Intregated Marketing Online Options

[nyma]

That MSN has to push innovation in online advertising is a sad sign: We're not anywhere near there yet.

does this carry any weightage?
what does msn mean to gain from its program "The MSN Creative Connection Campaign".

"creativity lacks online as compared to offline when designing integrated marketing campaigns" true???

[Jill]

nyma, it's really not clear what you're asking here.

Are you referring to some article somewhere? Something else?

[BobetteKyle]

Hi Nyma -

Can you please post the source of your quote (unlinked)...so we can see it in context? (thank you (IMG:http://www.highrankings.com/forum/style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) )

I assume you refer to the program reported in this ClickZ article:
http://www.clickz.com/news/article.php/3370631

If I understand correctly, MSN has approached three ad agencies to develop integrated, online ad campaigns for their clients. MSN will provide advertising free of charge for the campaigns.

The article quotes Eric Hadley, director of marketing at MSN, as saying:

"Of all the media options available to marketers today, online offers the richest palette of options for reaching consumers -- sight, sound, motion and interactivity -- along with the high-end demographic advertisers covet, but it is not being used to its greatest potential."

After reading the above article, here are my first impression, topline thoughts (this is all strictly my opinion)...

Personally, I see the program as a positive rather than negative. My guess is that currently many big ad agency clients (i.e. the big traditional media spenders) have blinders on when it comes to online advertising.

First, despite the way it feels to those of us immersed in the cyber experience the Internet is still a relatively new advertising medium (compared to radio, print, tv, billboards, event sponsorships, etc), so it may be difficult for many marketers to fully comprehend how an online ad campaign can best fit into an overall marketing strategy. Even if one or two people in a client company do "see the light" it may be difficult to convince those in control of the budget to take the risk.

Also, many of the creatives inside the agencies may either be tentative about fully exploring interactive techniques or have not been given the time and resources to do so.

Consequently, I think a campaign such as MSN's could result in at least three big-picture positives for various industry players:

1) Creatives within the participating agencies have a low-risk opportunity to go wild and push the envelope in new directions. So, they will be developing new skills and techniques.

2) The resulting campaigns will serve as demonstrations to wary clients of what high-level advertising and (hopefully) results can happen when the Internet is included as part of an integrated ad campaign.

3) Assuming the program is a success, MSN gains a new universe of potential advertising clients.

IMO, whether the general population sees the program as good or bad will depend on how the campaigns are implemented. If it is with ever-more-intrusive techniques, the public vote will probably be "BOO-HISS"! (Which, BTW, doesn't necessarily equal ineffective.)

On the other hand, if they come up with some entertaining advertising that isn't as in your face as pop-ups and some of the newer "run all over the page and hide the page content" techniques, the public vote may be " (IMG:http://www.highrankings.com/forum/style_emoticons/default/thumbup1.gif) ".

Those are some of my thoughts.

[nyma]

actually the article i am referring to apperaed in click z on july 12'04
"the creative challenge"
thz Bobette you got me the answers. i just wanted some pointers on how to develop integrated marketing campaign so that your campaign creativity is as much powerful online as it is offline.

[BobetteKyle]

thz Bobette you got me the answers. i just wanted some pointers on how to develop integrated marketing campaign so that your campaign creativity is as much powerful online as it is offline.

Cool. An accidental answer! (IMG:http://www.highrankings.com/forum/style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

I went and read the article by Sean Carlton. For those interested...he makes several points, but his main concern is that agencies are not taking it upon themselves to fully integrate online advertising. (limited technical knowledge, not as "sexy" as TV/other media, etc.)

He concludes that it's a bummer those in the industry haven't taken it upon themselves to fully realize the potential of Internet advertising as part of a brand campaign:

The days of a separate interactive division are over. To truly manage and promote a client's brand, an agency must be everywhere in the contact zone, where its client touches its customers. To do so, agencies need creative teams that value what goes on online as much as what's produced for TV.

That MSN has to push innovation in online advertising is a sad sign: We're not anywhere near there yet.