Decided to take part in MSNBC TV’s historic ad buy this week – 800 blogs – to promote three of its primetime programs. Despite the fact that a couple of the ads, like the one appearing today, are not exactly up my alley.
Note: you won’t see the aforementioned “Welcome to Porn Valley” ad on this blog after Dec. 12 14? 2005. It’s promoting Rita Cosby and her Live & Direct show which airs weeknights at 9 PM EST. Update: it’s not really an ad for porn. Just looks like it.
Why am I doing this? Mostly because Blogads founder Henry Copeland, a friend and colleague, seemed excited about it. He emailed a list of his blog advertisers (including me) yesterday to say:
“This is a nice way to end 2005. To give
you some personal context, this is the biggest Blogad buy ever — 800 blogs.
This is more ads than Blogads.com sold in the entirety
of 2003. (The previous record was held by Audi,
which ordered ads on 286 blogs last spring.) I’ll leave it
to the media mavens among you to figure out the larger ramifications, but for me
this is just a darn pleasant way to end a good year.”
A story in today’s NYTimes’ Technology section talks about the significance of the ads:
“The MSNBC cable network plans to flood the Internet this week with its
largest concentrated online pitch, running advertising on hundreds of
Web sites and blogs. The cost of the campaign, to promote three
prime-time programs, is estimated at just under $1 million.MSNBC will take over every pixel of ad space on Wednesday on three Web sites: newsweek.com, slate.com and washingtonpost.com. It is the first time the three sites will all run ads for the same sole advertiser on the same day…
Buying ads on 800 blogs is a major
commitment to that fledgling medium. Budget Rent A Car bought ads last
month on 177 blogs, and Audi bought ads this summer on 286.”