The Sandbox is Media Central's marketing and media blog. In it, we look at the trends and issues that affect our industry, from strategic planning to creative execution and beyond.

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Posted: August 31, 2010 | 12:53 ET
File Under: For Brand Managers | For Media Directors | For Media Planners | Media Central Tuesday Round-Up

A weekly compendium of interesting items from the world of media, marketing and advertising.


AdWeek, August 30, 2010
Earlier this year, advertisers had high hopes for television spending, as upfront spending commitments were up 20 per cent from 2009. However, it now seems that clients are having second thoughts. With the economic recovery still shaky and uncertain, these budgets may be scaled back with a breakage rate of up to 5 per cent. Read the AdWeek article
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Posted: August 27, 2010 | 12:40 ET
File Under: Persuasion | Created, Noted, Quoted | Globe and Mail | For Brand Managers | For Media Directors | For Media Planners


In this week's Adhocracy column, At the Intersection of Art and Advertising, Susan Krashinsky discusses why outdoor spaces co-opted and offered for art projects generate community goodwill and valuable contracts.
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Posted: August 24, 2010 | 16:07 ET
File Under: Media Central Tuesday Round-Up | For Brand Managers | For Media Directors | For Media Planners

A weekly compendium of interesting items from the world of media, marketing and advertising.


AdWeek, August 24, 2010
While overall advertising spending has slowed, for online advertising it’s full steam ahead. Online spending will grow 14 per cent over the next year to $51.9 billion, but overall spending will grow at a snails pace by contrast, increasing by less than 5 per cent to $238.6 billion. Read the AdWeek article
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Posted: August 20, 2010 | 14:15 ET
File Under: For Brand Managers | For Media Directors | For Media Planners | Persuasion | Globe and Mail


In this week's Adhocracy column, When controversy rears its head, sponsors run for cover, Susan Krasinsky uses Dr. Laura Schlessinger’s recent racist comments to discuss the difficulty companies face when the entities they sponsor fall out of line.
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Posted: August 17, 2010 | 16:21 ET
File Under: Media Central Tuesday Round-Up | For Brand Managers | For Media Directors | For Media Planners

A weekly compendium of interesting items from the world of media, marketing and advertising.


AdWeek, August 13, 2010
What was once a domain for kid and teens is growing up. With the release of Julia Roberts’ Eat, Pray Love, movie tie-ins are crossing over into adult territory in a big way. Whether it be a branded fashion line, a special fragrance or even a themed bottle of wine, it’s clear that film merchandise doesn’t just mean backpacks or action figures anymore. Read the AdWeek article
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Posted: August 10, 2010 | 15:05 ET
File Under: Media Central Tuesday Round-Up | For Brand Managers | For Media Directors | For Media Planners

A weekly compendium of interesting items from the world of media, marketing and advertising.


AdWeek, August 9, 2010
Facebook and Twitter are great tools for companies who want to reach out to consumers online and allow them to engage with the brand. However, for alcohol marketers, the picture is a little greyer when underage fans get involved—particularly on Twitter, where users don’t have to enter a birth date to sign up or follow brands. Read the AdWeek article
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Posted: August 6, 2010 | 15:55 ET
File Under: Persuasion | Created, Noted, Quoted | Globe and Mail | For Brand Managers | For Media Directors | For Media Planners


In this week's Adhocracy column, Everybody Loves an Underdog, Simon Houpt reveals research that shows consumers bond easily with scrappy upstarts, and that companies can leverage the story of their origin long after they’ve grown.
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Posted: August 6, 2010 | 15:52 ET
File Under: 30 Second Spots | Globe and Mail | For Brand Managers | For Media Directors | For Media Planners

BY SIMON HOUPT
THE GLOBE AND MAIL

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British ad watchdog bites over broadband claims

For an organization made up of people who look at ads all day, the Advertising Standards Authority of Britain doesn’t seem to have much tolerance for poetic licence. This week it ruled against British Telecom’s claim of providing “instant” broadband after the telecom company admitted its service wasn’t literally instant: it was instant like, you know, instant coffee. The ruling came after the U.K. telecom regulator Ofcom discovered the average speed of most ISP service was 46 per cent lower than promised. Hold on – there’s a telecom regulator that actually checks ISP speed? Are you listening, CRTC?
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Posted: August 3, 2010 | 16:15 ET
File Under: For Brand Managers | For Media Directors | For Media Planners | Media Central Tuesday Round-Up

A weekly compendium of interesting items from the world of media, marketing and advertising.


AdWeek, July 29, 2010
If your smartphone shows an ad for a coffee shop across the street, it’s not an accident—in fact, it’s part of Google’s new paid Adwords strategy. Users of the Google Display Network will soon see advertisements for products and services based on their current whereabouts, provided the obstacle of determining user locations can be overcome. Read the AdWeek article

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Posted: July 30, 2010 | 11:16 ET
File Under: 30 Second Spots | Globe and Mail | For Brand Managers | For Media Directors | For Media Planners

BY SHAWNA RICHER
THE GLOBE AND MAIL

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It turns out that people love Don Draper about as much as they do real ad executives, which is to say: Not very much. Despite Emmy Awards, Golden Globes, and a flood of rave reviews, the fourth season of Mad Men kicked off last Sunday with only 2.92 million U.S. viewers, which is marginally higher than last year’s debut but far from what you’d expect with all that promotion. Still, AMC says it’s pleased, pointing out that 48 per cent of the show’s viewing households earn $100,000 or more, leading to higher ad rates. Well, at least ad executives love a show about ad executives.
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Posted: July 30, 2010 | 11:13 ET
File Under: Persuasion | Globe and Mail | For Brand Managers | For Media Directors | For Media Planners


In this week's Adhocracy column, Canada’s anti-attack ad culture, Simon Houpt discusses the reason for a dearth of marketing smackdowns on this side of the border, and why some argue it’s a lost opportunity for advertisers.




 
Posted: July 27, 2010 | 16:19 ET
File Under: For Brand Managers | For Media Directors | For Media Planners | Media Central Tuesday Round-Up

A weekly compendium of interesting items from the world of media, marketing and advertising.


AdWeek, July 27, 2010
Traditional agencies are starting to catch up to their digital counterparts in the online advertising sphere. As illustrated by the recent success of the Old Spice commercials, companies like Wieden + Kennedy are demonstrating a new understanding of this medium, and similarly, digital agencies are moving beyond their technical capabilities to increase their role in brand awareness and relationship programs. Read the AdWeek article
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