Welcome to September's Click-thru, your indispensable round-up of the latest online industry news, brought direct to your inbox from the Internet Advertising Bureau.
The main stories making the headlines in this month's edition include how the rise of online auction houses are saving us all money; love is in the air online with the increased usage of online dating services, high-street giants, HMV and Virgin have decided the best form of defence is attack, by challenging the digital music services and launching their own download sites and new research shows marketers need to wake up to the growing army of 'silver surfers' online.
| We are confident that next month it will be the IAB making the headlines with our inaugural annual conference, Engage 2005 - October 27, Radisson SAS Portman Hotel, London. This one day event will be the definitive and most high-profile internet advertising conference of the year, with a selection of speakers who we guarantee you will not want to miss. Book your tickets now at the IAB website.
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As always, I hope you find it a valuable and enjoyable addition to your inbox.
Kind Regards
Guy Phillipson, CEO, Internet Advertising Bureau
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The Top-line...
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| Healthy figures |
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The e-commerce boom continues, with the Future Foundation predicting the online shopping market will be worth £60bn, or 20% of all retail spending by 2010.
BBC, August 14
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/4145606.stm
One blog is created every second according to research from web tracking company Technorati. The number of blogs nearly doubling from 7.8m to 14.2m in just five months until the end of July
Brand Republic, August 2
http://www.brandrepublic.com/bulletins/digital/article/489021/number-blogs-doubling-every-five-months/
There will be an estimated 440m people worldwide with a broadband connection by 2010, double the predicted end of 2005 total of 190million according to forecasts from Informa Telecoms and Media
NMA, August
http://www.nma.co.uk/Document.aspx?did=36ce9c2b-0fe4-4129-ade6-0f0e652c788f
Ebay continues to be the most viewed UK website. Every month almost half of all internet users visit the online auction site.
Brand Republic, Aug 23
http://www.brandrepublic.com/bulletins/digital/article/492089/ebay-increases-lead-google-viewed-website-uk/
In 2004 one in five display adverts were placed using ad networks according to research from E-consultancy. The networks are set to increase revenues by 37% in 2005 to £57.1m
NetImperative, August 16
http://www.netimperative.com/2005/08/16/Ad_Networks
150 .UK domain names are registered every hour, bringing the number of web addresses with that suffix to 4.2million according to new research from internet registry Nominet.
NetImperative, August 17
http://www.netimperative.com/2005/08/17/UK_domain_registrations
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Online behaviour
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| The online consumer |
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If you can't beat 'em, join 'em
In the face of mounting pressure from iTunes and Napster, the UK's biggest high street music stores HMV and Virgin have started their own online music download services. The major rivals have launched their Mp3 stores within a week of each other.
Brand Republic, August 31
http://www.brandrepublic.com/bulletins/digital/article/492693/hmv-virgin-launch-rival-digital-download-services/
Amazon Short's lofty ambitions
Amazon is hoping to do for the short story what iTunes has done for the Mp3 by launching a series of digital only works. The 27p downloads from Amazon Shorts are set to rejuvenate the short story genre and provide authors with a new readership and vice versa.
Brand Republic, Aug 23
http://www.brandrepublic.com/bulletins/digital/article/491931/amazon-aims-revive-short-story-genre-new-launch/
Block-busted by rise of online rentals
Video rental stores are the latest retailers to feel the impact of the popularity and convenience of the internet. Blockbuster has blamed the rapid growth of online rental services - such as Video Island, Lovefilm, Netflix and Amazon.com - for the $57.2m (£31.9m) loss in the second quarter of 2005.
Revolution, August 10
http://www.revolutionmagazine.com/News/index.cfm?fuseaction=ViewNewsArticle&newsID=490337
MetroLife moves online as standard
The Evening Standard's MetroLife has been stopped and the entertainment magazine's listings service moved to the paper's increasingly popular website, thisislondon.co.uk. With the paper's circulation down, but the website registering its highest total of unique users to date (2.65m)in March, the decision was made to move online.
Brand Republic, August 5
http://www.brandrepublic.com/bulletins/media/article/490021/evening-standards-metrolife-falls-victim-web/
Craigslist the secrets to their success
Craigslist.com, a classified adverts website has sneaked under the radar to become the latest online and cultural phenomenon. Founders Jim Buckmaster and Craig Newmark
have quietly guided Craigslist.com to become one of the top ten internet companies in the world, with ten million unique visitors every month and available in 34 countries.
BBC, August 4
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/4724165.stm
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| Online Audience Behaviour |
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Katrina blogs provide online support to US
The internet has been providing a degree of shelter to the storm lashed southern states of the US. As Katrina picked her path of destruction blogs once again proved their invaluable worth to those affected by disaster. Media companies in New Orleans found the internet a great ally, with video coverage of the weather conditions appearing on Wikipedia. Meanwhile the Red Cross has asked for donations of online inventory to support its fundraising efforts for the stricken southern states, particularly Louisiana.
BBC, August 31
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/4200702.stm
ClickZ news August 31
http://www.clickz.com/news/article.php/3531301
Travel retailers have it all mapped out
The growing popularity of online maps (traffic up 26% year on year) is having a positive effect on the internet travel market. One in five map views result in a visit to an online travel agency according to research from Hitwise.
Netimperative,August 8
http://www.netimperative.com/2005/08/05/Map_travel_retailers
Congregation flock online to hear Vicar's sermon
A Suffolk vicar has said he is stunned by the number of people who have downloaded his sermons posted on iTunes last month. 2,000 people have downloaded Leonard Payne, Vicar of Wrentham's sermons so far, with demand so great amongst the online flock that servers had to be changed.
BBC, August 3
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/suffolk/4740241.stm
Cupid connects
The internet continues to play cupid to couples around the country, with latest research from Nielsen//NetRatings's Online Dating Survey revealing that one in three internet users would consider using the web to meet a potential dating partner. A new website, Impulsedating.com, however is offering a twist on the usual service. Users can go online and order impulsedating cards, which hold details of their user profile only and no personal details. These cards are then given out to whoever catches your eye and if they are interested they can go online, find out more and possibly arrange a meeting. The service aims to remove awkward and nerve-racking chat-up lines from the dating process.
Brand Republic, August 3
http://www.brandrepublic.com/bulletins/digital/article/489212/internet-fast-becoming-best-meet-new-partner/
Brand Republic, August 16
http://www.brandrepublic.com/bulletins/digital/article/491223/website-unveils-new-concept-onlineoffline-dating/
Find the Sky One for you
Sticking with the online dating theme, Sky One have followed in the footsteps of the Daily Mail, ITV and Channel 4 by launching an online dating service through its homepage. Sky have teamed up with DatingDirect to provide visitors to its website with access to DatingDirect's database of 2.5m people looking for love online.
Brand Republic, August 2
http://www.brandrepublic.com/bulletins/digital/article/488793/sky-one-launches-online-dating-service-datingdirect/
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| Broadband |
Broad, broader, broadest-band; the subscription war continues
Another month, another round of the ongoing battle amongst ISP's for the UK's broadband subscription. NTL, Telewest Broadband and Homechoice have all announced that they will be increasing their connection speeds, whilst new Swedish firm Be will be launching a "super-fast" service that is said to be three times faster than BT. In order to attract customers, some providers - such as Wanadoo, are even embarking on Local Loop Unbundling (LLU) - a process whereby ties with BT are cut in favour of providing the broadband via the ISP's own technology. Ofcom has previously identified LLU as being the most effective way of "delivering more innovation, greater choice and lower prices in broadband".
NMA, August
http://www.nma.co.uk/Document.aspx?did=fd30541b-a533-4599-a923-233f8cfcbb0a
BBC. August 4
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/4743259.stm
Times online, August 15
http://business.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,9076-1735147,00.html
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| Online creative |
| Awards and polls |
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Agency Republic has won Creative Showcase for August with their G8Rally.com campaign. The agency collaborated with AKQA and Glue London to realise the online campaign which features placard carrying protesters at a virtual rally in an engaging series of banners and rich media ads. The idea behind the campaign was to provide supporters of the Make Poverty History campaign who were unable to make it to the G8 rally with a way of joining the protest online. Supporters visiting the microsite are encouraged to sign up to the Live8 petition calling for world leaders to make poverty history.
For more information on the awards, please visit the Creative Showcase
|  | | Glue grip most nominations for inaugural Campaign Award nominations
The shortlist for Campaign's inaugural digital awards has been announced, with Glue London leading the number of nominations for the October 5 event. The Creative Agency has been recognised eleven times for its work with Pot Noodle and Virgin Trains. Shortlisted eight times, Dare was the second most nominated agency.
Brand Republic Aug 15
http://www.brandrepublic.com/bulletins/digital/article/490902/campaign-reveals-shortlist-inaugural-digital-awards/
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| New online |
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Online advertising moves top of the class thanks to new degree course
A BA (Hons) in Digital Marketing and Communications has been added to the prospectus of a UK university for the first time. Manchester Metropolitan University Business School has launched the course to ensure the rapidly growing online advertising sector has marketing graduates with the skills to negotiate the industry.
NetImperative August 5
http://www.netimperative.com/2005/08/05/degree_digital_marketing
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| Video |
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FHM.com adds web exclusive video content to site
The clothes-light men's magazine FHM has announced plans to add exclusive video content to its website over the coming months. The Emap publication will add TV-style features and rich-media clips created for the internet to take advantage of the boom in broadband subscriptions and to offer advertisers increased opportunities to allow their brands to stand out amongst the traditional ad inventory.
NMA, August 4
http://www.nma.co.uk/Document.aspx?did=0551e1e1-bcec-4fd3-92b0-415a6790e39b
No films at the Boxoffice for video download service
A new video download service, called Boxoffice365.com. is being launched by the British Internet Broadcasting Company (BiBC) that is intended to be the video equivalent of iTunes. Although studio's piracy fears have restricted the availability of feature films, VHS-quality comedy and music will be sold through the site.
BBC, August 2
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/4737675.stm
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| Display |
Guardian international digest target frustrated US with online ads
The Guardian Weekly - an international digest publication, is running a geotargeted online ad campaign on the Guardian Unlimited web site to drive subscriptions amongst frustrated news followers in the US. Tribal DDB have developed banners and skyscrapers for the campaign that pokes fun at the insular tendencies of the US media.
NMA, August 4
http://www.nma.co.uk/Document.aspx?did=1b49b8f5-dc9b-42ed-8f5f-8a26ca6c9c15
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| Viral |
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RSPCA dogged determined to pull viral ad
Viral ads are meant to cause a stir, but a new McCann Erickson ad for General Motors that depicts a man cleaning his bonnet with his dog before throwing the poor pooch through a car window has really got the fur flying amongst animal welfare charities. The RSPCA is set to approach advertising watchdogs about the ad promoting Opel Astra with the strapline, "men's new best friend."
Brand Republic, August 12
http://www.brandrepublic.com/bulletins/digital/article/490919/viral-ad-showing-dog-thrown-car-condemned-rspca/
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| Promotional microsites |
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'Revolver' has box office in its sight with online push
The long awaited film from British director Guy Ritchie will be promoted in a cross-format online push. 'Revolver' will be supported by interactive advertising, viral videos and a dedicated website from the Agency, Greenroom digital, ahead of the release later this month.
Revolution August 22
http://www.brandrepublic.com/bulletins/digital/article/491782/new-guy-ritchie-flick-revolver-digital-push-greenroom/
Now that's what I call a website!
A new website has been launched to promote the long running Now That's What I Call Music! chart compilation collection. EMI/ Virgin TV have moved the famous title - now in its 22nd year online to add value to the Now brand online. Ring tones, pocasts, competitions and artist insights will all feature on the site.
Brand Republic, August 15
http://www.brandrepublic.com/bulletins/digital/article/490914/emi-backs-thats-i-call-music-new-site/
Website limbers up to run all year to promote Nike events
Global sports brand, Nike, has created a website to be the hub of its year long campaign for London running events. Runlondon.com went live last month and is the focal point for the annual 10km runs on October 16 and for a series of timed 5km events in London throughout the year.
NMA, Aug 16
http://www.nma.co.uk/Document.aspx?did=eb8f959b-277e-4f10-8b9e-eb2637dd38a7
Channel 4's Lost, found online
The new Channel 4 drama, Lost, began in August amid a fanfare of hype and publicity. Channel 4 is hosting a website to promote and accompany the series about the survivors of a plane crash on a mysterious island. The site created by UK web company, Hi-ReS! Enables viewers to interact with the characters and view interactive episodes.
NetImperative, August 10
http://www.netimperative.com/2005/08/10/Channel_4_Lost
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Search
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Miva pay-per-call service ready for launch
Advertisers are already able to sign up for an account with Miva's UK pay-per-call search advertising service ahead of the official launch later this month. Miva is pushing its service as a real alternative to pay-per-click search advertising, and it follows last year's successful US launch.
NetImperative, August 18
http://www.netimperative.com/2005/08/18/Miva_pay_per_call
Just the facts for Seekport search service
A new search service has been launched that aims to deliver the most relevant results from general enquiries. Seekport uses topic filters to display results under eleven different categories enabling large amounts of unwanted content to be discarded depending on the users individual preferences.
NetImperative, August 18
http://www.netimperative.com/2005/08/18/Seekport_vertical
Australian local search company opens in London
Australian search company, 'One' Local Search, has opened its European headquarters in London. One provide local search services and yellow-pages-style business listings and are looking to attract SME advertisers in the UK.
NetImperative, August 17
http://www.netimperative.com/2005/08/17/One_Local_Search
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E-commerce
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Households save £3,000 a year with online auction sites
Online auction sites are proving to be more than just a handy tool for getting rid of unwanted belongings. A report from Centre for Economic and Business Research (CEBR) has revealed that sites such as eBay have increased the value of the average household's assets by more than £3000. 50,000 UK users are now buying and selling items online.
NetImperative, August 15
http://www.netimperative.com/2005/08/15/ebay_saves_3000
Silver surfers set to cause a splash amongst marketers
A new report from the Future Foundation has predicted that retailers will throw away billions if they ignore the growing number of pensioners online. Two in every three of those approaching retirement are online and nearly one in four adults in the UK has purchased goods online in the past six months. The e-commerce market is set to be worth £60bn by 2010, therefore if marketers don't adapt their target audience to tailor for this growing market they will miss out.
BBC 14 August 2005
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/4145606.stm
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| Member company news |
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Microsoft phone home
A further major media owner has put the wheels in motion to compete in the increasingly competitive internet telephony market. Microsoft has acquired Teleo a small company in San Francisco that create VoIP technology and hope to launch their service by the end of the year.
The Guardian, September 1
http://media.guardian.co.uk/newmedia/story/0,7496,1560465,00.html
Friends reunited site offshoot comes to its census
The recently launched Genes Reunited site has boosted its archive of names to 32million after the acquisition of the National Archives' 1901 census in a £3.3m deal. The site from the creators of Friends Reunited will help people trace their family trees.
August
Sunday Times
Yahoo! launch pay-per-call service
The rise of pay-per-call continues as Yahoo! UK and Ireland launch a service on its shopping, cars and travel pages. Advertisers are able to track calls received as a result of listings on the site and have to pay a fixed pay-per-call rate for calls made from numbers located on the site.
Revolution Magazine, Aug 11
http://www.brandrepublic.com/bulletins/digital/article/490491/yahoo-launches-paypercall-telephone-service-uk-advertisers/
Yahoo! trials audio file locater
Yahoo! is preparing a new audio search service that will allow users to locate songs and other audio files from the key digital music services, including iTunes, Napster and Rhapsody. The free search engine is currently being tested in the US and indexes more than 50million audio files including interviews, podcasts, speeches and newscasts.
NetImperative, August 4
http://www.netimperative.com/2005/08/04/Yahoo_audio_search
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Ethiopia invests in future online
A report by the Guardian has revealed that Ethiopia, despite being one of Africa's poorest countries, is investing a tenth of its national GDP each year on IT. In an effort to equip offices and schools with public sector computers and broadband connections, the government intends to spend a further £56m over the next five years.
Guardian, August 4
http://www.guardian.co.uk/online/story/0,3605,1541785,00.html
...But internet uptake in India slow
In contrast to Ethiopia's commitment to a future online, internet use in India remains a rarity. Despite having millions of internet users in the cities the subcontinent's internet penetration rate is still below 5%. According to an urban internet survey by New Dehli research firm, JuxtConsult, user growth has only increased 8% in the past year, whilst 80% of web users have been online for 3 years or more.
eMarketer, August 15
http://www.emarketer.com/Article.aspx?1003537 |
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Thank you for taking the time to read IAB Click-thru. If you have any comments/ suggestions as to the type of stories you would find useful for future editions of Click-thru or if you have been forwarded this publication by a colleague and wish to subscribe, please email the editor ben.butler@iabuk.net. |
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