You know, Cyber Monday is not considered the biggest online holiday traffic day. Online retailers do better the 10 days or so before Christmas which is when people are rushing. There doesn’t seem to be an official name for it yet! 
Tops for October from Nielsen – social networking sites: myspace, facebook, classmates online, windows life spaces, aol hometown, linkedin, aol people connection, reunion.com, club penguin, buzznet.com. Top 10 blogs: blogger, wordpress, six apart typepad, tmz.com, livejournal, xanga, thatsfit, gizmodo, autoblog, styledash
Article on HarperCollins Author Assistant from BookSquare. This is an example of one of the sites. Our own Joe Wikert’s blog is mentioned in this article!
ACCOUNTS
Office supply stores report weak quarters.
TV networks in stores like Wal-Mart and Target are targeted to generate over 300 million this year. The latest entrant is Borders TV which will hit 250 stores by February. This is the NY Times article on Borders TV.
ADVERTISING
Yahoo’s new ad venue – PTA newsletters, youth sport leagues, part of a venture with Adobe. Publishers interested in signing on to this program can go here.
Ever considered advertising on napkins? NapAds reaches wide swath of popular nightlife venues.
What about advertising with tatoos?
In a deal announced this week between Clear Channel and Bluetooth content distribution provider Qwikker, thousands of out-of-home ad properties will be able to talk to your phone directly and download robust content. Passersby will be able to activate their Bluetooth receiver on a phone and accept an invitation from the signage to interact.
An interesting text campaign for Project Runway that did extremely well.
BLOGS
The blogger’s guide to search engine optimization. Includes some great examples of how to increase traffic.
CATEGORIESCooking – Gourmet, specialty sales expected to soar. Another article – Fresh, super & organic top trends for 2008.Finance – AOL revamps money & finance site. offering more up-to-theminute news & stock market information.
Health – Physical symptoms #1 usage driver for health sites.
Technology – Tech companies target older consumers.
CREATIVE
Taglines losing their luster for major brands. Pretty interesting – basic point is if you’re going to have a tagline really celebrate, don’t relegate it, or don’t bother with it at all.
Results from a 3-year study says successful ads tell stories.
MARKET RESEARCH
Consumer Statistics You Can Use – including 40% of Americans (303 ml) are on the move during the 2 hour rush hour, average person sees 5-8 movies a year, more TVs in each household than people, 71% of households have an internet connection, average American is going online both at work and at home, visits an average of 6 domains per day, and spends over 3 hours online a day…..
Retirees Surf and Respond – lots of interesting data on who responds to email promotions and email follow-up, demographics of who’s willing to receive investment advice over the internet, etc.
Social networkers are also heavy technology users.
MEDIA – Print, Online, Whatever
Whole Foods Market Magazine launches January 2008 in midwest, and expected to move on nationally.
AMEX folds Travel & Leisure Family into their main magazine.
Fortune Magazine gets makeover beginning with Dec 10 issue. There will be 4 expanded editorial areas – technology, management, investing and luxury. Fortune will also be contributing more content to CNN/Money.com. Article also highlights other magazine info – WSJ new weekly magazine Pursuits will also be distributed in Europe and Asia.
Basic cable ratings for Oct 2007.
Telemundo launches bilingual late-night talk show.
Salon still thriving as brand evolves.
Meredith, Comcast debut Parents TV.
The decline of the author tour. Being usurped by virtual encounters and promotional videos. Booktour.com is also featured in article.
SOCIAL NETWORKS
Social networks set sights on UK Market.
FaceBook – a snapshot of the FaceBook audience - a couple of tidbits – oldest age with at least one million users: 24, age with most Facebook users: 19.
VIDEO
10 lessons for marketers using viral videos.
WIDGETS
