BtoB articles from March 2003

BtoB archives from March 2003

Targeting by dayparts online; Study identifies Web demographics by category; marketers use data to target more efficiently.(Advertising)(Online Publishers Association report)
March 10, 2003... Byline: MATTHEW SCHWARTZ ***** Correction: In the article ``Targeting by dayparts online'' (March 10, page 13), Inktel Direct's type of business was incorrectly listed. The company is a provider of outsourced direct marketing...

Runner-up: Large Agencies - Hill, Holliday, Connors, Cosmopulos.(Special Report: Top 50 Agencies)
March 10, 2003... Byline: Carol Krol ***** Correction: In a profile of Hill, Holliday, Connors, Cosmopulos that appeared in the Top 50 Agencies Special Report (March 10, page 22), cable TV company Comcast Corp. was incorrectly included among a list of...

The lowdown on pay-per-click advertising.(NetMarketing)(Brief Article)
March 10, 2003... * Definition: Advertisers bid on specific keywords with a search engine. When a user searches for that term, a link to the advertiser's Web site is displayed as a sponsored link or weighted result in the search results field. * Pros:...

Ad copy is key in Xerox campaign; Company tailors messages to IT execs to build awareness for its line of networked products.(Direct & Database)
March 10, 2003... Byline: CAROL KROL Xerox Corp. probably isn't the first blue-chip brand that comes to mind when an executive thinks about networking. But the company whose name is synonymous with copiers is trying to change all that by communicating its...

New Campaigns.(USPS)
March 10, 2003... USPS to launch Priority Mail campaign The U.S. Postal Service touts the reliability and affordability of Priority Mail in a new multimedia ad campaign for the two-day shipping service. The campaign, created by the Chicago and Detroit...

Agencies consider contingencies.(News)
March 10, 2003... Byline: KATE MADDOX AND CAROL KROL Advertisers and agencies are cautiously making plans for advertising in wartime. While very few advertisers or agencies are willing to go on the record to discuss their preparations should a U.S.-led...

Beyond The Biz; Operation Ocean Cruise to send execs to sea.(Marketing Forum and Human Resources Forum)
March 10, 2003... What do a four-star general and a former Beatles producer have in common? They will both address the Marketing Forum and Human Resources Forum aboard the Adonia cruise ship, which will sail from New York harbor May 7. General H. Norman...

The Profile Box: Forbes exec wants more single-sponsor events.(Jim Berrien)
March 10, 2003... Byline: MATTHEW SCHWARTZ Jim Berrien, who last month added publisher to his title as president of Forbes Magazine Group, wants to build on several marketing strategies that have helped Forbes Inc. minimize the impact of the current ad...

'InformationWeek' adds services arm; CMP Media publication to offer customers benchmarking, consulting and training.(Business Media)
March 10, 2003... Byline: SEAN CALLAHAN Always in search of new revenue streams, the trade press has morphed into the business media over the past decade, moving beyond trade publications and into trade shows and the Internet. Now, InformationWeek has...

Guest Column: Language key to search campaigns.(NetMarketing)
March 10, 2003... Byline: FREDRICK MARCKINI Should you buy a paid listing on a search engine site if your Web site already ranks at the top of the results in the actual search listings? This is the year of search engine marketing, and if you're reading this...

Search engines' positive results drive price wars.(NetMarketing)
March 10, 2003... Byline: KAREN J. BANNAN While the rest of the advertising industry was in the doldrums last year, something amazing was happening in the pay-for-performance search-engine sector: Spending was up, and competition was fierce. ...

Make your site search engine friendly.(NetMarketing)
March 10, 2003... Byline: KAREN J. BANNAN We're nearly one quarter of the way through 2003; have you optimized your Web site lately? Today, as marketers pay for placement in search engines or for the privilege of having their sites crawled, it takes...

Top 50 Agencies.(Special Report: Top 50 Agencies)(Brief Article)
March 10, 2003... Byline: KATE MADDOX During a year of slashed marketing budgets, scarce new business opportunities and the lingering effects of Sept. 11, ad agencies struggled to succeed. Many did succeed in 2002, actually growing their revenues and...

METHODOLOGY.(Special Report: Top 50 Agencies)(Brief Article)
March 10, 2003... For this year's Top Agencies special report, the number of agencies was expanded from 25 to 50 due to increased response. To select the companies that appear in the report, we contacted agencies that had participated previously or had done...

Pitney Bowes looks to unfreeze its image.(News)
March 10, 2003... Byline: CAROL KROL Pitney Bowes Inc. in late February launched its most significant branding endeavor in 17 years. The $10 million re-branding campaign was almost a year in the making. ``This is one of the few companies I know where...

Litigation PR eases trials and errors.(News)
March 10, 2003... Byline: SEAN CALLAHAN Since litigation over the often-lethal health hazards of asbestos began in the 1970s, plaintiff attorneys have battled corporations-both in the courtroom and in the court of public opinion. Recently, however, some...

Aggressive spam filters frustrate e-marketers.(News)
March 10, 2003... Byline: Carol Krol Stephanie Bauer doesn't fit the spammer profile. She's not sending e-mails about get-rich-quick schemes or Nigerian bank accounts. And she doesn't mail anyone without confirming that the address is double opt-in. ...

Vendors focus on midmarket; New CRM product releases and updates offer midsize companies big advantages.(CRM Strategies)
March 10, 2003... Byline: MICHAEL FITZGERALD Change is afoot in the market for heavy-duty customer relationship management software. Until recently, big-name vendors such as Siebel Systems Inc. and SAP AG have marketed mainly to large companies with the...

Targeting by dayparts online; Study identifies Web demographics by category; marketers use data to target more efficiently.(Advertising)
March 10, 2003... Byline: MATTHEW SCHWARTZ Internet marketers have struggled for several years to determine when their best prospects are online and what sites they're using. A recent report released by the Online Publishers Association sheds some light...

Hindsight - March 1963: Shaggy dog story.(Opinion)
March 10, 2003... For five years, "Skiffy" the St. Bernard served as the advertising symbol for SKF Industries. But when the Philadelphia-based bearing marketer decided to focus on its computerized inventory control system, "Skiffy" was sent packing-but not...

Profile: Draft picks Weisman.(Tony Weisman was recently promoted to the post of chief marketing officer at The Interpublic Group of Cos)
March 10, 2003... Byline: CAROL KROL Tony Weisman was recently promoted to the post of chief marketing officer at The Interpublic Group of Cos.' DraftWorldwide Chicago. The move followed a spate of new business wins for the agency, including b-to-b clients...

Media News.(Business Media)
March 10, 2003... B-to-b ad spending declined 14% in 2002 B-to-b advertising spending declined 14% to $7.23 billion in 2002, according to figures released by American Business Media. Ad pages declined 15% for the year. Ad spending rose 3% in December from a...

Branding for security in the age of terror.(Chasers)
March 10, 2003... Fueled by the threat of terror, information security is becoming one of America's growth industries. Makers of software and hardware and providers of security-related services are eager to advertise their wares to corporations and government...

Cut to the Chase: Print.(Chasers)(Brief Article)
March 10, 2003... Company: Best Software, Reston, Va. Agency: D'Arcy Masius Benton & Bowles, Los Angeles Market: Small business Quick chase: We're tired of all the hip, precious types who populate software ads. The designer glasses, the black outfits. You know...

Cut to the Chase: Internet.(Microsoft Corp.)
March 10, 2003... Company: Microsoft Corp., Redmond, Wash. Agency: McCann-Erickson, San Francisco Market: Small business Quick chase: Banner ads walk a fine line between saying too much and saying too little. This uncluttered banner for Microsoft's...

Goat or Gloat.(Chasers)(Brief Article)
March 10, 2003... Company: ICG Communications, Englewood, Colo. Agency: N/A Market: Telecom managers Quick chase: A lot of b-to-b ads are designed to get readers to visit the advertiser's Web site, where they get more information. We're not sure if this clean...

Animosity toward U.S. challenges business world.(Opinion)
March 10, 2003... Byline: Ellis Booker The impending war with Iraq has prompted a legion of commentators-both pro- and anti-war-to write about ``uncertainty.'' Essayists on both sides of the issue are peering into a foggy future, trying to prognosticate...

Runner-up: Large Agencies - Hill, Holliday, Connors, Cosmopulos.(Special Report: Top 50 Agencies)
March 10, 2003... Byline: Carol Krol Although its 2002 b-to-b revenues fell to $41 million, a drop of $9 million, Hill, Holliday, Connors, Cosmopulos has been named runner-up in the large agency category for maximizing its strengths. That means aggressively...

BtoB Q&A: Rapping with Rapp; Direct marketing guru explains how tech firms gave CRM a bad name, and why the Internet is no place for ads.(Stan Rapp, chairman emeritus of McCann Relationship Marketing)
March 10, 2003... Byline: CAROL KROL Stan Rapp, chairman emeritus of McCann Relationship Marketing, has achieved legendary status in the advertising world. He is one of the most well-known people in the direct marketing business, and his name lives on at...

Runner-up: Interactive Agencies - SF Interactive.(Special Report: Top 50 Agencies)
March 10, 2003... Byline: Matthew Schwartz Like most agencies in the interactive arena, the ad spending slump affected SF Interactive in 2002. But even in the midst of the downturn, it made aggressive moves to take its business to the next level. Its...

Winner: Large Agencies - DDB Chicago.(Special Report: Top 50 Agencies)
March 10, 2003... Byline: Kate Maddox DDB Chicago was unique among large agencies in that it grew its b-to-b business in 2002. That distinction, which was the result of picking up significant new accounts and expanding its existing b-to-b work, earned it...

Runner-up: Midsize Agencies - McClain Finlon Advertising.(Special Report: Top 50 Agencies)(Brief Article)
March 10, 2003... Byline: Carol Krol Unlike many agencies still reeling from the sluggish economy and the after-effects of the Sept. 11 attacks, McClain Finlon Advertising managed to grow its b-to-b revenues slightly in 2002, to $9.1 million from $8.8...

Winner: Interactive Agencies - Carat Interactive.(Special Report: Top 50 Agencies)
March 10, 2003... Byline: Kate Maddox Carat Interactive delivered an outstanding performance in terms of revenue growth, new business and creative work in 2002. Its overall revenues were $41 million, up 21% from 2001; b-to-b revenues were $20 million, an...

Runner-up: Small Agencies - DWP/Bates Technology.(Special Report: Top 50 Agencies)
March 10, 2003... Byline: Matthew Schwartz DWP/Bates Technology, which got its start as Donino, White & Partners in 1990, showed remarkable growth in 2002 despite the slumping economy, especially in the high-tech sector it serves. The agency had 2002...

In Direct.(infoUSA buys Yesmail for $4.5 million)(Brief Article)
March 10, 2003... infoUSA buys Yesmail for $4.5 million InfoUSA Inc. has acquired Yesmail Inc., a unit of CMGI Inc., in a cash deal worth $4.5 million. The deal, announced Monday, strengthens Omaha, Neb.-based infoUSA's list business and e-mail marketing...

Winner: Small Agencies - NKH&W.(Special Report: Top 50 Agencies)
March 10, 2003... Byline: Kate Maddox NKH&W showed impressive growth last year, boosting its revenue, new business and personnel. Significantly, the agency achieved this record in the face of economic obstacles that challenged the entire advertising...

Winner: Midsize Agencies - Bader Rutter & Associates Inc.(Special Report: Top 50 Agencies)(Brief Article)
March 10, 2003... Byline: Kate Maddox Bader Rutter & Associates Inc., Brookfield, Wis., won top honors in the midsize agency category by keeping its business strong in a tough economy and creating outstanding work for clients. The agency had revenue of...

AGENDA.(Calendar/Datebook)(Calendar)
March 10, 2003... March 12-14 PMA Annual Conference 2003 The Promotion Marketing Association Orlando, Fla. Disney Contemporary Resort (212) 420-1100 www.pmalink.org March 19-21 Direct Marketing to Business (DMB) Conference...

Quick Hits; Belly up: 'Red Herring' publishes last issue.(Briefs)
March 10, 2003... Red Herring sleeps with the fishes. The pioneering title, which was launched in 1993 and was one of the first magazines to cover the nexus of technology and finance, has confirmed that its March issue will be its last. San Francisco-based RHC...

Last year's winners.(Special Report: Top 50 Agencies)
March 10, 2003... Top large agency Ogilvy Top midsize agency McClain Finlon Advertising Top small agency HSR Business to Business Inc. Top interactive agency One to One Interactive

Honorable Mention: Midsize Agencies - Martin/Williams Inc.(Special Report: Top 50 Agencies)(Brief Article)
March 10, 2003... Agency: Martin/Williams Inc. Location: Minneapolis URL: www.martinwilliams.com Key executive: Tim C. Frojd, chairman-CFO Employees: 265 2002 revenue: $46 million 2002 b-to-b revenue: $15 million Key clients:...

Honorable Mention: Interactive Agencies - One to One Interactive.(Special Report: Top 50 Agencies)(Brief Article)
March 10, 2003... Agency: One to One Interactive Location: Boston URL: www.onetooneinteractive.com Key executive: Steve Humphrey, CEO Employees: 43 2002 revenue: $7.8 million 2002 b-to-b revenue: $7.8 million Key clients: Fleet...

Quote Unquote.(Opinion)(Brief Article)
March 10, 2003... ``We've had clients drop off a search page, and their phones literally stopped ringing. Search engine placement can make or break your business.'' Dana Todd, co-founder and principal of SiteLab International, as quoted by BtoB (March 10,...

Women buyers require different selling strategies.(Opinion)
March 10, 2003... Byline: Martha Barletta Women account for 49% of all professionals and managers, as well as 46% of purchasing managers and 58% of wholesale and retail buyers in U.S. companies today. On the entrepreneurial level, women own 40% of all small...

Honorable Mention: Large Agencies - Ogilvy.(Special Report: Top 50 Agencies)(Brief Article)
March 10, 2003... Agency: Ogilvy (includes Ogilvy & Mather, Ogilvy One and Ogilvy Interactive) Location: New York URL: www.ogilvy.com Key executive: Shelly Lazarus, chairman-CEO Employees: 1,375 2002 revenue: N/A (billings of about $4.3...

Honorable Mention: Small Agencies - Mobium Creative Group.(Special Report: Top 50 Agencies)(Brief Article)
March 10, 2003... Agency: Mobium Creative Group Location: Chicago URL: www.mobium.com Key executives: Guy Ganji and Gordon Hochhalter, partners Employees: 169 2002 revenue: $5.1 million 2002 b-to-b revenue: $5.1 million Key...

Taking the pulse of stakeholders.(Opinion)
March 10, 2003... Byline: Maria J. Lilly Marketers anxiously need answers to a number of fundamental questions. Among them: How are conservative approaches to marketing affecting client spending? What is the impact of these choices on both a short- and...

Back from financial brink, Ziff Davis logs solid results; Media analysts applaud recent cutbacks but stress need for economy to improve.(News)
March 10, 2003... Byline: MATTHEW SCHWARTZ Ziff Davis Media has made the tough moves that industry observers say put the technology publisher in a solid position for a financial turnaround. Now all Ziff needs is an assist from the economy-a long shot in...

Media budgets will increase in '03; Survey finds 45% of media buyers have increased budgets this year.(News)
March 10, 2003... Byline: KATE MADDOX This year may finally see a rebound in ad spending, according to a survey released last month by InsightExpress L.L.C. and MediaPost Communications. Forty-five percent of the more than 1,000 media buyers surveyed...

Overture buys two search companies, adds services.(News)
March 10, 2003... Byline: CAROL KROL Seeking to broaden its capabilities and defend its turf in the lucrative Web search marketplace, Overture Services Inc. announced in late February its acquisition of two search businesses. The deals, with AltaVista Co....

Correction.(Correction Notice)
March 10, 2003... MeritDirect L.L.C.'s MeritBase cooperative marketing database contains 130 million names. An incorrect figure was published in the List Management Direct & Database Special Report (Feb. 10, page 20).

Middle East friction felt by marketers.(News)(Brief Article)
March 10, 2003... Byline: SEAN CALLAHAN With a war in Iraq looming, anti-American sentiment growing and uncertainty about the future of the Middle East at historic levels, many U.S. b-to-b marketers are hesitant to do business in the region. ``It's real...

Case Study: Aiphone's second CRM effort pays off.(CRM Strategies)
March 10, 2003... Byline: TOM SMITH Aiphone Corp., a manufacturer of security and surveillance products, decided to deploy customer relationship management software to help it capture and reuse information gathered in technical service and customer support...

By Design: Vegas launches site for meeting planners.(NetMarketing)(Brief Article)
March 10, 2003... Organization: Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, Las Vegas Web site: www.lvcva.com Agency: Critical Mass, Las Vegas Design: The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority in January launched a new Web site...