In Print:  Magazine publisher Conde Nast ramps up efforts to get digital versions of their popular titles on the iPad.
With the much-anticipated release of Apple's iPad, Conde Nast is ramping up efforts to produce digital versions of its print titles so that they can be sold on iTunes as well as through traditional newsstands and subscriptions. Sarah Chubb, president of CondeNet, considers iTunes a new "digital newsstand" and has already released digital versions of GQ (first being in December). Plans are in the works for Vanity Fair and Wired. Though it is uncertain the exact release date for these titles, Wired anticipates a digital version of their technology-focused magazine to be available by the summer.   Source: MacWorld 2/16/10

On Line:  Twitter plans to launch new advertising platform.
Inspired by the success of advertising on social media sites over the past several years, Twitter announced this week that it plans to launch an advertising platform in the next month. Though currently in the test phase with few details released, we do know the ad platform will focus on involving advertisers in brand engagement, as is currently happening with users site-wide. The new platform will also include Twitter-owned-and-operated ads on its site.   Source: MediaPost 2/23/10

Out of Home:  Unofficial "Ambush" tactics pay off for some advertisers unwilling to officially sponsor the 2010 Olympic Winter Games.
Advertisers unwilling to pay millions of dollars to officially sponsor the Olympics are employing unofficial "ambush" tactics to get their brand messages noticed by the millions attending and tuning in to the Games. The new TrendTopper MediaBuzz Ambush Index, a list put out by Austin, TX-based Global Language Monitor, ranks perceived Olympic sponsors according to their presence in the global media landscape. Of the top 15 brands in the 2010 Olympics, nearly one-third are not official sponsors. One official sponsor, Coca-Cola, has spent an estimated $100 million on Olympic advertising and ranks #16 on the list. Meanwhile Pepsi, which has no official Olympic affiliation, has achieved a rank of 15 using a range of tactics including distributing branded Canadian flags to fans at hockey games.    Source: Media Life Magazine 2/22/10

On Air:  Preliminary studies show that addressable TV advertising works.
A preliminary trial of addressable TV advertising showed that viewers were much less likely to change the channel if an ad was specifically targeted to them. The findings of this study, conducted in 2009 by Comcast Spotlight and Starcom MediaVest Group, showed that households receiving addressable TV spots tuned away 32% less than those receiving non-addressable ads.   Source: MediaPost 2/18/10