[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]
No Subject
This article would surely make Nick Arnett shudder...
Take care,
Carlene
--
@.TEXT:<B>bc-internetads21(sh)<P>
P&G INVITES RIVALS IN TO STUDY INTERNET ADS
Scripps Howard News Service
Release date: 08-21-98
By NICK MILLER
Scripps Howard News Service
CINCINNATI -- Some of the world's largest advertisers gathered at Procter
& Gamble's downtown headquarters Thursday to figure out how to take
advantage of the enormous advertising potential of the Internet.
The summit of major advertisers, ad agencies and Internet developers was
convened by the giant consumer goods company to explore how to best reach
consumers via the rapidly growing Internet medium.
''Why is Procter & Gamble hosting this event?," asked Denis Beausejour,
P&G's vice president for advertising. ''We know the medium is working
for many people in many ways. But we felt a need for consumer-oriented
companies to step up."
P&G, the world's biggest spender on advertising, is taking the lead to
accelerate the development of effective Internet ad models, Beausejour
said.
The participants include P&G competitors such as Clorox, L'Oreal, Kraft
and Unilever as well as other major advertisers such as Coca-Cola, Levi
Strauss, McDonald's, America Online and AT&T.
For two days, they will put aside their competitive pressures and
discuss how to build and develop their brands on the Internet and
improve opportunities to reach the people who buy their products.
''We see this as an opportunity to work together, helping each other,"
said Gretchen L. Briscoe, a P&G spokeswoman.
The FAST Summit -- for Future of Advertising Stakeholders -- is a one-time
event. ''We hope this is viewed as an industry event and not as a P&G
event," Briscoe said.
Beausejour has said the Internet doesn't live up to its potential for
advertisers.
Consumer acceptance and a still inadequate technological infrastructure
to make Interads appealing are two of the major hurdles facing Internet
advertising.
While it's estimated that more than $1 billion is now spent annually on
Internet ads, that's less than 1.5 percent of the $73 billion annual
spending last year on measured media in the United States. P&G, said
Beausejour, spent $3 million on Internet ads in the its fourth fiscal
quarter, which ended June 30. But that's out of a $3.5 billion worldwide
ad budget.
That $3 million was an increase over previous periods.
(Nick Miller is a reporter for The Cincinnati Post)
AP-NY-08-20-98 1337EDT