Google's Trend Analyzer

The year end Google Zeitgeist is Google's way of measuring trends by analyzing the types of searches made. It's actually pretty cool to see what was up and down over the course of the year. Google is doing some interesting things and this is one of them.

[via MarketingFix]
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Pop Star Thalia to Market and Design Branded Apparel for Kmart

Kmart Signs Thalia For Cultural Connection

In an effort to strengthen its bond with Hispanic consumers, Kmart has signed a long-term, exclusive agreement with Latin entertainer Thalia. Under terms of the deal, Thalia will help design a collection of branded apparel, accessories, footwear and lingerie, which are scheduled to appear in stores beginning next summer.

It is expected that Thalia will also appear in marketing efforts to promote The Thalia Collection. The international star was featured on the cover of the October issue of "La Vida," Kmart's entertainment and lifestyle supplement that wraps around its the Spanish circular. Financial terms were not revealed. Cultura, Dallas, is Kmart's new AOR for efforts targeting the Hispanic community.

Hopefully this will be more interesting then Britney and her failed restaurant deal.

WSJ Online Launches New Ad Campaign

WSJ Bashes Free Business Sites in New Campaign

The campaign, whose budget was not disclosed, debuted this week on television stations like ESPN, Fox News and CNBC. Print versions of the ads appear in the print Journal in an effort to convince print subscribers to add online access. These half-page house ads show a stack of "Biz-o-Rama" newspapers above text like: "You wouldn't read this instead of The Wall Street Journal. So why do it online?"

A nice microsite accompanies this campaign as well.
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Email Spam a Non-Issue at Work

Is Spam Such a Threat at Work?

Pew Internet & American Life Project reports that 65% of at-work e-mail users say the volume of e-mail messages that comes to their work accounts is not a problem, while just 4% say they are overwhelmed by the amount of e-mail that comes to work.

Pew Internet Project: Email at Work
CNET: Spam doesn't kill appetite for e-mail
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ABC to Audit Publishers's Readership Studies

Upping The credibility of Reader Surveys

Magazine publishers know that making claims about one's readers based on direct-mail subscriber studies is like boasting about your good looks in a personal ad: You may be telling the truth, but don�t expect anyone to take your word for it. That could change, though.

The Audit Bureau of Circulations is introducing a new program that could cause advertisers to regard subscriber study data from participating magazines with less skepticism.

Under that program, called Subscriber Profile, ABC works with research providers to audit each step of a subscriber study, from ensuring that the sample selected is representative to seeing to it that questions are worded in a standardized way to avoid biasing the responses.

This is so long overdue. I have had to endure years of readership study puffery. I hope this works. I hope it becomes a standard. Whether it insures accuracy, I don't know. Even if it doesn't, at least we will be able to fairly compare the puffery.
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AMA Wants to Ban Beer and Wine Ads from TV

AMA Goes After Beer Ads Aimed at Underage Drinkers

The American Medical Association (AMA) wants to ban beer and wine ads from prime-time television and is asking both network and cable TV to veto all ads that feature "mascots, celebrities or sports figures promoting alcohol products."

Dr. J. Edward Hill, chairman of the AMA's board of trustees, said the AMA is asking both networks and cable outlets to sign onto a voluntary agreement to hold off beer and wine ads until after 10 PM or initiate a total ban during programs that are aimed at youth--defined as a viewing audience that is at least 15% adolescents. He announced the new initiative at a press conference held in conjunction with the AMA's office of alcohol and other drug abuse.

Is this good? Maybe. Or is it just another sign of our puritanical, politically correct over reaction to everything?

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MediaPost Daily News Gets a New Look

Read about it here.
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