MDG Blog

Digital Video Ads Expected to Hit $5 Billion by 2016


While domestic digital video ad spending reached $2 billion in 2011, Forrester predicts that figure will rise to $5 billion by 2016. The 250% increase will likely be due to higher video quality, an explosion of video-viewing media devices, growing branded video content, and the widespread acceptance of younger audiences. MediaPost.com recently offered details on this promising digital forecast.

“Linear TV is unrivaled in its audience reach, but various forms of digital video are emerging as efficient advertising channels that enable marketers to target and engage consumers on a deeper level,” said Forrester analyst, Tracy Stokes. “Forward-looking marketers will shift their approach away from planning silos and form a holistic video strategy that integrates TV and digital video into one team.

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DATE: Feb.22.2012 • POSTED BY: Joanne Del Gigante

15 Lead Magnets to Help You Capture and Convert


Conversion is always a priority for businesses, yet most websites capture less than 10 percent of online traffic. To help your business improve its capture and conversion rates, MarketingProfs.com compiled a list of 15 lead magnets to ensure that you don’t miss any worthwhile website traffic.

1. Offer Free Reports – Provide useful resources such as white papers, articles and e-books.

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DATE: Feb.22.2012 • POSTED BY: Joanne Del Gigante

The Sad State of Social Media Privacy [Infographic]

The relationship between social media and privacy has long been a controversial one, but with recent privacy breaches, ever-changing privacy settings and an overall increase in the things we share in social media, there is now renewed attention to the troublesome topic. To shed some light on where consumers stand on social media privacy issues, MDG Advertising created an enlightening infographic that shows consumers’ levels of trust, feelings of control, and attitudes toward online privacy and protection. It also offers insight on what consumers ultimately want in terms of social media and privacy. With consumers becoming more and more concerned about protecting their privacy in the social media era, social networks must make privacy a priority in order to keep consumers as fans and followers.

The Sad State of Social Media Privacy [infographic by MDG Advertising]

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DATE: Feb.21.2012 • POSTED BY: Joanne Del Gigante

How Facebook’s Expected $100 Million IPO Breaks Down [Infographic]

How Facebook’s Expected $100 Million IPO Breaks Down

With so much speculation about Facebook’s plans to go public this year, everyone’s buzzing about the expected $100 billion IPO and how it will be the largest of any tech company in history. For a look at the factors and figures forming that sky-high valuation, Mashable.com featured the following infographic created by Accounting Degree Online. It shows how Facebook stacks up among Internet IPOs, along with the people who will profit and the revenue to be reaped by breaking down the net worth of the leading social network.

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DATE: Feb.20.2012 • POSTED BY: Joanne Del Gigante

NASCAR’s Green Resolutions


NASCAR has big plans to go green in 2012. MediaPost.com reported on how the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) will pursue a green initiative involving solar power, recycling, and ethanol-based fuel in an effort to expand its massive fan base even more. The racing organization already boasts tens of millions of fans spanning 150 countries but is always looking to stay on the cutting edge and drive its popularity even further.

NASCAR’s green initiative will include numerous elements, beginning with planting ten trees for every green flag that drops during certain races, and occasionally using the Toyota hybrid as the pace car. The organization will also increase the recycling of its racing-related materials, as well as name Sunoco Green E15 ethanol blend as the official fuel of the season in order to help reduce our dependence on foreign oil. Finally, a small herd of sheep will graze on its Infineon track in Sonoma, California to keep the grass well-trimmed.

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DATE: Feb.19.2012 • POSTED BY: Joanne Del Gigante

Study Shows 2012 Online Ad Spending Expected to Surpass Print for First Time

According to a new eMarketer study, online ad spending is expected to exceed print ad spending this year. Online advertising is predicted to increase by 23.3 percent from last year, to generate $39.5 billion in sales compared to the $33.8 billion from print such as magazines and newspapers. Mashable.com examined the details behind this momentous growth.

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DATE: Feb.18.2012 • POSTED BY: admin

Google Ties Social Service Closer to Search Engine

Google recently announced plans to further integrate its social network, Google+, into the search engine’s results. Google users can expect to see more photos and posts from their Google+ connections, as well as have the ability to search the Google+ profiles and topics that interest them. The Wall Street Journal reported on Google’s newfound focus on combining its search and social capabilities.

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DATE: Feb.17.2012 • POSTED BY: Joanne Del Gigante

Bet on These Brands for a Comeback in 2012


An uncertain economy often drives consumers to seek comfort in familiar faces and brands. This sense of nostalgia is expected to be especially strong in 2012 and may bring back some legendary names thought to be long forgotten. Forbes.com recently predicted which classic favorites would be revived in the coming year.

1. The Muppets – After headlining a successful movie during Thanksgiving, Jim Henson’s Muppets have been warmly welcomed back by both the sentimental audience who grew up with these crazy characters, as well the younger generation who are experiencing their magic for the first time. In fact, their movie received an Oscar nomination for its original song, which will only increase their popularity throughout award season.

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DATE: Feb.17.2012 • POSTED BY: Joanne Del Gigante

Reports Reveals Social Media Spending Threatens to Overtake Paid Search Among Small Businesses


Social media advertising and other promotional spending is expected to exceed paid search spending in 2012, according to a recent report by Borrell Associates. This finding was based on the growing acceptance of social media, along with doubt about paid search and the fact that social media marketing was just behind paid search for small businesses in 2011. SearchEngineLand.com recently examined this social surge.

The report clearly indicated the growing demand for social media marketing among small businesses. Unfortunately, it did not address the surprising lack of knowledge and skill often seen in the social media efforts of those small businesses. The report also examined the way that small businesses measure social media ROI. Interestingly, their main metric was their number of new customers, followed by their amount of followers.

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DATE: Feb.16.2012 • POSTED BY: Joanne Del Gigante

Why Content for SEO [Infographic]

Why Content for SEO [infographic]

Content is the secret to SEO success, with high-quality content directly corresponding to higher search rankings. After all, great content is what searchers are seeking and it’s also what search engines are favoring when ranking their results. Since strong content is the key to superior visibility, businesses must develop a strong content marketing strategy in order to stay on top, both competitively and digitally. Brafton recently created this insightful infographic that outlines content’s amazing power to drive organic search traffic, influence social media, affect branding, and convert search visitors. As you can see, content can clearly make a difference in the effectiveness of SEO.

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DATE: Feb.15.2012 • POSTED BY: admin

Technology Inspires Ad Trends for 2012

In 2012, technology is expected to take us in exciting new marketing directions while reviving the classic media of television and radio. With so much innovation and transformation expected in the advertising industry, The Wall Street Journal recently featured Madison Avenue’s top trends for advertising in 2012.

1. Virtual TV Communities – Inspired new apps will allow viewers to download television programs and discuss them with others watching at the same time. While some thought the networks would be threatened by this digital direction, TV executives will actually encourage it because it invites live viewing and commercial watching.

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DATE: Feb.15.2012 • POSTED BY: Joanne Del Gigante

MDG Advertising Shows the Love With a Campaign Celebrating The 25th Anniversary of The Heart and Vascular Institute at JFK Medical Center


MDG has launched a campaign to mark the 25th anniversary of The Heart and Vascular Institute at JFK Medical Center in Atlantis, Florida. Given their focus on healing hearts and their origin on Valentine’s Day, the concept of the campaign was based on how JFK loves to help its patients.

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DATE: Feb.14.2012 • POSTED BY: Joanne Del Gigante

Heinz UK Fans Warm Up to Facebook Personalization Campaign


Heinz recently developed a consumer advertising campaign for Facebook that let fans create personalized “Get Well” labels for its Heinz Classic soups and then send them to friends and family. The campaign was designed to deepen the engagement levels of the brand’s loyal customers by reminding them that when someone is ill, Heinz is the best medicine. eMarketer.com recently reported on how the innovative campaign significantly drove interactions, “likes” and purchases.

Heinz decided to create the one-month campaign for Facebook because of the platform’s powerful social sharing abilities. The campaign was promoted almost completely through the Heinz Soup UK Facebook page. Before its official launch, the promotion was teased to fans in advance and featured in a few Facebook ads.

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DATE: Feb.13.2012 • POSTED BY: Joanne Del Gigante

10 Expert Social Media Predictions for 2012


As businesses plan their social media strategies for the coming year, it often helps to seek advice from experts in the industry. SocialMediaExaminer.com recently went to the pros for their projections on what’s in store for social media for 2012.

1. Brands Will Respond in Real Time – The immediate nature of social media requires brands to react and respond at a moment’s notice to avoid potential problems and pursue genuine interaction. This demands real-time responses that use intuitive action and creative thinking to take advantage of current marketing opportunities.

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DATE: Feb.13.2012 • POSTED BY: Joanne Del Gigante

5 Ways Brands Can Use Pinterest to Boost Consumer Engagement


In 2011, Pinterest became an incredibly popular social networking site and maintains that momentum into 2012. The network allows people to create online pinboards featuring images that pique their interest and “pin” similar photos on other boards in a variety of categories. Users can follow each other and share their photos, while businesses can benefit by exposing their image content to a highly engaged, predominantly female audience. Mashable.com recently offered some tips to help brands take full advantage of the Pinterest phenomenon.

1. Express Your Brand’s Character – Pinterest offers an inspired way for brands to convey their mission and message through powerful images. This is especially useful for businesses that don’t sell tangible products, by providing a means for visually describing the brand’s personality to consumers.

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DATE: Feb.12.2012 • POSTED BY: Joanne Del Gigante
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