Software Platform Enables Media & Entertainment Industry to Deliver More Social and Personalized Online Experiences for Branded Content

Nearly a Quarter of Americans Watch Video on Mobile Phones; New Cisco Application Allows Consumers to Calculate Personal Bandwidth Usage

In the wake of the financial meltdown, analysts slashed their 2009 forecasts for ad spending on “experimental” mediums—including campaigns in and around video games. But execs at the GamePower Conference @ CES said they’re actually banking on an increase in ad spending this year, and here’s their argument: —Gamers like ad-supported content: Microsoft (NSDQ: MSFT) launched its new Xbox Experience in mid-November, and since then, two of the most downloaded items have been backed by ads: Doritos’ Dash of Destruction game, (which has amassed almost a million downloads) and The Guild, a Sprint-sponsored series focused on online gamers. —Success metrics go beyond just ratings points or impressions: While ratings of SpikeTV’s Friday night game show GTTV are “solid,” Spike’s Geoff Keighley, executive of game publisher relations, says gamers are watching the show on the Web, downloading it on iTunes, and even paying $3 an episode for it through the Xbox Live marketplace—and that’s with the regular TV spots or sponsorship ads included. “They can see the show on TV for free, and yet they pay to get it on their console,” he said. That adds up to more revenue for SpikeTV, but also more face time with their target audience for advertisers. —Other options for reaching the young male demo are slim: “If [advertisers] are targeting that core gamer market of 18-to-24 or 18-to-34 year-old males, it’s hard to access them in other spaces,” said Michael Herst, EA’s director of entertainment development and programming. Cisco Systems (NSDQ: CSCO), for example, is a prime sponsor of MTV Games’ Rock Band 2. That sponsorship includes a call to action on the game box (telling gamers to check out a special Rock Band 2/Cisco documentary), and the series is showcased on both the game’s and Cisco’s websites.

In the wake of the financial meltdown, analysts slashed their 2009 forecasts for ad spending on “experimental” mediums—including campaigns in and around video games. But execs at the GamePower Conference @ CES said they’re actually banking on an increase in ad spending this year, and here’s their argument: —Gamers like ad-supported content: Microsoft (NSDQ: MSFT) launched its new Xbox Experience in mid-November, and since then, two of the most downloaded items have been backed by ads: Doritos’ Dash of Destruction game, (which has amassed almost a million downloads) and The Guild, a Sprint-sponsored series focused on online gamers. —Success metrics go beyond just ratings points or impressions: While ratings of SpikeTV’s Friday night game show GTTV are “solid,” Spike’s Geoff Keighley, executive of game publisher relations, says gamers are watching the show on the Web, downloading it on iTunes, and even paying $3 an episode for it through the Xbox Live marketplace—and that’s with the regular TV spots or sponsorship ads included. “They can see the show on TV for free, and yet they pay to get it on their console,” he said. That adds up to more revenue for SpikeTV, but also more face time with their target audience for advertisers. —Other options for reaching the young male demo are slim: “If [advertisers] are targeting that core gamer market of 18-to-24 or 18-to-34 year-old males, it’s hard to access them in other spaces,” said Michael Herst, EA’s director of entertainment development and programming. Cisco Systems (NSDQ: CSCO), for example, is a prime sponsor of MTV Games’ Rock Band 2. That sponsorship includes a call to action on the game box (telling gamers to check out a special Rock Band 2/Cisco documentary), and the series is showcased on both the game’s and Cisco’s websites.

In the wake of the financial meltdown, analysts slashed their 2009 forecasts for ad spending on “experimental” mediums—including campaigns in and around video games. But execs at the GamePower Conference @ CES said they’re actually banking on an increase in ad spending this year, and here’s their argument: —Gamers like ad-supported content : Microsoft (NSDQ: MSFT) launched its new Xbox Experience in mid-November, and since then, two of the most downloaded items have been backed by ads: Doritos’ Dash of Destruction game, (which has amassed almost a million downloads) and “The Guild,” a Sprint-sponsored series focused on online gamers. —Success metrics go beyond just ratings points or impressions : While ratings of SpikeTV’s Friday night game show GTTV are “solid,” Spike’s Geoff Keighley, executive of game publisher relations, says gamers are watching the show on the Web, downloading it on iTunes, and even paying $3 an episode for it through the Xbox Live marketplace—and that’s with the regular TV spots or sponsorship ads included. “They can see the show on TV for free, and yet they pay to get it on their console,” he said. That adds up to more revenue for SpikeTV, but also more face-time with their target audience for advertisers. —Other options for reaching the young male demo are slim : “If [advertisers] are targeting that core gamer market of 18-to-24 or 18-to-34 year-old males, it’s hard to access them in other spaces,” said Michael Herst, EA’s director of entertainment development and programming. Cisco Systems (NSDQ: CSCO), for example, is a prime sponsor of MTV Games’ Rock Band 2. That sponsorship includes a call to action on the game box (telling gamers to check out a special Rock Band 2/Cisco documentary), and the series is showcased on both the game’s and Cisco’s Websites.

The economy is in the dumps, electronic companies are suffering and consumers are holding back on buying gadgets, but that’s not stopping thousands from making the annual pilgrimage to Las Vegas for the International Consumer Electronics Show. While the industry is challeneged there will sill be cool product to ooh and ahh about.

Barclays is bullish on Ciena.

Wall Street bounced back on Tuesday with gains across all three major U.S. indices. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (^DJI) added 0.69%, and ended with 9,015 points. The Nasdaq composite index (^IXIC) climbed 1.50%, and ended at 1,652. The S&P 500 (^GSPC) rose by 0.78%, and finishing with 934 points. The ...

Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 Wall Street bounced back on Tuesday with gains across all three major U.S. indices. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 0.69%, and ended with 9,015 points. The Nasdaq composite index climbed 1.50%, and ended at 1,652. The S&P 500 rose by 0.78%, and finishing with 934 points. The Russell 2000 index was also higher by 1.01% and closed the day at 514 points. Markets were higher even despite several bits of negative news. Home sales for the month of November were down 4% to 82.3[More...]

The first week of the year includes many impressive gains. Among the DJIA components, all 30 were up this week, and all ten sectors were up as well. That happened exactly four weeks ago too, but the index levels have not changed much in the interim. However, the psychology definitely has. At this point, traders are ...

Today was a very positive day for the stock market indexes with the SP 600 rallying the most with a 3.7% gain. The Nasdaq, SP 500, SP 600, and DJIA all made it over their 50 day moving averages which helps now give them a little bit of support if this rally can catch any legs. However, before anyone gets “too for-sure” of themselves and go out there calling a bottom I would like to take your attention BACK to 2002 and 2003. What did the rallies of October 2002 and March 2003, which WERE REAL bottoms, have that this rally does not have? If you answered volume, you are right. If you answered nice stocks, you are right. If you answered stock setting up in “hot” based, you are right. If you said…well you get the point. This rally off these lows, with these charts are NOTHING like the rallies of either October 2002 or March 2003. So for those that keep using those dates as reference points please check your charts. Right now, the leading[More...]

Schaeffer's Andrea Kramer takes a look at unusual option activity on the Street

Tom Dorsey and Tammy DeRosier - Where Do You Fall...Structural Bear or Structural Bull?

Schaeffer's Andrea Kramer takes a look at unusual option activity on the Street

Schaeffer's analyst Colleen S. King takes a look at news on the Street before the market open.

Schaeffer's Andrea Kramer takes a look at unusual option activity on the Street