The Stackpile » Advertising

The trouble with pay-per-click tools & guidelines

Christina — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 21:28:47 +0000

With Google leading the way in the search engine marketing world, we can be assured that there will be more and more “tools” and efficiencies built into every pay-per-click program. But will this lead us to a less favorable environment?

When Google banned ebay on Google’s AdWords, many advertisers paid attention to the new guidelines for providing relevant information to the users. Not to mention that following the new editorial guidelines also helps achieve higher positioning based on incorporating the targeted keyword term into text ads. Which, let’s face it, for a user it makes sense – they will find more relevant ads based on their search. And as a user, I am all for more relevant information to my searches.

And with all the guidelines and tools that Google provides to AdWords customers, there are less and less targeted messages starting to be deployed. For instance, you can use keyword replacement for all of our keywords, basically saving you time by writing a couple text ads, and allowing Google to replace a specific term in the ad with each keyword that you are targeting – how ingenious, right? Oh – but every other advertiser can do the same thing, can’t they? And if everyone does it, and is basically writing the same message, how are the advertisers differentiating? Why would I choose you over your competitor touting the same thing? And, how does the instance of the keyword term in your ad make me want to click on your ad?

Although the theory of adding more relevant information and options to the user seems to make sense, particularly for natural search engine ranking, but applying this to the search engine marketing function may prove to be detrimental for the industry as a whole.

What was once so great…now this?

Trudy Jewett — Wed, 27 May 2009 18:10:02 +0000

Its been several weeks since the Globe submitted its offer to the NY Times, and in that time it seems the media storm has subsided…for now.

Once able to out-bill all of the TV stations in the Boston DMA – The Globe is now jeered as a dying medium, a dinosaur, and an old rag. The fact is the Globe owes $20 million in concessions and is losing about $1 million dollars a week.

Thanks to the local media, industry press and newswires, everyone seems to have an opinion about its fate. It seems each person has a different point of view but only two things are certain:

1. The Globe will be here tomorrow, it will find new and innovative ways to keep its place in this uncertain media landscape. TV stations have not been without their own drama – the ratings competition is pretty fierce. And radio stations are feeling the impact of the transition to monthly people meter ratings.

2. Readership of the print edition will continue to decline. Shutting the Globe down tomorrow would be a tragedy but the alternative doesn’t look any better. If the NY Times decides to keep the print edition it will be a matter of time before they are faced with the same economic challenges.

So what should the Globe do if they want to keep their place in today’s media?

Here’s an idea: Get more people to read your content online and discover innovative ways to generate advertising dollars.

Sure, the print edition will be missed. But like anything else in life we learn to embrace something new and move on.

Starbucks on Twitter

Marissa — Wed, 20 May 2009 18:24:26 +0000

According to Wikipedia online: Twitter is a free social networking and micro-blogging service that enables its users to send and read other users’ updates known as tweets.

Starbucks is looking to utilize the power of social media by hosting an online photography scavenger hunt. The goal of the contest is to have Twitterers photograph posters from the most recent US outdoor campaign and post them online. The prize? Starbucks Gold Cards.

Click here to see Starbucks’ page on twitter: twitter.com/starbucks

The idea for the Starbucks photo contest came from watching what people already do on Facebook and Twitter, said Chris Bruzzo, vice president for brand, content and online at Starbucks. Each year, people race to post the first photos of Starbucks shops decorated in red for the holidays.There will also be a related YouTube channel, where Starbucks coffee experts will talk up the importance of quality in their beans and coffee.

The Twitter photo contest is a part of a fresh marketing campaign launched this month in United States newspapers and magazines. The campaign is described by Starbucks as the biggest marketing effort it has undertaken.

Quality is key. Print ads will be text-heavy, impressing upon viewers the importance of quality rather than cheap alternatives, such as their direct competitors McDonald’s and Dunkin’ Donuts. Phrases on the posters take a dig at the competition, including “We think making coffee is an art form. They think it’s a new revenue stream.”

“The advert for the burger has caused outrage.”

Marissa — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 16:54:01 +0000

The Texican Whopper, according to Burger King, is “inspired by the land where a man ‘ain’t afraid to sink his teeth into something hot and spicy.”

The burger consists of a flame-grilled Whopper topped with taco-coated chili con carne, spicy jalapenos, onion, lettuce and Canjun mayonnaise.

The television commercial described the new Texican Whopper as “the taste of Texas with a little spicy Mexican.” Literally depicted by a tall Texan cowboy living with a vertically challenged Mexican wrestler, named “Just a Little Bit.”

To view the commercial on youtube click here.

Mexico’s ambassador to Spain wrote a letter to Burger King regarding the inappropriate way the Mexican flag is displayed in the advertising campaign, as well as the improperly used stereotypical image of Mexicans.

Burger King has apologized for the advertisement and stated they have “made the decision to revise the Texican Whopper advertising creative out of respect for the Mexican culture and its people.”

There are strict rules about the use of the Mexican flag.

Are the Cards stacked against advertisers to Steel time during the Super Bowl?

Trudy Jewett — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 19:41:08 +0000

Most American auto companies announced they are not going to advertise in this year’s Super Bowl because of a slumping economy. It’s my guess they don’t want over sixty million people to think the bailout plan included a marketing budget. Sensitivity to the current economic climate seems to be the common strategy.

But the slumping economy hasn’t affected the juggernaut known as the biggest game of the year. Surprisingly, thirty seconds of ad time hit its highest spending threshold to date – 3 million dollars. Last year, during one of the highest rated games in history, commercials fetched 2.7 million.

Who has extra cash to burn? Well you have your beer brewers who have strong sales during the recession. How else are we supposed to get through this difficult time? Budweiser’s ad featuring “party starter” Conan O’Brian was one of the few that I care to remember. And if you recall seeing a one-second Miller High Life commercial you were one of the few that didn’t blink during commercial breaks.

Movie studios also brought their A game. Although at times I felt as if I was in a theater forced to watch twenty minutes of previews before the main attraction. And I’m not sure anyone remembered to pick up their 3D glasses, much less wear them.

Soft drink maker Pepsi walked away with the “W”. McGruber was the favorite over Tony Polamalu.

And last but not least, the dot com job search engines. With so many people looking for work or to make a move, it is not surprising Monster spent over three million dollars on a commercial featuring a stuffed moose.If the slumping economy doesn’t turn around we all might find ourselves having to trade in our gold for cash.

To see your favorite ads from the Big Game visit: http://video.yahoo.com/network/100076996?v=4409180&l=5499020