taught me the world didn't owe me a living. My boss, Mike Potter, had the week's targets on a board. It woke me up: you had to hit those targets to pay the rent and have some beer money. I learned never to fear rejection."

She also learned to know the business of the customer she was about to call and the value of relationships. Both accomplishments helped her land her first agency job as a media buyer at Benton & Bowles in 1976.

Her rise through the ranks to become an associate media director meant that she would be a key player when her boss, Ray Morgan, broke away to launch his eponymous media agency in 1985, taking most of his staff and clients with him.

Walker was just 28 and pregnant. However, RMP prospered and,in doing so,set new standards in media planning and buying.

Ironically,given how she would later become known as the "heart and soul" of Zenith Media, she was the only RMP director who opposed the company's sale to Saatchi & Saatchi in 1988 as a precursor to Zenith's establishment. She later agreed so the deal could proceed.

Zenith, a merger of RMP with the media buying operations of three Saatchis group agencies, was a hive of activity and Walker emerged as its queen bee. Her personality and passion is cited as a major reason why the agency won and retained millions of poundsworth of business. All of which only compounded the shock that greeted her resignation in January 1997. "I was shell-shocked," a colleague confessed at the time."It's a real body blow."

Why did she quit? Walker says: "I was fond of Zenith,it's difficult not to be.But the world I was living in was bland and filled with people sitting around waiting for their pensions. That's fine, but it's not for me."

Her exit and her subsequent launch ofWalker Media turned sour when her old ally Derrick Southon, then the chief executive of Zenith Europe,launched a legal action against her to stop her poaching Zenith clients.

The bitter battle was settled before it reached the High Court, but it left a legacy of rancour between Walker and Southon, her former mentor. "I don't blame him for wanting to protect their business, but he wrote an affidavit against me and there was no need to do that," she claims. "I'm not a believer in forgiveness. I won't breathe the same oxygen as him now."

The launch of Walker Media, a joint venture with M&C Saatchi, in 1997 ended months of speculation. Walker had been expected to align herself with WPP's Sir Martin Sorrell, but found the old Saatchis "nothing is impossible" mantra impossible to resist. "Attitudinally, we're the same," she said at the time."We're both street fighters."

Walker Media has undoubtedly thrived by adhering to its core values of client service, strategic thinking and the ability to implement that thinking. Moreover, it remains the only non-network media agency in the UK top ten.

Observers suggest it has had a lot to do with the different but complementary talents of the tough, gogetting Walker and her thoughtful and systematic founding partner, Phil Georgiadis.

He has now assumed leadership of the business after Walker's decision to step down to take time out abroad before returning"to pursue other interests".

With her departure, the industry lost one of its most charismatic personalities. At Zenith, Walker led an operation that redefined the market. With Walker Media, she successfully bucked the trend once again by launching a full-service media agency when planning-only start-ups were the fashion.

What's more, her fanaticism for the business remains undiminished after three decades. "Thirty years on, there is more technology, more middlemen and fewer personalities, but it remains a great industry," she wrote in Campaign last year. "If I were 21 again, I'd follow exactly the same path."

Any client who has sat drinking, smoking and talking with her could not fail to be impressed by her charm, media knowledge and abhorrence of blandness

Cox Extends 'Media Store and Share' Service in Virginia

2009-11-25T05:27:00.000-08:00

Cox Communications announced that it is offering its high-speed Internet customers up to 5GB of free storage in an online vault through its new Media Store and Share service.

Cox said the feature, which is free for all Preferred and Premier package customers, allows customers to save their favorite photos, videos and documents online and share them with others via an e-mail link.

Cox Communications is a multi-service broadband communications and entertainment company with 6.2 million total residential and commercial customers.

Silver: Mediaedge:cia On the leading edge

2009-11-25T05:22:00.000-08:00

Marketers looking to cross over from traditional media into the new media vanguard in 2008 did well to knock on the door at Mediaedge:cia.

The agency helped Molson Canadian and Coors Light overcome low brand acceptance and backlash in the social media space. In the first partnership of its kind, the media shop collaborated with Facebook on two sponsored groups for the brewer, sharing research and resources to solve age- verification issues and gain insight into how consumers use the space.

At the same time, MEC underwent a significant transition of its own: former president Bruce Grondin, an industry veteran of 35-plus years, passed the torch to Bruce Neve, his colleague of 20 years, in May.

In the current risk-averse economic climate, Neve points out that the biggest challenge in his new role has been continuing to convince clients that there's good ROI in advertising in traditional media, while harnessing the power of new channels responsibly and effectively.

MEC's philosophy of "active engagement" has equipped it to take on this challenge with aplomb, as has its investment in proprietary research to understand consumer behaviour. "While this type of environment breeds a lot of caution," says Neve, "it can also breed an appetite for some strategic, smart risk-taking." And that's where data comes in.

GroupM's acquisition of St. Louis-based search marketing firm Outrider in February was such an investment, and has gone a long way to support MEC's approach with its clients. Search engine marketing, search engine optimization and advanced search capabilities in mobile, video, social and local media have been integrated into all of MEC's offerings, and according to Neve, the search practice is growing like crazy.

"There's lots of opportunity in this country," he explains. "Search [here] is underspent, I think, versus in the U.S."

Investing in search and digital has given MEC a better understanding of social media and user-generated content behaviours - a major accomplishment for the agency in 2008.

That learning has also enabled it to hone a position on the cutting edge and exploit the new channels for the benefit of clients like Molson and Sears (see p. 86). "We're always looking for how to do more with less and get better results," says Neve.

This momentum attracted the attention of new clients including Energizer Canada, which joined MEC's client roster in October 2007.

"There's been a really good level of engagement," says Kent Hatton, brand group director for Energizer Canada. "Our strategic thinking is well aligned, and they certainly understand the essence of our brand."

As for the future, MEC's focus will be on continuing to diversify its service offerings and further understand and leverage new media avenues.

"It's fun when you're involved in a business that has a lot of change, and you're actually inventing new ways of doing things," says Neve.

VITAL STATS

Location: Toronto

Number of employees: 112

Notable hires: - Rodney Perry, managing partner, director MEC Interaction -Niall Mulholland, managing partner, connection planning -Cindy Worsley, communications strategy director

New business: Energizer, Schick, Playtex, Weight Watchers, Skyy Vodka, Paramount Vantage

CORONA

Corona wanted to broaden its association beyond memories of Mexico. Tapping into the busy 24-to-39 demo's desire to make the most of its downtime, Corona sought to expand its niche to become the beer of vacations, general relaxation and escapism.

To do that, Mediaedge:cia had to mastermind Corona presence wherever the consumer was either taking a break or thinking of one, increasing its association with entertaining at home, relaxing at the cottage or hitting up a patio on a nice summer day.

MEC formed a partnership with Alliance specialty channels to create special Corona-branded vignettes featuring Trish Magwood, the host of Party Dish. These vignettes ran throughout programming that fit with the core demographic, with an emphasis on home entertaining programs. A microsite on foodtv.ca featured backyard entertaining tips and recipes.

Working with Molson sales, Mediaedge:cia developed a full patio domination program, placing Corona-branded Muskoka chairs, tables, tiki bars, thatch umbrellas and misting palm trees to transform licensed patios into mini- oases. To increase impact, branded weather-triggered "ideal patio weather" alerts ran on radio and online via the Weather Network.

Mediaedge:cia also formed a partnership with Cottage Life magazine, with Corona presence and contests at the Spring Cottage Life Show and full-page ads and recipe pages in the magazine and on cottagelife.ca. A removable sticker insert to mark key holidays in the Cottage Life calendar with a tiny Corona label created a direct link with consumers' downtime moments.

Finally, Mediaedge:cia added an extensive OOH buy skewed to licensed patios, beaches, cottage country escape routes and key points of retail.

Corona's share continues to grow, as does its brand/ad recall and association with relaxation.

SEARS CANADA

Rather than buying media to support Sears' enhanced electronics departments, Mediaedge:cia chose to sell it instead.

Canwest Media was given exclusive access to Sears' media assets to promote Global TV's new fall schedule. The message - "The best way to experience Global's fall shows is on an HDTV from Sears home electronics" - appeared on in-store window displays, showplace zones and aisle panels, weekly Sears flyers, in-store announcements and sears.ca and e-newsletters. As well, a 30- minute HD reel of new programming ran on the TVs in Sears electronics departments.

In return, Canwest delivered 20-second promos for Global programs with key Sears and vendor messaging, a four-page glossy insert with Sears messaging and Sony and Panasonic ads, distributed via Canwest newspapers and street hawkers wearing Sears/Global outfits. Entertainment Tonight Canada created a custom 30-minute prime-time program covering Global TV's new fall programming, of which Sears was the exclusive sponsor. A contest featuring Sears prizing was pre-promoted via on-air spots, newspaper ads in the largest Canadian markets, on canada.com and in a monthly newsletter to canada.com subscribers.

Over 90% of the English-Canadian public was engaged by the program, Sears electronics sales increased 20% and over 98,000 people entered the contest. Sears also collected over 3,000 names of people who would like to receive more information about home electronics.

MOLSON

When Molson saw that its male legal-drinking-age-to-29 target was spending more time on social media sites like Facebook, the brewer wanted to test this channel to connect with its consumers.

To avoid backlash and/or low acceptance of brands and advertising, Mediaedge:cia and Molson conducted an in-depth analysis, observing and interacting with consumers live within Facebook. Based on their findings, they developed a plan for two sponsored groups, one for Molson Canadian and one for Coors Light. In exchange for a media commitment to drive traffic to these groups, Facebook provided full access to back-end data and programming resources, category exclusivity and assistance in the creation of a new age- verification method linked directly to users' profile data.

Working with the Molson marketing team and key agency partners, Mediaedge:cia developed consumer activation plans and created a template for the creative agencies to follow that would leverage all the tools within the Facebook environment. The Molson Canadian Intern for a Day contest encouraged users to upload video applications that were voted on by the group's members. The Coors Light Name that Caption contest invited users to post captions for an off-the-wall picture, and received over 800 posts. The Coors Light Action Sports Video contest asked users to post videos of action sports feats, and the winner was featured on MTV.ca.

Within a short time, Molson's two groups became the largest Canadian- sponsored groups on Facebook, nearing 50,000 active members and amassing over 1,500 photo posts, 150 video uploads and 3,000 posts on the walls and discussion boards.

The Curious Story of UM

2009-11-25T05:15:00.000-08:00

In his first five months on the job, Universal McCann Worldwide CEO Matt Seiler has put his stamp on the Interpublic media shop, restructuring the U.S. operation, solidifying his senior global management team and instituting a new global brand position.

Mary Gerzema, president of UM's U.S. operation, left the shop at year's end and the position has been eliminated. Instead of a U.S. president, Seiler is hiring an executive to head the New York office, who will have oversight of a number of key U.S. accounts and capabilities including the national broadcast and print buying operations, business development, among others.

In the new structure, "North America looks like a mini world with Canada, New York, LA, San Francisco and J3 [the stand-alone J&J operation within UM] as sort of full-service entities reporting into global with the other geographical regions," Seiler explained.

Meanwhile Seller's global management team, including three new positions, is in place. Veteran agency and search consultant Jan Boyle has joined the shop in the new role of global managing partners lead. Boyle will work with the agency's account heads (although they will report to Seiler) on major global and multiregional clients. Boyle will also serve as chief liaison with the McCann World Group, which houses sister creative and diversified service agencies such as McCann Erickson, in order to, as Seiler puts it, "insure we're getting the most out of each other in critical markets around the world."

Seiler has also created a worldwide chief marketing officer position, appointing Scott Tegethoff to fill it Tegethoff will continue to oversee the shop's global Coca-Cola account across 49 markets. Huw Griffiths has been promoted to global director of research, a new position. Daryl Lee, president of global strategy and Quentin George, president of digital and new media, retain their roles while joining the global management team.

UM has also just launched its new brand position, with the tagline, "curious minds for surprising results," which replaces, "the next thing now."

One of the problems with the latter slogan, said Seiler, was that, "If you're just bringing them new stuff all the time, so what? In an economy such as this, clients are saying, 'I'm not sure I just want to be aware of all the cool things I might do one day. I'd really much rather know what you're going to do for me today and how that is going to beat my expectations for what success looks like."'

UM clients agree. Jack Kennard, senior vp, global director of marketing services for wine and spirits marketer Brown-Forman, described the new positioning as a "welcome rebalancing of the role of art and science in media planning and buying." The old slogan was good for its time, said Kennard, when markers were initially learning about new digital platforms, but it "focused rather exclusively on science, technology, the new and the novel. The new positioning reinforces the importance of human nature and the creative power of curiosity."

The curiosity theme has been a key part of the UM communications planning offering, whose development has been overseen by Lee since he joined the agency two years ago. At UM, Lee said, communications planning is "specifically about insights and the source of all insights is curiosity."

But Seiler has taken the theme and made it the core tenet of the agency, going so far as to develop a "curiosity quotient," to assess new hires. Even the company Intranet is now curiosity themed, with a question of the day that is answered the following day. Compensation, to some extent, now will be linked to curiosity, said Seiler.

"We're fundamentally overhauling the training to insure that new people coming in have a certain level of curiosity and that the people that are here are kept fresh on what being curious is," Seiler said. "We define it as open-mindedness that leads to unexpected or surprising results."

AccuStream Research: Online Subscription and Download Media Stores Vend $3.3 Bil

2009-11-25T05:04:00.000-08:00

The report, Subscription and Download Media Stores 2003 - 2010 analyzes content verticals including music, movies, television, sports, news and entertainment with detailed subscriber, service and transaction velocity numbers, monthly and yearly.

Online music purchases reached an estimated $2.7 billion in 2008, up 28.5% over 2007, while movie and television program purchases increased 53.3% to $339.8 million; both verticals benefited considerably from Apple's iTunes storefront.

In 2008, 89.2% of music-related transactions were completed via a la carte purchases of individual tracks or albums.

News has virtually disappeared as a subscription video offering, with all major news brands and outlets now advertiser-supported.

Online movie and television services are in states of transformation, partnership building and platform expansion aimed at pushing content closer to the television set through device-specific storefront embeds, Media Center integration or Wi-Fi enabled hardware in the home.

Movie revenue performance going forward is projected to improve through integration of IP libraries, networked hardware and televisions.

The subscription music radio segment is highly concentrated following roll-ups, mergers and buy-outs with Real Networks' Rhapsody the market share leader.

Amazon's Mp3 store, Best Buy's acquisition of Napster, Microsoft's Zune services and Wal-Mart's online presence indicate well capitalized entrant intent to compete for download share.

"Consumers are choosing: music, movies, television and sports programming will sell online," commented research director Paul A. Palumbo. "Online media storefronts are exciting new businesses, but subject to unpredictable technology disruptions and innovations. It's too early to declare turf battles won; relentless R & D and motivated legacy merchants seek to unseat or outlast incumbents."

An introduction to DVD Recordable (DVD-R)

2009-11-24T23:47:00.000-08:00

Explains the principles of operation of the Digital Versatile Disc (DVD) Recordable (DVD-R) technology and its principle applications. Explains that DVD-R is able to hold up to 3.95GB of information on each side of a disc to give up to 7.9GB in total using a write-once only technology that is similar in concept to Compact Disc Recordable (CD-R) but with essential technical differences to get the higher capacity and higher data rate of 11.08 megabits per second. Provides details of the makeup of the disc and the two methods of writing; the disc at once method where the complete disc is written at one time from prepared and loaded data, and the incremental method where data can added in small increments until the disc is full. Discusses the use of DVD-R on video players and as a DVD-ROM disc as a versatile device with computer data and not necessarily any video data at all. Describes the use of DVD-R technology for three principle areas: testing the content of DVDs before commitment to mass production; small scale distribution; and storage and archiving. Points out that DVD-R discs can be written on equipment driven from a reasonably powerful computer only and that no exotic components are required.

Keywords: CD-ROM, RECORDING TECHNIQUES, RECORDS MANAGEMENT

DVD's day is about to dawn

2009-11-24T22:55:00.000-08:00

Explains that, as CD-ROM struggled to keep up with multimedia developments, the need for a higher-density format was emphasized; looks at DVD (originally standing for digital video disk, but now simply a format name), and comments on its attractions for libraries and the film industry. Addresses the arguments over copyright that have held DVD back and the coding suggestions that the film industry has offered to try and limit copying; reckons that DVD will not be an overnight success in the consumer market so long as recording on to DVD is unavailable
Keywords: CD-ROM, COPYRIGHT, DIGITAL VIDEO DISK, FILM INDUSTRY

DVD to rule

2009-11-24T22:50:00.000-08:00

Discusses digital versatile discs (DVD) and asks if corporate Britain should accept them now or wait until they have proved themselves. Reports that in spite of its capacity advantage, there has been no rush by companies to adopt the new technology, and that this is mainly due to uncertainty about the next generation of rewriteable drives. Looks at the three options in this respect, DVD-Ram, DVD+RW, and DVD-RW, noting that DVD-Ram is the most established of the three. Compares the development of DVD with the history of CD identifying several similarities. Concludes on an optimistic note predicting a healthy future for DVD as disc capacities increase and standards are established.

Keywords: COMPUTER DISKS, COMPUTER HARDWARE, STANDARDS

DVD steals the march in visual technology

2009-11-24T22:45:00.000-08:00

To develop a behaviourally-motivated model of aggregate DVD preorder/sales patterns.
Design/methodology/approach - Models the purchase timing decision of an individual consumer using an optimal stopping framework that explicitly captures forward-looking behaviour. Allows consumer utilities to be heterogeneous and derives the aggregate preorder/sales curve and then extends the model to handle a segment of consumers who remember the release date.
Findings - The DVD-II model performs better on all measures than the DVD-I model, which in turn outperforms state-of-the-art benchmark models, such as the Moe and Fader (2002) model and the Weibull-Gamma model, adding that the DVD-II model obtains the highest log-likelihood, the lowest MAPE and the lowest MRAE in comparison with all models. Notes that it has a lower BIC than DVD-I, indicating that the two-segment model captures the actual data more closely than the single-segment model, and its overall superiority is further revealed by boxplots of the RAE for each DVD across the four models. Believes that the models perform better than the benchmark models because the behavioural premise behind them is more consistent with the DVD context.
Research limitations/implications - States that the model can be further extended by incorporating non-stationarity, including dynamic pricing, investigating movie characteristics and undertaking cross-category analysis and joint modelling of box office and DVD revenue.
Practical implications - Contends that the model can generate insights through policy experiment, estimation of residual sales and forecasting post-release sales based only on preorders.
Originality/value - Explains the temporal preorder/sales pattern of DVDs using an individual-level modelling framework.

Keywords: CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR, DVD, SELLING, Article Type: Research paper

Supermarkets get the message (the power of advertising in supermarkets is being recognized)

2009-11-24T22:25:00.000-08:00

Finds that supermarkets and their suppliers are beginning to realize that in-store advertising can be a powerful marketing tool. Points out that the major attraction is the millions of customers who visit a supermarket every week ready to buy. Likens modern supermarkets to a new media channel. Lists the types of advertising from trolley ads to in-store TV channels, such as Wal-Mart TV. Describes how companies such as Tesco and Procter & Gamble are exploring the in-store advertising avenue. Suggests that increasing information sharing will lead to a form of collaborative customer relationship management between retailers and suppliers.

Keywords: ACCOUNTANTS, ADVERTISING, BANKRUPTCY, CAREER DEVELOPMENT, INSOLVENCY, MARKETING, PROCTER & GAMBLE, PROMOTION, SKILLS, SUPERMARKETS, TESCO, UNITED KINGDOM

E-shopping in a multiple channel environment

2009-11-24T22:15:00.000-08:00

Empirically investigates the connections between Internet use and other non-store media options in a multi-channel environment. Comments, firstly, on the growth and potential of the Internet, going on to review the literature on recreational shopping and convenience. Next, develops a conceptual framework based on the relationships within browsing and purchasing using several non-store media. Then reports the results of a study of 250 adult Internet users which shows that there are related patterns of behaviour among various non-store channel methods when respondents are segmented by e-browsing and e-shopping. Finds that web non-shoppers and recreational browsers both prefer to make their purchases in a traditional store rather than online. Also points out that several segments did not perceive online shopping to be convenient and suggests that marketers should investigate this before promoting such conveniences to the customer.

Keywords: CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR, INTERNET, RETAILING

Moving message (ambient media)

2009-11-24T22:10:00.000-08:00

Examines the growth in the use of ambient media and its transformation from a gimmicky, PR stunt to a regular part of the media mix. Reports that more companies now apportion part of their marketing budgets to ambient media and observes that this fact is reflected in the interest shown in ambient media by the big media companies. Looks at the impact of in-store advertising, advertising to captive audiences (e.g. in a taxicab) and advertising at airports, in pubs and clubs and in business-to-business markets.

Keywords: ADVERTISING, MEDIA, UNITED KINGDOM

Ambient media comes of age (UK advertising)

2009-11-24T21:27:00.000-08:00

Argues that the purchase by Rupert Murdoch of US media group, Heritage, much of whose business is in in-store advertising and ambient media indicates that this 'Cinderella' sector is entering the mainstream of advertising media. Reviews the various opportunities available from urinals to bus tickets and floor advertising and notes that spending on ambient media has grown fourfold in the UK since 1995. Comments that ambient media is no longer seen as a PR stunt but is being planned into advertising campaigns. Concludes that the opportunities are considerable with anything that 'can be seen' likely to get an ad on

Keywords: ADVERTISING, ADVERTISING AGENCIES, MEDIA, PUBLIC RELATIONS, UNITED KINGDOM

Digital screen advertising

2009-11-24T21:10:00.000-08:00

Examines the implications of digital technology for retail media and the outdoor sector. Begins by defining digital outdoor and retail advertising and describing the retail media environment in the UK, commenting in particular on the substantial size of the point-of-sale industry. Then discusses the growth of retail media, particularly within supermarkets, and suggests that in-store television should be positioned as an audiovisual adjunct to customer magazines. Reports that the major developments in digital media are taking place in the more sophisticated media markets of North America and Western Europe and cites examples of digital media in practice. Contends, however, that consumer acceptance will be key to whether in-store digital media platforms are adopted on a large scale and ends by considering how the industry might develop.

Keywords: ADVERTISING, RETAILING, TECHNOLOGY, UNITED KINGDOM

What's in store? Media grows non-linear, fungible

2009-11-24T20:55:00.000-08:00

To assess whether the predictions about US media made for 2010 have been fulfilled and makes predictions for 2010.
Design/methodology/approach - Looks at past and future predictions.
Findings - The penetration of digital video recorders (DVRs) has not yet attained enough critical mass to dislodge traditional TV plans although major TV networks sought to rationalize them as a good thing for advertisers. Reports that Madison Avenue plunged into the field of branded entertainment and product placement but this is creating a backlash among marketers and tune-out among consumers while mainstream agencies and marketers took a major online leap in 2005 and word-of-mouth and viral marketing became a must-have in a mass-media strategy. Reveals that integrated media departments have gained more respect but the business continues to unbundled, consolidate and outsource media into a smaller set of increasingly big media agencies. Predicts that the blog boom will run out of steam, there will be a new concept of push/pull, planning will become more consumer-centric, giving rise to communications planners, the enthusiasm for engagement as the new media metric will run out of steam, some big marketers will agree to fund the rollout of a fully-deployed robust, dynamic, single-source measurement system, the media concierge will become the primary consumer gatekeeper and media and advertising content will become fungible.
Originality/value - Makes predictions for US advertising and media in 2010

Keywords: ADVERTISING AGENCIES, MEDIA, USA

Long tail media in the store

2009-11-24T20:45:00.000-08:00

To identify which in-store media are the most effective in terms of influencing consumers' purchase decision making.
Design/methodology/approach - Highlights how consumers are exposed to significant amounts of visual stimuli in supermarkets; suggests that direct measurement of the field of visions is the only way of providing the most accurate method of assessing consumers' behaviour, motivations and perceptions at the point of purchase. Refers to the literature looking at consumer in store behaviour; undertakes to measure both the long tail and 'the big head' in an in-store media environment; suggests that the long tail analogy is suitable for the shopping environment as a small number of products results in a very large proportion of the sales. Describes how shoppers were provided with a TNS EyeCAm through a normal, unsupervised shopping trip in order to determine the effectiveness of a variety of media.
Findings - Reports how the average trip in the store was 12 minutes; provides a table documenting the seconds that consumers were exposed to advertising per week based on what shoppers actually saw.
Research limitations/implications - None stated.
Originality/value - Contributes to the research on in store consumer behaviour.

Keywords: ADVERTISING EFFECTIVENESS, ADVERTISING MEDIA, CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR, SHOPPING, SUPERMARKETS

The ultimate sell (in-store media)

2009-11-24T20:38:00.000-08:00

Investigates the UK market for in-store advertising media - anything from till roll advertising to floor tiles and in-store radio - and reveals that those selling such media claim that 60-80% of brand decisions are made at the point of sale, making these media potentially very powerful. Canvasses two UK supermarket chains for their views and planned actions; finds that Asda, with electronic 'coupons' and in-store radio, and Sainsbury, with an electronic loyalty card, are both exploiting improved data on purchase habits to direct in-store promotions.

Keywords: ADVERTISING, ASDA, RETAIL TRADE, SAINSBURY'S, SALES PROMOTION, SUPERMARKETS

Cossette launches social media shop

2009-11-24T10:26:00.000-08:00

Rocket XL, a North American social media agency owned by the Cossette Communication Group, has launched in the UK under the leadership of Channel 4's Steve Forde.

Forde resigned from his role as Channel 4's new-media marketing manager last week and joins Rocket XL in April as its managing director.

At Channel 4, he handled social media campaigns for Skins and Lost, as well as the marketing for the broadcaster's websites.

Craig Howe, the founder and chief executive of Rocket XL, said: "We needed someone in the UK with the same level of insight and experience we have in the US market and Steve has seen what works well first-hand."

The London agency will operate as its European lead office, working with Cossette's UK group agencies - Miles Calcraft Briginshaw Duffy, Dare, Elvis, Identica, Brando and Band & Brown - and as a specialist full-service agency.

Cossette acquired a majority stake in Rocket XL last May.

Listen Up: MP3s Available Later Today From the Verizon Wireless Online Media Store

2009-11-24T08:25:00.000-08:00

Tiered Pricing for MP3s on the Desktop Begins April 7

Las Vegas, and BASKING RIDGE, N.J., April 2 /PRNewswire/ -- From CTIA WIRELESS 2009(R), Verizon Wireless, the industry leader in mobile music, said today it is adding more than 5 million MP3s to its online media store, giving customers all the music they love with the newest, hottest songs they want in one destination. Beginning later today, MP3s join the ringtones and ringback tones available to customers at http://mediastore.verizonwireless.com or http://vzw.com/mp3.

Verizon is the first telecommunications company in the United States to bring MP3s to customers in its online media store, making it simple to purchase and download music, then listen to that music on any MP3-capable device. Customers simply choose titles from multiple genres available on the site, preview the music, log in to purchase, download then play it on their computers or any MP3-capable devices, including sideloading to Verizon Wireless music-capable handsets.

Mike Lanman, vice president and chief marketing officer of Verizon Wireless, said, "Being the first wireless company to add MP3s to our online media store gives our customers a one-stop shopping experience for all kinds of music -- ringtones and ringback tones and now MP3s. We have long led in mobile music, and together with the new pricing options we will continue to set the standard for the industry."

Tiered Pricing for Music Launches April 7

Beginning this Tuesday, Verizon Wireless plans to offer its customers tiered pricing for MP3s purchased online. The new pricing offers value for customers who want to explore and discover many classic catalog titles, find the latest releases, or listen to anything in between. The prices will be:

-- $1.29 for new releases and best-selling releases;

-- 99 cents for most major contemporary releases;

-- 69 cents for most classic catalog releases.

V CAST Music is among the first services to provide music fans with these pricing options, giving customers choices and flexibility as they build their mobile music libraries. Prices for ringtones and ringback tones remain unchanged.

Verizon Wireless is a proven leader in mobile music and offers customers access to millions of songs and tens of thousands of ringtones and ringback tones from its unique relationships with the hottest artists, exclusive music services and devices. V CAST Music allows customers to purchase and download the vast majority of its full-track music catalog to their PCs without digital rights management (DRM) restrictions.

For more information on mobile music from Verizon Wireless, visit a Verizon Wireless Communications Store, call 1-800-2 JOIN IN or visit www.verizonwireless.com/music. To purchase music, visit the Verizon Media Store at http://mediastore.verizonwireless.com.

About Verizon Wireless

Verizon Wireless operates the nation's most reliable and largest wireless voice and data network, serving more than 80 million customers. Headquartered in Basking Ridge, N.J., with more than 85,000 employees nationwide, Verizon Wireless is a joint venture of Verizon Communications (NYSE: VZ) and Vodafone (NYSE and LSE: VOD). For more information, visit www.verizonwireless.com. To preview and request broadcast-quality video footage and high-resolution stills of Verizon Wireless operations, log on to the Verizon

Cox Delivers More Features for High-Speed Internet Customers

2009-11-24T06:24:00.000-08:00

More storage space available through Media Store and Share; Cox Security Suite powered by McAfee available in Spanish

CHESAPEAKE, Va., May 18 /PRNewswire/ -- Cox Communications announced another round of enhancements to its high-speed Internet service, designed to make the broadband experience both safer and easier to use. In addition to 5GB of storage available through Media Store and Share at no charge, Cox now offers customers the ability to purchase 25GB of online storage. Additionally, Cox now offers its popular suite of security services in Spanish.

"Since we launched Media Store and Share last year, we've had great feedback from customers who use the service to save their favorite photos, videos and documents online and share them with others through an e-mail link," said Gary McCollum, Senior Vice President and General Manager Cox Hampton Roads.

Cox High Speed Internet customers can also download a Spanish-language version of the Cox Security Suite powered by McAfee(R). This suite includes anti-virus, anti-spyware, firewall protection and parental controls, backed by one of the most trusted names in online security. Valued at $69.99 per year, the security suite is free for all Cox High Speed Internet customers.

"We're committed to helping our broadband customers nationwide stay protected online, and that means providing tools that are easy to use," noted McCollum. "It made sense for us to offer the Cox Security Suite in Spanish as we're seeing an increasing number of Spanish-speaking customers in the regions we serve."

Cox High Speed Internet customers can download the Cox Security Suite powered by McAfee(R) at security.cox.net and they can set up and access the Media Store and Share service by logging into their primary Cox account through the Internet Tools link on www.cox.net.

For more information, contact Felicia Blow at (757) 222-8432 or Felicia.Blow@cox.com.

About Cox Communications

Cox Communications is a multi-service broadband communications and entertainment company with more than 6.2 million total residential and commercial customers. The third-largest cable television company in the United States, Cox offers an array of advanced digital video, high-speed Internet and telephony services over its own nationwide IP network, as well as integrated wireless services. Cox Business is a full-service, facilities-based provider of communications solutions for commercial customers, providing high-speed Internet, voice and long distance services, as well as data and video transport services for small to large-sized businesses. Cox Media offers national and local cable advertising in traditional spot and new media formats, along with promotional opportunities and production services. Cox Communications wholly owns and operates the Travel Channel. More information about the services of Cox Communications, a wholly owned subsidiary of Cox Enterprises, is available at www.cox.com, www.coxbusiness.com, and www.coxmedia.com In Hampton Roads, Cox has more than 400,000 basic cable subscribers

Research and Markets Adds Report: Subscription and Download Media Stores: 2003 - 2010

2009-11-24T05:31:00.000-08:00

Research and Markets has announced the addition of the "Subscription and Download Media Stores: 2003 - 2010" report to its offerings.

In a release, Research and Markets noted that report highlights include:

Online Subscription And Download Media Stores Vend $3.3 Bil. In '08

Subscription and download media store revenue rose 26.9 percent in 2008 to $3.3 billion, forecast to advance by 19 percent in 2009, according to this merchant services report.

Online music purchases reached an estimated $2.7 billion in 2008, up 28.5 percent over 2007, while movie and television program purchases increased 53.3 percent to $339.8 million; both verticals benefited considerably from Apple's iTunes storefront.

In 2008, 89.2 percent of music-related transactions were completed via a la carte purchases of individual tracks or albums.

Subscription sports programming increased 16 percent in 2008 to $147 million, as professional leagues and sports organizations embraced year-round broadband production and publishing, moving beyond seasonal offerings. News has virtually disappeared as a subscription video offering, with all major news brands and outlets now advertiser-supported.

Movie revenue performance going forward is projected to improve through integration of IP libraries, networked hardware and televisions.

Meanwhile, PCs and portable devices are proving effective platforms to entertain consumers with short-form television programming; TV shows are being sold and downloaded at a 16-to-1 ratio compared to movies. The subscription music radio segment is highly concentrated following roll-ups, mergers and buy-outs with Real Networks' Rhapsody the market share leader.

Amazon's Mp3 store, Best Buy's acquisition of Napster, Microsoft's Zune services and Wal-Mart's online presence indicate well capitalized entrant intent to compete for download share.

"Consumers are choosing: music, movies, television and sports programming will sell online," said research director Paul A. Palumbo. "Online media storefronts are exciting new businesses, but subject to unpredictable technology disruptions and innovations. It's too early to declare turf battles won; relentless R & D and motivated legacy merchants seek to unseat or outlast incumbents."

Research and Markets; Subscription and Download Media Store revenue rose in 2008 to $3.3 billion, Forecast to Advance by 19% in 2009

2009-11-24T04:30:00.000-08:00

2009 FEB 27 - (VerticalNews.com) -- Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/ea4167/subscription_and_d) has announced the addition of the "Subscription and Download Media Stores: 2003 - 2010" report to their offering.

Online Subscription And Download Media Stores Vend $3.3 Bil. In '08

Subscription and download media store revenue rose 26.9% in 2008 to $3.3 billion, forecast to advance by 19% in 2009, according to this merchant services report.

In 2008, 89.2% of music-related transactions were completed via a la carte purchases of individual tracks or albums.

Subscription sports programming increased 16% in 2008 to $147 million, as professional leagues and sports organizations embraced year-round broadband production and publishing, moving beyond seasonal offerings. News has virtually disappeared as a subscription video offering, with all major news brands and outlets now advertiser-supported.

Movie revenue performance going forward is projected to improve through integration of IP libraries, networked hardware and televisions.

Amazon's Mp3 store, Best Buy's acquisition of Napster, Microsoft's Zune services and Wal-Mart's online presence indicate well capitalized entrant intent to compete for download share.

"Consumers are choosing: music, movies, television and sports programming will sell online," commented research director Paul A. Palumbo.

"Online media storefronts are exciting new businesses, but subject to unpredictable technology disruptions and innovations. It's too early to declare turf battles won; relentless R & D and motivated legacy merchants seek to unseat or outlast incumbents," states research director Paul A. Palumbo.

Research and Markets: Media Companies' e-Commerce Strategies - Creating the Media Store

2009-11-24T04:28:00.000-08:00

Research and Markets

Laura Wood

Senior Manager

press@researchandmarkets.com

Fax from USA: 646-607-1907

Fax from rest of the world: +353-1-481-1716

Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/d8b7b3/media_companies_e) has announced the addition of the "Media Companies' e-Commerce Strategies - Creating the Media Store" report to their offering.

For most traditional media companies, advertising alone is not enough to finance their online operations. They are having to contend with more competitors: pure players, content aggregators, other media UGC (User-Generated Content). CPM is lower: an online consumer generates five to 10 times less ad revenue than an offline consumer. E-commerce is thriving, and offering media sites a potential source of added income, particularly since they have been involved in sales activities offline for a long time (shopping channels, licensed products, co-branded and special editions).

Key Topics Covered:

-- 1. Executive Summary

-- 2. e-commerce market bigger than online advertising

-- 3. Media company sites' e-commerce best practices

-- 4. Diagnosis

Companies Mentioned:

-- Clear Channel

-- CBS radio

-- Mediaset

-- Euronews

-- The Wall Street Journal

-- El Pais

-- Fox Sports

-- Elle.fr

-- Le Figaro

Small shops should be part of balanced review process

2009-11-24T04:24:00.001-08:00

As agency representatives from around the country and the world make their now-annual pilgrimage to the center of U.S. advertising for Advertising Week, we'd like to remind them-and marketers-that there is a great world of action beyond the traditionally large shops centered in New York.

This is not to "malign" big agencies, as Martin Sorrell has suggested we're doing.

He was right when he told a group recently that the "Goliaths are picking up share while the Davids are really under pressure, particularly as credit markets remain frozen."

The recession has definitely prompted some degree of consolidation into the big networks and agencies, which can trim costs by sharing resources across clients. And the truth is that many marketers still buy in silos and therefore are going to tend to want a media shop, an ad shop, a PR shop or a direct shop. All of these things can typically be found under the roof of one large holding company (implying that those silos will work together seamlessly).

But it strikes us as simplistic to consider big agencies as something akin to safe harbor in tough times. If a big shop is delivering a combination of the scale and work that a brand demands, then of course it's a smart bet.

There are plenty of large shops still doing stellar work.

But so are small agencies. And they're often doing so at lower prices. More importantly, small shops have demonstrated they can move the needle and be more nimble and responsive. Consider Rockf ish Interactive, the winner of our first Small Agency Awards contest. Big sophisticated digital programs for multinational marketers don't have to be done by digital goliaths; platforms can be built and managed by a 50-odd person shop in Arkansas-provided that shop has made the investment in talent and technology.

On top of this, many smal I shops often have the advantage of being generalists who take broad approaches to problems.

Small isn't inherently better-there are plenty of bad small agencies out there. But more and more it's a valid option, even for the biggest marketer.

Research and Markets Adds Report: Media Companies' e-Commerce Strategies - Creating the Media Store

2009-11-24T00:27:00.000-08:00

Research and Markets has announced the addition of the "Media Companies' e-Commerce Strategies - Creating the Media Store" report to its offerings.

In a release, Research and Markets said that report highlights include:

Companies mentioned:

- Clear Channel

- CBS radio

- Mediaset

- Euronews

- The Wall Street Journal

- El Pais

- Fox Sports

- Elle.fr

- Le Figaro

PlayNetwork; Eastern Mountain Sports Turns to PlayNetwork for High-Impact In-Store Media Experience

2009-11-23T05:28:00.001-08:00

PlayNetwork, a global leader in providing integrated media experiences for businesses, announced Eastern Mountain Sports has selected PlayNetwork to provide a custom audio and video solution for its flagship SoHo, Manhattan location to create a multimedia experience worthy of one of the most exciting retail concepts today.

Leveraging the same expertise that has made it a leading branded music supplier, PlayNetwork developed an integrated audio and video solution for Eastern Mountain Sports' new flagship location in SoHo. At 18,097 square-feet, the store triples the size of its former location and provides an expanded selection for urban outdoor enthusiasts. To integrate the video programming seamlessly in the large, diverse space, PlayNetwork leveraged existing branded and custom video content to create four unique in-store channels. The high-impact video displays, combined with custom music programming, create a consistent, interactive brand experience.

In addition, PlayNetwork is providing custom branded music programming to Eastern Mountain Sports' 64 retail stores across 12 states. One of the nation's largest outdoor retailers specializing in outdoor gear, apparel, footwear and accessories, Eastern Mountain Sports is a favorite destination for active individuals and the PlayNetwork music team worked with the company's marketing group to develop a sound that would resonate with Eastern Mountain Sports' core consumer: active outdoor athletes. By featuring an upbeat, modern and eclectic mix, PlayNetwork created a sound that perfectly complements the active, sometimes edgy lifestyle of Eastern Mountain Sports shoppers and brings the outdoor mindset to the consumer.

"Our brand is synonymous with being active and enjoying everything the outdoors has to offer, and it is essential when our customers visit any Eastern Mountain Sports location to have that shine through," said Will Manzer, CEO and President of Eastern Mountain Sports. "The team at PlayNetwork has done an amazing job at translating the active lifestyle into music and video, helping us create an experience that immerses shoppers in our brand. Their creativity, one-on-one communication and exceptional customer service have made them the perfect partner in rolling out these initiatives."

"With Eastern Mountain Sports, you're looking at a company with a massive following across genders and age groups. To really create an effective integrated media experience, you have to drill down into the commonalities across these demographics, and in this case it was the love of an active outdoor lifestyle," said Craig Hubbell, Executive Vice President, Media Services, Sales and Marketing for PlayNetwork. "Working with them to develop music and video that truly resonate with their customers on a personal level has been a great experience, and we look forward to a longstanding and creative partnership." About Eastern Mountain Sports Founded in 1967 by two New England rock climbers and based in Peterborough, N.H., Eastern Mountain Sports is one of the nation's leading outfitters of outdoor gear, clothing, footwear and accessories with 64 retail stores in 12 states. Eastern Mountain Sports designs and sells products for outdoor adventurers who participate in a variety of sports, such as mountaineering, backpacking, camping, hiking, adventure racing, climbing, kayaking, mountain biking and snow sports. Eastern Mountain Sports product and technology is tested by its product development and quality assurance teams in conjunction with the Eastern Mountain Sports Climbing, Kayaking and Ski Schools. More information is available at www.ems.com. About PlayNetwork Established in 1996, Redmond, Washington-based PlayNetwork, Inc. is an integrated media services leader for worldwide business. PlayNetwork provides branded video (digital signage), audio (music and messaging), entertainment media, audio/video systems, and professional services that deliver compelling experiences for retail, hospitality, health and fitness, retail banking and other businesses. The XM for Business service is now managed by PlayNetwork through a new strategic relationship with XM Satellite Radio.

Nirvanix Provides Permanent Digital Archive for National September 11 Memorial & Museum; Storage Delivery Network to store media files for future

2009-11-23T05:27:00.001-08:00

The Museum is actively acquiring materials for its permanent collection from the general public and those directly impacted by the attacks. The collection includes audio recordings of personal experiences of the attacks of September 11, 2001 left by visitors at the 9/11 Memorial Preview Site located next to the World Trade Center. The Museum is actively collecting photographs, audio, video and other 9/11 related material through a number of outreach initiatives, including a "Call to Remember." This program is designed for 9/11 victims' family and friends to leave voice mail messages with remembrances about their loved ones. In addition, the Museum has collected thousands of photos submitted by the public through an online initiative, "Make History," as well as hundreds of hours of video. All of this material will be kept as a permanent digital archive of content that will be an evolving historical record of the day's events. Nirvanix is providing its SDN to help preserve the memories for future generations, by acting as an offline archive for this important time in world history.

"With so much audio, photos and videos thus far collected as part of the Museum's permanent collection, we found that we had an immediate need to archive a very high volume of digital data quickly," said Joe Daniels, President of the 9/11 Memorial & Museum. "By using the Nirvanix SDN, we were able to minimize the amount of time and resources needed to archive this invaluable data. Nirvanix is helping us to ensure that these important stories are secure and accessible for many generations to come."

"To collect and archive the stories of people who were personally affected by the world-changing events of 9/11 is a truly compelling and moving project, and we are pleased to be able to provide our technology and resources to the National September 11 Memorial & Museum," said Jim Zierick, President and CEO of Nirvanix. "Using digital media, such as video and photographs, to document what happened that day as well as the aftermath of the attacks makes for a very profound and meaningful way to remember and memorialize those historic events. It is a project like this that is an ideal use for the Nirvanix SDN and we are proud of our association with it."

About The National September 11 Memorial & Museum

The National September 11 Memorial & Museum is the not-for-profit corporation created to oversee the design, raise the funds, and program and operate the Memorial & Museum at the World Trade Center site. The Memorial & Museum will be located on eight of the 16 acres of the site.

The Memorial will remember and honor the nearly 3,000 people who died in the horrific attacks of February 26, 1993 and September 11, 2001. The design, created by Michael Arad and Peter Walker, consists of two pools that reside in the footprints of the original Twin Towers, surrounded by a plaza of oak trees. The Arad/Walker design was selected from a design competition that included more than 5,000 entrants from 63 nations.

Donations can be made through and more information can be found at the Memorial & Museum's website, www.national911memorial.org, or by calling 1-877-WTC-GIVE.

About Nirvanix

Nirvanix (www.nirvanix.com) is the market leader in enterprise cloud storage and offers a fully managed cloud storage service designed from the ground up for the enterprise. Headquartered in San Diego, California, Nirvanix is privately held and has raised more than $23 million in funding from world-class investors including Intel Capital, Valhalla Partners, Mission Ventures, Windward Ventures, and the European Founders Fund. Nirvanix has over 700 business customers ranging from Internet startups to Fortune 10 organizations and includes Arizona State University, Nero, and The Planet, among others.

Healthy Eating Winning the Battle at the Shopping Cart, New Colman Brohan Davis Study Finds

2009-11-23T05:21:00.000-08:00

CHICAGO, Nov. 12 /PRNewswire/ -- A new study by Chicago marketing firm Colman Brohan Davis finds consumers are making food purchase decisions based on healthy ingredient and nutrition considerations. They routinely seek out information online to help in their decision-making. Very few are influenced solely by brand name. That's good news for family health, notes Colman Brohan Davis CEO Lori Colman.

The Colman Brohan Davis 2009 Consumers Food Shopping Survey(TM) canvassed over 200 adults, ages 20 plus. They were asked to rank 12 decision factors when purchasing food. The No. 1 and No. 2 most important factors were taste and cost. "That's an expected outcome," says Colman. "We look more at data around ingredients, nutrition and sustainability. This is the second year in a row brand name was in dead last place as a decision factor."

Colman delivered the research findings today at the Supply Side West Conference in Las Vegas, the world's largest for food ingredients companies.

What matters most when making food purchases

1. Taste__ 7. Sustainability

2. Cost__ 8. Shelf life

3. Ingredients__ 9. Organic

4. Nutrition labels__ 10. Packaging

5. Fat content__ 11. Fair trade

6. Locally grown__ 12. Brand name

Women and men study nutrition labels

Consumers study nutrition labels closely. Virtually 100 percent of respondents said they read nutrition labels "always" or "sometimes." When asked, "Do ingredients influence your purchase?" over 80 percent said "yes." In order of priority, women are "always" interested in: fat, calories, sugar, fiber and protein. Men are "always" interested in: fat, calories, sugar, protein and preservatives.

Consumers seek information online

The survey found over 75 percent of respondents also get nutritional information from a wide range of online sites: government (FDA, EPA), farm markets, food manufacturers, food stores, media, restaurants, book publishers, weight management groups, organizations and associations. Search engines, Wikipedia and blogs were also mentioned.

"Consumers are steadily marching toward healthier eating," observes Colman. "They are careful about spending but want to make better choices. And men are evolving into conscientious shoppers. This is good news for societal and personal health."

Blu-ray players

2009-11-23T05:18:00.000-08:00

All the players in the ratings had excellent picture quality when playing high-definition Blu-ray discs, and all but three did just as well when upconverting standard DVDs. These Blu-ray players are Oppo's BDP-83, Panasonic DMP-BD80 and LG's BD390. These models offer the best combination of performance and price. These players enables a player to connect to the Internet to access content such as outtakes and video games from a movie studio's servers.

Sticking it to smaller businesses

2009-11-22T06:44:00.001-08:00

In between the enterprise, with its hundreds or thousands of PCs, and the consumer/SOHO with one or two, lurks the small business.

These companies typically have enough computers to be a problem for their IT staff (if indeed they have any), but not enough revenue to justify many of the management niceties that help enterprise IT operations keep systems humming. They probably don't have standard images, or even own imaging software, but simply buy machines with the operating system installed and add whatever other software is required manually. They may not even have database inventory systems.

If they buy white boxes rather than brand-name PCs, the challenges become even more interesting. If a machine is having tantrums, and the IT person determines the only recourse is to reformat the hard drive and rebuild the system, how do they find all of the right drivers?

Chances are the company computer collection varies wildly in age, and therefore in components. All machines may have a particular brand of NIC or video card, for example, but the model will vary. Chances are any disks that came with the machines have been chucked into a box somewhere, and there's no easy way of matching them with the vintage systems.

Although Windows can sense and cope with much of the installed hardware, often drivers for problem devices are not easily tracked down - things like specialized AGP drivers for motherboards, or funky audio or video drivers that can be difficult to identify and source.

Opening the system and peering at the various items will sometime generate enough information (and a lot of sneezing - how do those dust bunnies get so big?) for a Web search. What would really be useful, however, is a sticker on the back of the PC that tells the buyer exactly what's in it.

That way, the customer can go driver-hunting easily, and with a reasonable expectation of ending up with a properly-functioning computer.

It shouldn't be that hard for a reseller to generate these stickers (they could also contain serial numbers and manufacturing dates). If they already have a database for warranty tracking, the information could live there.

It would help the reseller as well. A few years ago, a particular model of disk drive -was having major problems (an up to eighty percent failure rate), and our reseller, who did track the components he used in each system, was able to identify affected machines quickly and do some proactive swapping before his customers suffered. It won him lots of Brownie points with his clients, and turned a potential disaster into something that generated more business.

A friend went through the opposite scenario recently. He had to rebuild a corrupted PC, and although his reseller knew in general terms what the components were, my friend ultimately opened the box to determine the exact model of each piece so he could hunt down the appropriate drivers.

With an annoyed and impatient user breathing down his neck, asking for a functioning machine, he did not need that extra step!

He was lucky - the reseller of the system was still around, and ultimately did send over the all-important motherboard disk, once they were told what it was.

Corporations compete for cream of IT crop

2009-11-22T06:43:00.002-08:00

There is pressure to retain the top workers with the most sought-after skills and cash is one way to do it, said Danielle Bushen, principal at Mercer.

"There is still a human resources war going on for the best talent," said Barry Gander, vice-president at the Canadian Advanced Technology Alliance. "The war . . . for any talent - anybody who was living and breathing and could do coding - is over. But the fact is that the best people are still in great demand."

Plagued by layoffs

The rounds of layoffs that plagued the high-tech industry in recent years has resulted in a sort of super breed of employee, said Paul Swinwood, president of the Software Human Resource Council. Companies keep the people they need the most.

Those people are "the core strategic group that will be responsible for the next generation of technologies. While a company may have downsized from 100 to 15, keeping those 15 is now a major focus.

"They're the techies who can communicate, they're the techies who have presentation skills, they're the techies who have a vision of where they're going," he said, adding that some of the salary bumps are due to a shift towards pure cash and away from incentives like stock options.

"There's increasingly a cadre of employees that are highly specialized - they might get called experts or even gurus - who don't take on management responsibilities, but may in fact may be making more than the managers they report to," said Bushen.

The Mercer report defines a senior software engineer as someone who "analyzes functional business applications and design specifications for functional activities . . . translates detailed design into computer software."

A senior hardware engineer is "responsible for the overall design and development of nominated products including the establishment of product specifications, selection of materials, the technical architecture as well as the production and performance of the finished product."

According to the report, software engineers are earning an average of $101,000 per year up from $80,000 in 2001. Hardware engineers, meanwhile, earn an average of $97,000 compared to $81,000 in 2001.

The slight discrepancy in salaries could be due to the commoditization of hardware in recent years, Bushen said. It's also because more hardware-related development is being moved offshore than software development.

Software skills are in the highest demand, she added, resulting in a higher pay ceiling for those that possess those skills.

"What people are looking for varies widely: In one firm, it may be that Java's the key thing, for somebody else it might be WebSphere. . . . For a while we heard a lot about Oracle. It's constantly changing," she said. Most employers, however, are looking for software professionals who can place their skills within a business context, she added.

The problem with retaining a rarified group of professionals and outsourcing lower-level functions is that you're not developing a talent pool for the future, Swinwood said.

The number of jobs leaving Canada due to offshoring is being offset by the number of jobs moving north due to nearshoring opportunities from the U.S., he said. However, he added, entry-level technologyjobs still aren't easy to come by.

Nerds on Site test-drives Symbium's network card

2009-11-22T06:43:00.001-08:00

A CANADIAN FIRM IS HOPING TO TAKE traditional system management software a step further by offering a network card that can not only alert administrators to network problems but fix them.

Symbium Corp. in Ottawa made its debut this week with its first product, the Intelligent secure Automatic Controller (ISAC). Based on an embedded computer that fits like a network card into a host server's PCI slot, ISAC uses a policy-based software engine to perform fault recovery, root cause analyses, unauthorized software/task blocking and scheduled automation of preventative maintenance routines.

A degree of reliability

Jay Litkey, Symbium's founder and vice-president of technology, said the idea for ISAC came out of his background at Bell Northern Research, where switch technology provided telephone networks a degree of reliability that isn't seen in many data centres.

'You can't be part of the thing you're trying to manage," he said. "The principle in telecom that we know is you can't just do that with software" because software agents can end up taking up CPU resources from the host server and bog the network down.

Litkey likens ISAC to a flight data recorder and autoplilot in an airplane ISAC sends alerts when problems occur but also takes network "snapshots" at twominute intervals so that the causes don't disappear. That information is then bundled as a report that gets sent to the user. "Sometimes you'll get to the computer and there's no sign of anything anymore. You reboot, and you lose the forensics," he said. 'You have to preserve the scene of the crime."

ISAC contains preprogrammed policies to stop or kill off offending applications, parse files or handle other problems before the whole network comes down. It also does this locally, Litkey said, without "saturating" the network.

That was part of the appeal for London, Ont.-based Nerds On Site, an IT repair service that has been piloting ISAC for about four months. James Keenleyside-Richter, the company's data centre director, said the tool has allowed its team to remotely access clients and have a few technicians managing multiple sites.

"We've used it to enhance a sendee contract and save our guys a lot of time and energy. They get busy and you want to put out fires as quickly as possible, and this is , one of the ways of doing it," he said.

"It's a great tool, but Symbium has taken the product to another level by fixing issues and not just letting us know about them. Does it fix a lot of major issues? That's to be determined," he said.

Although it can be used as a standalone product, Symbium does not intend to compete with system management tools such as IBM's Tivoli line. ISAC integrates with Tivoli as well as HP's OpenView software, for example. "This is not something where we're going to go into the enterprise and tell them to take everything out," Litkey said. "It's about offering additional functionality."

Symbium will be offering ISAC at a price of $62 per server a month for the software, hardware, and management console.

Rentrak Adds Blu-Ray Disc Component to Screen Media DVD Revenue Sharing Program; --Screen Media Joins A Series Of Recent Blu-Ray Deals Finalized With

2009-11-18T08:52:00.003-08:00

PORTLAND, Ore., July 23 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Rentrak Corporation (Nasdaq: RENT), a leader in multi-screen media measurement serving the entertainment and advertising industries, today announced the addition of a Blu-ray Disc "BD" component to the company's existing Screen Media DVD revenue sharing program. Screen Media Ventures is one of the largest independent suppliers of high quality motion pictures to U.S. and international broadcast markets, cable networks, home video outlets and new media venues.

According to Rentrak's Home Video Essentials, BD rental revenue increased 62% to $203 million during the first half of 2009, and is projected to experience a growing share of the overall rental market in the years ahead. As this transition to high definition continues, revenue sharing programs will play a key role in growing consumer adoption of the format. Rentrak's Pay-Per-Transaction (PPT) program enables rental retailers to pay a small up-front fee to stock the widest array of popular home entertainment titles to help meet growing demand for Blu-ray content.

"With more independent retailers looking to grow their footprint in Blu-ray rental, Rentrak is excited to announce yet another content supplier establishing a revenue sharing option," said Tim Erwin, SVP Sales & Customer Relations, Home Entertainment Division at Rentrak. "Increasing the number of outlets with a Blu-ray selection will give consumers the confidence they need to accelerate the adoption and growth of the format."

"We are excited to expand our relationship with Rentrak to include the rapidly growing Blu-ray format," said Robert Baruc, president, Screen Media. "Rentrak's unique business model and strong relationships with hundreds of independent retailers will help us expand our Blu-ray market share."

The first Screen Media title available under the new BD program through Rentrak is "Lymelife," starring Alec Baldwin, Emma Roberts, Jill Hennessy, and Timothy Hutton. "Lymelife" will be available to rent September 22, 2009.

About Rentrak's PPT Division

Developed in 1988, Rentrak's proven Pay-Per-Transaction(R) (PPT) model supplies both content providers and retailers with the industry-leading technology, information systems and other sales and support services necessary to make revenue sharing viable and productive for everyone involved. Rentrak greatly simplifies the landscape for each content provider by consolidating the thousands of individual retailers participating in our PPT system into one business partner. Through Rentrak's PPT system, video retailers are given monthly access to a wide selection of box office hits, independent releases and foreign films from the industry's leading suppliers.

About Rentrak Corporation

Rentrak Corporation is an industry-advancing media measurement and research company, serving the most recognizable names in the entertainment industry. Reaching across numerous platforms including box office, home entertainment, on-demand and linear television, broadband and mobile, Rentrak provides unique and actionable insight for our clients and partners. From the introduction of our revolutionary Pay-Per-Transaction(R) distribution and revenue-sharing system, which equipped Rentrak with the intelligence and ability to deal with large, complex data streams, to the company's exclusive Essentials(TM) suite of services, Rentrak has redefined digital audience measurement. Rentrak is headquartered in Portland, Oregon, with additional offices in Los Angeles, New York City and Miami/ Ft. Lauderdale. For more information on any of Rentrak's services

Testronic Laboratories Selects Xytech Software to Automate Its Home Entertainment Quality Control Workflow

2009-11-18T08:52:00.001-08:00

Xytech Systems Corporation, the leading provider of Media Process Management software announced today that Testronic Laboratories has selected Xytech MediaPulse software to streamline its workflow and media business operations across their 6 locations in 4 countries.

Testronic Laboratories specializes in multimedia quality assurance for all types of content (film, game, music, etc.) on all media (DVD, Blu-ray, CD, online, wireless, etc.) for all devices (optical players, PC, mobile equipment, game consoles, etc.). Worldwide services are offered from Testronic Laboratories' facilities in the U.S., U.K., Belgium and Poland.

After an extensive analysis and review of other available solutions, Testronic Laboratories selected Xytech's new MediaPulse software to manage its workflow and media operations. Testronic will utilize MediaPulse to monitor the progress of each project and log issues found during their quality control testing. As issues are found, they will be made available to the customer and partner vendors via an interactive website for resolution, approval and notation.

Seth Hallen, President of Testronic Laboratories U.S. states, "I'm looking forward to the greater efficiency MediaPulse will provide us. Status and details of quality control projects will be available quicker in flexible formatting to management, our customers and their authorized vendors without the need for manual compilation of information from various sources into custom reports. MediaPulse has the capability to support our diverse operations across multiple workflows, languages and currencies. We anticipate this to be a platform upon which the company can grow as it is implemented into all of our various service lines."

Richard Gallagher, President of Xytech Systems, comments, "Testronic Laboratories is a market leader and always on the cutting edge of the ways media is being distributed, ensuring a positive consumer experience. We are pleased that Testronic chose Xytech MediaPulse software to streamline their QA reporting and business operations and look forward to enabling their growth."

About Xytech Systems Corporation:

Xytech Systems Corporation is the leading provider of Media Process Management software for workflow, resource and asset management in the media and entertainment industries.

Xytech's hundreds of customers worldwide include film studios, broadcasters, postproduction facilities and media services companies. Xytech Systems is headquartered in Burbank, California, and has regional offices in London and New York.

About Testronic Labs

Testronic Labs is the worldwide leading Quality Assurance provider of choice for the software, hardware, digital media and entertainment industry. Services cover the film, computer game and telecoms industry along with e-learning and interactive software as well as hardware and a range of certification standards.

Testronic Labs' skilled team provides testing of any content across any medium to any end device. Based at Burbank, CA, Pinewood Studios and central London UK, Diepenbeek, Belgium and Warsaw, Poland, Testronic Labs are the only global Quality Assurance company operating across the entire digital media industry.

Computer Storage

2009-11-17T06:03:00.000-08:00

Your computer's storage capabilities largely determine the types of applications and programs you can use. It can therefore be useful to briefly discuss the main types of storage available for today's computer systems.

Modern computer systems consist of four basic parts: the chip or central processing unit (CPU), the main memory (RAM), the storage (hard drives, CDs, diskettes), and the inputoutput devices (keyboards, mice, joysticks).

"Main memory" or RAM is not to be confused with storage-main memory is what a computer uses for the tasks it's currently working on, while "storage" is used to store programs and data. Think of it this way: The computer first fetches the program it wants to run and the data it wants to use from the computer's storage, then puts the program and data into its main memory to work on them.

Main memory is unsuitable for the longterm storage of programs and data because it's volatile-when it loses power, all of the information stored in it disappears, making storage devices such as hard drives necessary. Main memory is also far more expensive than a hard drive, so you would never find a computer with enough RAM to hold all the programs and data required by its user(s).

Categorizing computer storage

There are a number of ways to categorize computer storage:

Primary vs. secondary storage: Confusingly, there are two completely different definitions for these terms:

(1) Primary storage stores information on hard drives and other devices that are immediately available to the computer, and secondary storage stores information on tapes and other devices that may be located far away from the computer (for example, back-up tapes and the computers from which the data on the tapes was copied are often stored in separate locations; or

(2) Primary storage refers to main memory, and secondary storage refers to the hard drives and other devices that store the programs and data.

Read-write vs. read-only: Read-write devices, such as hard drives and rewritable CDs, allow you to store and edit programs and data; read-only devices, such as read-only CDs (commercial music CDs, for instance), do not allow you to edit the information they contain.

Random access or sequential access:

Random-access devices allow you immediate access to any bit of data, while sequentialaccess devices require you to start from the beginning and read until you find the bit of data you're seeking. An example of a random-access device is a hard drive (you can immediately access any item you've stored on it). An example of a sequential-access device is a data back-up tape (to access an item in the middle of the tape you have to start at the beginning).

Common storage devices

Diskettes: The first disk drives used 8" floppy diskettes with a storage capacity of less than 100 kilobytes. In 1976,* the smaller 5 1/4" floppy diskettes, which could hold up to 1.2MB, were introduced. The familiar 3 1/2" floppy diskettes, which can hold up to 1.44MB, weren't introduced until 1980. The 8" and 5 14" floppy diskettes are no longer in use, and the 3 1/2" floppy diskettes are slowly being phased out-many new computer systems no longer come with compatible hardware.

Hard-disk drives: The hard drive is the primary storage device for desktop and laptop computers. A hard drive contains one or more magnetic disks that spin at high speed. The two significant measurements for a hard drive are the storage space and the speed in revolutions per minute (most drives today range from 4,500 to 10,000 rpm).

Hard drives are usually internal devices, with IDE and SATA being the most common internal connection types. Hard drives can also be external, but require that you use the right type of connection. Some of the options include: Fire Wire (also known as IEEE 1394), SCSI (pronounced "skuzzy"), and USB. SCSI is an older standard that is available for both internal and external drives, and is no longer in common use (except for some high-end servers). USB is a slower connection type and better suited for small flash drives (mentioned below) rather than regular hard drives.

Redundant Array of Inexpensive Disks

(RAID): In order to solve some of the speed, storage, and redundancy limitations of single hard drives, RAIDs can be used to combine multiple hard drives into a single unit. There are several different types of RAID set-ups. Two popular ones are RAID 1, which offers redundancy by recording all the information on two separate hard drives; and RAID 5, which offers greater storage and redundancy by distributing the data across three or more drives in such a way that no data will be lost if one of the drives should fail.

Tape drives: Tape drives are sequential storage devices, which makes them unsuited for immediate storage. However, their high capacity and cheapness (relative to a hard drive of the same size) makes them useful for long-term storage, such as data back-up.

CD/DVD drives: Both CD and DVD drives can be either read-only or readable and writable. They are commonly used for back-up and portable storage. I talked at length about CD storage and its reliability in the August 2005 issue of the magazine. With respect to recordable DVDs, there are several competing technologies. In order to find the right technology for you, consider discussing your requirements with your technical advisor.

Optical jukeboxes: CD and DVD drives are optical drives, and an optical jukebox is a collection of CD/DVD drives and disks that work together as a unit. Optical jukeboxes are very useful for organizations such as libraries that have a lot of stored information they want to make accessible to the public. One advantage of an optical jukebox is that the CDs and DVDs are not handled, which protects them from dirt and abuse.

Flash drives: The drives mentioned above are all mechanical devices; flash drives, on the other hand, are solid-state devices that have no moving parts. Per unit of storage space, flash drives are more expensive than other drives, but they're very handy for small portable devices such as palm-sized computers and portable USB flash drives. USB flash drives are being used for "secure Exam" in this year's UFE-software on the flash drive ensures the security of the laptop being used by the UFE writer and also regularly backs up the writer's exam.

Other: A wide array of other storage devices has been created since the dawn of the computer age, including punch cards, paper tape, zip drives, magneto-optical drives, and jaz drives. Many of these devices have long since disappeared.

Backing up your data

No discussion on data storage is complete without mentioning data back-ups. Hard drives, the most common of all storage devices, are mechanical-the general rule of thumb is that one day your hard drive will fail and you will lose all your data. But if you're lucky, you'll have retired your hard drive before its "day of reckoning" comes. But since you can't rely on luck, you're better off putting together a data back-up strategy. There are a number of options available, such as RAIDs, tape back-ups, and writeable CDs. Which method you choose depends on your needs. Your best first option would be to consult your technical advisor.

Pimped PCs

2009-11-17T06:00:00.000-08:00

The MTV generation's version of custom system building is fast becoming a trend that manufacturers are noticing

GAMING

Interesting things happen when tech meets art. A growing community of PC modders - those who modify high-performance PCs into functional works of art - are creating a buzz in the

A look inside a custom PC

Based on the idea from MTV reality show Pimp my Ride, a Spokane, Wash.-based system builder has taken custom designed computers to a new level. Pimp my PC was started two years ago by Joe Reynolds.

As lead tech, he modifies old computers using existing parts or builds entirely new systems, depending on the customer's budget.

"We work -with younger people, mostly college age, who don't want the plain black or beige computer case that comes with Dell, for example," said Reynolds.

Not able to afford expensive cars, he said they put their money into computers with neon lights, coloured wiring, multicoloured power plugs. But most just want a faster machine for games, he said.

"We try to upgrade what they have or build a new system if it's going to cost the same as fixing the old one."

Reynolds, whose background is in computer technology and support, saw a market that was moving to modified computers. The big corporations are still hesitant, but smaller ones are taking notice of it as a specialized area," he said.

Reynolds encourages customers to keep their old mouse, keyboard, monitor and CD-ROM drives - as long as they run at a decent speed.

"I can use old parts and mix them with a new motherboard, CPU, memory and case,"he said.

It is not only a cost saver but a good way to recycle existing material, added Reynolds.

A custom-built system and case can run from US$100 up to US$3,000.

For now, Pimp my PC relies on an old-fashioned method of marketing: word of mouth. The company's Web site, pimpmypc.biz, has also garnered attention from modders across North America.

Fast and Furious

Think of modding as the computer version of the film, The Fast and the Furious, according to Gary Mullen, owner and senior editor of pimprig.com.

While hobbyists like Mullen like to squeeze every bit of performance out of their computers, others are more interested in the aesthetic of the machine.

"People do all kinds of weird stuff, some even hinder the performance to get the look they want (from the case)," he said.

What started as a hobby five years ago turned into a full time job for Mullen who lives in Nashville.

Pimprig attracts PC modders who are seeking ideas, advice and a general forum to discuss - what else - modifying PCs.

"As a computer junkie, it was getting harder to keep up with technology by buying new parts, so I thought of starting a Web site to get free hardware in exchange for work and it snowballed from there," Mullen explained.

Now with a volunteer staff of 20 PC enthusiasts, pirnprig.com publishes original articles and product reviews.

"There is definitely a market for it and manufacturers are willing to cater to someone like me, just to show off their hardware," he said.

Growing in popularity are LAN parties, a meeting ground for modders and doit-yourself system builders, as a way to showcase original creations.

And manufacturers have started taking notice.

"Many are behind the big LAN parties. Intel and DFI, for example, will send representatives to show off new hardware at these events," said Mullen.

A lot of manufacturers are also willing to donate parts to PC modders for LAN parties as a way to display their hardware, he added.

"If you open a PC magazine, a regular beige PC is no longer made as a result of this trend starting five years ago."

Companies are getting more advanced in the PCs they're building, said Mullen.

"Even DeU added a little bling to its PCs with the XPS line, a really large, reflective, decorative front piece to make the machine just a little more eye-catching."