Maxim Magazine is taking its winning formula of gadgets, humor, sports, and near naked women to television specials on ESPN and NBC. And that is just the beginning. Felix Dennis, owner of Dennis Publishing which publishes Maxim, says the magazine will be launching a cable channel called Maxim Entertainment Network or MEN. Cute.
This first show to air will be called "The Maxim N.F.L. Beach Bash," following the Pro Bowl and featuring the very pleasing to look at Jennifer Love Hewitt. Oh, and Orlando Jones too. Someone else will have to comment on looking at him. He doesn't do much for me. In June, the Maxim Hot 100 issue will become a one hour special on NBC.
So, there you have it. If you can't get it in print, now you can get it on TV. Isn't media great?
NYT: Can Maxim Translate to TV?
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We aren't the only country that loves to complain about racy ads. Australia doesn't like women kissing women, animals singing their national anthem, and Kylie Minogue in lingerie.
Sunday Mail: The Advertiser: Kiss-off for sexy ad gripes [22dec02]
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CNET has a story about a new type of pop up ad that "kicks through" to the advertised web site with a simple rollover of the mouse. Very tricky. I hate this stuff.
But, more importantly, we (as in MarketingFix writer, Robert Loch) scooped the story first.
Would have been nice if CNET attributed appropriately!
MarketingFix: Is "Kick Through" a New Ad Format?
CNET: Pop-ups add new twist - Tech News - CNET.com
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The Diet Coke brand is taking its $75 million U.S. advertising account to Foote, Cone & Belding.
AdWeek: Diet Coke Parts Ways with Lowe
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It's Maxim for Tweens. Well, not really. There's no cleavage and no rock stars. It's basically a manga comic book. It is currently published in Japan with a circulation of 3.4 million. The premiere issue launched in November with a newsstand circulation of 300,000. The demographic focus of the magazine is boys age 12-17. Charter advertisers are the Cartoon Network, Konami, and 4Kids.
MediaPost: Shonen Jump Targets Teens
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Maybe losing on ad revenues isn't so bad for AOL. As a consolation, that have pulled out a patent that states they have ownership over instant messaging. While they say they have no plans to do anything with it at this point, imagine what would happen if they did. Interestingly, they also have patents to Cookies and SSL (guards online transaction).
What's to stop AOL from cashing in on this with huge fees to make up for their current financial woes?
Media Life: AOL wins instant messaging patent
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Media Life's 2002 Best and Worst poll has named Martha Stewart as the top media villian of the year. Other winner (or losers as it were) are:
1. Maxim as greatest influencer on the content of other media
2. Reality shows as biggest media fad to disappear
3. worst idea for a magazine: Gene Simmons' Tongue Magazine
4. TV show surest sign showing collapse of civilization is near: Joe Millionaire
Read the article and the study. Pure distraction.
Media Life Article: Readers pick Martha as top media villain
Survey Results: Results Summary
Does this sound familiar? Take the best content from 22 different information sources and re-package it into a separate product designed to simplify access. That is exactly what Gannett is doing with it's 22 local television stations. Gannet is launching a cable channel that will re-broadcast the local news of those 22 stations at particular times on one national cable channel. Who said blogging was not influential? OK, maybe blogging didn't completely inspire this decision but the similarities are very interesting.
Washington Post: Gannett May Launch A Cable News Channel (washingtonpost.com)
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Everybody's doing it so let's do it too. That has always been the mentality of television programmers and it is no different with FX. They have struck a deal with Esquire magazine to produce a reality series based the magazine's "What It Feels Like" column. The column covers first hand accounts of topics such as Tourette's syndrome and shark bites. As this moves from Esquire to FX, there is no doubt in my mind that this will turn into "What It Feels Like to Find Out My Wife is Transvestite". The glory of lowest common denominator reality television. Oh sure, ratings will be great. Another indicator of the unfortunate mentality of most people in this country.
Ad Age: WHAT'S IT FEEL LIKE TO BE BITTEN BY A SHARK?
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Gawker is a new ad-supported weblog that focuses on New York Society. This new addition to the thin-media world of the blogosphere will no doubt be a healthy hit for Spiers/Denton/Kottke, Inc. And, another early indicator of potential business models for weblogs.
Gawker
Gawker is a Manhattan weblog magazine edited by Elizabeth Spiers, designed by Jason Kottke and published by Nick Denton. It is a live review of city news, and by news we mean, among other things, urban dating rituals, no-ropes social climbing, Cond� Nastiness, downwardly-mobile i-bankers, real estate porn -- the serious stuff.
Rick Bruner, a MarketingFix partner, has the scoop and more details.
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