The More Things Change the More They Stay the Same...

It's happening -- the shift of ad dollars online.  According to Reuters, the Online Advertising spend will overtake TV Ad spend in the UK in 2009.  That's next year!  The US can't be THAT far behind -- especially with all the new online video content initiatives that are giving consumers a reason to watch.  Let's face it -- it is nice to be able to watch any back episode of House on Hulu (especially if your DVR erased it due to limited space).  And, where the consumers are is where the advertisers want to be - kind of.  I learned something new about Madison Avenue (which perhaps should be obvious, but wasn't to me).  It turns out that advertisers would much rather place an online ad next to an episode of the Simpons than a video of "Meatface" pumping iron as is evidenced by the fact that Hulu has already sold out of advertising inventory -- despite the fact that they have only a fraction of the viewers that YouTube has.  Of course, advertisers want to control what their brands are associated with -- even if that means paying MORE for access to FEWER eyeballs.  Our new advertising partner, Spotxchange pointed this out to me as I was putting together the description of the benefits of MediaMall for potential advertisers -- I thought -- "put your ad next to the consumer's favorite YouTube clip while they are watching it on the TV" was extremely compelling.  After all -- since the consumer is watching Internet video on their TV, they are less likely to surf away during the commercial (no mouse) or be doing email while the pre-roll runs (no keyboard) -- shouldn't this be an online advertiser's dream?  Not so much.  The feedback I received (thanks Doug) was: Emphasize the major network content (NBC/Fox shows etc.) and downplay YouTube, Madison Avenue doesn't like having their ads show next to poorly-produced, potentially offensive clips (no offense to the UGC).  OK -- so my pitch is -- "display your ad while a consumer is watching a NBC TV show on their TV".  Wait -- isn't that what they already do?  But -- now it is less expensive with more accountability (CPM).  I guess the more things change, the more they stay the same...