Marketing Trends & Research

• Is the Web too nice?
  While the blogosphere and online discussion boards are typically full of snark and venom, product ratings show off the Web's sunny side, according to this article. On average, online reviewers award a generous 4.3 stars out of 5, according to data from Bazaarvoice Inc. and other e-commerce watchers. Some online commentators are trying to reverse this trend by emphasizing the negative in their product and service reviews. The Wall Street Journal (10/5)

• ComScore: Drug marketers flee paid search
  According to online ratings firm comScore, pharmaceutical marketers pulled back on paid search ads in the wake of FDA warnings about disclosure. ComScore VP John Mangano said, "Pharma companies are waiting for more clarity from the FDA, and the discussion isn't over." ClickZ (10/2)

• Some marketers see content as key to engagement
  AT&T and IBM are among the major marketers putting a new emphasis on Web site content by hiring third-party firms to create it or by tapping the expertise of clients for their sites, according to this article. "Having a core content strategy is the secret to engaging an audience," said Paul Beck, senior partner and executive director of digital at Ogilvy Worldwide, IBM's agency. "We already know some of the most trusted sources are not brand content. We're not hiding from it." Mediaweek (10/4)

Company Watch

• Behind the scenes with Google's software team
  This article takes an inside look at the development of a new Google AdSense mobile tool, which gives publishers the option of placing text ads of variable sizes and with images on smartphones. The project ran about six weeks behind schedule because of a series of unanticipated bugs, according to this article. The New York Times (10/4)

• MediaVest makes TV-like ad buy on Hulu
  Publicis Groupe's MediaVest has reached a major deal with Hulu under which at least a half dozen clients will invest a combined several million dollars in the site to reach key demographic groups. "It allows us to view online video more closely with how we view television," said Amanda Richman, managing director of digital at MediaVest. Mediaweek (10/4)

• More video being created by Yahoo!
  Although Yahoo! is placing a renewed emphasis on original video programming, the portal sees the shows as an enhancement to its other content, rather than a focus of the site, according to this article. "Video is driving a lot of engagement at our site and across the Internet," said Jimmy Pitaro, vice president of Yahoo! Media. Variety (10/4)

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Agency News

• At media shops, changes begins at the top
  The increasing importance of digital, as well as the need to reduce fees, are among the factors driving change in the executive suites of media agencies over the past 18 months. Over that span, 10 of 14 top media shops have named new leaders for their global or North American units, according to this article. Advertising Age (10/5)

Marketer News

• Report: Magazine publishers mull digital newsstand
  Time Inc. reportedly is looking to partner with other big U.S. publishers like Conde Nast and Hearst Corp. on a virtual newsstand that would offer digital delivery of magazines to e-readers and mobile devices. Reuters (10/2)

Featured Content

Interactive Media

• Dial up the new wave in advertising
  Marketers see iPhone apps as a boon to branding, even if they don't see any immediate sales gains, according to this article. Apps that offer some utility, like a level from tool-maker Stanley Works, are seen as having the most staying power. However, since apps for iPhone, BlackBerry and Google's Android aren't interoperable, some question the mass-market potential for the utilities. The New York Times (10/4)

• Is Twitter the new thumbs-up?
  Some movie marketers are having success luring audiences with campaigns that include a prominent Twitter element. Some market researchers are looking at whether negative Twitter buzz can have a measurable effect on box office, according to this article. Advertising Age (10/5)

Hot Topics

Top five news stories selected by IAB SmartBrief readers in the past week.

• Report: Display ads, with paid search, show results (Advertising Age)

• Measuring social engagement (Adweek)

• Web videos create sales -- and stars (BusinessWeek)

• Mediaweek's 2010 outlook (Mediaweek)

• Auto-play video a bone of contention among ad nets (Adweek)

• Results based on number of times each story was clicked by readers.

Career Development

• Facebook, Twitter being tapped for agency recruiting
  Digital agencies now are using Facebook and Twitter to find and hire freelancers and full-time staffers. Some prefer Facebook as a recruitment tool because it offers more selective access to friends' or associates' contacts, while others like Twitter better because they say it casts a wider net. Adweek (10/5)

Google: Head of Agency, North America - New York Google Inc. New York, NY AT&T eCommerce Team AT&T Atlanta (and various locations) Media Planner SEM, Interactive LM&O Arlington, VA Google: Sales Strategy Associate, Sales Strategy and Operations Google Inc. Mountain View, CA or NY, NY Google: Head of Industry, Local and B2B Verticals - San Francisco Google Inc. San Francisco, CA Google: Agency Lead - New York Google Inc. New York, NY

IAB News

• IAB Fall Classes -- Interactive Education from the Experts
  IAB Professional Development leverages the expertise of IAB members and staff to deliver cutting-edge training on the latest tools, techniques and best practices in interactive advertising. Each low-cost, high-output module delivers marketers, agencies and publishers the skills they need to succeed in the rapidly changing digital landscape. For more information and to register, visit www.iab.net/professional_development.

SmartQuote

A man of genius makes no mistakes. His errors are volitional and are the portals of discovery." --James Joyce, Irish novelist, from "Ulysses"