MDG Blog

Super Bowl XLVI Gets a Social Media Command Center


In an effort to handle the 150,000 people expected to attend the Super Bowl, the city of Indianapolis has plans to set up a central social media command center. Mashable.com recently explained how this concept will play out.

Located in downtown Indianapolis and running from the prior Monday up through the big game, the command center will be comprised of marketing strategists, technology whizzes, and digital analysts who will oversee fans’ online interaction on social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter. Some of their tasks will include providing visitors with suggestions for area activities, tweeting parking directions, and serving as a crisis center in case of emergency.

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DATE: Feb.4.2012 • POSTED BY: Joanne Del Gigante

How the Web Brought New Economics to Super Bowl Advertising


Just as the Super Bowl draws of millions of television viewers, Super Bowl advertising requires millions of dollars to secure a single 30-second spot in front of a rapt audience. Marketers and media buyers strongly urge clients to make this major investment, but brands often debate whether the expense is justified. Now the argument for these big-budget ads is stronger than ever due to the growing social sharing behavior of the Web. AdAge.com recently reported on how the new wave of viral viewing has become a real game-changer in Super Bowl advertising.

Super Bowl ad buzz used to be confined to casual, face-to-face conversations in the days immediately following the game. With the popularity of online video channels and social media networks, these Super Bowl commercials can now be repeatedly watched, shared, and discussed online. This can exponentially extend their reach and frequency beyond the original airing, which offers brands much more exposure and value for their million-dollar media buys.

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DATE: Feb.3.2012 • POSTED BY: Joanne Del Gigante

Mark Zuckerberg Tells Potential Shareholders That Facebook Is On A Social Mission

As the world learns about the financial details of Facebook’s anticipated IPO, Mark Zuckerberg offered a look at the social network’s mission and motivations in a personal letter to potential shareholders. Mashable.com reported on the details of this noteworthy note.

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DATE: Feb.3.2012 • POSTED BY: Joanne Del Gigante

AT&T AdWorks Hunts Down Multiscreen Viewers


In the ongoing quest to determine an ad’s effectiveness when viewed via numerous media platforms, AT&T Adworks is rising to challenge by partnering with Internet audience measurement firm comScore on a new multiscreen research effort. AdAge.com recently reported on this major media move designed to provide specific information about the impact of cross-platform campaigns.

In development for nearly a year, this research initiative will measure media consumption across TV, online, and mobile by surveying a demographically representative panel of 25,000 consumers. AT&T is currently registering these consumers from comScore’s Internet panel of more than one million U.S. households and more than 850,000 households with AT&T TV, broadband, and wireless service.

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DATE: Feb.3.2012 • POSTED BY: Joanne Del Gigante

More Marketers Going Long with “Big Game” Spots


Watch for longer commercials during this year’s Super Bowl, with many exceeding the usual 30-second time span. AdAge.com explained why advertisers are looking to go long for the big game. ”You’re going to see the art form of storytelling take on a greater role in the Super Bowl,” said Seth Winter, sports-ad sales chief at NBC.

While some major brands are extending their ads to give consumers more reasons to buy during these uncertain economic times, other companies have more creative motives and want to recapture the lost art of storytelling on the small screen.

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DATE: Feb.2.2012 • POSTED BY: Joanne Del Gigante

Survey on the Digital Luxury Experience Reveals Insight on Consumers and Brands


A recent survey on the digital luxury experience has provided luxury marketers with a better understanding of online consumer behavior and online luxury brand performance. The survey was conducted by the Altagamma Foundation, an international firm that provides a unique viewpoint on digital luxury. This survey reflects findings that convey how digital marketing is redefining the look and language of luxury brands.

The findings were based on a study of eight luxury product categories, including the fashion, jewelry, automotive, and hospitality industries. The researchers examined more than 1,500 consumers in Western markets and China, as well as 187 worldwide luxury brands, more than 450 websites, and 150 million social media and blog scans.

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DATE: Feb.2.2012 • POSTED BY: Joanne Del Gigante

The Pre-Game Show of Super Bowl Commercials Begins


Check out VW’s just-released Beetle spot.
With the Super Bowl just days away, marketers are looking to build anticipation for their commercials before the big game. The increasing popularity of discussing Super Bowl ads on social media sites both before and during the game has led marketers to start teasing and talking about their upcoming commercials on sites such as Facebook, YouTube and Twitter. The New York Times reported on how this new trend toward promoting, and even previewing, Super Bowl spots is a complete turnaround from the prior practice of keeping these top-dollar ads top secret.

Marketers believe that previewing a Super Bowl ad allows viewers to feel like insiders with access to a special secret. It also generates buzz both online and offline for the commercials and their brands.

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DATE: Feb.1.2012 • POSTED BY: Joanne Del Gigante

2012: The Year of Real-Time Marketing


The constant demand for fresh digital content and immediate marketing solutions put real-time marketing on the map and made it a business must. This trend will continue and Bannerview.com recently explained why real-time will define the times in 2012.

Ever since Google made it simple to find anything and everything fast, people have developed a desire for compelling new content on-command. When search proved too slow, they turned to Twitter, which ushered in the real-time revolution of immediate access to media and more. This led to inclusion of social into search and continued to feed our need for the most current content.

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DATE: Feb.1.2012 • POSTED BY: Joanne Del Gigante

8 Predictions for SEO in 2012


In an effort to inspire digital marketers to advance their SEO in 2012, SEOmoz.com compiled a forecast featuring eight ideas and actions they expect to see in the coming year.

1. SEO Without Social Media Will Disappear – The growing power and poularity of social media will make it essential for effective SEO in 2012.

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DATE: Jan.31.2012 • POSTED BY: Joanne Del Gigante

12 Ads That Changed Super Bowl Marketing


Super Bowl ads are renowned for being some of the most innovative and creative commercials in history. AdAge.com recently collected the spots that caused a cultural shift and ultimately changed the ad game of Super Bowl marketing.

1. Apple, “1984” – This ad evoked the famed Orwellian novel and proposed a similar revolution that would change computers and our lives.

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DATE: Jan.30.2012 • POSTED BY: Joanne Del Gigante

The Social Campaign: The Growing Reach of Social Media’s Election Impact [Infographic]

Social media played an astounding role in the 2008 presidential election and demonstrated the emerging impact of social media on politics. These platforms enabled people to learn and share about the election and proved especially popular with voters ages 18 to 34. Today, social media has expanded its reach to audiences of all ages, with nearly 50 percent of voters from ages 34 to over 55 expecting to use social networking sites to find news, information, and discussions on the campaigns. With the 2012 presidential election mere months away, MDG Advertising created an informative infographic that compares social media usage from the 2008 presidential election with its projected influence on the upcoming 2012 election. Take a look at how the usage of Facebook, Twitter, Video and LinkedIn is expected to jump among both voters and candidates as we break down the growing correlation between the presidential election and social media.
The Social Campaign: The Growing Reach of Social Media's Election Impact [infographic]

Spread the Word

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DATE: Jan.30.2012 • POSTED BY: Joanne Del Gigante

What to Expect from Advertising in 2012


The new year brings new insight into how media, marketers, and ad agencies will act and advance. Advertising Age recently featured its forecast for the various segments of the advertising industry in 2012.

Print – Magazines and newspapers will keep moving in a digital direction, yet focus now on generating revenue from paying subscribers as their share of ad spending continues to decrease. If the U.S. Postal Service ceases Saturday delivery, weekly magazines will need to develop alternative plans to ensure a timely delivery schedule.

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DATE: Jan.30.2012 • POSTED BY: Joanne Del Gigante

Google’s Jaw-Dropping Sponsored Post Campaign For Chrome

In a controversial marketing move, Google debuted a new campaign for Chrome that violates the search engine’s guidelines against paid links. Google has been strict about its policy that sponsored posts may not contain live links, but this new marketing campaign boldly features Google-sponsored posts filled with these illicit links. These posts are clearly marked as being sponsored by Google, so the search engine has blatantly defied its own rules. SearchEngineLand.com reported on this highly hypocritical move.

Last year, Google penalized JC Penney, Overstock, Forbes and others for using paid links. If Google were to comply with its strict guidelines, it would have to ban its Google Chrome download page featuring those links as well. A ban would make it disappear for up to a year and draw negative attention for its scandalous initiative.

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DATE: Jan.29.2012 • POSTED BY: Joanne Del Gigante

New Facebook “Actions” Coming to Apps in January


Now that Facebook has initiated its rollout of Timeline, the social networking site expects to start approving Open Graph actions as soon as this month. AllFacebook.com recently reported on the criteria for these app approvals.

According to Facebook, an app will only be approved if it publishes actions that are basic, legitimate, and risk-free. Apps cannot damage the graph structure via publishing activity guised as requests or poorly chosen names. In fact, actions must relate to single verbs and objects to single nouns. Also, actions must not violate any existing content policies or be misleading in any way.

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DATE: Jan.29.2012 • POSTED BY: Joanne Del Gigante

MDG Creates an Unbeatable Cardiac-Care Ad Campaign for HCA East Florida Hospitals

MDG Advertising recently developed and produced a multi-faceted advertising campaign for the HCA East Florida hospitals that specialize in comprehensive cardiac care. These hospitals are nationally recognized for their excellent cardiovascular teams, extensive experience, advanced technology, and superior support services. The purpose of the campaign was to highlight the cardiac-care hospitals within the HCA East Florida division and position them as leaders. This resulted in an integrated campaign that includes print, outdoor, TV, radio, and microsite development.

The concept was based on the high volume of cardiac procedures performed at HCA East Florida hospitals. Our messaging expressed that this volume directly correlates to the hospitals’ high number of successful outcomes. By making that message the heart of our ads, we positioned HCA East Florida hospitals as leaders in cardiac care by conveying that thousands of patients have selected them to perform their cardiovascular procedures.

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DATE: Jan.27.2012 • POSTED BY: Joanne Del Gigante
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