Omnicom
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Facebook's Atlas ad platform will track you around the internet
Facebook's sufficiently chummy with advertisers that some people have gone and built their own social networks to escape Mark Zuckerberg's clutches. For those who remain, however, it's now going to be even harder to avoid people using your personal profile information to sell you things. The company has re-built and re-launched (former Microsoft ad platform) Atlas as a way of monitoring people's online activity across every device that they own. In a blog post, Atlas chief Erik Johnson talks about "people-based marketing" that leaves behind cookies and instead knows what you're doing on desktops, smartphones and tablets. That data, coupled with Facebook's knowledge of your age, gender and preferences, will then be used to sell specific products -- with the firm that handles Intel and Pepsi's promotional work the first to sign on.
Shocker! Apple product placements dominate Hollywood
Something you already knew to be true has just been confirmed by Omnicom's Interbrand brand consultancy division: Apple reigns supreme in Hollywood films. Interbrand's Brandchannel website dug deep into the fetid bowels of product placement to reveal Hollywood's preferences (paid or personal) in the 33 films that hit the US box office number one slot in 2010. Brandchannel identified 591 total brand or product appearances for an average of 17.9 placements per film, with Apple appearing in ten of the top films for a 30 percent share -- Nike, Chevrolet, and Ford each appeared in eight. Incidentally, Iron Man 2 won the dubious distinction of being cluttered with the most identifiable brands (64) in 2010. Apple is actually off from its peak of 50 percent of number one films in 2008 and 44 percent in 2009 as demonstrated in the chart after the break. But it's not for a lack of trying. Brandchannel contends that the competition for brand placement has simply intensified resulting in fewer appearances of Janoff's U+F8FF.
Omnicom drives a stake into Millions of Us
One of the more recognizable names among metaverse development companies (MDCs) is Reuben Steiger's Millions of Us. Steiger's MoU has done work in Second Life, Gaia Online and Zwinky. Omnicom, reported by Reuters to be the world's largest advertising services company, has bought a stake in the company. A majority stake, or just a share - nobody's saying. Inevitably, the sale is being compared to CBS's investment in rival MDC, Electric Sheep Company - a partnership which is leading to the joint release of a CSI:NY episode revolving around Second Life, and a customized, user-friendly Second Life client. What Omnicom and Millions of Us have planned at this stage is anyone's guess - advertising is where the smart money is, of course. Could MoU be becoming the general virtual worlds arm of Omnicom? Could be.
Intel, Omnicom bringing "10 foot" ads to on-demand Viiv content
Intel and Omnicom Media Group look to be bringing a little more advertising into your life, announcing that they're collaborating on so-called "10 foot" advertising templates for on-demand content delivered to Viiv-based computers. Details are a bit sketchy, with an actual roll-out still months (or more) away, but the deal could apparently include both video and interactive advertisements, in addition to more traditional banner-type adverts -- all of which Intel says will be both "highly targeted" and "relevant". The hope here is, of course, to make Viiv a more attractive platform for content providers -- carving out a middle ground between the free-for-all model and tougher-to-crack subscription or pay-per-use options on opposite sides of the spectrum.[Thanks, Ash]
