Nielsen recently conducted a study based on direct-to-consumer pharmaceutical advertising. Results showed that consumers who had been exposed to an ad both online and on TV in the last seven days were 157% more likely to ask their doctor about the drug than consumers who had only been exposed online. Clearly, TV and online are more effective when used in combination. This is partially because any multi-media campaign typically tends to perform better and also because so many people are online when they watch TV.

Another study by Nielsen showed that the average time spent simultaneously using TV and Internet in the home increased by 9.8%, to 3 hours and 41 minutes. This provides a great opportunity for advertisers to solicit a response. The response tends to be greater because consumers don’t have to remember to do it later. Their computer is probably already close by and they can order products online, become a fan on Facebook or follow you on Twitter.

If you aren’t using your TV ads to direct people online, you’re missing an opportunity to reach consumers when they have their computers on their lap.

Yes, but not as long as you used to. According to recent traffic data released by Comscore, time spent on Yahoo sites is decreasing. In comparison, time spent on Facebook has increased at a rate almost identical to Yahoo’s rate of decline.

These days, many sites compete for your online time and most individuals are only willing to spend so much of their day on the computer. Over a relatively short period, Facebook has emerged as the new way to stay connected and the increased time that people are spending on social media is affecting how much time they’re spending on other sites.

The thing for advertisers to keep in mind is that even though time spent on Yahoo sites is eroding, its overall reach hasn’t been hurt. Comscore reports unique visitors to the sites have actually increased approximately 11% from a year ago. That being said, an advertiser with Yahoo may need to consider increasing impressions because the window of opportunity to reach those folks appears to be narrowing.

Google recently announced they will offer location targeted text banner ads on iPhones and Android phones as part of their marketing solutions.  “Location extension” ads were previously only available through mobile search. Now, a mobile user will see a text banner ad while browsing the mobile web or using an app.

If the user clicks on the banner, the screen will expand into a map that uses the phone’s GPS location to display the closest store location.  The ad gives three options: Visit the advertiser’s website, get directions or call the store.

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Somehow, someone figured out that I’m planning a vacation and now I’m seeing countless online ads for airfare and hotel deals.  At least that’s what behavioral targeting looks like from the consumer side.  The dislike comes from not having control over previously private information.  Now that we’re in a world where consumers control so much, why not give them a say over what ads they receive?

Next month, Microsoft, Yahoo!, and Hulu are moving in that direction by letting consumers decide which ads they’ll view when watching online videos.  This will be done utilizing a new ad selecting tool called ASq.  The hope is that consumers will choose ads that are of greater interest to them; leading to reduced annoyance with advertising and greater ad effectiveness.

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Look out, cable operator.  Hulu is poised to take away your subscribers.

Hulu recently announced they are now offering a premium service for $10/month that allows subscribers to stream NBC, ABC, or Fox shows.  Hulu’s service will be available on the iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch, as well as Playstation 3, X-Box 360, and select Blu-Ray players and internet-enabled TVs.  Subscribers can view entire seasons of a show, or watch the latest episode the day after it airs.

Advertises will want to keep an eye on Hulu’s new offering, which may complement rather than compete with Netflix. In fact, if a user subscribes to both, that user may be even more likely to ‘cut the cord’ and drop their cable subscription altogether.  Although currently those without cable make up a small percentage of Americans, the group is growing.  According to a recent study by MediaPost, over 1/3 of American adults have watched a full length television show online on a monthly basis.

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As a recovering Farmville addict, I am keenly aware of my friends’ social gaming activities. It seems like half of my Facebook news feed posts are about friends needing respect for Mafia Wars or a wheelbarrow to build a yard in Petville.

eMarketer recently reported that over half of social media users play social games, making it the fifth most popular social media activity.  Not only is this a large group, but one that advertisers frequently target. Here are some quick stats on this audience from a study done by PopCap:

• 55% of players are women
• The average age is 48
• 26% of all players are above 50
• 68% play at least once a day
• 29% have purchased virtual currency with real-world dollars
• Over 95% play multiple times a day.

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Back when we only consumed video content through our televisions, no one bothered to count screens.  But the last time I checked, we’re now up to four.  Televisions, computers, mobile phones, and out-of-home video screens are not only how we consume video, but they’re increasingly how we interact with it.

Along with our four-screen world comes the concept of lean back vs. lean forward media.  Initially, it may sound like “degree of focus” (which you’ve most likely heard of), but it’s also impacted by factors like engagement, ability to immediately respond, and time spent.

Probably the best way to understand lean back, lean forward, and the implications of each is with a chart:

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As many of you have probably noticed, Google took another unique approach to its homepage logo today.  In the past, we’ve seen logo celebrations ranging from children’s artwork to Dr. Seuss scenes.  Today, however, marked a new level of interest and engagement for users of the google.com search page.  Instead of a traditional celebratory static gif, today’s searchers have been greeted with a fully interactive and completely enjoyable version of everyone’s true favorite video game – Pac-Man.  The simple game has been posted to recognize Pac-Man’s 30th birthday.

So why would Google make the effort to implement such a different concept on perhaps the most recognizable page on the web today?  It may seem like just a quirky addition that some developer at Google threw together in 12 minutes (in reality it probably took him or her 7), but this “cute” little game has had a big impact for Google in a very short time.  By providing users with an engagement aspect besides search, they are providing a utility that extends beyond the page’s normal offerings.  In this case, that utility is entertainment.

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The ad industry has collectively developed a privacy icon to be included in most online ads that target consumers by using demographic and behavioral data. The icon, a lower case letter “i” surrounded by a circle, offers consumers the opportunity to opt out of having their user information collected.

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Typically, the next “big thing” in the digital world generates new users much faster than it generates profits.  If savvy marketers take advantage of the opportunity Foursquare provides, the fast growing social app may prove an exception.

If you’re not familiar with Foursquare, members use their phones to “check in” when they visit various locations.  By doing so, their Twitter and/or Facebook accounts are updated with their location, and they accumulate points and badges which can be used in a variety of ways.

What Foursquare represents to retailers is the opportunity to track when and how often customers visit them, as well as what other activities they combine with those trips.  Who wouldn’t want to know the days of the week, peak times, etc. that their most loyal customers visit…or reward them for their loyalty?

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