| Today's Top Stories | | #1 | Group M's Rino Scanzoni Assesses the TV Upfront
| | | The chief investment officer of the largest media buying operation (pending approval of the Omnicom-Publicis merger) tells B&C his group was the reason why negotiations were drawn out at ABC and NBCU. He said having to buy all NBCU's platforms together complicated negotiations. He described the upfront marketplace as weak, saying primetime broadcast ad sales were up 5%-6% overall, while cable sales volume was up 2%-3%. Scanzoni also doesn't think a lot of TV ad dollars moved to digital.
Why This Matters: Since GroupM controls about 25% of the upfront dollars, it can afford to hold out if it has to, without worrying that networks might be sold out before it completes its deals. Upfront negotiations are not only about price, Scanzoni says, but "about getting the most value for your client."
A Take: B&C
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| | #2 | 'New York Times' Looks to Video Ads to Offset Loss of Print Ad Dollars
| | | Top brass says the company is looking to create "significantly more" digital video to meet reader demand and to help bring in more ad dollars, Ad Age reports. The Times Co. reported a 6% decline in overall Q2 ad revenue, with print down 6.8%. Meanwhile, digital subscriptions to the company-owned New York Times, International Herald Tribune and Boston Globe were up 5.1% to 738,000 in second quarter compared to a year earlier.
Why This Matters: The Times has a solid online subscriber base and many marketers like its demographics. Selling ad sponsorship can either be added to pay-wall video or the company can offer free access to video that contains ads.
A Take: Ad Age
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| | #3 | Spark to Hold Times Square Fashion Show as Part of Express Campaign
| | | The SMG agency Spark has orchestrated a campaign for clothing retailer Express where on Saturday night, a block within New York City's Times Square will be closed down for a fashion show highlighting the chain's apparel. Express has two locations in NYC and will open a third in Times Square early next year, MediaPost reports. The two New York stores will hold "grand reopening" sales in conjunction with the fashion show. The runway show will also be streamed on digital billboards around Times Square. The event will be called, "Rock the Sidewalk."
Why This Matters: Spark conducted a similar event for an Express store in Las Vegas in May, on a project basis, and was subsequently hired as the retailer's agency of record.
A Take: MediaPost
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| #4 Nationwide Insurance Shifts Media Buying, Planning and Digital Duties to UM (Ad Age)
#5 Reckitt Benckiser Puts Its $500 Million Global Media Account Up for Review (Adweek)
#6 Twitter Not Using Ad Industry's Privacy Program (Ad Age)
#7 P&G Plans to Spend More on Advertising (B&C)
#8 John McEnroe to Be Featured in New Dove Men+Care Online Promo Videos (NYT)
#9 ANA Exec Weighs In on Omnicom-Publicis Impact on Member Marketers (Ad Age)
#10 Millennial Moms Use Smartphones to Look for Grocery Coupons, Discounts (MediaPost) |
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Percentage of mobile device users—who regularly use one branded app on a phone or tablet—who said that app made them more interested in buying from that company, according to a study by Ipsos OTX and Ipsos Global@dvisor.
—Reported by eMarketer
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| | MBPT Spotlight | Tighter Back-to-School Spending Should Benefit Discount Chains, Online Retailers
By John Consoli
Unlike some spring surveys that predicted back-to-school shoppers would get an earlier start this season, the latest research shows that consumers are actually waiting longer to buy and are planning to spend less than they did last year.
Households with school-age children (K-12) are also looking for more bargains and that is going to help discount store chains and online retailers at the expense of department and specialty stores, according to the Brand Keys 2013 Back-to-School report, which included information from 10,000 households collected via telephone and central location intercepts.
The report predicts a decrease of 10% in back-to-school spending to an average of just over $600 per household. Average anticipated spending in the major back-to-school categories are all down from last year. Average spending on clothing is predicted to be $301 per household, down 29%; average spending on dress and athletics shoes is forecast to be $110 per household, down 23%; spending on computers/electronics/tablets and smartphones, $150, down 32%; school supplies, $39, down 60%; and books and other study aids, $10, down 56%.
Among back-to-school shoppers, 97% are expected to make purchases at discount chains, up 4% over last year; 72% online, up 34%; 35% via catalogs, up 3%; 28% at department stores, down 44%; 25% at office supply stories, down 55%; and 30% at specialty retailers, down 10%.
Robert Passikoff, president of Brand Keys, said in addition to lower spending this year, consumers also said they will put off purchases until they see no better deals, or until they absolutely have to buy.
When are most consumers expected to do most of their back-to-school shopping? And what are the top 10 retailers showing the greatest increases in consumers intending to shop for back-to-school merchandise?
For more, click HERE
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| | Fates & Fortunes | • ELLEN DEGENERES will return as host of the 86th Academy Awards telecast live on ABC on Sunday, March 2. DeGeneres, who currently hosts her own syndicated daytime talk show, hosted the 79th Academy Awards in 2007.
• GARY KOEPKE was promoted to chief creative officer, North America, at SapientNitro. He was most recently executive creative director of brand content innovation. Before joining SapientNitro in 2012, Koepke was chief creative officer at Modernista in Boston, which he cofounded in 2000, and which closed in 2011. Prior to that he was creative director at Wieden + Kennedy in New York.
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| | What They're Watching | BROADCAST RATINGS
CBS Wins as 'Big Brother' Remains at Season High
CBS won Thursday as Big Brother stayed even with last week's season high. ABC and NBC tied for second, though ABC had more total viewers. Motive was flat with last week's series low and Rookie Blue fell from last week to tie its season low. Earlier, Wipeout improved. The Winner Is... was flat with last week's low, while Hollywood Game Night fell to its lowest rating so far. The CW aired the Young Hollywood Awards and Fox aired repeats.
For more, click HERE
CABLE RATINGS
MTV, TLC Tie for Top Cable on Wednesday
MTV's The Challenge: Rivals II and TLC's Here Comes Honey Boo Boo were the top cable originals Wednesday night, with both shows earning a 1.0 adults 18-49 rating, up from the 0.9 rating both shows posted last week. USA's Royal Pains came in third with a 0.9, up a tenth from last week.
For more, click HERE
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| Overnight Ratings: Thursday, August 1
| | 8 PM | | NET | SHOW | A18-49
Rating | TOTAL VIEWERS
(MILLION) | CBS
| THE BIG BANG THEORY (R) (8)
TWO AND A HALF MEN (R) (8:30)
| 2.1
1.7
| 7.8
6.5
| UNIVISION
| PORQUE EL AMOR MANDA
| 1.3
| 3.3
| ABC
| WIPEOUT
| 1.2
| 4.4
| NBC
| AMERICA'S GOT TALENT (R)
| 0.9
| 3.8
| FOX
| GLEE (R)
| 0.5
| 1.6
| CW
| 2013 YOUNG HOLLYWOOD AWARDS
| 0.3
| 1.0
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| | 9 PM | | NET | SHOW | A18-49
Rating | TOTAL VIEWERS
(MILLIONS) | CBS
| BIG BROTHER
| 2.5
| 7.0
| UNIVISION
| LA TEMPESTAD
| 1.2
| 3.2
| NBC
| THE WINNER IS...
| 0.9
| 4.1
| ABC
| MOTIVE
| 0.8
| 4.5
| FOX
| NEW GIRL (R) (9)
THE MINDY PROJECT (R) (9:30)
| 0.7
0.6
| 1.8
1.6
| CW
| 2013 YOUNG HOLLYWOOD AWARDS
| 0.2
| 0.8
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| | 10 PM | | NET | SHOW | A18-49
Rating | TOTAL VIEWERS
(MILLIONS) | NBC
| HOLLYWOOD GAME NIGHT
| 1.2
| 4.1
| UNIVISION
| QUÉ BONITO AMOR
| 1.1
| 3.1
| ABC
| ROOKIE BLUE
| 1.0
| 5.1
| CBS
| ELEMENTARY (R)
| 0.9
| 4.6
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| | THIS WEEKEND'S BIG RATINGS STORIES TODAY | • Where the Boys Are…in 'America's Next Top Model'
For the first time since it premiered in 2003, America's Next Top Model, now on The CW, will add male models to its traditional stable of female contestants. The new mixed gender competition, officially titled America's Next Top Model: Guys & Girls, premieres on Friday at 8 p.m. with 16 contestants, eight women ranging in age from 18-24 and eight men 19-26. They will be competing for a modeling contract with NEXT Model Management, a spread in Nylon magazine and a $100,000 national ad campaign with Guess. Tyra Banks continues as host and judge. The upshot: Top Model, now in its 20th cycle, is not drawing the 5 million-plus viewers and 2.5 18-49 rating that it did in its heyday, but it still has a following. While now relegated to the summer, and on low-viewing Friday nights, the series in 2012 averaged 1.3 million viewers. Actually airing it in August and September when it doesn't have to compete with the other broadcast network's first-run schedules may be to its advantage.
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| • 'Psychic Tia' Joining A&E Network—What Will Her Future Hold?
Premiering on Saturday at 10 p.m. with back-to-back half-hour episodes, this new A&E reality series features a former New Jersey police detective who left the force to start her own psychic medium business, which she operates out of a storefront known as The Craft. As A&E describes the series, Tia's readings "range from crossing over to future telling to performing charms and incantations." In the series premiere, Tia gives a young girl love advice from her deceased father and helps a family deal with their survivor's guilt, all while her son, Ricky, starts acting suspicious. The upshot: The success of Psychic Tia will be based on Tia's personality and ability to draw in believing viewers. Clearly, fans of Long Island Medium will be curious to see how well Tia can do.
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| • 'Devious Maids' Tantalizing Lifetime Audiences
Marc Cherry and Eva Longoria's new Lifetime scripted drama series Devious Maids has been growing in popularity since its premiere in late June. The Sunday at 10 p.m. series, centered on a close-knit group of maids who each work for different employers and help each other deal with the drama in their lives, has seen a big audience build. The series debuted on June 23 with 2 million viewers and a 0.7 18-49 demo rating; last Sunday it averaged 2.9 million viewers and a 1.1 18-49 rating. After five episodes, Devious Maids is averaging 2.4 million viewers and a 0.9 demo rating. The upshot: Looks like Desperate Housewives creator Cherry has a mild cable hit on his hands with Longoria as an exec producer. The series has been criticized by some Hispanic groups for its portrayal of the Latina maids, but viewers don't seem to mind. They realize what the show's critics don't: It's scripted television, and fictional entertainment.
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| Media Buyer & Planner Today
Editorial Team
John Consoli, Contributing Editor
Phone: 201-314-0424 | Send Email
Jon Lafayette, Business Editor, Broadcasting & Cable
Phone: 917-281-4735 | Send Email
Brian Moran, Managing Editor, Broadcasting & Cable
Phone: 917-281-4708 | Send Email
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