The impact of this new technology on entrepreneurial and established marketers is enormous. Now an experienced media buyer, direct response company, or turnkey infomercial / infomarketing company can shorten the testing process, substantially lower the cost of media tests, and make adjustments to a campaign on a daily basis.

The entrepreneur or infomercial product developer now has an opportunity to test more offers for less money in a shorter amount of time then ever before. At, my company, InfoWorx, we have embraced this new technology and utilize the latest research to target the client's most profitable customer, reach more viewers for less dollars, and use all of the new metrics to analyse response and make more money for our clients.

Come to think of it, why has this persoanlisation not come to the TV sets as yet? Afterall, in the age of on-demand, or even scheduled digital viewership, this is but a painless task... and seemingly simple that too.

Well an Italian company seems to have finally delivered it. Bee TV,  a startup being run by some acclaimed industry professionals, with the ownership of a Ducth BV holding company seems to be making in-roads into this area.

Their technology works at an upstream level. They work with platforms and broadcasters to deliver  the experience and interface as opposed to selling it directly to the consumers. One can see an obvious business model advantage in their approach, as platforms are the lowest hanging fruits- you go with a few, you would reach million of homes automatically.

However, in my opinion, there is such an opportunity for this type of personalisation to be delivered to the consumers, independant of the platforms- via either a media centre platform, or via a PVR platform. Even a device like Apple TV should be able to do it. For all you know, the new Genius function in ITunes might just deliver this experience on Apple TV for audio-visual content, thought it can just not be fully beneficial untill Apple TV becomes a PVR.

It is at least a step towards a new direction. Also, can you begin to think how the Google TV Ad serving would work in conjunction with something like this...? Beautifully!

You can watch a demo of the Bee TV service at:

http://www.bee.tv/demo.asp

To begin with, Google TV Ads is a wonderful application. It is the "TV Optimizer" of the modern day and builds on the Google search advertising schematic. The real basis for this breakthrough for Google is not the NBC deal but in fact their earlier partnership with EchoStar (or Dish Network), and Astound Cables in the US. Their new set top boxes of these two cable/DTH operators have the ability to track viewership second by second. Hence at an aggregate level, you can have the statistics on how many times a commercial was viewed, and whether it was viewed through to the end. Google uses this data to find relevance between certain types of viewers and ads and content, and has created a platform, exactly based on their search model, that makes use of this data to "serve" ads to the viewers.

This is a massive departure from our demographic targetting techniques, into a more "mindset" and relevance led placement of TV ads. Much like the difference between placing a newspaper advert, or placing an ad via Google search. It is going to require an equally big change of mindset within the TV buyers community.

What is so unique about it is that this model of TV advertising breaks away from ratings, and yet is highly measurable. Logically, this system should even work for on-demand content. By virtue of this, it creates an alternate trading currency in the market. The fact that the measurements are highly accurate and relevant, Google is potentially able to trade inventory at higher margins and minimum waste (buys cheap, sells cheapish), or pass on the advantage to the advertisers. What are you media agency giants of the world doing sleeping on your laurels, wake up!?

Once this model picks up popularity, there is no stopping all sorts of advertisers to sign up to such deals, though NBC have optimistically said that this venture would attract "an entirely new group of clients".

What are the disadvantages of it...? It is just US based at the minute, and that too only on Dish Network/Astound homes. Unless the same set-top box technology is exported to other cable/DTH operators, and markets, it is going to remain a limited venture.

After last year''s very public break up over pricing issues NBC Universal kissed and made up with Apple, returning to the iTunes platform just in time for the fall TV season. Most programs from NBC, USA Network, SCI FI Channel, Bravo, Sleuth and NBC News are once again available for $1.99/episode (the standard price for a TV show on iTunes.) But there also a few older shows up for 99 cents or, in some cases, free. Look for more programs to be added in the coming weeks from divisions such as Oxygen and NBC Sports. Season passes fluctuate in price from $5.94 for season one of Andy Barker P.I. to a pricey $54.99 for season one of Alfred Hitchcock Presents. NBCU programs are also available in HD for the first time priced at $2.99. Both companies positioned the reunion as a win-win. NBC gains the ability to price and package as it sees fit, not mention regaining access to iTunes' 65 million users. Apple gets back one of its biggest program suppliers. NBC also says it is working with Apple to improve the platform's copyright protection. (Cynopsis 9/10)

]

In a move meant to broaden its work in the business of selling TV advertising, Internet search giant Google will sell an unspecified number of commercials during shows on NBC Universal cable networks. The networks involved in the revenue-sharing pact include Sci-Fi, Oxygen, MSNBC and CNBC and, according to Michael Steib, the director of the growing Google TV Ads, "NBC Universal is a big win for us in terms of distribution growth." The New York Times (free registration) (9/8) , The Wall Street Journal (9/9)

Through a deal with AOL ESPN.com will make its short-form online video content accessible directly through Bebo's Open Media platform in the U.S. ESPN will offer highlights from games and major sporting events as well as video clips from ESPN original programming. The content will be delivered via an ESPN video player that will be embedded within a tailored Channel Profile. (Cynopsis 9/10)

CBS Sports will stream the entire 2008 SEC college football schedule live on CBSSports.com free of charge this year. A total of 17 SEC match ups will be streamed on CBSSports.com, accessible via a link from all CBS affiliate sites, concluding with the SEC Championship Game on Saturday, Dec. 6 (4 p ET.) (Cynopsis 9/10)

Amid growing scrutiny from government regulators in the U.S and Europe, Google is amending its privacy practices and keeping the IP addresses of consumers who do searches on Google for a shorter period of time. The dominant search engine will keep server log data for only nine months now instead of 18 (which itself was a reduction put in place last year from an indefinite retention period). (http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/09/09/google-on-the-run-from-the-privacy-cops 9/9)

NBCU and Google will split ad revenue, and NBC will get access to the database of Google AdWords users (many of whom are not currently advertising on TV). The two companies will also work to adapt the TV Ads service for use in local market ad inventories as well.

Google TV Ads opened to the public in May after a year of private testing. The service promises to open up and simplify the ad process while providing more targeted reach to advertisers. The move is a shift for Google, which had been focused on working with cable and satellite operators, not individual networks.

Google has been selling some ads on the Dish Network satellite service, but so far has been unable to break out onto other operators beyond that. In working with Dish, the company has direct access to set-top boxes to better gauge the effectiveness of ads it places, something it won't get by partnering with a cable programmer like NBCU. But Google and NBCU say they will work together on joint marketing and research projects to help advertisers better target their ads.

Google isn't the only targeted ad game in town. Worried that the search giant could corner the TV ad market the same way it dominates the online ad market, cable companies banded together in the spring to form Canoe Ventures to offer advertising solutions. Meanwhile online ad firm Spot Runner has raised a total of $111 million dollars in funding, though it recently laid off 50 people in a strategic realignment.

Image courtesy of Google.

So Media Buying has gone to the next level with Google TV ads. In a nutshell, Google TV Ads is a flexible, all-digital system for buying more accountable and measurable TV advertising. Using the familiar AdWords interface. basically you can manage and buy your own media space and setup and launch a TV advertising campaign in minutes.

This may only be available in the US for now. but it's impact on the world of TV and media buying in general cannot be denied. And there are plans to roll it out internationally too, so stay tuned.

Read more about it on the Google TV Ads Site.
And to see how easy it is to buy TV media in the USA, just check out the video on the site. ]]> http://blpsilva.wordpress.com/?p=170 Sun, 04 May 2008 12:05:25 +0000 blpsilva http://blpsilva.pt-br.wordpress.com/2008/05/04/google-tambem-na-tv-radio-midia-impressa/ Atenção, este blog foi migrado para: http://brunopereira.org

Fiquei sabendo pelo post do Antônio Carlos que o Google lançou recentemente o TV Ads. Esta é uma ferramenta muito interessante e flexível de fazer propaganda na TV.

Eles disponibilizam uma aplicação no "self-service" que permite que pessoas interessadas em veicular propaganda na TV façam isso de forma ágil e prática. Você consegue criar uma campanha, definir seu público-alvo, especificar canais e programas e horários durante os quais a campanha será exibida e dizer o quanto você pretende gastar com isso. A aplicação trará várias sugestões e permitirá que você envie a mídia da propaganda para iniciar a veiculação rapidamente nestes vários canais.

Esta é uma iniciativa inovadora e potencialmente muito poderosa para o Google. Além disso, eles também lançaram o Google Audio Ads e o Print Ads. É isso mesmo: eles já dominam a propaganda na internet, e agora lançam ferramentas inovadoras para tentar ganhar espaço na propaganda feita na TV, rádio e na mídia impressa. Fiquei curioso e fui ver a lista de canais e jornais que já participam disso. A maioria dos canais de TV americanos já permite propaganda através do Google TV Ads e a maioria dos jornais também. Entre os jornais estão por exemplo o New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Washington Post e muitos outros. Além disso, inúmeros jornais pequenos (porém com público muito mais específico, direcionado) já fazem parte do programa também. Muito interessante isso.

Já sabíamos previamente da iniciativa do Google de entrar firme no mercado de dispositivos móveis. Agora eles aumentam drasticamente o alcance das ferramentas de propaganda deles. Para completar, também está nos planos do Google a entrada nos set-top boxes de TV digital. Se essas iniciativas forem bem-sucedidas (e certamente tem boas chances), o Google conseguirá uma impressionante penetração no mercado. Será mais poder do que a Microsoft já teve um dia. E tudo isso com um modelo de negócios que traz muito mais simpatia do que a Microsoft.

Difícil saber qual (e se existirá) o limite para eles. Realmente impressionante. Quando será que isso chegará ao Brasil??

Well, on DISH Network TV, anyway. That's the only service that's given the go-ahead to Google (cable companies are perfecting their own Project Canoe).

Don't have a commercial? No problem. Visit the Google Ad Creation Marketplace and get hooked up with writers, editors and even voice-over talent that can bid on creating your ad. The create-your-own TV spot for small businesses space is getting crowded; check out Liz's roundup of players.

But before any yokel with a video camera and a scheme decides they're gonna get on the TV, there are some restrictions to the service. From the Google Editorial Guidelines:

Like all Google ads, your TV ad and the business it advertises must conform to our Content Policy. In addition, video ads may not contain the following:

1. Political election or political fundraising ads
2. No adult sexual content (including but not limited to sexual activity, sexual merchandise and dating services, and crude or indecent language).

Test-taking services, weapons and "miracle cures" are also no-nos, according to the editorial policy.

So John McCain and Ashley Dupre's former employer won't be using the service (maybe McCain can use SaysMe), but there are a bunch of TV wannabes out there. If you are using or plan on using Google TV Ads, let us know how it works for you.