Comments on: Spot Runner’s Response to “Google TV vs. Spot Runner” http://www.bestrank.com/blog/spot-runners-response-to-google-tv-vs-spot-runner-154/ Internet Marketing & Search Engine Optimization News/Resources Wed, 03 Dec 2008 23:32:31 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5 By: CriticalEye http://www.bestrank.com/blog/spot-runners-response-to-google-tv-vs-spot-runner-154/#comment-4688 CriticalEye Sat, 22 Nov 2008 07:02:23 +0000 http://www.bestrank.com/blog/?p=154#comment-4688 I have seen a Spotrunner rate which was 800-percent the regular network rate (I have it in my files because I just couldn't believe it!). You won't see that happen with the award-winning agency Cheap TV Spots which produces and airs custom made ads. Not too many other agencies can challenge CheapTVSpots for quality and low cost. Spotzer like Spotrunner makes template ads which look like ads shared by everyone else. Even Google will likely charge too much for air time or make air time clients bid against each other like adwords. I'm pretty sure self-made TV and web ads from templates and self-service air time are a fad whose time is past because the clients got smart. File that business model under "death watch." I have seen a Spotrunner rate which was 800-percent the regular network rate (I have it in my files because I just couldn’t believe it!). You won’t see that happen with the award-winning agency Cheap TV Spots which produces and airs custom made ads. Not too many other agencies can challenge CheapTVSpots for quality and low cost. Spotzer like Spotrunner makes template ads which look like ads shared by everyone else. Even Google will likely charge too much for air time or make air time clients bid against each other like adwords. I’m pretty sure self-made TV and web ads from templates and self-service air time are a fad whose time is past because the clients got smart. File that business model under “death watch.”

]]> By: Lazaras http://www.bestrank.com/blog/spot-runners-response-to-google-tv-vs-spot-runner-154/#comment-2154 Lazaras Sat, 30 Aug 2008 00:31:41 +0000 http://www.bestrank.com/blog/?p=154#comment-2154 Both the original and Spot Runner's responses are true. The original statements regarding the lack of flexibility, buying specific programming, providing pre-logs is true of the vast majority of Spot Runner buys, and all of the self-serve site buys. On the the other hand, Spot Runner can provide all of the above, but currently is doing so only for larger advertisers. While the planning is somewhat automated, the buying is still done just like any other agency might handle it, with emails, phone calls, and hands on negotiation. Only a small number of Spot Runner clients will ever talk to a media person (much less work closely with them)- again, those with large budgets. Spot Runner has fewer than 5 full time media planners and hundreds of clients, personal attention with that ratio is just not feasible. It's also worth noting that there is only 1 full time planner at a level sufficiently senior to interact with clients. Obviously, to provide this level of service, requesting specific avails, negotiating rates, providing pre-logs, cannot be profitably provided on the vast majority of small cable buys where the spend is under $25,000/market. Additionally, the majority of Spot Runner's experience with national buys is Direct Response - which by definition tends to be broad rotations. It's also worth noting that while small client's get excellent creative at very affordable prices, they more than pay for it with Spot Runner's full 15% commission structure, with additional mark ups more common than not. At it's heart, Spot Runner is a technology company, staffed and run by people with strong technology backgrounds. Media, and particularly TV media expertise is not what they are known for. The sheer volume of spots that need to be processed prohibits buyers from exercising the negotiation expertise they may have done before joining Spot Runner. Larger advertisers which could easily go to a traditional agency where they'd get hands on media attention and more reasonable commissions find themselves stuck after paying Spot Runner thousands for custom creative. As far as their ability to do custom creative, check out the StubHub custom ad from a live shoot. 30 seconds and it's clear what they are and are not capable of. As for running political ads, the lone individual hired to pursue political clients was among those let go as business in that sector has not materialized to a level that would support even that level of staffing support. Political advertisers seem to have found that they are better served going with an agency known for it's political expertise in media, as direct response tend to go to agencies that specialize in that area and entertainment to agencies with a history of success in that category. Few of Spot Runner's forays in these areas have resulted in the client coming back for a second try. Both the original and Spot Runner’s responses are true. The original statements regarding the lack of flexibility, buying specific programming, providing pre-logs is true of the vast majority of Spot Runner buys, and all of the self-serve site buys. On the the other hand, Spot Runner can provide all of the above, but currently is doing so only for larger advertisers. While the planning is somewhat automated, the buying is still done just like any other agency might handle it, with emails, phone calls, and hands on negotiation. Only a small number of Spot Runner clients will ever talk to a media person (much less work closely with them)- again, those with large budgets. Spot Runner has fewer than 5 full time media planners and hundreds of clients, personal attention with that ratio is just not feasible. It’s also worth noting that there is only 1 full time planner at a level sufficiently senior to interact with clients. Obviously, to provide this level of service, requesting specific avails, negotiating rates, providing pre-logs, cannot be profitably provided on the vast majority of small cable buys where the spend is under $25,000/market. Additionally, the majority of Spot Runner’s experience with national buys is Direct Response - which by definition tends to be broad rotations. It’s also worth noting that while small client’s get excellent creative at very affordable prices, they more than pay for it with Spot Runner’s full 15% commission structure, with additional mark ups more common than not. At it’s heart, Spot Runner is a technology company, staffed and run by people with strong technology backgrounds. Media, and particularly TV media expertise is not what they are known for. The sheer volume of spots that need to be processed prohibits buyers from exercising the negotiation expertise they may have done before joining Spot Runner.

Larger advertisers which could easily go to a traditional agency where they’d get hands on media attention and more reasonable commissions find themselves stuck after paying Spot Runner thousands for custom creative. As far as their ability to do custom creative, check out the StubHub custom ad from a live shoot. 30 seconds and it’s clear what they are and are not capable of. As for running political ads, the lone individual hired to pursue political clients was among those let go as business in that sector has not materialized to a level that would support even that level of staffing support. Political advertisers seem to have found that they are better served going with an agency known for it’s political expertise in media, as direct response tend to go to agencies that specialize in that area and entertainment to agencies with a history of success in that category. Few of Spot Runner’s forays in these areas have resulted in the client coming back for a second try.

]]> By: Pages tagged "rank" http://www.bestrank.com/blog/spot-runners-response-to-google-tv-vs-spot-runner-154/#comment-1337 Pages tagged "rank" Fri, 11 Jul 2008 00:41:42 +0000 http://www.bestrank.com/blog/?p=154#comment-1337 [...] bookmarks tagged rank Spot Runner’s Response to “Google TV vs. Spot ... saved by 2 others     jumigurl bookmarked on 07/10/08 | [...] […] bookmarks tagged rank Spot Runner’s Response to “Google TV vs. Spot … saved by 2 others     jumigurl bookmarked on 07/10/08 | […]

]]> By: Google TV vs. Spot Runner | Best Rank Blog http://www.bestrank.com/blog/spot-runners-response-to-google-tv-vs-spot-runner-154/#comment-1300 Google TV vs. Spot Runner | Best Rank Blog Thu, 10 Jul 2008 16:55:52 +0000 http://www.bestrank.com/blog/?p=154#comment-1300 [...] Here for Spot Runner’s Official Response to This [...] […] Here for Spot Runner’s Official Response to This […]

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