Will the type of targeting that will apparently be offered by Cablevision result in significantly more advertising dollars flowing back to television? What will the potential of this type of targeting capability mean for consumer brand marketers and retailers?

I’m sure this will lead to positive results, but the real “holy grail” will be when consumers can seek out information on the products and services for which they are in the market at the present moment. Hey, I think we already have that: it’s called the internet! Just another argument for the integrated retailing imperative. http://www.retailwire.com/Discussions/Sngl_Discussion.cfm/13593 

Which offline direct marketing media will become more valuable for retail and consumer brands in the future? Which will lose value?

According to PQ Media, spending on alternative media hit $73.43 billion in 2007, a 22% increase over the previous year, and will continue to surge. As reported on AdAge.com, the research firm forecasts a 20.2% increase over the next year, to a total of $88.24 billion, and a compounded annual growth rate of 17% for 2007-2012, reaching $160.82 billion. By then, alternative media will represent 26.6% of all advertising and marketing dollars.  According to The Future Exploration Network, the fastest-growing and largest segments of digital advertising over the next few years are forecast to be paid search, mobile, and video. However the pace of growth is expected to be solid across the board. They expect new segments of digital advertising to emerge, including personalized outdoor and in-building advertising, and advertising in virtual worlds. The domain of digital advertising will continue to expand. For example, newspapers delivered on e-paper will be a new forum for digital, personalized advertisements.   http://www.retailwire.com/Discussions/Sngl_Discussion.cfm/13047 

Behavioral vs. Contextual ads

Does the study’s findings that consumers respond better to behavioral ads than contextual ones ring true with you? Do you consider behavioral ads invasive? What else would you like to know about how behavioral ads work versus contextual ones before deciding which is the best way to reach consumers? 

The holy grail of advertising is to reach the right prospect with the right message at the right place (increasingly, online) at the right time (just as they are in the market for the product or service being advertised). Of course behavioral advertising is more effective (if more annoying to those who are not in the market right now). But it still points to where marketing and advertising are heading and must eventually arrive: markets of one, mass customization, and individualization. If you can get the segment down to one customer, you can have a much more optimized delivery with instant return. A better understanding of each customer leads to better predictions of behavior (or, in other words, a better way to anticipate customer needs). And the best source of such information is the direct interaction and communication between customer and provider. The companies that interact with their customers, learn from their customers, and collect relevant, specific information on each of their customers–information that can be accessed and utilized in serving individual customers–are the companies that will optimize results.