Marketing Forecast from Ad-ology

The pharmaceutical industry has been slow to shift marketing resources to the digital format. Part of the hesitation about digital has been related to FDA regulations regarding marketing. But new research indicates that attitudes are changing and digital marketing will play a much larger role for pharmaceutical companies in 2011 and beyond.

Numerous studies have been published this year on the daily deal format to determine whether it’s really working out for marketers. The restaurant industry has been very willing to use daily deals to try to improve customer traffic. This sector has been hit hard by the economic slowdown. And the latest research from Cornell’s Center for Hospitality Research suggests that, despite some bad press, daily deals can work for restaurants.

Local businesses know they need to advertise online. Several research studies have revealed that these merchants will shift a significant percentage of their ad budgets to the digital format. But knowing how to accomplish the task is another story. For many local merchants, the TV media rep is the best person to ease their transition to the digital ad world.

U.S. consumers are making Internet radio a bigger part of their listening experience. Research indicates that about 22% of radio listeners now spend at least part of their weekly time tuned to online stations. They are largely appreciative of the ad-free or ad-limited environment but all that is about to change.

There’s no question that interest in online videos ads is huge. But marketers and ad agencies say they’re encountering difficulties executing these campaigns. This development is a call to action for media companies that are looking for the best way to increase their own ad revenue.

The typical purchasing agent in a business setting likely has little extra time to consume content about the latest technology. But as more content has become available in a variety of new formats, decision makers and influencers are noticing. A successful technology company marketing in this environment must make collateral available in several new formats to ensure that its products are getting the necessary visibility that will lead to a sale.