The Power of One Little Yellow Card

On the way to work this morning, I ran by my neighborhood grocery store to pick up a few items for the day. When I got to work, I unpacked my wares, and staring back at me was one little, yellow card.

This little card was not a coupon, it was not a receipt, or even a renegade label. Instead, there were 5 little words staring up at me- "Sacked with pride by Mark".

Now, I don't know the story behind the little yellow card, nor do I know when they started doing this. But, there was something touching about it- and the minute I saw the hand signed scrap of paper, this local grocery store somehow felt like MY local grocery store.

Reaching out to customers doesn't take much- a name remembered, an offer of assistance, or even a tiny yellow card. But reaching out in what seems like a little way can actually be one huge stride forward.

Fall Premiere Reviews #4- Modern Family

This is what I have been waiting for- my HOME RUN of the season. I actually watched the first episode last week, and laughed so hard, I wanted to watch the second one to make sure it wasn't a one trick pony. All three families are charming, and I think almost everyone can relate to their awkward quirkiness and dysfunctionality.

I think it is partially this that makes it a great fit for a variety of audiences. Young, old, men, women- I have heard positive feedback from everyone. Humor combined with heart touching story lines- combined in a documentary style format.

This all combined makes it a great program to include in any of your upcoming buys.

Modern Family- on ABC, Wednesdays at 8pm CST.

It's a must watch, and a must buy.

Fall Premiere Reviews #3- Jay Leno Show

I, like many of you have been bombarded the last few weeks with mega-promotion around the Jay Leno Show. I even heard someone say they (NBC) was hoping that Jay Leno moving to prime time would REVOLUTIONALIZE televeision.

Revolutionize? Wow! Not since MTV launched the Real World have I seen anything that I would call revolutionary. And, as familiar as we all are with the Tonight Show with Jay Leno, the promos just seemed extensions of that format. Just because it runs an hour and a half earlier, doesn't mean that is ground breaking.

The best thing about the show I saw tonight was there were some good guest appearances. I mean Kayne- great luck with that one. And, Oprah/Seinfeld- all good with the older crowd. But, any season premiere would garner great guests. What is the show's potential long term?

I am sure that the Jay Leno Show will hold on for a while- but I don't see it being much more than mediocre in the long run.

When will I look to buy the Jay Leno Show- well, I think it will be a very efficeint buy for prime. So, if you are looking for an inexpensive way to get some exposure in prime, I think this will be it. But, it will not replace any of the premium programming you should be looking at.

Also, this will probably not be a good buy if you are buying younger demos- I would anticipate this will skew older, while the younger ages move toward cable programming during this hour if there is nothing on broadcast that catches their attention.

Fall Premiere Reviews #2- Glee

Glee- How the same guy who created Nip/Tuck be responsible for this program, I will not know.

Glee, on FOX Wednesday nights, is a strange combination of candy-dripping "High School Musical" teenage story lines- but with some pretty offensive stereo types. I am not sure how many times I heard the word "gay" in relation to those participating in the Glee Club, or boys who may sleep in pink rooms, but it was one too many.

The tunes themselves are actually pretty catchy- but in a way that will haunt me for days until my ears bleed.

So- enough of my personal feelings. This is about how new programming will fit with any upcoming media strategies.

Definitely an extension of the High School Musical scene for obvious reasons. Young Adults, will probably not get enough of it. The program will definitely skew younger, so the older your customer, the less likely Glee will be a good fit for your advertising message.

Glee would be a good fit for many of the same categories we touched on last night with Melrose.

* Entertainment
* Movies
* Quick Service Restaurants


If I had to make a recommendation, I would say get your spots bought early in the show's schedule. Because no matter what, I think it will garner a lot of buzz, and a lot of sampling.

Fall Premiere Reviews #1- Melrose Place

As we are gearing up for the next round of media buys, the new Fall programming is premiering. So, we thought it would be fun to watch some of the new lineup, and give you, from a media buyer's perspective, what shows we will be looking at for our clients.

First up: Melrose Place. Showing on Tuesdays on the CW. Now, I was excited about this because I was obsessed with the original. I was hesitant because anything with Ashlee Simpson-Wentz is usually not my thing.

It opens with a quick glimpse at most of the players- Auggie, Riley, David, to name a few. Cut to the same apartment complex we all knew and loved, cheesy marriage proposal, and yep, dead body in the pool. Oops- guess I should warn you there might be a few spoilers.

All in all, it was pretty much what I expected. Definitely a "chick" show- probably tweens through about 35. (Typing this as the show wraps, so no idea what the overnights will be.)

This media buy may be good for the following potential clients:
* Boutiques
* Beauty Salons
* Entertainment- Movies, Concerts, etc.
* Higher Education

To name a few.

However, just a note- if you have concerns about adult behavior, or content that may not be family-friendly, I would pass on this one. Just to be safe.

New Tools for Outdoor and Mobile Marketing

Mobile marketing tied to outdoor advertising is not new, but CBS Outdoor has a piece of technology that has made it easier for marketers to see their results mobile/outdoor results.

Called txt2go, advertisers put a unique keyword on each board they post in a market. Via SMS, consumers text in this keyword, to get special offers or information, which allows clients to see what boards are generating the highest level of success.

Some types of messages include:
1) Special discounts
2) Enter to win sweepstakes
3) Requests for more information

Another plus is that advertisers then receive a database of respondents, allowing them to follow up with them at a later date.

This gives outdoor a advantage similar to online advertising- it allows it to be highly trackable. Campaigns that generate results will likely lead to bigger and more complex outdoor campaigns, helping the medium grow with emerging technologies.

Top Klog of the Week- 6/5

In honor of the upcoming season premiere of one of my favorite shows, True Blood, I am highlighting one of the out of home tactics they used last year.

This idea is inspired by the "Roommate Wanted" or "Guitar Lessons" signage we have all seen in grocery stores and college dorms. But, it definitely has that vampire twist to it.