Not having a tangible measurement for digital advertising remains the biggest obstacle to convincing local advertisers to pony up with digi-dollars. This has to have an effect on radio revenue growth. Advertisers are so used to ROI or return-on-investment, that until there's an acceptable measurement for digital and social ads, they're reluctantly investing in new media ways to sell their product. Twenty-three of 24 marketers surveyed in a new report from the World Federation of Advertisers and WPP (Web Presence Providers) firm Millward Brown is committed to increasing the time and money they spend on social media in the next 12 months, even if they don't think they can accurately measure the results. This, according to Advertising Age...
Inside Radio confirms the confusion by reporting that Borrell Assocates says the radio industry is "barely treading water" in the local digital space and is poised to see its share shrink - not grow - unless there's a rethink in the coming years. Borrell finds the average station billed $60,000 in local digital revenue in 2010. The World Federation of Advertisers and Millward Brown, mentioned earlier, don't agree on the spending part. The marketers they polled will be spending more social ad money and the advice from WFA and Millward Brown is "to commit considerable resources to social networking, install community managers and focus on areas that fit most closely to a brand's objectives, because it's tough to deliver strongly on every front."
Despite not having a litmus test for digital and social advertising, look for more, not less money invested on both fronts this year. The digital genie is out of the bottle. Memo to the audience measurement world: come up with an acceptable return on investment measurement for digital and social spending ASAP!!!
1.1797] This is the way we wash out clothes: Nathaniel Briggs of New Hampshire patents a washing machine...
2.1963] The Name Game: Sonny Werblin, no doubt inspired by nearby LaGuardia Airport, changes the name of the New York Titans to the Jets (3/28) just before Shea Stadium becomes a runway for LaGuardia and the new home of the Jets in 1964...
3.1967] New Ironsides: Raymond Burr stars in the TV movie "Ironside" which will become a highly rated, long-running series...
4.1969] 'Happy Trails': Dwight D. Eisenhower, our 34th president, dies of heart failure at 78...1987] Maria von Trapp, whose life inspired "The Sound of Music", dies in Morrisville (VT) from heart failure at 82...
5.1974] The Streaker: A streaker runs onto the set of "The Tonight Show" starring Johnny Carson (but Ed McMahon is quickly subdued by NBC pages)...
6.1979] Wedding Bells: Eric Clapton marries George Harrison's ex, Patti "Layla" Boyd as he starts the 1st leg of a tour. The marriage lasts 9 years...
7.1979] Life imitates Art: A nuclear meltdown starts at Three Mile Island (PA) 12 days after "The China Syndrome" premieres...
8.1992] One-Man highlight film: Christian Laettner of Duke hits a 17-foot turn-around jumper just before the buzzer, giving the Blue Devils a dramatic 104-103 win over Kentucky to win the NCAA East Regional title. 9 days later Duke becomes the 1st team in 19 years to repeat as national champions with a victory over Michigan...
9.1995] "D-I-V-O-R-C-E": The bubble bursts for Lyle Lovett as Lyle and Julia Roberts announce their separation. They were married 21 months...
10.2007] Gotcha: Former major league pitcher Ugueth Urbina is convicted of attempted murder in Venezuela in 2005 and sentenced to 14 years in prison...
Music Memories:
- 1968] Number one on this date: "(Sittin' On) The Dock of The Bay" - Otis Redding ...1971] "Just My Imagination" - Temptations...
- 1958] Recorded on this date: "Summertime Blues" - Eddie Cochran...1966] "Green Grass" - Gary Lewis & Playboys...1967] "Brown-Eyed Girl" - Van Morrison...
Chuck Knapp and J.J. Jeffrey were two original members of the Now Crowd back on March 13, 1967 when WRKO was launched. Chuck remembers following Arnie Ginsburg on the air at 9pm each night: "Arnie always introed me as the guy from Fergus Falls, Minnesota and then did his traditional Arnie chuckle. I loved following him on the air." And what does Chuck remember most about 1967? "I saw the World Series that year, was introduced to Ted Williams by Curt Gowdy, met Bobby Orr and watched him play, saw Bill Russell in the bar at the station building on Brookline Avenue and so much more. Since Arnie never returned to the air I got to work 7 days a week for the next 7 months until we hired Gary Martin and I moved up to 6pm-9pm." Chuck also remembers racing at New England Dragway with J.J., $8 World Series tickets and giving away Sgt. Pepper artwork to a contest winner...
J.J. Jeffrey sends best personal regards from his "Villa in Dorchester." J.J. remembers "Light My Fire", The Red Sox! '67 erupts with WRKO! A gathering of radio people who took Boston and New England and said "Pay Attention." They did! The D.J.'s couldn't wait to get to "work" everyday to play the latest Beatle songs and other hits. Fabulous people to work with: 'Smitch' (Bobby Mitchell), Dale (Dorman), 'Joe' Cash (Joel Cash), Chuck (Knapp), Gary (Martin), Jon (Powers), Shadoe (Stevens), Ernie (Anastos), Roger (Allan), Paul (Power), (Dan) Tucker, Harry the W (Weinstein), Sid (Gaynor), Gordie (Brown), Chet (Kelly), Frank (Santos), (Bill) Wayland, Mike (Horn) & "Woodies" (Dick Woodies). Loved the promotions! 'Casino Royale,' Candy Apple Red Mustang, Top 500, Black Box & the Christmas Wish. And the names of the D.J.'s on the marquee at 21 Brookline Avenue. What a kick to 'Shepard' over the Drake format. The Johnny Mann jingles! The engineers who made the Big 68 sound like an FM. Thank you management team, Perry (Ury), Mel (Phillips), Bob Henabery and Harvey (Mednick) for "smoothing the way for us to rise to the top in New England. J.J. Jeffrey (3pm-6pm) on the Big 68 ('says proudly')"...
(Tomorrow: "WRKO...The Launch" - part 21: We Hear From Management)...
"Happy Birthday...happy birthday":
Stefani Germanotta aka Lady Gaga (25), Vince Vaughn (41), Chris Myers (52), Reba McEntire (56), Dianne Wiest (63), Gerry House (63), John Records Landecker (64), Rick Barry (67), Ken Howard (67), Jerry Sloan (69) and Charlie McCoy (70)...
Timeline Countdown: 3 days until MLB Opening Day, 4 days until the Final Four, 6 days until the NCAA Championship game, 22 days until Passover & 28 days until Easter Sunday...
"Happy Birthday...happy birthday":
Stefani Germanotta aka Lady Gaga (25), Vince Vaughn (41), Chris Myers (52), Reba McEntire (56), Dianne Wiest (63), Gerry House (63), John Records Landecker (64), Rick Barry (67), Ken Howard (67), Jerry Sloan (69) and Charlie McCoy (70)...
Timeline Countdown: 3 days until MLB Opening Day, 4 days until the Final Four, 6 days until the NCAA Championship game, 22 days until Passover & 28 days until Easter Sunday...
