The document discusses various topics related to advertising and marketing, including: 1) Consumers were exposed to 12% fewer ads due to the slow economy, people shifting to social web, and ads going to niche sites. 2) Companies can distinguish themselves from competitors during an uncertain economy by trying new promotional strategies when budgets are lean. 3) The number of blog readers has grown 300% in 4 years, with half finding blogs useful for purchase information, especially for technology, media, games, travel, and health products. 4) When marketing, companies should view it as starting a conversation and be ready to respond to consumers, provide discussion tools, leave room for interaction, and listen to feedback

1. Opus
Creative
Minedshare
11.4.08
keith.gerr@opuscreative.com

2. Reusable lunchbox systems
Kids Konserve
Lunchopolis

3. Consumers exposed to 12% fewer ads. Why?:
- Slow economy
- People shifting behavior to social web
- Ads going to niche sites which aren’t tracked by
Neilsen
“the clutter measure provides a relative benchmark
to help media buyers understand the Web sites that
provide the optimal level of impressions within an
acceptable amount of clutter.” Neilsen

4. “Papercuts.com
designed a
plug-in for
web browsers
which replaces
ad banners
with whatever
the user
chooses -
email,
pictures,
social
networking
profile, news,
etc.”

5. “Companies tend to become more risk-averse in an
uncertain economy,” said Megan Slabinski, executive
director of The Creative Group. “But when budgets are
lean, it can be an opportune time for firms to try new or
unproven promotional strategies and distinguish
themselves from competitors.”

6. “The number of those who read blogs
at least once a month has grown 300%
in the past four years”

7. “Blogs influence purchases: One half
(50%) of blog readers say they find blogs
useful for purchase information.”

8. “Blogs go beyond tech: Outside of technology-related
purchases, for which 31% of readers say blogs are useful,
other key categories include media and entertainment (15%);
games/toys and/or sporting goods (14%); travel (12%);
automotive (11%); and health (10%).”

9. Decide on a
product or
service: 21%
Refine choices:
19%
Get support and
answers: 19%
Discover products
and services: 17%
Assure: 14%
Inspire a
purchase: 13%
Execute a
purchase: 7%
Blog readers’ responses
regarding blogs’ influence as
it relates to the following
steps of the purchase process:

10. 1. Look at any marketing effort as the beginning
of a conversation.
2. Closely monitor the conversation and be ready
to respond to consumers.
3.Provide consumers with tools that help them
carry on the conversation for you.
4. Leave room for consumers to interact. Make sure
your creative universe is big enough that there
are unexplored areas.
5. The conversation is over when the consumers say
it is, not when the media plan (or the budget)
says it is.
6. Listen and learn from the feedback loop.
Lars Bastholm is Co-Chief Creative Officer, AKQA

11. MTV is in yer MySpace, Dude!
“Auditude can run ads of any format across copyrighted
content. The company has indexed about four years' worth of TV
programming and thousands of films. When at least five seconds
of a show have been uploaded, Auditude can identify what it is
and even when it aired.”

12. “Brand name lags well
behind factors such as
quality, price, health
benefits, value,
convenience of
preparation and
taste.”

13. Be a
participating
being
blog.opuscreative.com