Thursday, February 20, 2014

Print marketing is alive and well in the digital age, according to a recent Pitney Bowes survey that found 76% of small businesses say their ideal marketing strategy encompasses a combination of both print and digital communication. Meanwhile, traditional direct mail still has a 43% share of total local retail advertising. A recent Marketing Profs article listed several reasons that printed marketing communications continue to thrive. For one thing, technology has expanded the power of print, from variable printing's ability to create complex personalization of text and images, to QR code and NFC (near-field communication) technology that make it possible, via mobile, for print media to directly connect customers to a website. And don't forget the omnipresent integration of social networking into printed pieces. With noisier digital spaces and less cluttered mailboxes, printed materials have a competitive advantage over digital; they have a better chance to stand out and receive more time and attention than their online brethren. Today's printed materials also go beyond flat pieces of printed paper to encompass dimensional direct mail and printed promotional items boasting lower average cost per impression than online ads, such as magnets, stickers, pens, or even apparel such as T-shirts. A 2010 Direct Marketing Association study found that $1.00 spent on print advertising can generate an average of $12.57 in sales, and print's high return ratio was found to be universal across all industries. No wonder small businesses, and big businesses, are keeping print marketing and direct mail in the mix! For more, see the article at http://www.marketingprofs.com/articles/2014/24084/print-marketing-will-thrive-in-2014-and-beyond

Tuesday, February 18, 2014

AT&T to Allow Advertisers to Sponsor Mobile Data

AT&T has launched a Sponsored Data Program for mobile, which would allow advertisers working with AT&T to pay for the data used in consumption of content or services so that it does not show up on a customer’s mobile phone bill, according to a recent New York Times post. AT&T explained that when sponsored content, such as a movie trailer, shows up on customers’ phones, a Sponsored Data icon would be displayed to show that the content costs nothing to watch. The hope is that this will entice customers to watch ads they might otherwise avoid because they would have incurred phone bill charges. AT&T announced three initial partners for its sponsored mobile data program: Aquto, an ad platform that provides marketers with tools to use sponsored data; Kony Solutions, a company that helps businesses develop apps; and UnitedHealth Group, a health care company that plans to use the program to stream educational videos to mobile devices. AT&T may not be alone for long in its pioneering effort. The New York Times post, citing unnamed sources, said Verizon is experimenting with a similar program. AT&T's Sponsored Data Program has already raised concerns among some consumer advocacy groups, however. They see such sponsorships hurting efforts for "net neutrality," meaning equal treatment of all services by Internet providers to keep competition fair. Public Knowledge, a nonprofit focusing on digital rights, argued the Sponsored Data Program would allow AT&T to pick winners and losers online by requiring companies to pay so people can view their content. For the complete report, see http://mobile.nytimes.com/blogs/bits/2014/01/06/att-allows-advertisers-to-sponsor-mobile-data/