Audi again winner of Euro Effie and Sappi Award

This week I went to the Euro Effie awards in Brussels. At a ceremony that was not as well organised as other years, Audi was again awarded with the Sappi Print Media Efficiency Award. The company introduced the highly successful R8 model with an integrated campaign consisting of approximately 45% print media. Audi used magazines, newspapers, outdoor posters, direct mail and POS material in conjunction with a dedicated website and television. The campaign made the R8 the most desirable sportscar in Europe and almost closed the gap in new car registrations with the longstanding No.1 sportscar Porsche. With these results the campaign also won a Bronze Euro Effie. Grey EMEA was for the fourth time in a row awarded Agency of the Year. This year thanks to Effies for P&G, GlaxoSmithKline and Coca Cola. Carolyne Carter and her men were exhilarated.

Esquire uses e-ink for spectacular anniversary issue

To commemorate Esquire's 75 anniversary the magazine has published a limited edition October issue using so-called electronic ink on the cover. This allows moving words and flashing images on the cover. The technology behind this remarkable cover is a thin sheet with electronics, fueled by a battery, that bends with the cover. Esquire mentions in an article in the magazine that it took them more than a year of serious development and innovations in the production of the magazine. In the meantime it invites hackers to work with the electronics. Ford's advertisement at the inside cover also uses the e-ink to make the car reflecting the street lights. As the magazine is produced at limited quantities the collectors value is big, eBay prices range from $14,99 to $99,99 for a single copy. (I've ordered mine with a good friend in New York).

Sustainable print

A dedicated report on the most important issues related to sustainability of the paper industry was published this week by the Print City Alliance. The report, "Sustainability, Energy & Environment", covers subjects such as the printed ecosystem, greenhouse gases, energy efficiency and the Kyoto norms. Print City is a strategic Alliance that shares worldwide expertise in the graphics arts industry. The report can be obtained for free via Print City shop.

"TV advertising cheaper than at any point in 20 years"

This is a quote from Screen Digest, a media analysts company covering global media developments. Their perspective of television advertising expenditures is negative: although TV audiences are still growing, revenues are falling because demand is flat. ITV in the UK and TF1 in France are projecting a 3% drop in revenues for this year, and also Spanish broadcasters Telecinco and Antena3 show a sharp decline. Screen Digest is expecting this month to show the strong effects of the recession.
With all the research available on the lack of attention to television advertising, it is still striking to notice that marketers continue to invest in a medium that has lost its original impact.

Confirming the bad news about newspapers

I saw a graph in Wired confirming what so many analysts have already been suggesting: the collapse of newspaper advertising revenues in the USA. The Newspaper Association of America presented figures that indicate a loss of $3 billion (- 14%) of ad expenditures during the first six months of 2008. Total revenues for 2008 are expected to be below $ 40 billion, which is the lowest level in 12 years. Also online expenditures were down: - 2,3% in the second quarter, but showed an increase of 2.3% over the first six months.
(Chart: Alan Mutter)