Is it just me, or did you totally underestimate the power of a homepage ad on Facebook?
I'm not talking about the CPC ads to grow your own hair extensions or stuff - i'm talking about HOMEPAGE buys.
Video, Fanning, RSVP units...the good stuff.
So I'll admit - Here I was, going "meh, our KPIs shouldn't really pickup THAT much".
I kindof assumed that the CPC buys were effective enough as-is to saturate the market...they're targeted the same way, and hell: I see them everywhere.
Against my instincts, I'm throwing this placement onto my plan when all of a sudden....BOOM before i know it, the live date hits.
It hasn't even been live for 24 hrs yet....and pls understand that I can't get specific with results - but the "oh my god" factor was through the roof.
So Kudos Facebook Homepage.
Your busy layout and otherwise not-too-creative ad units have really impressed me.
My clients will be vewwy vewwy happy.
May 29, 2009
May 28, 2009
I'll have my ice cream, and eat it too.
Labels:
interactive,
marketing,
metrics,
video
After reading Paolo's post about webisodes, I couldn't help but click away to watch Jane Krakowski take a crack at Scarlett (which point aside, I found entertaining- but maybe that's just because of my love for 30 rock).
The webisode is pretty self-indulgent (sometimes I thought this was an ad someone from Mad Men made), but I did appreciate the production value, and the time that went into this. This was by no means cheap to make- my first reaction is therefore easy to guess:
what is the ROI? is it effective? does it work?
I don't think we know yet, but what I'm afraid of is how we are going to establish that answer: what metrics will we use to calculate IF these activities work? and for lack of a better word, will THEY work?
Does it really matter if people watch them from beginning to end?
Are you less engaged in a brand if you clicked away from it?
If I watched HALF the video, did it create an impact? or any less of an impact than someone who watched the whole thing?
Would I still be craving ice cream had I stopped midway?!
The problem with this for me is that just looking at time as a metric does in no way take into account the person who is watching/consuming media. What is their level of engagement?
Maybe someone can enlighten me with some hard evidence, because I feel like we are about to fall into the trap of "lets get as many people as possible to stay the highest average of minutes as possible, no matter where they are from."
Don't get me wrong: I am a numbers girl- and I know that online video is still hard to justify for many in terms of monetization (I still wonder if the dancing man made Stride sell more gum).
But I'm also a strong believer in vision, and in spending time (and sometimes money) in building something. This may be an experiment, but I think brands do need to try things like this in order to see if they work-as long as they remember what their objectives are and who they are talking to, which as simple as it sounds many forget sometimes.
And as for the Humor part Paolo refers to? Yes you have to roll with those punches, and be willing to get a few bruises. But I don't think it's a magic pill: there are many ways to keep people captivated... but I couldn't write ALL my ideas down in one post now could I...
Until the next post then! :)
The webisode is pretty self-indulgent (sometimes I thought this was an ad someone from Mad Men made), but I did appreciate the production value, and the time that went into this. This was by no means cheap to make- my first reaction is therefore easy to guess:
what is the ROI? is it effective? does it work?
I don't think we know yet, but what I'm afraid of is how we are going to establish that answer: what metrics will we use to calculate IF these activities work? and for lack of a better word, will THEY work?
Does it really matter if people watch them from beginning to end?
Are you less engaged in a brand if you clicked away from it?
If I watched HALF the video, did it create an impact? or any less of an impact than someone who watched the whole thing?
Would I still be craving ice cream had I stopped midway?!
The problem with this for me is that just looking at time as a metric does in no way take into account the person who is watching/consuming media. What is their level of engagement?
Maybe someone can enlighten me with some hard evidence, because I feel like we are about to fall into the trap of "lets get as many people as possible to stay the highest average of minutes as possible, no matter where they are from."
Don't get me wrong: I am a numbers girl- and I know that online video is still hard to justify for many in terms of monetization (I still wonder if the dancing man made Stride sell more gum).
But I'm also a strong believer in vision, and in spending time (and sometimes money) in building something. This may be an experiment, but I think brands do need to try things like this in order to see if they work-as long as they remember what their objectives are and who they are talking to, which as simple as it sounds many forget sometimes.
And as for the Humor part Paolo refers to? Yes you have to roll with those punches, and be willing to get a few bruises. But I don't think it's a magic pill: there are many ways to keep people captivated... but I couldn't write ALL my ideas down in one post now could I...
Until the next post then! :)
May 27, 2009
Update:Recession Killing Advertising
Labels:
interactive,
ranting
For those of you who missed my former blog post on What the recession does for advertisers ... Here's the full out execution which occured on the homepage of 7 of the largest online nations' MSN Homepages.
The official word is that they apparently took alot of time for executions like this…apparently such an execution needs several months worth of lead time and scrutiny.
My guess is many senior vice presidents will pan over it…all giving their feedback on guidelines of how not to bother their user base, while they line their pockets with cash from “Plan B contraceptive” ad unit sales …../endrant.
Sorry guys; it’s been a long couple of days.
May 25, 2009
May 22, 2009
May 19, 2009
Webisodes - Marketers cross their fingers and hope you'll keep watching.
Labels:
interactive,
marketing,
worklife
Marketers are using webisodes as a way of engaging with their clientele.
Thing is, they spend all this time and money in producing them, without knowing whether it'll really work.
Wanna know the deal-breaker?
Wanna know the deal-breaker?
OADD - Online Attention deficit disorder.
The magic pill your brand needs to take: Humor.
Your brand needs to be able to roll with the punches like the best of them, and keep users entertained – otherwise they risk clicking off.
Cat and Paolo get a lil Crazy
So this Weekend Cat, a group of friends and of course myself went Bungee Jumping at the Great Canadian Bungee (http://www.bungee.ca/) just outside of Ottawa.
I'm going to remix the both of these....hopefully it'll be better than just watching us fall to our horror.
Cat Gets a lil Crazy
Paolo goes Nutso.
The yell is "that's what she said"
I'm going to remix the both of these....hopefully it'll be better than just watching us fall to our horror.
Cat Gets a lil Crazy
Paolo goes Nutso.
The yell is "that's what she said"
May 07, 2009
In the spirit of Infopresse's Prix Medias
Labels:
worklife
Ok so i thought this was a sweet execution in today's Metro newspaper.
Canadian Tire shows off how it's outdoor furniture is nice enough to be indoors with this semi-transparency on the front page /back page of Metro news.
From indoors to outdoors - cool newspaper transparancy execution on 12seconds.tv
The back page is kindof lacking (not the best use of the space) but i still love the idea.
All this - as i'm about to head off to Infopresse's Prix Medias.
Wish us luck tonight!
Canadian Tire shows off how it's outdoor furniture is nice enough to be indoors with this semi-transparency on the front page /back page of Metro news.
From indoors to outdoors - cool newspaper transparancy execution on 12seconds.tv
The back page is kindof lacking (not the best use of the space) but i still love the idea.
All this - as i'm about to head off to Infopresse's Prix Medias.
Wish us luck tonight!
May 06, 2009
May 05, 2009
Ahh what the recession does for advertisers
Labels:
interactive,
ranting
Remember when it was almost impossible to get rich media ad executions onto homepages of major portals? It still is on the ones that care for their users! But in tougher economic times, we often see a couple of leniencies every once in a while...
Larger companies tend to "bend the rules" - in online, this means publishers start to accept things they didn't used to accept as advertisers try to push the limits and get into the consumer space.
So yeah, publishers might cut a few corners...you know...just a touch? A smidge? Be a little lenient on the animation time, accept something a little too big maybe? Bend the IAB rules...
Yesterday, MSN launched one of the most beautiful rich media page takeovers I’ve seen in a good while. The execution occurred all day and included a takeover of MSN UK, Italy, France, USA, Canada and Mexico - simultaneously. This screenshot is horrible, it's missing all the flash files - but you can see how different it is already.
It was amazing, spectacular, fast and light. Kudos to the creative agency on that one. Very big creative props indeed. Loved the story it told (I’m talking about the ad units...it was well done from a media and creative standpoint).
Along with warranting creative applause, it also was a panties-on-media-screwing of MSN's rich media standards. Yes. That's right. MSN took it like the best of girlfriends and dry-humped its way to love (read: a deal).
The units on the page were the following:
1) An Over-the-page or OTP (or voken for we canadians)
2) A pre-expanded pushdown leaderboard (728x90)
3) A bigBox
What bothers me here isn't that they simply cut a corner - but that it was a blatant undermining of their entire user code which they so often hide behind.
But oh wait, they hide behind it when it's convenient to them. This isn't a co-branded execution...it's 10 seconds of full-out-homepage-dominance.
Sure, users got a spectacular ad execution - again, as someone in the industry, I loved it and I'm not even in the target market. However for the user who isn't concerned with the formats, or the advertiser, it might be just a little intrusive.
But I guess it was ok because the investment was huge and someone took a commission handout.
So thanks MSN for taking the higher ground, and showing other publishers that the user experience is only a matter of how much money you make on the bottom line.
Larger companies tend to "bend the rules" - in online, this means publishers start to accept things they didn't used to accept as advertisers try to push the limits and get into the consumer space.
So yeah, publishers might cut a few corners...you know...just a touch? A smidge? Be a little lenient on the animation time, accept something a little too big maybe? Bend the IAB rules...
Yesterday, MSN launched one of the most beautiful rich media page takeovers I’ve seen in a good while. The execution occurred all day and included a takeover of MSN UK, Italy, France, USA, Canada and Mexico - simultaneously. This screenshot is horrible, it's missing all the flash files - but you can see how different it is already.
It was amazing, spectacular, fast and light. Kudos to the creative agency on that one. Very big creative props indeed. Loved the story it told (I’m talking about the ad units...it was well done from a media and creative standpoint).
Along with warranting creative applause, it also was a panties-on-media-screwing of MSN's rich media standards. Yes. That's right. MSN took it like the best of girlfriends and dry-humped its way to love (read: a deal).
The units on the page were the following:
1) An Over-the-page or OTP (or voken for we canadians)
2) A pre-expanded pushdown leaderboard (728x90)
3) A bigBox
MSN usually needs a signed declaration of your first unborn child when it comes to putting things up on their Homepage. Rich media is severely scrutinized, they hide behind IAB standards, and then add-on their own "stricter" guidelines. Just to kick you in the pants some more.
What bothers me here isn't that they simply cut a corner - but that it was a blatant undermining of their entire user code which they so often hide behind.
But oh wait, they hide behind it when it's convenient to them. This isn't a co-branded execution...it's 10 seconds of full-out-homepage-dominance.
Sure, users got a spectacular ad execution - again, as someone in the industry, I loved it and I'm not even in the target market. However for the user who isn't concerned with the formats, or the advertiser, it might be just a little intrusive.
But I guess it was ok because the investment was huge and someone took a commission handout.
So thanks MSN for taking the higher ground, and showing other publishers that the user experience is only a matter of how much money you make on the bottom line.
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