Groups protest
Supremes' ad decision
Other shorts: Times claims WSJ metro launch may be delayed
By Louisa Ada Seltzer
Jan 28, 2010
Groups protest Supremes' political ad decision
While President Barack Obama was busy assailing the Supreme Court's controversial political ads decision in last night's State of the Union address, prompting spectator Justice Samuel Alito to mutter "not true" several times on camera, some activists were busy launching online petitions calling for the decision reversed. The petition from Working Assets' Credo, a mobile, credit card and long distance company that raises money for nonprofits, urges Obama and Congress to enact laws that counter the decision. The petition from Change Congress, an anti-special interests group, is agitating for a Constitutional amendment called the Fair Elections Now Act. The petitions probably won't do much good -- online petitions are more effective at, say, convincing a student government to reverse a decision than the highest court in the land -- but it's an indication of just how polarizing the decision is. Last week's decision lifts a ban on corporations and unions from running advertising or providing other forms of support to candidates and their campaigns, though direct monetary contributions are still prohibited. It has the potential to pump up to $500 million into this year's midterm elections, according to analysts.
Times claim: WSJ metro launch may be delay
Get ready for the latest edition of the New York newspaper wars, only this time the Wall Street Journal and the New York Times will be playing the parts of the usually warring Post and Daily News. As the Journal gets closer to launching its new metropolitan edition, expected to be a direct competitor to the Times, the latter is sharpening its claws. The Times has a story in today's paper claiming that technical difficulties could delay the proposed April launch of the new edition. The story says that News Corp., parent company of both the Journal and the Post, is planning to print both papers at the Post's South Bronx printing plant but that overhauling the presses is taking longer than anticipated, and that could force the papers to outsource their printing. The Daily News rejected an overture to help them, but the Times is reportedly considering lending its presses in what the story termed purely a business transaction. Still, it's the latest bit of sniping between the Times and Journal as the New York edition's launch draws closer. Just a few weeks ago a story about the WSJ in the Times prompted a strong response from its editor.
Forecast: 100 million will watch the Super Bowl
No matter the final score at this year’s Super Bowl, the magic number could be 100, as in 100 million viewers. This year’s title game between the Indianapolis Colts and New Orleans Saints is expected to draw 43 percent of U.S. households and 100 million total viewers on CBS, according to the research firm IBISWorld. That would eclipse the record of 98.7 million total viewers, set last year for the game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Arizona Cardinals on NBC. According to IBISWorld, factors that will contribute to the record number of viewers include the fragile economy, with many people looking for cheaper forms of entertainment, as well as a steady increase in Super Bowl viewership over the past five years. Indeed, the Super Bowl averaged 86.1 million viewers in 2005, according to Nielsen, with 90.7 million watching in 2006, 93.2 million in 2007, 97.4 million in 2008 and then last year’s 98.7 million. The NFL has also been on a ratings roll this entire season. NFL games averaged 16.6 million total viewers this year, up 14 percent from last season, and each playoff game this season has attracted more viewers than the same game a year ago.
Brand Keys: Still, big-game ads not always worth it
But even if 100 million people see your ad, are the millions of dollars for a 30-second spot worth the investment? Not for everybody, according to this year’s Super Bowl Engagement Survey from brand and customer loyalty research consultants Brand Keys. The company surveyed 1,350 men and women ages 18-65 who said they plan to watch the Super Bowl and asked them if advertisers’ presence during the game would lift the brand. The results showed that the highest return on investment can be expected for Denny’s, the movie “Iron Man 2,” Hyundai, Anheuser-Busch’s Budweiser, and Diamond Food’s Pop-Secret popcorn. On the other side, TruTV, HomeAway, Dr. Pepper Cherry, Kia and Cars.com are the most likely to see lower returns, according to the survey. CBS has reportedly charged advertisers between $2.5 million and $2.8 million for a Super Bowl spot. Brand Keys says the results correlate with consumer behavior and are reliable predictors of future brand purchase. “Think of it as identifying how the media reinforces, or in some cases degrades brand values,” Brand Keys president Robert Passikoff said in a release. “It has nothing to do with ‘being watched’ or of consumers ‘being aware,’ and has everything to do with being emotionally engaged with the brand.”
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