Spot Runner’s Response to “Google TV vs. Spot Runner”
July 10th, 2008 by Matt Walker
A couple of weeks ago Spot Runner contacted us by phone stating that the following post “Google TV vs. Spot Runner” contained inaccurate information about their company. They asked that we either remove the post or correct the inaccurate info.
We have corrected the inaccurate info in the original post and we are posting their official responses (below) to our previous statements. We have also provided a link from the original post pointing here for updates.
Here’s the exact response to our points that Spot Runner submitted to us in it’s entirety. I can’t vouch for the accuracy of this info but I’d love to hear what you all have to say about their services.
The items marked in bold are the original descriptions written by Best Rank from our previous post. Directly below Best Rank’s description is Spot Runner’s revisions:
1. BestRank: Customers can select from a huge video library, Spot Runner charges a modest fee of around $500 to personalize your video.
1. Spot Runner customers can select from an extensive library of professional, high-quality ads which will then be customized with a customer’s images, messages and a new voiceover for as low as $499 depending on the level of customization. Spot Runner can also produce a completely custom ad from scratch, and can deploy the Spot Runner Production Network to any business in the United States to capture on-site footage of our clients’ businesses – such as images of their storefronts, customer testimonials, employees at work, product demonstrations and local landmarks. A customer can also use an ad they have created themselves.
2. BestRank: Spot Runner owns and controls your ads.
2. If a customer already has an ad, they can bring it to Spot Runner for placement and they retain ownership of the ad. When using a Spot Runner library ad, Spot Runner retains ownership of the template; however that ad is reserved for the customer’s exclusive use in the selected geographic area for the duration of their campaign and for a period afterwards.
3. BestRank: The minimum amount for a television schedule is $1000 per day
3. Spot Runner does not have established minimum buys. Based on its extensive experience in this space, Spot Runner works with clients to determine the minimum budget necessary for a campaign to be effective, especially relating to a client’s geographic target and campaign type.
4. BestRank: Spot Runner manages your ads according to your budget and preferences, you don’t have control on any negotiations.
4. Spot Runner’s media planning division works closely with a client to define their target audiences and locations to develop a media plan. Spot Runner then negotiates the buy on behalf of its clients.
5. BestRank: Spot Runner controls when and where your ad will show. You can see where the ad was shown only after the ad was aired
5. Spot Runner relieves their customers of the complex issues of buying airtime themselves and provides every customer with the services of an expert media planning team. After working with the customer to define their targets and the goal of their campaign, Spot Runner’s media buying team places the ad buys accordingly. Customers are well aware of what channels their ad will be running on as well as the daypart.
6. BestRank: You are not allowed to control your ad on any shows
6. Customers work closely with Spot Runner to define the best channels to advertise on to reach their target consumer. Spot Runner can also negotiate advertising during specific programming.
7. BestRank: You can buy local and National, the company is going after National Advertisers
7. With Spot Runner you can purchase local, regional and national advertising. Spot Runner’s proprietary geo-targeting technology allows customers to target down to individual neighborhoods. Spot Runner focuses both on local and national advertisers.
8. BestRank: You are allowed to run political ads
8. Spot Runner recently launched its Political Advertising Program catering specifically to the needs of candidates and causes. With this program, Spot Runner aims to leverage the internet and new technologies to open the door for candidates and cause-related initiatives to run highly targeted ads on TV, radio and online.
9. BestRank: You do not have the ability choose specific TV programs
9. Spot Runner can negotiate advertising during specific programs.
10: BestRank: Spot Runner controls when and where your ads will show
10. Spot Runner builds an airtime schedule to reach a customer’s target consumer on the channels they watch in their area of operation, providing detailed reports after the ad airs so they can track their results and grow their business.
11. BestRank: Spot Runner cannot tell you when your ad will air ahead of time
11. Spot Runner provides clients with information on when and where their ads are going to air.
12. BestRank: Greater Broadcast with mostly cable providers which provide a bigger coverage. Dish Network and other direct broadcast combined reach less than 17% of U.S. households, according to Nielsen Media Research (source Spot Runner FAQ section).
12. Spot Runner’s reach includes national and local broadcast and cable networks, a significantly larger portion of U.S. households than what is reached by satellite direct broadcast alone which, all providers combined, reaches less than 17% of U.S. households. Not only does Spot Runner have a geographical reach throughout the U.S. but it also has the proprietary technology to geo-target down to individual neighborhoods.
We still believe that Google TV has a more friendly service, which is easier to integrate with other marketing efforts. But we apologize for any inaccuracies in the original post. Sorry Spot Runner, no hard feelings.
Subscribe to our Blog
July 10th, 2008 at 9:55 am
[…] Here for Spot Runner’s Official Response to This […]
July 10th, 2008 at 5:41 pm
[…] bookmarks tagged rank Spot Runner’s Response to “Google TV vs. Spot … saved by 2 others jumigurl bookmarked on 07/10/08 | […]
August 29th, 2008 at 5:31 pm
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.
November 22nd, 2008 at 12:02 am
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.”