Online advertising market going UP

According to the “Internet Ad Barometer” issued by EIAA, more than 70% of the advertisers are to increase the online spend in 2009, despite the economical climate, by diverting budgets from the traditional media. The strategy involves combining more focus on targeting with the increase on Pan-European campaigns, with mobile and video innovation as a no 1 horse in the budget spending race for better ROI and cost efficiency.

The figures estimated for the next 2-years period are +21% in 2010 and +15% in 2011, which are an assurance that the online will become the NO 1 media channel on medium term, in terms of advertising spending.

You can read the whole press release here.

About the European Interactive Advertising Association
The European Interactive Advertising Association (www.eiaa.net) is the leading pan-European trade organisation for sellers of interactive media and technology providers. The primary objectives of the EIAA are to champion and to improve the understanding of the value of online advertising as a medium, to grow the European interactive advertising market by proving its effectiveness, thus increasing its share of total advertising investment. Since its founding in 2002 the EIAA has invested substantially in multimedia research, marketing, standardisation activities and education, of both the market and government, on the role of interactive advertising. With this wide-ranging programme the EIAA has grown quickly to command a solid reputation and influential position within the European online market.

Most important 50 people in online industry – Romania

This week the BIZ Magazine, owned by BMG, made a list of 50 most important people in the online industry in Romania. INTACT Interactive contributed with two names to the list: Magda and Bogdan.
Seen by business focus the list will look like this:
Publishers – 17
Sales Houses – 8
Media Agencies – 7
Creative Agencies – 3
Interactive Agencies – 4
Journalists & Bloggers – 4
Consultants – 2
Others – 5

So, here they are (as listed by BIZ):

Sergiu Biris – Founder of trilulilu.ro
Alexis Bonte – Co-Founder and CEO, eRepublik
Bogdana Butnar – MD & Head of Strategy, MRM Partners
Iulian Comanescu – Media Consultant
Marius Deak – Founder & Strategy Director, Green Pixel
Lucian Despoiu – Managing Partner, Kondiment Group GMBH
Mihai Dragan – GM, MB Dragan
Adrian Cernescu – Owner, iMedia Plus Group
Liviu Dumitrascu – CEO, eJobs
Florin Grozea – Founder, eOK.ro
Vladimir Oane – Founder & CEO, uberVU
Cristi Parvan – Interactive Media Director, Zed Digital
Cristian Petriceanu – GM, Netbridge Investments
Daniel Enache – Chief of Marketing & BD, Digital Data Tech
Antonio Eram – CEO, Netopia System & God Entertainment
Calin Fusu – CEO, Neogen SA
Bogdan Gavrila – GM, INTACT Interactive
Rachad El Jisr -CEO, Rockmedia
Mircea Scarlatescu – Managing Partner, FitYourBusiness
Siminel Andrei – Director, NCH Advisors
Radu Ionescu – Managing Director, Kinecto
Justin Kadima – GM, Republika Interactive
Orlando Nicoara – GM, Media Pro Interactiv
Dragos Novac – Founder, Metropotam
Stephanie Jackson – Senior Director Online Services & Internet, VODAFONE Romania
Augustin Roman – Executive Director, Gazeta Online
Mihai Seceleanu – Managing Partner, InternetCorp
Ioan Margarit Timbolschi – Publisher, Hotnews.ro
Valentin Petcu – Blogger, zoso.ro
Victor Kapra – Consultant & blogger
Cristian Manafu – Managing Partner, Evensys
Marius Pahomi – Interaction Business Development Manager, MEC Interaction
Doru Panaitescu – Digital Advertising Trainer, Marketeer.net
Mugur Patrascu – partner, iLeo
Laurentiu Pop – Deputy Managing Director, HTTPOOL Romania
Bogdan Nitu – General Manager, Webstyler
Ionut Oprea – Founder, Standout
Calin Rotarus – Managing Director, ARBOinteractive
Val Voicu – Director, AdEvolution
Vlad Stan – Co-Founder, SeedMoney – Navidoo
Dragos Stanca – MD, F5
Dan Vartopeanu – GM, Voxline Communication
Oana Solca – Online Sales Manager, ORANGE Romania
Arina Ureche – GM, BRAT
Bobby Voicu – Freelancer
Catalin Tenita – Founder & CEO, TreeWorks
Catalin Tolontan – Chief Editor, Gazeta Sporturilor
Alex Visa – GM, HyperActive
Magdalena Zander – Managing Director, INTACT Interactive

Romania – tara fara brand

Am citit (via Tolo) un articol foarte interesant vizavi de brandul de tara al Romaniei si modul cum este perceputa in US. “Modul cum este perceputa” este impropriu spus pentru ca autorul articolului subliniaza exact faptul ca NU prea este perceputa in nici un fel. Autorul este dl Mihai Ghyka, fostul sef InBev (Bergenbier).

Ce alte idei interesante am prins:
- un branding de tara este definit de 4 domenii: turismul, investitiile straine, exportul si mandria nationala (turismul merge din jos in mai jos; la modul cum se schimba la noi legislatia – vezi taxa auto a lui Tariceanu, impozitul forfetar si TVAul pe uto – tre’ sa fii cel putin nebun sa iti aduci banii in Romania; in conditiile in care Romania importa pana si grau sau carne de porc, oare mai exista export?; la capitolul mandrie nationala ma abtin, dar recomand discutia ASTA)

- brandingul nu ar trebui sa aiba loc in tarile unde Romania are deja o imagine proasta (si exemplul pe care il da dl Ghyka este cel cu investitiile pe care le face Guvernul pt imbunatatirea imaginii romanilor din Italia)

- este inutil sa faci branding de tara atat timp cat nu ai o strategie coerenta pe termen lung

- autorul isi exprima speranta de a gasi printre decidentii sau consultantii decidentilor din conducerea Romaniei cat mai multe persoane dintre profesorii sau absolventii marilor universitati americane.

Felicitari pentru articol, foarte bun!

AC/DC reloaded

Dupa ce am trecut prin extaz si agonie cu biletele de la concertul AC/DC din Romania, am luat decizia ca nu trebe sa ratez evenimentul si am actionat in consecinta: am bilete la concertul din ATENA!

Grecii au fost foarte amabili pana acum, au raspuns la toate mailurile cu intrebari asa ca m-am incumetat si am achizitionat online biletele. So, 25th of MAY, ATHENS – GREECE, OAKA STADUIM!

Radio ZU… the rise to no1

Was going through some unread feeds in Reader, that were annoying me because of the “unread” status and just got into the “Adevarul” article saying: “Europa FM and Radio ZU topping the online stats”.
To quote from the article, the journalist says (romanian only):

Cel mai vizitat site al unui post de radio, în luna februarie, a fost Europafm.ro, care a reuşit să atragă 404.460 de vizitatori unici, potrivit Studiului de Audienţă şi Trafic Internet (SATI). Pe locul secund se afla site-ul postului Radio ZU, cu 379.502 vizitatori unici, iar Radio21.ro încheia podiumul, cu 272.450 de vizitatori unici. Top cinci este completat de Profm.ro, cu 243.117 vizitatori unici, pe locul patru, şi de site-ul Vibefm.ro, cu 132.804 vizitatori unici, pe locul cinci.

În luna martie, primii doi jucători au făcut schimb de locuri. Radiozu.ro a devenit lider, cu 393.941 de vizitatori unici (+3,7%), în dauna Europafm.ro, care a raportat 333.157 de vizitatori unici (-21,4%). În rest, top cinci a rămas neschimbat, doar audienţele au oscilat. Radio21.ro a pierdut puţin trafic, până la 271.923 de vizitatori (-0,2%). Pe poziţia a patra a rămas site-ul Profm.ro, care raportează o uşoară creştere, până la 245.531 de clienţi unici (+1%), iar top cinci este încheiat de Vibefm.ro, cu un plus consistent, până la 154.142 de „unici” (+13,8%).

Camelia Levintza Stettler, Marketing & PR Director of Radio ZU is explaining how the newest radio station in Romania went to number 1 in online after few months after its launch: “Right from the beginning, Radio ZU was focused on interactivity. All the ZU campaigns were targeting also the online audience.” Also the article is nominating the duo Daniel Buzdugan & Mihai Morar and also Mircea Badea as the ones “to blame” on the success of radiozu.ro.

As it can be seen on the chart below, since the launch Radio ZU was climbing onto number one position as online presence of a radio station, over all its competitors.

Congrats to all the Radio ZU team!

PS: Bogdan was announcing this achievement some weeks ago…