Huge, I mean huge, outdoor posters went up right before Thanksgiving across from the main entrance to Penn Station and Madison Square Garden in the New York City. Although they bookend each other, they couldn't be more different--and they illustrate the dualistic nature of cable advertising in the city. The O'Reilly Factor ad, filled with ratings and stats appeals to the media buyers out there who determine who goes on the schedule and who doesn't. They love numbers. Strangely, Bill O'Reilly does too. About once a week he reviews his ratings successes, always comparing them to NBC (although Keith Olbermann is no longer mentioned by name...why give the competition shout outs?).
The Fox Business Network is introductory (which launched 10/15/08). More consumer-targeted it works to build awareness while taking a swing (without naming names) at CNBC with the positioning that Fox Business is "Information Not Fear." Take that Jim Cramer...the man who has taken all sorts of blame for toppling the financial markets. The entire cast of Fox characters, are Photoshopped together (again at last). The problem I have is that I think, aside from Neil Cavuto, they're not recognizable. Including Dagen MacDowell. It's a tough task to compete for recognition given CNBC's entrenched lineup with Maria Bartiromo, Jim Cramer, Suzie Orman and even Erin Burnett (a smart, big time rising star now being burnished by frequent "Meet the Press" appearances).
More new Fox personalities have arrived...including Alexis Glick from Today and Liz Claman from CNBC (called Fox's anti-Bartiromo). And...we'll definitely see more players to be named later. And whether the all-too-familiar bad blood between MSNB and Fox News cable shows will emerge in the world of business?
Where does this leaves Bloomberg? Should be interesting. We'll see what Andy Lack does now that he's been there about a month.
Returning to marketing and advertising. OK...these posters are big and hard to miss...but I'd love to see a news network do some concept advertising in addition to Photoshopped news personalities. There's opportunity in them thar hills.
Scott Lackey
New York, New York
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