This week I wrote a column for TalentZoo.com titled: “TV is not going anywhere, so we might as well fix it.” on the topic of targeted television advertising. Click here to read it.

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The day before the column ran, two high profile pieces were published on the topic of targeted (or “addressable”) television advertising, focusing on how the cable giants have teamed up and are in a race with Google to develop a system to deliver targetted ads.

• Cable Firms Join Forces to Attract Focused Ads (New York Times, registration required)
• Project Canoe: Cable Companies Paddle to Catch Up To Google in Targeted TV Ads (Techcrunch.com)

This competition is good for viewers, because it will quicken the delivery of targetted, more relevant advertising improving the overall quality of television.

[Update 04-08-2008]
Comcast and its media agency, Starcom MediaVest Group, have released a report on a 16-month targetted, or “addressable.” TV advertising study.

• Households with addressable commercials changed the channel 38% less, and ads were 56% more effective

Read the press release here: http://www.smvgroup.com/news_popup_flash.asp?pr=1663

Talent Zoo is a recruitment company, job board and community portal dedicated the advertising, marketing and public relations. I have been a fan of their content and their service for a long time, and I am happy that this week I had the opportunity to write a column for their New Media Edge section titled:

TV is not going anywhere, so we might as well fix it.

Television has the potential to be the most relevant medium of all. The only question is: How long will we have to wait?

Click here to read it.

If you enjoyed the column, please subscribe to my blog as I have several posts planned that should be of interest.

If you would like to feature my writing on your website, blog, or in your publication, do not hesitate to contact me at dylan.thomas@gmail.com. Also, if you are looking to hire an advertising art director in the San Francisco Bay Area, check out my portfolio and give me a call. I’d love to chat.

Last summer, Sha Nguyen and myself were chosen to compete on the pilot of AD FIGHT, an advertising-based reality television show produced by Reveille Productions (Ugly Betty, The Office, Nashville Star, The Biggest Loser, etc).

The show premieres Friday, February 15th at 7pm/6pm Central on the Oxygen Network, and will be reshown several times. Check you local listings to see if you get Oxygen.

If you can, please support us by watching. Job offers can be emailed to dylan.thomas@gmail.com and shasha.v@gmail.com.

Check out my portfolio at http://dylan.thomas.name

At Rassak Experience, we’ve been hard at work launching the Ray Hopewood’s 2008 presidential campaign on behalf of a client, BigFix, Inc.

What?

That’s what the San Francisco Chronicle said, and they were so interested in the story of our viral campaign that they put it front and center on the business section of the Chronicle this Saturday (June 9, 2007).

You can read the article here on SFGate.com:

Viral campaign spreading: Online marketing effort may germinate into business leads

It makes for an interesting read and focuses on how using non-traditional, entertaining methods of marketing can drive real results for clients. Click here for a picture of the paper. It’s a little odd, and very cool to see a website you designed printed in the newspaper.

Please forward it around, or digg it.

Also, check out the campaign at:

www.rayhopewood.com - campaign site

www.bigfix.com/rayhopewood - campaign news

[With My NetFlix account] I also get 17 hours of viewing time… This morning I was watching a film about comedy and I wanted to share it… wanted to embed it on the blog like I might a YouTube clip…

Idea: allow embeddable video on a PPV basis. It gets content closer to it’s audience via an open, organic distribution mechanism. It maintains copyright. And it increases revenue.

From the Rassak GetCloser Blog

This would basically employs a hybrid of the Amazon/NetFlix Affiliate programs (referral-commission) and the Revver.com model (ppv-advertising) to video content.

Fundamentally, there is nothing wrong with this model, and it logically extends current affiliate programs. Currently, Amazon Affilates can receive 10% commission on referrals to Unbox video downloads, and NetFlix Affiliates receive $9 for every person they sign up. Revver pays a share of the advertising revenue they collect based on how many times your video is viewed.

When NetFlix’s online video service is out of its testing phase, I see online PPV referrals to be the logical next step in their revenue strategy, but it adds something fundamentally different to the NetFlix arsenal–online rentals. They add a one-off, no commitment customer option with ostensibly higher margins.

It’s BlockBuster without the trip to the store, NetFlix without the mail. It’s instant online delivery with no inventory restrictions. If they go forward with it, expect to see NetFlix GiftCards in the grocery store, because you won’t need a subscription anymore.

From a technological standpoint, there are a few ways to implement something like this. With a 5 -minute teaser to see if you want to watch, they could use an embeddable flash player with account authentication to let you watch it, add to your “watch online later” list, or add to your NetFlix queue. It could then keep playing, or, more likely, they’ll pass the actual viewing experience off your website and onto a desktop player. This seems to be the modus-operadi for digitally-delivered video. (Netflix, Amazon Unbox, ABC’s new HD player, iTunes, etc).

What we’re really talking about here is the promise of EBOOKS for VIDEO.

While many people have commented on the social danger inherent with individuals’ narrowing media consumption, the danger of a cognitive echo chamber is a concern for another day. Today, let’s discuss the physical danger of a self-imposed media cocoon and an increased reliance on technology.

I know a couple who recently moved to the rural northeast. They read the New York Times, subscribe to both XM and Sirius satellite radio, rarely watch TV, and usually get directions by GPS.

Most of the time, this situation is ideal. They avoid advertising, irrelevant information, and travel planning is a breeze.

Sometimes, however, there is something that these channels miss. Starting what should have been a 4 hour trip to the airport in good weather, they had no idea that large sections of I-80 had developed 6 inches of ice overnight, bringing travel to a standstill. They spent hours extra on the road, missed their flight, missed an entire day of their vacation, and incurred extra lodging expenses. In sum, this was only an inconvenience, but the lesson they learned can be applied to preventing greater peril.

Similarly, a reliance on modern technology can be dangerous when not supplemented by more resilient methods. During the major northeast blackout a few years ago, I heard stories of groups of people in New York City following someone with a radio down the street just to get any news about what was going on. We all know the dangers of making a trip with only GoogleMaps as our guide. It works great if everything goes predictably, but route directions cannot deal with a change in context just like cnn.com doesn’t work in a blackout.

Here is my plea to the world:

1. Consume Local Media
   At least superficially, especially when you will be traveling. Radio is free, easy, and tends to broadcast traffic and news frequently.
2. Have a Battery-Powered Radio
   Radio is still the lowest common denominator for the mass relay of information because it can be operated from a distance and does not require a working power grid for the receiver.
3. Have a Map, and know how to use it
   There is no telling how many personal disasters could be avoided simply by having and knowing how to use a paper map. When traveling to a new area, stop at the bookstore or gas station and get a map.

These three things are all common sense, but so many of us forget or discount their importance.

Technorati Tags:
cocoon, media, radio, maps, emergency-preparedness

Honestly, I had forgotten that AOL offered downloadable movies for $9.99-$19.99 and chances are I’d never try it out. But given 30 free titles to grab, I think I will.

Given that this space will become very competitive with people watching more video on their computers as opposed to their TVs and Walmart adding a downloadable option to their DVD sales.

Here is the link:

AOL Free Movie Offer

UPDATE: Mac users need not apply, downloading requires IE6. Watching Easy Rider for free just isn’t worth starting up Virtual PC on my Powerbook.

Since the major networks are all starting to put content online after it’s been shown on TV, I figured I would check it out. That, and my DVR has been acting up. Here’s the rundown of my experiences.

FOX:

Wanted to watch: Prison Break, Standoff

Experience: Only supports Windows 98SE+. Sorry Mac users.

Conclusion: Wake up Fox and fix your site so I can use it.

CBS:

Wanted to watch: CSI: Miami

Experience:

Requires RealPlayer, which I hate. Didn’t feel like registering with Real, downloading the software, installing it, configuring my browser to use it, and hoping that it worked, so I haven’t watched any video on the site yet.

The site, however, is fast, smooth, pleasing to navigate, and pleasing to look at. You can’t really ask for more.

Conclusion: Huge potential, but I hate the Real hurdles that I need to jump through. I think it would be better for them to have implemented Flash, or Quicktime which have greater penetration, and in my experience, greater reliability.

NBC:

Wanted to watch: Friday Night Lights, Studio 60, 30 Rock

Experience:

Off to a slow start, but somewhat redeemed itself. The videos tended to “Not Be Found” while using Mozilla-based browsers but worked fine in Safari.

The overall experience is a bit cobbled together. Episodes are broken into parts (as many as 6 for hour long shows). After you’ve selected an episode to watch it loads a 5-second video that says “The following presentation is brought to you by [sponsors name]” and their logo/tagline. Then it plays a commercial. Then it plays the first part of the show.

When the part you are watching finishes, the process starts again, with the same sponsor and commercial, in my experience. I swear, if I have to see the new “Say Yes to Yes” Cadillac spot, I’m going to kill someone.

Conclusion: While it lacks some polish, it gets the job done, and NBC gets credit for trying to put all of their shows up ASAP.

ABC:

Wanted to watch: Desperate Housewives

Experience:

The ABC Full Episode Player is an example of excellent and seamless information design and media presentation. When you click on an show, the other shows dim and you see the episodes available. When you roll over an episode, it give you a quick description. When you click on an episode, everything dims and the video starts playing. Video quality is excellent and lets you dynamically pick a larger or smaller video size without interrupting the video stream.

Since Toyota sponsored the online version, it was presented with only 3-30second interruptions which flew by, during which there was a countdown. When the mandatory break was over, the timer turned into a “Continue” button. Two of the breaks provided a list of YARIS “Spy vs. Spy” clips to watch and I spent way more than 30 seconds watching them because I find them entertaining and went to the YARIS site to download a screensaver. The other was an Avalon TV spot and photo gallery.

Watching the show online was easier, shorter, and far less work than watching it on TV, even with a DVR. The result is a much more pleasant experience, and more impactful advertising.

Conclusion: Curled up in bed with my laptop, or watching on my big computer screen, ABC Online just might be better than watching TV.

Winner: ABC, for now. Expect the others to catch up quick.

Technorati Tags: advertising, dvr, technology, television, tv, video

I’m an SF-dwelling motorcycle rider, so when I buy furniture on Craigslist, or need to pick up 300 T-shirts in Mountain View, I get a Zipcar.

For those of you not familiar with it, Zipcar is part of the growing car-sharing movement where you pay a membership fee and can rent cars in your neighborhood by the hour or by the day. The fee includes all gas, insurance, maintenance and parking. It’s great. Other car-share organizations include CityCarShare and Flexcar. Rates and terms vary slightly, but the best reason to pick one over the other is proximity to where you’ll want to pick a car up. Zipcar has two locations within 0.5 miles of me, the others are at least 1.5 miles away. For me it was a no-brainer.

I climbed into a Zipcar a few weeks ago and I found a cool DVD set in the glovebox. I figured someone had forgotten it and I would report the loss to lost-and-found later. But then I found one in each of the back seat pockets, and 5 more in the trunk.

What a great idea, I thought. Zipcars have a certain audience, with certain needs, living in a certain neighborhood. If you want those people to know about you, leave it in the car.

Other reasons I love Zipcar:

• A super-friendly, helpful, and playful attitude apparent in everything they do.
• whenever there is a new one, there is a contest to name it (Mini McEvoy, Matrix Miros, Tacoma Tokias, xA Adrian to name a few).
• “Under the Hood” is one of the best email newsletters I receive as far as design, tone, information quality, and entertainment.
• They make you feel like part of a community, and turn their members into advocates (just like me =)
• They ask for help. Whenever they need something, are having an event or have a cool idea, they ask for their members help. It makes all the difference.
• Killer discounts. Check out http://www.zipcar.com/sf/partners for stuff your “zipcard” will get you.
• $50 of free driving on signup.
• XM Radio in every car.

Technorati Tags: advertising, carshare, disruptive, guerilla media, zipcar

How agencies are really run:
Small Agency Diary:Three principals give you the skinny on the battles they fight, the clients they win, the questions they ask themselves and how they maintain, motivate, and grow a creative workforce and clientbase.

Profound and immediately useful in 1 minute or less:
ksblog: If you plan on talking to anyone or making money during your life, especially as a marketer, KS is worth a read. She’s smart, witty, profound, and BRIEF. If brevity is the source of wit, she’s got it in spades.

[Update: K now has her own blog at clientk.com. This is still the only blog that I read and star almost every entry.]

Proof that advertising podcasts don’t suck:
American Copywriter: Two guys in Kansas City. Fun. Human. Hilarious. Feel like I’ve known them for years. Good blog. Great podcast.

Technorati Tags: advertising, rss, toread