For the big television networks, this time of year is payday.  This is when they sell upfront TVC slots to advertising companies.  Unfortunately for some of the networks, the ad agencies are saying enough is enough.

Generally speaking, the cost of the TVC space increases every year; this might be the first time that the cost is actually going down.  Advertising companies just don’t have the money in their ATL budgets for higher costs.

Could it also be that the ad agencies are realizing there are other, more effective ways to be spending money, maybe something like Word of Mouth campaigns?

Full story here

As if we needed any more evidence that word of mouth marketing is an effective tool, the Keller Fay Group, a company in the States, has released a survey of American consumers, ‘indicating that brands are a critical part of daily conversation. According to the study, the average American discusses specific brands in ordinary discussion 56 times per week. Contrary to conventional opinion, nearly two-thirds (62%) of brand-related talk feature products in a positive light, while less than 1 in 10 conversations features products negatively. In addition, 41% of conversations about brands involve a reference to advertising or something seen or heard in the media.’

How curious that negative word of mouth featured so little in the results.  But I guess we all like to talk about what we like.  Now, is your company being talked about?