Media Sales Today

Free standing insert (FSI) coupon activity in the first half of 2010 is up 10.1 percent over the same period last year. While digital couponing is also up, digital coupons aren’t pushing printed coupons out of the way yet, and that’s good news for newspapers.

According to a new report, online ads can be an effective way to reach women. The Unicast “What Women Want from the Web Report” shows 62 percent of women notice and/or interact with online advertising. Of women surveyed, 95 percent plan to go online, and their plans include social activities and shopping. Women 18-24 use the web more than other age groups.

After so many negative ad sales reports and doom and gloom forecasts, ad tracking service Kantar Media is reporting first quarter 2010 advertising spending was up 5.1 percent. This is the first quarter with a gain since the first quarter of 2008, and the largest increase in ad spending since first quarter 2006.

Despite increased belief in the future of 30-second television ads, advertisers question TV’s effectiveness and are dissatisfied with measurement. According to the joint ANA and Forrester Research survey of more than one hundred national advertisers, marketers also want to be able to target television ads, but don’t want to pay extra for that ability.

Nearly a quarter of American consumers say newspaper and magazine ads are the best place to find bargains, compared to 18% who say they find the best deals in online ads.

There’s a lot of focus after the holidays on sales numbers – were they up? Flat? Did the big box stores beat the little guys? Which categories did the best? In the midst of all of the numbers comes an interesting study from Allen & Gerritsen that says while more and more consumers what to BUY online, most want to shop in actual retail stores ‘for inspiration.’

Digital out-of-home advertising has fared pretty well through the recent economic environment, and early estimates for 2010 have been positive. Now a new BIA/Kelsey report (via MediaBuyerPlanner) confirms what the industry has been saying: digital out-of-home spending will ‘skyrocket’ in coming years. In fact, BIA/Kelsey is predicting spending will increase at an annual rate of 13.5%, going from $2.2 billion in 2009 to $3.7 billion in 2013.