Commoditization Schmoditization
It's time to celebrate if you're rooting for further commoditization of traditional Radio and the Internet. TargetSpot (arguably one of the most impressive automated Radio/Web sales tools on the market) just got bigger.
TargetSpot buys rival Ronning Lipset Radio and results in forming the largest online radio ad network. TargetSpot brings together CBS Radio, Entercom, AOL Radio, Yahoo, and more than 1,000 other online stations comprised of more than 50 radio groups and web properties. The TargetSpot CEO (Doug Perlson) says combing the sales and technology structures positions them for the "strongest monetization possible."
He says "monetization" -- I say "commoditization."
Toe-MAY-tow.
Toe-MAH-tow.
What would you call an online system that requires no actual understanding or comprehension of marketing or radio advertising or web strategy in order for you to be able to produce and place advertising spots and web banners? Just because you can get a great price on a set of scalpels at The Dollar Store doesn't make you a brain surgeon.
TargetSpot (and other systems like it) allow the amatuers to pose as professionals. It puts Buyers in charge of strategy and execution. I don't care how good a negotiator might be, I don't want them writing my radio spots or designing my display ads.
Point. Click. Crap.
You think terrestrial Radio sounds like shit NOW?
It's not going to get any better when ALL the spots sounds the way a posting on eBay reads. This is the level of "expertise" that will be needed to plan and execute media advertising.
No one WANTS to talk to a Radio salesperson, but the truth is that the GOOD ones know what they're doing. They've been educated in advertising strategy and marketing techniques that are proven to work in their chosen media. I don't like doctors, but you can be damn sure that if I need an operation I rather have to deal with some complete DICK who happens to be the best at what he does than perform the surgery myself.
Eric Ronning and Andy Lipset of RLR will become co-presidents of TargetSpot, which also absorbs the entire RLR sales team. Lipset says their firm and TargetSpot have been "complimentary leaders and innovators" in the online ad space, and believes they're now poised for "explosive growth."
"Explosive growth?"
Explosive diarrhea.
...Coincidence?
The government stepped in to institute PAYOLA laws. Is it too much to hope that they'll do something about the coming CRAPOLA scandal?
TargetSpot buys rival Ronning Lipset Radio and results in forming the largest online radio ad network. TargetSpot brings together CBS Radio, Entercom, AOL Radio, Yahoo, and more than 1,000 other online stations comprised of more than 50 radio groups and web properties. The TargetSpot CEO (Doug Perlson) says combing the sales and technology structures positions them for the "strongest monetization possible."
He says "monetization" -- I say "commoditization."
Toe-MAY-tow.
Toe-MAH-tow.
What would you call an online system that requires no actual understanding or comprehension of marketing or radio advertising or web strategy in order for you to be able to produce and place advertising spots and web banners? Just because you can get a great price on a set of scalpels at The Dollar Store doesn't make you a brain surgeon.
TargetSpot (and other systems like it) allow the amatuers to pose as professionals. It puts Buyers in charge of strategy and execution. I don't care how good a negotiator might be, I don't want them writing my radio spots or designing my display ads.
Point. Click. Crap.
You think terrestrial Radio sounds like shit NOW?
It's not going to get any better when ALL the spots sounds the way a posting on eBay reads. This is the level of "expertise" that will be needed to plan and execute media advertising.
No one WANTS to talk to a Radio salesperson, but the truth is that the GOOD ones know what they're doing. They've been educated in advertising strategy and marketing techniques that are proven to work in their chosen media. I don't like doctors, but you can be damn sure that if I need an operation I rather have to deal with some complete DICK who happens to be the best at what he does than perform the surgery myself.
Eric Ronning and Andy Lipset of RLR will become co-presidents of TargetSpot, which also absorbs the entire RLR sales team. Lipset says their firm and TargetSpot have been "complimentary leaders and innovators" in the online ad space, and believes they're now poised for "explosive growth."
"Explosive growth?"
Explosive diarrhea.
...Coincidence?
The government stepped in to institute PAYOLA laws. Is it too much to hope that they'll do something about the coming CRAPOLA scandal?
Labels: Advertising, Consumer Generated, Industry, Internet, Rants, Rates, Trendwatch
2 Comments:
We think internet radio is different - there is unlimited competition and listeners will not tolerate a bad experience. While some radio stations will try to over monetize their streams, we suspect that listeners will revolt and go somewhere else. And we agree that there is a skill to writing a good ad. That's why we have the most experienced sales force in internet radio, tutorials on how to use the product, and a full time, experienced radio copy editor on staff to work with advertisers to create high quality, effective ads. Ultimately, we hope that our service provides fewer, more relevant ads that are of higher value to advertisers and broadcasters. If we can accomplish this - and we don't pretend this is easy to do - everyone wins.
So does this mean you've got online tutorials on how to self-lobotomize, or are you trying to make the industry a better place by requiring those who want to use your service to undergo an educational process that will help minimize the Adver-Vomit being spewed on the audience?
Does the process explain the value behind a strategy of eliminating individual spots cluttering up and interrupting the listener experience by investing more to sponsor a commercial free hour? Does the system allow for sponsorships of that nature.
Does the process teach how online listeners use online audio differently from terrestrial broadcast listeners? One of TargetSpot's features is the ability to insert a banner ad at the same time an audio spot is playing. This is virtually USELESS because the majority of user begin a stream and minimize the player -- never looking it again throughout their listening experience. People do not "watch" their radio after they turn it on.
If we really want to improve the effectiveness and profitability that new media can have on traditional media, we need to go beyond the "acceptable industry standard" of giving users what they "think" or "say" they want. We need to EVOLVE.
If Edison had relied upon what people said they wanted, he would have invented a brighter, longer burning candle. Instead, he created a REVOLUTION.
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