Media Sales Today

Americans are still making their pets the center of family attention. But, the recent recession forced some consumers to stop bringing their dogs and cats to the vet for regular checkups. This shift in consumer behavior resulted in a revenue drop for vets who are now being encouraged to roll out more marketing campaigns to increase business.

Local media companies might be hearing an unsettling noise drawing closer – the roar of the digital freight train is headed their way. These small operators have little choice if they want to survive. They must find a way to jump on board and begin what Borrell Associates calls the ‘mediamorphosis’.

Time is probably not speeding up. But the rate at which consumers are shifting their attention across media channels seems to be increasing. And, this behavior poses a big problem for marketers.

Many analysts believe the greeting card industry is experiencing a long slow decline. Some manufacturers, such as American Greetings, are developing cards with new features to excite consumers. This company provides a formal co-op plan for retailers and reps can remind their accounts that partial funding for their ad new campaigns may be available.

According to many recently published reports, the recession is over. Not so fast, say marketers who participated in recent Association of National Advertisers surveys. Business conditions may be improving, but marketers intend to keep tight fiscal control over ad spending.

Marketers have traditionally allocated their ad budgets based on the audience reach and price. For many years, cable operators delivered a growing and often targeted audience at a good price. But the latest data on cable TV viewership may have some marketers raising their eyebrows.

Earth Day, coming up on April 22, is not generally thought of as a blockbuster retailing event. But, marketers of all kinds who want to show off their green sides can generate customer loyalty, goodwill, and some revenue with the right kinds of promotions. Reps should make calls this week in order to sell advertising in time for Earth Day.