Google plans to introduce ads to video-sharing site YouTube this summer. At the Ad:Tech conference in San Francisco, chief marketing officer Suzie Reider said that the process of "testing pre-roll and post-roll bumper ads before and after video clips" had started. She was, however, apprehensive that the "pre-roll ads could hurt the YouTube user experience." The move is spurred by a need to make YouTube more profit-oriented. It will also help marketers reach out to YouTube's 35 million viewers and reflects Google's desire to share revenues with its more than 1,000 "premium" YouTube content creators.
Nike hires Crispin to advertise its running shoes
Sports-apparel giant Nike has officially hired Miami-based Crispin Porter + Bogusky to deliver creative content for its running-shoe division. Although Nike will continue to work with longtime creative partner Wieden & Kennedy, Crispin will handle its Nike Plus and Nike ID website accounts. Dean Stoyer, Nike's U.S. director of media relations, said that the company chose Crispin for its renowned capability to deliver creative and innovative ideas. Nike, which spent $220 million on media planning last year, has been contemplating the shift for a long time.
Lee's ad sales fall by 2.1%
Iowa-based Lee Enterprises, Inc., reported a 2.1% decrease in advertising revenue for its second fiscal quarter in a comparison with last year's data. The company's online advertising revenue, however, went up by 54% during the quarter. Mary Junck, Lee's chairman and chief executive officer, said that this increase resulted from the 30,000 job postings customers placed on the network. On the other hand, Lee's print-advertising revenue decreased, particularly in the property-advertising segment, which saw a 1.2% decline. Lee Enterprises is a leading provider of news, information, and advertising to mid-sized markets. It has 52 daily newspapers and more than 300 weekly newspapers and other publications, as well as rapidly developing websites.
Arnold takes over Volvo's nearly $150 million account
Boston-based Arnold Worldwide will be the new global creative agency for Swedish automobile manufacturer Volvo. It will handle the carmaker's nearly $150 million account earmarked for global advertising. Arnold will collaborate with London ad agency Nitro to create campaigns for Volvo's two new cars—the V70 and the XC70—for their global launches this summer and fall. Euro RSCG, which has been handling Volvo's account for more than a decade now, will retain the automaker's creative account for the Asia-Pacific region.
Dallas Radio goes ad-free
Southwest Airlines, one of the initial sponsors of Dallas Radio, will allow the station to eliminate ads during programming. For the first time in FM radio, San Antonio-based Clear Channel Communications will air sponsored and commercial-free programs on the Dallas station, allowing advertisers to sponsor individual hours of programming. The host of the show will present the "advertiser's product in a conversational manner." This move extends the brand-integration process Southwest Airlines has already undertaken with ABC television and Dr. Phil McGraw in an attempt to advertise in non-conventional ways. Other primary sponsors of the radio station include San Antonio-based AT&T, Coors Brewing, and the Guitar Center.
