Super Bowl advertisers spend months trying to come up with the funniest, most creative ads for the big game in order to win postgame buzz.  But some of those funny, creative ads aren’t doing much to help advertisers establish their brand, according to a new study from the University of Tampa and Boston-based agency Brain on Brand that questioned 100 students about the 2006 Super Bowl ads a year after the game.  It found viewers rarely made a definitive connection between the commercials and the product being sold.  Even for advertisements that stood out for their originality, viewers frequently misidentified the product that each ad was promoting.  For example, a spot for Fed Ex most respondents misidentified as one for UPS.  That suggests that many advertisers, while paying millions for their Super Bowl spots, aren’t getting the value they thought they were paying for.  Dr. Stephen Blessing, assistant professor of psychology at The University of Tampa and co-author of the study, talks to Media Life about how advertisers can avoid this problem, why Budweiser benefits, and when advertisers should stay on message.

KETV, a Hearst-Argyle station and the ABC affiliate in Omaha, NE, has an immediate opening for an Assistant Creative Services Director.

Candidates must demonstrate effective writing, shooting and non-linear editing skills and have a passion for news promotion.  Candidates must also understand how to write and produce effective, research driven promotional messages across multiple station platforms.

Be part of the best creative team in Colorado!  Denver’s ABC7 is looking for a determined topical producer to drive our 10pm ratings. Work closely with our news department to find the best reasons to watch 7News every night.  Your ability to manage time, talent and teases will take you to the top.  Put your creativity to work where it will be truly appreciated.

KFMB TV-News 8, a CBS affiliate, has an incredible opportunity for the right person!  We are looking for a creative dynamo to be part of our award-winning promotions department in San Diego.  We are searching for a dynamic writer/producer to take our Late News topicals to the next level.

Fox Sports Net South/ SportSouth is currently searching for Writer/Producer/Editors. This position is responsible for writing, producing and editing all topical on-air promotions the FSN South.

Duties include maintaining a current knowledge of area collegiate and professional sports; supervising and directing voiceover sessions; remaining informed of video production trends; and directing promotional shoots, as necessary.

When writing a tease for a story, many producers will try to synopsize the entire story, searching for a way to compress a list of story highlights down to one pithy line of copy that will entice the viewer to stay tuned.  The problem is that this is an almost impossible task.  A good story will be loaded with interesting teaseable facts.  Synopsizing a fact-rich story removes the interesting detail that is the lifeblood of any compelling package.

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In This Issue
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Promo of the Day
Advertising: Now a Conversation
CNN Debate Draws Record Numbers
FCC Denies Debate Time for Kucinich
Fox NFC Game Highest Rated in 12 Years
Study Delves into Emotional Impact of Super Bowl Ads
Super Bowl Gets Dose of Estrogen
Taking Stock in Discovery
GLAAD Announces Media Award Nominees
BET Boots B-Girls
Scientologists vs Gawker Over Cruise Video
Working Rich Feeling Pinch
Alms for the Rich
Social Networking Results Hard to Track, Study Shows
Younger Viewers More Tolerant of Pre-Roll Ads, Survey Finds
Consumers Influenced by Inserts, Research Shows
Message From Michael
Deep Thoughts by Jack Handey

Direct the promotion, design and branding of the CBS duopoly stations in Philadelphia - CBS3 and The CW Philly 57. Create and manage advertising and promotional campaigns for locally-produced programs.  Direct design, production, and placement of promotions for both television and web.

KFOR/KAUT, the NBC/MNT duopoly in Oklahoma City, has an immediate opening for a Creative Services Director.  This person will conceive and direct the stations’ marketing strategies and community involvement projects.

Ready to take the next step?  If you are making great news topicals and are ready to move up, how about joining the #1 news station in a great market?  NBC12, Richmond, VA, seeks news promotion producer.  Bring us your creativity, editing skills, ability to produce news and your passion to win.

Work and play in one of the most livable cities in the world!  Home of Host Broadcaster for Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic Games.
Conceptualize, write and produce on-air promotional advertising including news topicals, news image and other projects.  Write and produce radio-scripted ads.  Plan, co-ordinate, and direct the shooting and editing of all produced spots.

CBS 13 and CW 31, the CBS-owned duopoly in the beautiful river-side city of Sacramento is searching for a powerhouse writer/producer to join our progressive and passionate Creative Services department.

KOKH Fox 25 and KOCB CW34 have an exciting opportunity for a Production Assistant.

Production Assistants will be responsible for editing commercial production including, 5 second ID’s, :30 second - :120 second commercial production, news image promos and 30 minute infomercials.

KTXL FOX40 has an immediate opening for a Graphic Artist.  In this position, you will create and design new graphics for newscasts, programming & public service announcements and also assist with the stations website.

CBS 13 in Portland, Maine has a great opportunity for you!  We are seeking an Art Director.  You will be responsible for maintaining the consistent graphic appearance of station promotions, newscasts and sales projects as directed.  This position will report to the Promotions' Manager and work closely with the Corporate Graphics department.

WKOW-27, the ABC affiliate in Madison, Wisconsin is seeking a graphic artist.  Candidates must have experience with Adobe CS3, After Effects, and Lightwave, and must be able to demonstrate thorough graphic production knowledge of broadcast, web, and print media.

It's no secret the Internet has changed the way consumers get information about products and the companies that provide them. Because so much intelligence about a potential transaction is so readily available from independent sources, the message provided by conventional advertising has declined in value to consumers, who even question its trustworthiness.

None of this is to say that traditional one-way advertising—say, the kind you find on TV or in print publications and even banner ads on a Web page—can't play an important role in communicating with customers. At its best, the mission of the marketer is the creation of meaning. Taking a common product and imbuing it with the aspiration of adventure, achievement, or beauty was one of the amazing feats of the 20th century.

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In This Issue
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Write Morning Show Teases from Last to First
"Storm Porn" Drives Some Weathercasts, Critic Say
Strike Changing Media Use, Report Shows
Writerless "Tonight Show" Maintains Lead
Oscars to Stream Live
CNNMoney.com Beefs Up Online Videos
Hyundai May Drop Super Bowl Ads
Jobs Announces Movie Rental Service for iTunes
Many Still Confused About Digital Switch, Study Finds
Viewer Fraud Plagues BBC
Kids Call 'Em
"Rock Band" Music Downloads Exceed Expectations
Fun for Wordsmiths = Food for Hungry
Fun "Facts"

LEX 18, Cordillera Communications' NBC affiliate in Lexington, KY is looking for a motivated, creative and organized individual to lead its Promotion Department.  This job will challenge the candidate to recruit new viewers while retaining the audience that has resulted in LEX 18 being the #1 rated station in the market.

Promotion Manager needed to help launch a new Raycom-owned NBC affiliate this summer.  Will work for Regional Marketing Director, supervise day-to-day work of Creative Services, produce promos, and oversee all station promotions.

KOLD NEWS 13 is looking for a talented and driven graphic artist to join the KOLD NEWS 13 Art Department.  The individual would be required to produce graphics for all of our news products and meet tight deadlines consistently.  They will also help the Art Director with special projects (Animations, Print, and Web) which will be assigned as needed.

The highest morning show numbers come at the end of the morning.  Unfortunately, most producers write their show from top to bottom.   This means teases for the earliest shows usually get the most care and attention.  After writing a slew of teases, end-of-show teases are often done quickly with little attention to detail.  Far too many producers simply bang them out in the control room with little thought to their effectiveness.

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In This Issue
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Marketing Movers
Best of Ads, Worst of Ads
Clinton, Dems Received Most Media Exposure, PEJ Finds
Globes Bomb
Grammys on Shaky Ground
"Idol" Capitalizes on Strike
Strike Changing Broadcast Ad Model
Writers Take Time Out for Kid's Books
Animal Planet Aims for Adults
Oprah Gets Her OWN Network
Ellen Bumps Oprah for Top Beloved TV Personality
Celebrity News Miffs Murdoch
Message from Michael
Top Ten Programs on Oprah Winfrey's New Television Network

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In This Issue
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Is Your Brand Effective? Take the Slogan Line Test
CNN Winner in NH Primaries
Hillary Holds Off on Negative Ads
Strike Update
Most Viewers Unaffected by Strike, Poll Finds
Online Video Benefiting from Strike
Best Video Upload Wins Super Bowl Tix Via Coors
Anti-Drug Ads to Air During Super Bowl
Almost All Ads Still Seen by DVR Users, Data Shows
Mobile Ads Getting Notice, Study Finds
Teens Embrace New Media, Pew Finds
Russia May Snuff Our Tobacco Advertising
American Airlines Launches Gay Ads
Message from Michael
Top Ten Signs You're Watching Bad Election Coverage

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In This Issue
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Promo of the Day
Marketing Movers
NH Primary Results Heats Up Ad Spending
Facebook Fuels Surge for ABC Debates
Social Media Impacts Editorial Direction, Study Finds
Young People Chose MySpace to TV, Study Shows
Gaming Doesn't Limit TV Time, Study Says
Stewart, Colbert Return, WGA Protests
Globes Gone, Oscars On
CNBC, NY Times Unite Against News Corp.
Online Archive Campaign Stymied by Orphan Protection
Cellavision?
TeleNet?
Etailers Happy with Holiday Tally
Predictions for 2008 from BorowitzReport.com

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In This Issue
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Do you Have a True News Brand or Just a Slogan?
Late Night Audience Returns in Droves
Leno, WGA Butt Heads Over Monologue
WGA Refuses Waivers to Golden Globes
ABC News By a Nose in 2007
Daypart Ratings Review
BCS Ratings Strong Despite Slight Dip
Fox News Top Cable News Network Again
Microsoft Announces ABC/Disney Downloads for Xbox
ChaCha Unveils Humna-Powered Mobile Search
Iowans Surge Obama Site
Display Advertising Poised for Growth
China's New Rules Chokes Video Sharing
More 'Stock' Less 'Sex' in Chinese Searches
Artists Face Prison Over Video Nuke Prank
Top Ten Demands of the Striking Writers

This position works closely with the Marketing Director in the development and execution of multi-media station campaigns.

You are the brand expert for KXAN Austin News responsible for all marketing elements on-air, web, print, radio and new media.  Must be able to manage multiple projects and take an idea from concept to completion in a fast paced, creative environment.

The Belo owned station in Norfolk is seeking the next Promotion Manager.  Ideal candidate must be able to oversee aggressive daily topical efforts,  utilizing research and driving our brand extensions. Needs to be energetic and fast under pressure, with a proven track record indicating strong script writing.

Creative...Motivated...Self-Starter?
FOX 5/WNYW in New York is seeking a highly motivated and creative Promotions Producer to write and produce high quality news and programming promos in a fast-paced environment; Must have a minimum of 3 years prior television experience in promotion with an emphasis on news

It's an exciting time to join Cleveland's first television station, WEWS  NewsChannel 5!  We're seeking a producer with a wide range of talents for a PT position in the Creative Services Department.

Green is the new black.

Madison Avenue tried to curry favor with consumers this year by coloring products and brands with an environmental tint. A long list of companies such as General Electric Co., Chevron Corp. and Home Depot Inc. all jumped on the eco-friendly bandwagon. One Toyota Motor Corp. ad featured a Prius being created from straw, twigs and other natural elements. The gasoline-electric hybrid car is built up and then fades back into nature.

Despite the energy spent on eco-friendly marketing messages very few stood out, but being green wasn't the only way ad makers tried to grab some attention in 2007. Thanks in part to ad-skipping devices, they littered the Web with viral videos, added smells to print ads and even found ways to have pitches appear in unsuspecting places such as on TV screens on gas pumps.

But one thing stayed the same: Some campaigns were big hits and others were big flops. Our choices for the best and worst in 2007:

Great opportunity in top 25 market at a true Independent station!   WAXN TV64 needs a brand manager to present new ideas and create strategic marketing plans for programming, 10pm News, station-sponsored events/community projects and increasing brand awareness.  Includes working with outside entities on partnerships or cross-promotion opportunities - which you have made happen.

WZDX FOX 54 and WAMY MY 8TV in beautiful Huntsville, Alabama has an opportunity for a highly creative and motivated individual who has experience in promoting the "Big Five" networks.  This is THE job for someone who's ready to take the reins and let their imagination soar!

WJLA-TV, Washington's fastest growing TV station, has an immediate opening for a gifted promotion writer/producer/editor - we've got all the toys you need if you've got the creativity to match.  Must be able to create memorable special report promos, compelling image campaigns, and everything in between.

CBS 3 & CW Philly 57 are looking for a highly skilled and creative sale Preditor!  Write, produce and edit commercials, marketing promotions, programming and special projects.  Visit cbs3.com/jobs for full details.  Min. 3 yrs of editing & producing exp w/ broadcast, cable or production facility.  Expertise on MAC Final Cut essential.  Sound & graphic design background a +.

This is your chance!  If you're looking to work in a brand new, state-of-the art, all digital broadcast facility, in one of America's most livable cities, WPXI-TV's Creative Services Department wants to hear from you.  We're looking for a dynamic, aggressive, out-of-the-box writer/producer who knows how promote local news.  From daily topicals and proof-of-performance spots, to image campaigns and web marketing - the opportunities for creative growth are endless.  It's a fast paced shop with a mission to win.

WTOC's marketing and promotions producer must have at least 2 years previous experience in broadcast promotion.  Must be an outstanding editor (Edius/Adobe Premiere) with knowledge of shooting and writing for promotion as well as strategic placement of WTOC spots on air.  Must be hard working, imaginative, and committed to broadcast excellence.

Do you have a clearly defined brand position or just a catchy slogan with little product positioning behind it?�
In last week's column, I talked about the specific differences between a slogan and a brand.  A slogan is not a brand.  The job of a slogan is to clearly convey the brand position, not to drive it.  The branding process should identify a laser focused brand position first, then establish a slogan line to concisely convey the essence of that brand.   A brand will clearly describe either the rational or emotional attachment to the viewer - not spout a list of product attributes.

Every product line has a brand, but a slogan line is optional.  As a matter of fact, most product lines don't have slogans.