Untapped Marketing Opportunities
Working at an advertising agency has led me to think more about marketing these days. So here's a quick overview of some arenas in which I expect to see more of a marketing presence over the next few years. Some of these are being used now, but I still feel they are under appreciated. With TIVO constantly taking value away form Television advertising, everyone in the industry is conscious of the need for new venues.
1.) Podcasts
This is being done, but only on the most popular programs. The problem is that podcasts are highly targeted (good for marketers) and therefore have small audiences (bad for marketers). What we need is a central agency that can sell spots to a single advertiser on multiple programs in one block, and split up the profits among the podcasters. I think this is exactly the kind of thing that podcast pioneer Adam Curry is working on right now at PodShow.com .
2.) Video Games
When Halo 2 took in $125 million in sales on it's first day, everyone who was still in denial had to realize that the gaming industry has grown up. A few successful series like Tony Hawk's Pro Skater and Grand Theft Auto have tapped into marketing dollars with virtual billboards and product placement, but most games are still ad free. Besides in-game content, there is another space to be filled: loading screens. Why not play a movie trailer or remind the gamer to grab another Mountain Dew before the next level loads up? Of course, this option could disappear as gaming consoles get faster. But marketing dollars often seem to have a strange limiting effect on technology reaching it's full potential...
3.) HD & Satellite Radio
Of course we all know that the traditional audio ads are running here. But we must not forget that these are digital mediums, and a digital line is always capable of carrying more than audio. I think we will eventually see marketers streaming text messages and even images to small LCD screens on our digital radios. At some point, you will click a button while you're stuck in traffic, and the radio will send you and e-mail with the phone number for that window installer with the great sale you just heard about.
4.) Short Films
Coca-Cola is doing some great work in this field. I would love to see more companies get into sponsoring (i.e., funding) more short films at film festivals, for online distribution, and as big screen content in the theater before the feature starts.
5.) DVD-by-Mail Services.
Here's the one you've been waiting for, kids. I can't believe no one is doing this. Someone should be paying for Netflix postage costs, in exchange for inserting a card of their own to advertise their wonderful new product. Movie studios could even include a second DVD, labeled "Do not return, Yours to Keep" with trailers for upcoming releases. And it's not just Netflix. Walmart, Blockbuster, and others have started their own DVD-by-mail services. It's here to stay. So quick, take this idea, before I come up with a way to make some money from it.
1.) Podcasts
This is being done, but only on the most popular programs. The problem is that podcasts are highly targeted (good for marketers) and therefore have small audiences (bad for marketers). What we need is a central agency that can sell spots to a single advertiser on multiple programs in one block, and split up the profits among the podcasters. I think this is exactly the kind of thing that podcast pioneer Adam Curry is working on right now at PodShow.com .
2.) Video Games
When Halo 2 took in $125 million in sales on it's first day, everyone who was still in denial had to realize that the gaming industry has grown up. A few successful series like Tony Hawk's Pro Skater and Grand Theft Auto have tapped into marketing dollars with virtual billboards and product placement, but most games are still ad free. Besides in-game content, there is another space to be filled: loading screens. Why not play a movie trailer or remind the gamer to grab another Mountain Dew before the next level loads up? Of course, this option could disappear as gaming consoles get faster. But marketing dollars often seem to have a strange limiting effect on technology reaching it's full potential...
3.) HD & Satellite Radio
Of course we all know that the traditional audio ads are running here. But we must not forget that these are digital mediums, and a digital line is always capable of carrying more than audio. I think we will eventually see marketers streaming text messages and even images to small LCD screens on our digital radios. At some point, you will click a button while you're stuck in traffic, and the radio will send you and e-mail with the phone number for that window installer with the great sale you just heard about.
4.) Short Films
Coca-Cola is doing some great work in this field. I would love to see more companies get into sponsoring (i.e., funding) more short films at film festivals, for online distribution, and as big screen content in the theater before the feature starts.
5.) DVD-by-Mail Services.
Here's the one you've been waiting for, kids. I can't believe no one is doing this. Someone should be paying for Netflix postage costs, in exchange for inserting a card of their own to advertise their wonderful new product. Movie studios could even include a second DVD, labeled "Do not return, Yours to Keep" with trailers for upcoming releases. And it's not just Netflix. Walmart, Blockbuster, and others have started their own DVD-by-mail services. It's here to stay. So quick, take this idea, before I come up with a way to make some money from it.
posted by Matt at 9:44 AM
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