MediaCommunications

MediaCom View: There is significant buzz surrounding the launch of Apple's latest icon-wannabe, iPhone. Currently it outstrips George Bush and Iraq in the blogosphere as a talkable issue around the globe for two reasons a) it was a successful PR launch b) Cisco are suing Apple for the use of the name iPhone, a trademark registered to Cisco. The blogs contain all the usual Mac vs. PC banter that has existed since Apple's germination. Putting all this to the side, the iPhone is another 'i' brand diversifying Apple's appeal (Apple is dropping the Company moniker Apple Computer, to just Apple Inc), combining three products - mobile phone, a widescreen iPod with touch controls and Internet (with email, web browsing, maps, and searching.) From a media planning standpoint it potentially presents interesting ad platform options in iPhone-specific mobile advertising whether it be mobile web ads (for which the race is on) and pre-roll TV ads for downloaded video content.

MediaCom View: Since 2004, most advertisers have used the CRR mechanism to remove share from ITV proportional to ITV1's decline in audience delivery. It was widely anticipated that this would result in considerable revenue leaving the TV market and being reallocated in other media - especially the rapidly growing digital markets. However, the recent Group M report states that, only around 2% of revenue has been lost from the TV markets, as advertisers have opted for re-deploying monies removed from ITV1 into smaller and cheaper channels and therefore increase overall TVR delivery.

MediaCom View: There has been much talk of outdoor hitting double digits as a proportion of display media for some time, so a 10.4% share in Q3 is quite an achievement. Finally the speculation has paid off and hitting 10% in the penultimate quarter of 2006 has certainly created great optimism in the industry, as it is seen to offer an indication of things to come in 2007. OAA figures show that outdoor accounted for 9.6% of all display media across Q1 to Q3 last year (Q4 results are yet to be released), equating to an investment of £675,000,000 in the medium. Over the past decade outdoor's share has grown from 5.4% in 1995 to an estimated 9.7% in 2006, a rise of 81% in total.

MediaCom View: Channel 4 has teamed up with wireless network operator The Cloud to provide 4Radio programmes as podcasts over its wi-fi network. For a 2 month period, it will be possible to download 4Radio shows onto Playstation portables or other wi-fi equipped mobile devices for free. The partnership between Channel 4 and wireless network The Cloud aims to target commuters on the go - who are likely to make use of The Cloud's network of wi-fi hotspots at coffee shops, hotels and airports. When users log on to the internet, they will be directed automatically to a home page with a link to a branded Cloud/4Radio portal. Through this portal, users can download programmes like The Morning News, Celebrity Big Brother and music show Slash Music. The initiative is sure to tap into potential new listeners in the 'Third Space' whose busy lifestyles mean that their media consumption is limited to mainly 'out of home' listening.