The US Government is on YouTube

Jonathan Bowers, September 26th 2006, 10:31AM

We have been talking for a while about the importance of businesses placing themselves in the same arenas online that their target audiences appear in and the US Office of National Drug Control Policy has done just that by getting itself a YouTube page.

They've uploaded their tv ads and are getting a respectable amount of hits. One video has been watched by over 10,000 people in the last week. That's people actually choosing to click on and view.

As well as the tv ads they have filmed a conference discussing the rate of teenage drug use reducing. However, the video - displayed in 3 parts reveals a naivety in the system. YouTube orders from the most recent downward and so, it highlights part 3 of the report above the other two. The result is over 2000 views for part 3, less than half this for part one and only 367 views for part 2. Does this suggest that the whole thing is not worth sitting through? Or simply indicate the time restrictions we face in reaching this audience? After all - the adverts are 30 seconds long, while the reports weigh in at 4 or 5 minutes a go.

It's a big step though and I would say it will prompt similar moves from public sectors across the world. I wonder whether the private sector will be as transparent in their involvement?

Tags: white_house_online, tvads, youtube
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B2B slow to market on the Net

Jonathan Bowers, March 23rd 2006, 11:02AM

The Internet Advertising Bureau has set its sights on the B2B market with the news that only one third are currently embracing online marketing.

Apparently 63% of respondents say that the Internet will take more of their marketing budget in the future. From a privileged position as a technological B2B company, it's quite easy to suggest that this move is more a necessity than a choice.

Print platforms are now notoriously difficult for B2B companies to reach an audience through - raising awareness in non trade titles particularly. Quite apart from the worth of advertising space, editorial is very tough to attain, which will be frustrating for many who read about the addictive qualities of garden peas in the Metro free paper twice in the same week (Tues 21 and Thurs 23 March).

Over the Atlantic, US watchdogs are predicting that public opinion is moving away from TV as the top advertising medium. Everything points toward the web.

Does this mean that web giants like Google and Yahoo will clean up with ad banners and pay per clicks? Or is it an opportunity for companies to be more proactive in the way they market, reaching out to their audience through blogging, podcasting, wikis and other online communication tools?

I don't mind reading about garden peas but have to admit that my time splits much more in favour of web news week on week.

Tags: b2b, marketing, tvads
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