Johnee99

Saturday, November 14, 2009

H1N1 Vaccination Odyssey in LA

Got to Aguora at 8:30 this morning for an H1N1 vaccination that started at 10:00. First thing we found out was that it was literally a "drive through" vaccination and we snaked through the suburban backstreets and planned communities until we tucked in to the back of the line on a long cul de sac. Sat in the car and meandered about for 2 hours until things started moving. While we were waiting they ticketed some asswizard for trying to cut in line. Listening to the other people around us you could tell they were trying to sniff out the fakers--maybe people had borrowed friends' kids under 6 mos old or were lying about their pregnant wives, but folks had their guard up. Perhaps its all the disaster porn that emanates from California, but when you get a couple thousand cars in a long line with a ton of cops, it feels like a movie, as if we are all being quarantined in this majestic little bedroom community off the 101, at the far end of the Valley. Shots were easy--even Immi handled it pretty well--especially after being couped up in the car for 4 hours. Now, if I get the flu...

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Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Drawing Dead: What Your Advertisers Already Know

Spent a few minutes today reading FOLIO's interview with Drew Schutte to better understand how McKinsey has shaken things up at the most glamorous place on earth. Back in the day, I remember pitching the newly formed digital group on a couple of projects that ended up in the dead letter office. Arguably, as the thinking goes, back in 1995, Conde Nast had the biggest advantage in staking out their web fortunes: massive brand equity. Unfortunately they have spent the better part of the last 14 or so years squandering that advantage. However, this is well-trodden ground. What actually struck me as interesting in the interview was this statement from Schutte:

As a company, we continue to stay focused on both print and online. We believe there is a tremendous future in both print and digital, and especially in the two together, as more advertisers want integrated programs. We’ve seen an increase from 8 percent of advertisers buying integrated programs last year to 15 percent this year. Approximately 30 percent of the top advertisers buy both print and digital.

I say interesting because he is flacking the same message heard over and over from publishers right now: print is massively valuable. Really? This is a message that is pushed down the throats of advertisers continually--especially in the B2B space. Also, with most publishers, digital opportunities are not offered unless an advertiser chokes down a few print pages as well. I am not sure if it is meant to console advertisers that have already committed to print or if this is code for: we need print revenues, and we have no real value proposition for our web offerings.

Dear Publisher that continues to push this message: you are drawing dead. Your advertisers already know the value of effective online advertising and they are really curious about how social networking can help them get for free what they are paying you for (and still not getting). Seriously, if you care to listen, this is the conversation they are aching to have with you. However this would mean admitting that print is not entirely efficient, so we go the "integrated" route, kind of a 2 card monty, wherein the advertiser can't justify where the value is coming from because publishers bake costs in package deals. Just try and find the ROI.

Now, before we all get hot and bothered, there are truly some great print products that deliver value--not throwing the baby out with the bathwater here. In fact, the brand power and circ story at most Conde titles is still very relevant. But these titles need to articulate a metric that can surface this value and tie it in to the conversation.

Most publishers will need to get much smaller and more interested in what's on their clients' minds to really unlock the power of this transition to online media. It all starts with the clients--they tell us everything we need to know. Back in the day when traditional media was a limited proposition, the producers had all the power. Now the consumer is the producer, and for every Conde Nast, there are thousands of new producers in garages plotting their downfall. Just ask Rupert Murdoch.

Posted via web from John's posterous