Watch it Here

Here's the link to that Corvette ad that has the safety groups in a wedgie. It's a good one, too. I'm not even a Corvette fan (give me a Jaguar or an Aston-Martin) and it makes me want one. Enjoy the ride!

Once Again

60 Minutes story on "Undercover Marketing" raises paranoia to a whole new arena. Check it out

Imagination Dangerous for Young Children

I guess "Vroom, vroom" doesn't cut it anymore. General Motors withdrew a Corvette TV commercial after seven auto safety groups complained that the ad sent a dangerous message. The ad, titled "A Boy's Dream," features a dream sequence in which a young boy is shown driving the shiny, fast car. The groups criticized both the promotion of excessive speed in the ad and the depiction of young children driving, saying, "Promoting illegal and risky behavior in ads viewed by millions of families -- especially young males -- watching the Olympics is egregious corporate behavior." Give me a break! When are we going to stop blaming advertising and media for our own screw-ups?? We're fat because of fast food adveritsing, not because we don't take charge of our dining habits; our 20-year-olds smoke because tobacco companies advertise their death-dealing product, not because they choose to ignore the ample warning information available to them; and young boys think it's OK to drive Dad's sports car because the TV ad shows it, not because their parents have failed to impress upon them that a car is not a toy. Cheesh! All together now folks, "If Johnny jumps off the cliff, are you going to follow him?"

How Behaviorial Targeting Works

eMarketer projects that by the end of next year, behavioral targeting will reach $934 million and will account for 8.3% of all online advertising spending. Their free report, What Comes Before Search? looks at how behavioral targeting works, the relationship between search and behavioral targeting, and the challenges associated with making it effective. Check it out here

Mitsubishi Test Drives a Web-Only Advertising Campaign.

Since launching web advertising as a lead generation tool for its dealers, Mitsubishi says visitors who come to SeeWhatHappens.com and then follow through with a confirmed visit to a Mitsubishi dealer are four times as likely to purchase a new vehicle as those just conducting basic research. Mitsubishi is so pleased with the results of its last year's integrated campaign, its sending this year's advertising campaign entirely to the Web.