Monthly Archives: June 2007

iPhone: iPhenom… or iEdsel?

June 29, 2007
By
iPhone: iPhenom… or iEdsel?

Jacobs Media consultant Ralph Cipolla boldly inserts himself into the debate about the iPhone’s impending success – or lack thereof. Anyone who consults, markets, or consults marketers has read, re-read, and can recite by rote all of Ries & Trout’s “22 Immutable Laws of Marketing.”  In 1994, Al Ries formed “Ries & Ries” with his daughter, former New York City Advertising Agency Account Executive, Laura.  Laura’s blogs are engaging and insightful, often in a contrarian manner.  For the last three months, she has offered a series of iPhone missives,...

Read more »

Your Strength Is Your Weakness

June 28, 2007
By
Your Strength Is Your Weakness

A few weeks back, a confidential Wal-Mart executive report was leaked to the New York Times.  The conclusion of this analysis was that the hallmarks of Wal-Mart – deep discounts, one-stop shopping, and huge variety – are working against the company’s efforts to go more upscale. As a result, Wal-Mart is not effectively competing with stores like Target or Best Buy when it comes to fashion or consumer electronics.  Apparently, when Americans have one of those big, high-risk buying decisions to make, they don’t think of Wal-Mart.  And the...

Read more »

Tell A Friend

June 27, 2007
By
Tell A Friend

An amazing story played out recently on CBS-TV and the network has done something virtually unprecedented – it brought back a show it cancelled. In this case, it’s "Jericho."  Apparently, one of the problems with the show’s ratings came from too many viewers watching it on TiVos and DVRs – and not in real time on a CBS affiliate.  That led to its axing, but thousands of viewers protested the move, and the network relented. And to make their protests tangible, 25 tons of nuts were sent to the...

Read more »

CCU – PPM

June 26, 2007
By
CCU – PPM

As Dylan said, "You don’t need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows."  And it’s looking more and more like PPM will indeed be a fast-moving reality.  I can tell you that the past several months in Philadelphia have been an education, and it’s still the top of the first inning. When I tell you that PPM changes everything, believe me.  And as we’ve discussed in this space before, electronic measurement is a positive, and PPM finally addresses many of the problems that agencies have had with...

Read more »

SILENCE!!!

June 25, 2007
By
SILENCE!!!

Tomorrow, an interesting protest will be taking place, and terrestrial radio could and should be a part of it.  Led by Kurt Hanson’s SaveNetRadio, the idea is to create a "Day of Silence" for stations’ web streams to protest the Copyright Royalty Board’s rate increases. At the same time, the goal is to support the Internet Radio Equality Act.  Several broadcasters have added these messages to their streams and their websites, but tomorrow provides an opportunity to go on the air and online to communicate the severity of this...

Read more »

Cracking Through

June 22, 2007
By
Cracking Through

Remember that now-famous campaign that helped launch "Desperate Housewives" where ABC printed up dry cleaning bags and distributed them in key markets around the country?  It was a clever way to use another "medium" (dry cleaners?) to get their message across.  And in the process, the campaign itself generated media buzz because everyone was talking about it. These clever applications are still available to radio, morning shows, and personalities, but too often, we continue to spend our marketing dollars in traditional places.  And when was the last time you...

Read more »

Who’s Doing Her Callout?

June 21, 2007
By

So after all the hype and apparent voting, Hillary picks Celine Dion’s "You And I" as her official campaign song (introduced after a "Sopranos" finale spoof on her website)?  Obviously, she’s giving up on the male vote.

Read more »

Who's Doing Her Callout?

June 21, 2007
By

So after all the hype and apparent voting, Hillary picks Celine Dion’s "You And I" as her official campaign song (introduced after a "Sopranos" finale spoof on her website)?  Obviously, she’s giving up on the male vote.

Read more »

Not Your Average Joe

June 20, 2007
By
Not Your Average Joe

I’m not going to tell you where I was when I picked up a copy of the May edition of Fortune Small Business. The cover story caught my eye:  "Old Dogs, New Tricks: Innovators find fresh ways to profit in out-of-fashion industries." I figured there was a blog in there somewhere, especially when I turned to the story and saw that right there with a parking lot, minor league sports, and beer was good old local radio. And as I started turning through these success stories, I ran across...

Read more »

More Cool CGM

June 19, 2007
By
More Cool CGM

Leave it to St. Louis’ Point to come up with a cool, listener-oriented feedback campaign, The Soundboard.  Not to be critical of their efforts, however, we’re a bit less-than happy about the way they have positioned it on the air.  It’s one thing to be all about the listener, but their approach may be a little over the top.  We don’t recommend that other Jacobs’ clients execute these campaigns in this way.  Hey, we’re just being honest. Click the player below to listen to KPNT’s promo:

Read more »