MediaCommunications

MediaCom View: Outdoor has evolved from a paper-and-paste medium to one offering some of the most innovative and engaging communications channels, harnessing the power of digital screens, Bluetooth and other new technologies managing outdoors role in the media marketplace requires more investment than ever before: in better research, better planning tools, better-trained staff, new structures and new divisions which reflect the changing expectations of advertisers. We now get more than they ever have before from this medium, and from our affiliated outdoor specialists. As a result, clients are being offered greater understanding of their outdoor campaigns, greater opportunity to achieve consumer engagement, greater value for money and greater return on their media investment, than ever before.

MediaCom View: BSkyB has tasked five agencies to come up with schemes designed to reduce customer churn and trading down on subscription packages. They are keen to instigate customer-loyalty for their Movies package as the competition within the movie sector intensifies with the rise of VoD services and the launch of the first free to air movie channel in June06.

MediaCom View: The government has advised the BBC that it must continue to entertain viewers rather than broadcast to the worthy. However they have also warned them to avoid chasing ratings through derivative or copy cat programming. Other elements to take out of the paper include; the retention of the licence fee through the next charter period, the replacement of the board of governors with a BBC trust and separate executive board and the application of a public value test to news services whilst Ofcom will provide future market impact assessments.

MediaCom View : The line between virals and viral advertising can be incredibly faint. However, the ASA governance of this code only applies to actual viral advertising, (an implicit/explicit request from the advertiser,) so complaints about regular virals are treated as outside remit. Viral marketers do in fact work for advertisers and fall under the governance of this code and the ASA. Just because their advertising appears across the largely uncontrollable medium of the Internet, doesnt mean that the rules dont apply. Besides, there is plenty of room within the code to allow for creativity and innovation which is a concern for agencies. Instead of fighting the extension, viral marketers should get involved with the change to make it work.