About e-zines – by Serena Tieland – final version

The word “e-zine” consists of two contracted words which together represent what an e-zine is. These two words are electronic and magazine, so an e-zine is an electronic magazine. E-zines can also be compared to internet email newsletters. After subscription by a person wanting to know more about a certain subject / theme, the magazine / newsletter (already for sale in a kiosk or completely new) gets send to that person’s email-address and he/she can thus read electronically. Electronic magazines tend to be send periodically, so mostly every day, week or month. The electronic mail newsletters normally do not get send periodically, but only when there is ‘news’ to be communicated.

E-zines can be distributed in two different ways: one way is via mail only. This means that the whole text of the magazine / newsletter along with pictures etc. gets send to the email address of the person who is subscribed. The second manner in which e-zines get distributed is via an internet-based link to the subscribed person’s mail address, people can thus click on this link and read the e-zine on a particular website. Access to this website can be secured by having to submit a password before being able to read the e-zine. This online form of e-zines is referred to as webzine as well.

People familiar with the concept of e-zines tend to be young and computer-minded, these youngsters are either really enthusiastic about this new internet based idea or they just do not see the added value of the whole phenomenon. Proponents really like the ease and the fact that it represents a free service, while detractors say that a big disadvantage is that e-zines are not interactive and the danger of viruses is prominent.

E-zines are attractive to ‘publish’/ distribute for companies and for individuals because of the advertising possibilities and thereby revenue. Also, the number of ‘hits’ on the particular companies’/ individuals’ website is increased and the advertisement gets seen by the target customers directly. This is because the person viewing the e-zine and thereby the advertisements has subscribed for this, this means he/she is genuinely interested in this topic. This is also what sets apart e-zines from spam.

So the question about the e-zine which remains is: will this new way of publishing and thereby advertising be a big hit? Most people do not think so, because before e-zines could have reached the big public, it had already been surpassed by its new and improved version: the weblog.
Improved and thereby more popular because a blog is interactive and does not have to pass your spam filter first. This is mainly because blogs have taken over the role of e-zines by not only informing people about their main interests, keeping them up to date but also actually interacting with people, who are able to react on blogs.
But most importantly, you can make and customize your own blog and this can not be said for e-zines.

(500 words)

Sources:
http://www.mroverdeliver.com/ezine/
http://www.avantrex.com/business/ezines.html
http://www.ezine-dir.com/

Using celebrities in advertising campaigns, does it really work? - by Lindsey Visser – version 2

Some big brands like to think so. With the years going by, a number of celebrities joined campaigns of big brands. It was only in 2002 that Kylie Minogue was a huge part of the launch of the new Ford StreetKa. And this is just an example, many other celebs have done the same thing. In this article, I’ll highlight some pro’s and cons of this in my opinion very interesting subject: the effect of using celebrities in an ad campaign. The main question is: Does it really work?

According to a study by Millward Brown Precis it certainly does. This study shows us that by using Kylie in the Ford campaign, the number of sales increased surprisingly. The new Ford was at that time associated by a lot of people with Kylie Minogue. So it wasn’t just a new car you bought, no no you bought a story. You were cool, just like Kylie.

So, if I want to launch a new product I’ll use a celeb because that should do the trick. Well, that’s not entirely true. It is a very risky decision for both the brand and the celebrity. It could cause a severe damage to the image of the celeb and/ or the brand. You can’t just put any face on a product. The image of the celeb has to match the image you want the product to have.

According to Kevin Lane Keller (author on an article about 50cent the moneymachine) there are a number of potential problems if you use a celebrity. The first thing you have to look in to if you are considering using a celebrity in your ad campaign, is if the person in question and your product have the same target audience. If so, you can investigate the matter further. Then you need to know if the person in question is willing to be the face of your product or campaign. Because don’t forget, it’s a risk for them to.
Still, you have to do your homework pretty good before you get involved in this business.

Okay, we’ve discussed the pro’s and con’s. What now? If you are in the advertising business, you are going to have to decide one day if you’re going to take the risk that your idea blows up in your face. If you ask me, ad campaigns with celebrities could be very affective. But you do need to do some serious research before you decide to use this kind of campaign. After all, you’re brand’s reputation could be damaged for good.

(435 words)

Sources:
http://www.open2.net/money/briefs_170306_reebok.html
www.mbprecis.com
World Advertising Research Center David Iddiols

Mobile Advertising: Friend or Foe? - by Kiran Singh – version 2

Ever since mobile telephones have been around, people have had their doubts about the small devices. Do you really want to be accessible during every moment of the day? Is the mobile signal perhaps bad for your health? The last years the mobile phone has experienced an immense amount of changes, creating a wide variety of different cellular phones for all kinds of people.

Nowadays more people start to see the convenience of the handheld device and show more appreciation. Over 85% of the Dutch population is in possession of a mobile phone and they aren’t just for calling anymore. They usually come with extra applications such as a built-in camera, mp3-player and navigation system. A good reason to carry it everywhere you go and advertising companies are starting to notice that. Television, radio and the internet have been used for many years to reach the buyers, so why not the mobile phone?

Mobile advertising can be carried out in a variety of ways. Several years ago companies started with SMS-based advertising. According to Katie Fehrenbacher, that always seemed like a bad idea.
“A promotional ad in a text message form would be sent to a group of people, hoping that the recipient would respond and refer into action. Plain random text would not reach the wanted effect.” Michael Stanley, senior consultant for Sony Ericsson’s Market Unit, confirms Katie’s thought. “A mobile ad needs to be relevant and has to have a certain benefit for the recipient. If not, the ad would just be seen as spam advertising.”

The latest technology also provides full internet access on your mobile phone, which has opened up a whole new dimension for mobile advertising. Although there is still a major difference between visiting a website on your mobile phone or your desktop computer, a mobile phone is seen as a personal space. More and more websites are being converted to fit mobile screens so they can be easily accessed. By screening the content which a person surfs for on the internet, advertising companies are capable of sending ads focused on specific target groups. Clickable hyperlinks and pop-up ads amplify the effect as consumers become more comfortable with data and internet experiences.

Even though mobile advertising is at its birth, mobile and advertising companies will have to work together and use a correct strategy to ensure a success. Hardly anyone would sign up for receiving random mobile ads. Michael Stanley believes there has to be a reward for it, such as free call minutes or credits on operator portals. The main key is to deliver content that is of interest and of use to the consumer. Even Bluetooth – an open standard for wireless connections between devices at short range – adverts are being discussed, since the technology that mobile phones hybrid is only growing.
That mobile advertising is an upcoming trend is for sure. Can the mobile and advertising industry harness the power of this new medium? Simply introducing it to the public in a structured manner can guarantee a long-term success. While the number of mobile phone users is growing every day, mobile advertising is bound to become the advertising way of the future.

(Words:535)

Sources:
http://www.cellular-news.com/story/24353_2.php
http://gigaom.com/2006/09/18/will-mobile-ads-work/
http://www.imediaconnection.com/content/7717.asp

Who will win: time or money? - by Charlaine Scholten – version 2

When companies want to sell their products or services quickly, they’re putting a lot of money in advertising and promotional material. But which promotion style is the most effective? Traditional media like television, radio or newspapers? It is effective and traditional media will always reach your focus group, but it is very expensive. And what if a company hasn’t got enough money for a TV-campaign, a radio spot or an advertisement in a popular newspaper?

Traditional media is decreasing. On the other hand increases the Internet. A lot of individuals use this medium for buying, searching, blogging and entertaining. So the Internet has a lot of consumers and public. All focus groups are present. Therefore, Internet is an appropriate medium for selling a product or service, and also very inexpensive!

Viral Marketing
And then Viral Marketing came. It is a cheap way to make your focus group aware of your product or service. Companies pick consumer data from there database and send their campaign or other promotional material to them. Most likely the buzz is funny, entertaining or has a shocking effect. It can be a photo, a game or a film. The promotional material or campaign encourages individuals to pass the message to others. It spreads the word of the product or service. Word of mouth is a method that is the most effective way to sell. When somebody heard it from his friend, he believes it and becomes familiar to it, most likely to buy it. And that was exactly the purpose of the company.

A company like O’Neill could try Viral Marketing. It is a company with a lot of money, but it is also a company that is trying all kinds of promotion styles. To make it clear: O’Neill is a brand that has his focus on the surf and board sport. The competitors aren’t using VM and the focus group of O’Neill (girls in the age of 17 to 20 years) is a frequent internet user. A funny film, an entertaining game or a shocking picture will attend them on O’Neill, and hopefully they will buy something. Or maybe the friends she sent the mail.

So way aren’t all companies using Viral Marketing? Are there cheaper ways of promoting? Or isn’t it that popular yet in the businessworld? Maybe businessmen don’t understand the effectiveness of the word of mouth. They think that it takes too much time, time they can’t afford. But if there are businessmen and –women who are seeing it, their sales will increase a lot.

(Words: 431)

Sources:
Value of Viral Marketing, by Laura Lake; http://marketing.about.com/cs/viralmarketing/a/viralvalue.htm
Use Viral Marketing, by Ana Rincon; http://onlinebusiness.about.com/od/marketing/qt/viral.htm
Viral Marketing, by Annette Cardwell;
http://www.efluentials.com/news/ZDSmartBusVM.html

Will online ads surpass the traditional media? - by Jason Wong – version 2

Traditional media has been used a long time by advertisers. Billions of dollars has been spent for newspapers, magazines, television and radio for an advertorial or just a single spot on television to attract customers. Since a couple of years internet advertisements have risen up to the sky. Advertisers saw there was a big future in it and spent a lot of money for the possibilities of the World Wide Web. Many options they used for television and magazines are replaced or the advertisers use a combination of those two. Since the upcoming of internet many companies built their own page for advertising. Up to now the new media, online ads are increasing very fast. However the big question is whether the online ads will surpass and overtake the traditional media or not.

Users of the internet have increased to a high level since the introduction in 1991. In fact the internet was born in 1969 and it was basically used for the military. The first internet provider in the Netherlands
was launched in 1995 by the telecom network KPN. Nowadays there a more than 1 billion internet users and it is still growing. According to a research company, called Morgan Stanley Research, there will be more than 2 billions users in 2015 and 3 billion in 2040. Because of the fast innovations and internet access in the whole world, many countries and people who couldn’t afford internet a few years ago, are now able to explore on the World Wide Web. Even though Asia is one of the biggest continent, the most new internet users will arise their. The growing industries and economics stimulate the use of high-tech computers with access on the web and it will also create opportunities for advertisers to make online ads for their future customers.

Since consumers their and expectations are more important than the product itself, the company and its producers seek different possibilities to publish their product in different ways. Starting with the traditional media, the new media is climbing to an unknown rate. Especially radio has been surpassed by the internet. According to marketer senior analyst Ben Macklin: ”The radio ad is expected to climb up with 1,5% in 2007 to 20,4 billion dollar. Internet will eventually rise to 21.7 billion dollar”. As a result it will be up 22% according to last year.

The faster the computers get, the more possibilities the advertisers have to make unique ads. Nowadays there a lot of video ads online to be viewed. In contrast to a couple of years ago there were only simple banners or pages. Besides the new media, publishers still use the traditional media like newspapers. Mostly the newspapers are a lead to visit the internet ads. When the readers take action, the internet will provide more information about the product. If these two of combination succeeds the advertisement technique is well structured. Not only the newspaper, but also the other traditional media is still an important source to combine online ads. Ben Macklin said in his report: “There are many synergies between radio and the Internet and, for the most part, they complement rather than compete with each other”.

Many results from analysts show that the internet has a great future in online ads. In most cases the traditional media helps the new media to create ads. To find an answer on the question if online ads eventually will take over the radio, magazine and television is not easy. But there can be concluded online ads will never be on their own. The advertiser will always choose the option to create an ad in combination with the traditional ones.

(610 words)

Sources:
Louis Hau, http://www.forbes.com/2007/08/29/advertising-radio-internet-cx_lh_0829radio.html
Aline van Duyn, http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/6098d396-4448-11dc-90ca-0000779fd2ac.html
Aisha Phoenix, http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=aoZdZPRqf61U

Using celebrities in advertising campaigns, does it really work?

written by: Lindsey V RMC206C2 -version 1

Some big brands like to think so. With the years going by, a number of celebrities joined campaigns of big brands. It was only in 2002 that Kylie Minogue was a huge part of the launch of t he new Ford StreetKa. And this is just an example, many other celebs have done the same thing. Bud does it really work?

According to a study by Millward Brown Precis it certainly does. This study shows us that by using Kylie in the Ford campaign, the number of sales increased surprisingly. The new Ford was at that time associated by a lot of people with kylie minogue. So it wasn’t just a new car you bought, no no you bought a story. You were cool, just like kylie.

So, if I want to launch a new product I’ll use a celeb because that works. Well, that’s not entirely true. It is a very risky decision for both the brand and the celebrity. It could cause a severe damage to the image of the celeb and/ or the brand. You can’t just put any face on a product. The image of the celeb has to match the image you want the product to have. According to Kevin Lane Keller there are a number of potential problems if you use a celebrity. The first thing you have to look at if you are considering using a celebrity in your ad campaign, is if the person in question and your product have the same target audience. If so, you can investigate the matter further.
Still, you have to do your homework pretty good before you get involved in this business.

Okay, we’ve discussed the pro’s and con’s. What now? If you are in the advertising business, you are going to have to decide one day if you’re going to take the risk that your idea blows up in your face. If you ask me, ad campaigns with celebrities could be very affective. But you do need to do some serious research before you decide to use this kind of campaign.

Version 1: Who will win: time or money?

25 September 2007, 434 words used, by Charlaine Scholten 

When companies want to sell there products or services quickly, they’re putting a lot of money in advertising and promotional material. But which promotion style is the most effective? Traditional media like television, radio or newspapers? It is effective and traditional media will always reach your focus group, but it is very expensive. And what if a company hasn’t got enough money for a TV-campaign, a radio spot or an advertisement in a popular newspaper? 

Traditional media is decreasing. On the other hand increases the Internet fast. A lot of individuals use this medium for buying, searching, blogging and entertaining. So the Internet has a lot of consumers and public. All focus groups are present. Therefore, Internet is an appropriate medium for selling a product or service, and also very inexpensive!

Viral Marketing

And then Viral Marketing came. It is a cheap way to make your focus group aware of your product or service. Companies pick a few consumer data from there database and send there campaign or other promotional material to them. Most likely the buzz is funny, entertaining or has a shocking effect. It can be a photo, a game or a film. The promotional material or campaign encourages individuals to pass the message to others. It spreads the word of the product or service. Word of mouth is a method that is the most effective way to sell. When somebody heard it from his friend, he believes it and becomes familiar to it, most likely to buy it. And that was exactly the purpose of the company. 

A company like O’Neill could try Viral Marketing. It is a company with lot of money probably, but it is also a company that is trying all kinds of promotions styles. To make it clear: O’Neill is a brand that has his focus on the surf and board sport. The competitors aren’t using VM and the focus group of O’Neill (girls in the age of 17 to 20 years) is a frequent internet user. A funny film, an entertaining game or a shocking picture will attend them on O’Neill, and hopefully they will buy something. Or maybe the friends she sent the mail. 

So way aren’t all companies using Viral Marketing? Are there cheaper ways of promoting? Or isn’t it that popular yet in the businessworld? Maybe businessman don’t understand they effectiveness of the word of mouth. They think that it takes too much time, time they can’t afford. But if there are businessman and –woman who are seeing it, there sales will increase a lot.  

Sources:

Value of Viral Marketing, by Laura Lake; http://marketing.about.com/cs/viralmarketing/a/viralvalue.htm

Use Viral Marketing, by Ana Rincon; http://onlinebusiness.about.com/od/marketing/qt/viral.htm

Viral Marketing, by… (Upcoming)

Is Mobile Advertising the Future?

version 1 – 512 words by Kiran Singh

Ever since mobile telephones have been around, people have had their doubts about the small devices. Do you really want to be accessible during every moment of the day? Is the mobile signal perhaps bad for your health? The last years the mobile phone has experienced an immense amount of changes, creating a wide variety of different cellular phones for all kinds of people.

Nowadays more people start to see the convenience of the handheld device and show more appreciation. Over 85% of the Dutch population is in possession of a mobile phone and they aren’t just for calling anymore. They usually come with extra applications such as a built-in camera, mp3-player and navigation system. A good reason to carry it everywhere you go and advertising companies are starting to notice that. Television, radio and the internet have been used for many years to reach the buyers, so why not the mobile phone?

Mobile advertising can be carried out in a variety of ways. Several years ago companies started with SMS-based advertising. According to Katie Fehrenbacher, that always seemed like a bad idea.
“A promotional ad in a text message form would be sent to a group of people, hoping that the recipient would respond and refer into action. Plain random text would not reach the wanted effect.” Michael Stanley, senior consultant for Sony Ericsson’s Market Unit, confirms Katie’s thought. “A mobile ad needs to be relevant and has to have a certain benefit for the recipient. If not, the ad would just be seen as spam advertising.”

The latest technology also provides full internet access on your mobile phone, which has opened up a whole new dimension for mobile advertising. Although there is still a major difference between visiting a website on your mobile phone or your desktop computer, a mobile phone is seen as a personal space. More and more websites are being converted to fit mobile screens so they can be easily accessed. By screening the content which a person surfs for on the internet, advertising companies are capable of sending ads focused on specific target groups. Clickable hyperlinks and pop-up ads amplify the effect as consumers become more comfortable with data and internet experiences.

Even though mobile advertising is at its birth, mobile and advertising companies will have to work together and use a correct strategy to ensure a success. Hardly anyone would sign up for receiving random mobile ads. Michael Stanley believes there has to be a reward for it, such as free call minutes or credits on operator portals. The main key is to deliver content that is of interest and of use to the consumer. Even Bluetooth – an open standard for wireless connections between devices at short range – adverts are being discussed, since the technology that mobile phones hybrid is only growing.
That mobile advertising is an upcoming trend is for sure. Can the mobile and advertising industry harness the power of this new medium? Simply introducing is to the public in a structured manner can guarantee a long-term success.

Sources:
http://www.cellular-news.com/story/24353_2.php
http://gigaom.com/2006/09/18/will-mobile-ads-work/
http://www.imediaconnection.com/content/7717.asp

Will online ads surpass the traditional media?

version 1 – 612 words by Jason Wong

Traditional media has been used a long time for advertisers. Billions of dollars has been spent for newspapers, magazines, television and radio for an advertorial or just a single spot on television to attract customers. Since a couple of years internet advertisements have risen up to the sky. Advertisers saw there was a big future in it and spent a lot of money for the possibilities of the World Wide Web. Many options they used for television and magazines are replaced or the advertisers use a combination of those two. Since the upcoming of internet many companies built their own page for advertising. Up to now the new media, online ads are increasing very fast. However the big question is whether the online ads will surpass and overtake the traditional media or not.

Users of the internet have increased to a high level since the introduction in 1991. In fact the internet was born in 1969 and it was basically used for the military.
The first internet provider in the Netherlands was launched in 1995 by the telecom network KPN. Nowadays there a more than 1 billion internet users and it is still growing. According to a research company, called Morgan Stanley Research, there will be more than 2 billions users in 2015 and 3 billion in 2040. Because of the fast innovations and internet access in the whole world, many countries and people who couldn’t afford internet a few years ago, are now able to explore on the World Wide Web. Even though Asia is one of the biggest continent, the most new internet users will arise their. The growing industries and economics stimulate the use of high-tech computers with access on the web and it will also create opportunities for advertisers to make online ads for their future customers.

Since consumers and expectations are more important than the product itself, the company and its producers seek different possibilities to publish their product in different ways. Starting with the traditional media, the new media is climbing to an unknown rate. Especially radio has been surpassed by the internet. According to marketer senior analyst Ben Macklin, the radio ad is expected to climb up with 1,5% in 2007 to 20,4 billion dollar. Internet will eventually rise to 21.7 billion dollar. As a result it will be up 22% according to last year.

The faster the computers get, the more possibilities the advertisers have to make unique ads. Nowadays there a lot of video ads online to be viewed. In contrast to a couple of years ago there were only simple banners or pages. Besides the new media, publishers still use the traditional media like newspapers. Mostly the newspapers are a lead to visit the internet ads. When the readers take action, the internet will provide more information about the product. If these two of combination succeeds the advertisement technique is well structured. Not only the newspaper, but also the other traditional media is still an important source to combine online ads. Ben Macklin said in his report: “There are many synergies between radio and the Internet and, for the most part, they complement rather than compete with each other”.

Many results from analysts show that the internet has a great future in online ads. In most cases the traditional media helps the new media to create ads. To find an answer on the question if online ads eventually will take over the radio, magazine and television is not easy. But there can be concluded that online ads will never be on their own. The advertiser will always choose the option to create an ad in combination with the traditional ones.

Sources:
Louis Hau, http://www.forbes.com/2007/08/29/advertising-radio-internet-cx_lh_0829radio.html
Aline van Duyn, http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/6098d396-4448-11dc-90ca-0000779fd2ac.html
Aisha Phoenix, http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=aoZdZPRqf61U