Archive for the ‘Media’ Category

TV3 gain significant ground

Thursday, December 17th, 2009

The past few months have been good ones for Ireland’s largest commercial broadcaster: TV3. The performance of their hit shows “The Apprentice” and “The X-Factor” have, for the first time, allowed them to really mix up with arch rivals RTE. Both shows have captured the imagination of the nation (Ed.: was the rhyme intentional?). Whether or not they’re cringe inducing (Jedward, Michelle Heaton) or brilliant (Leona’s comeback for the finale) or both (erm, Jedward again?), the public’s appetite for their programming was unwavering.  After a slow start, viewing to The Apprentice grew steadily from week two right up until Aoife’s departure in week ten, where an average 541,000 viewers tuned into the show. This translates as 13.1 TVRs.

Ratings increased as we got to know the contestants and as the various narratives unfolded, however after some of the more entertaining contestants fell by the wayside viewing levels actually dropped. This is counterintuitive given that we were nearing the closing stages. The final X-Factor was watched by an average 472,000 people but that at one point during the show a peak audience of 568,000 tuned in. Over on “The Apprentice: You’re Fired” Brendan O’Connor didn’t in his own words “take the b*****d” but he did come agonizingly close to outperforming Pat Kenny and Frontline. It is hard to imagine (or is it?) that on the 9th November Brendan O’Connor was just 20,000 viewers behind the veteran broadcaster.

In revenue terms, X-Factor was star performer for TV3. Given that TV3 aired live shows on both Saturday and Sunday, the station’s advertising inventory showed a significant uplift over the period. The results show on the 22nd November (where we finally saw the back of Jedward) was the most watched show of the series when an average 818,000 tuned in, presumably to ensure they were leaving. In fact, as the results were being announced over 1 million of us were glued to the screen – a phenomenal performance and a record for TV3.

Both shows proved so popular with advertisers that TV3 were in the enviable position of being able to auction off the last few remaining spots on the final shows.

TV3 has stepped it up, and advertisers are noticing.

The only thing to be decided at this point is the Christmas number one. If the Facebook Group “Rage against the X-Factor” (with 775,000 members) gets its way Joe’s win won’t convert to a Christmas No. 1. The group is encouraging members to download Rage Against The Machine’s new track in attempt to prevent X-Factor claiming a fifth consecutive Christmas No.1.

Ironically, Sony own the rights to both artists.

Nevertheless, all eyes are on TV3’s spring schedule launch on January 8th.

Posted in Advertising, MCM, Media | No Comments »

Should Ireland lift the ban on political ads?

Tuesday, November 24th, 2009

(now with corrected link)

The newly-formed Broadcasting Authority of Ireland recently issued a report written by veteran journalist and media lecturer Dr Kevin Rafter that reviewed the longtime restrictions that prevent political advertising from reaching the Irish TV and radio airwaves. On its website, the BAI headlined the report “Independent Report Confirms Majority Support for Retention of Prohibitions on Political Advertising in Ireland”, citing a Red C poll commissioned for the report.

In its press release the BAI chief executive was quoted as saying, “The outcomes of the Red C poll contained in the report appear to support a continuation of the existing prohibitions. It is important to emphasise that this is an independent report and the recommendations contained therein are the personal views of the the author and have not been considered by the Authority”.

But is it really the open and shut case the BAI press release suggests?

Kevin Rafter, writing in the Irish Times on the day of the report’s publication, seems to argue otherwise — or at least just state the obvious:

The blanket ban has been reaffirmed in several pieces of broadcasting legislation approved by the Oireachtas over many years, including the new Broadcasting Act passed into law last July. It was surprising that the Oireachtas did not engage more fully with the status quo, given technological advances and recent European Court determinations that may leave the current regime open to legal challenge on freedom of expression grounds.

The ban in countries like Ireland and in the United Kingdom was conceived in a different era. The discrimination between print advertising (permitted) and broadcast advertising (banned) was justified due to the particular power of the broadcast medium.

But the internet has assumed an important role in political communications and has provided new ways of communicating political messages. Many political parties, candidates and interest groups are now using the internet to distribute advertising that cannot be placed on television stations. Only last month, the Conservatives in the UK because the first political party at Westminster to run a marketing campaign on internet music service Spotify to target younger votes.

In an era of media convergence between the various strands of broadcasting – television, radio and the internet – it does seem timely to review the blanket ban on political advertising on television and radio. To do otherwise would be to be locked in a policy and technological time warp.

If the current regime is open to European legal challenge, and if the blanket broadcast advertising ban is “locked in a policy and technological time warp” as it is made farcical by the growing importance of unregulated online communications for political campaigns, clearly the BAI headline doesn’t make a lot of sense. It shouldn’t be a settled matter in Ireland. The recent Lisbon referendum campaigns showed how difficult it can be to reach a large percentage of low-information voters with important information about issues of major importance.

What do you think? Cast your vote about whether the ban should be lifted in our LinkedIn poll.

Richard Delevan is deputy managing director and head of digital at McConnellsintegrated.

Tags: BAI, Kevin Rafter, Political advertising, Politics, RTE
Posted in Advertising, BAI, Digital, Media, News, Politics, Radio, Richard Delevan, TV | No Comments »

Stuart Fogarty: BMW Blazes a Trail

Friday, November 13th, 2009

*May not resemble Stuart Fogarty today.

The recent BMW and Mini announcement of substantial price cuts makes one of the world’s most desirable brands, affordable. It’s also significant in that it further demonstrates that in the current economy, marketing needs to re-focus on the brand investment (by way of price reductions) rather than just, more communication.

BMW have indeed blazed a trail.

It is a price market first and foremost with Tesco (“Ireland’s Biggest Christmas”) continuing to lead the way as is Unilever’s price campaign (Domestos now 50% off!).  If we can’t get our products right, then frankly, the advertising or communication doesn’t matter. Exactly as these clients of McConnellsintegrated have shown and perhaps more clearly in that more desirable BMW market sector.

The world has changed, the loyalty to brands is affected. Reduced incomes will mean a continual demand for affordability through lower pricing. The ability of brands to deliver on that challenge will be the difference before the agency even puts pen to paper.

Stuart Fogarty is head of client services at McConnellsintegrated.

stuart.fogarty@mcconnellsintegrated.ie

Tags: BMW, Knorr, Recession, Tesco
Posted in BMW, Creative, Digital, Media, Stuart Fogarty, Work | No Comments »

Jedward Makes TV3 a Chart-Topper

Thursday, November 12th, 2009

Based on last week’s result in the X Factor, ‘posh’ (editor’s note: wha?) Dublin twins, John and Edward Grimes, are looking unlikely to have the Christmas number one slot in the UK singles chart. Station bosses are well aware that column inches in the red-tops are translating into TV ratings, and with the car-crash performances of Jedward helping the show reach record audiences, it is perfectly understandable that the show’s main producer and alpha judge Simon Cowell has gone against his principles and given the twins another lifeline.

Even if the twins don’t make number one, it increasingly possible that TV3 could consolidate their number one slot from their arch rivals, RTE, as the biggest station in the country.

We took a look at last week’s top rating shows for adults 25-44, and The X Factor is leading the charge, with TV3 accounting for 8 of the top 10 programmes, up from 4 out of 10 last year.

This valuable audience are moving away form the more serious programming on RTE such as News, Frontline, even The Panel and are opting for more light programming offered by TV3 such as X Factor, The Apprentice and V (which was the 16th highest rating show last week)

The success of TV3 looks set to continue with the new series of I’m  A Celebrity Get Me Out of Here starting this Sunday at 9, pushing the Xtra Factor to a later 10.30pm slot. Our sources tell us that Sam Fox, Jordan,  Missteeq,  Lucy Benjamin and Jimmy White are due to star in the jungle reality show.

Last week TV3 accounted for 39.6% share, ahead of RTE 1 on 33.9% and RTE2 on 13.5%, compared with 21.5%, 26.3% and 12.1% respectively a year prior.

Top Programmes, 25-44

Top Programmes in the first week of November among adults 25-44, comparing 2008 to 2009.

Tags: David McRedmond, Jedward, John Grimes, Louis Walsh, ratings, RTE, top programmes, TV3, X Factor
Posted in Media, Paul McCabe, TV | No Comments »