What's a Song Worth?

Well, how much would you pay for it?

That's a question that an online music vendor is working on right now.

On Monday, The Orchard announced an agreement with Digonex Technologies Inc., described as "a company that gathers sales data, analyzes purchasing behavior and sets new prices that," according to its Web site, "hit the 'sweet spot' where consumer demand and market potential meet."

In other words, the tunes in this orchard will be priced based on how ripe you - and other buyers - think they are at the time you're shopping for digital music. Hmmm.

Here's the story from yesterdays National Public Radio program, Morning Edition. Read - or listen - here.

What's more, Digonex - which calls this scheme Dynamic Pricing - is confident that other things, including concert tickets and shoes, can be sold the same way.

I Think It Was Leo Burnett Who Said:

"Nothing kills a bad product quicker than good advertising."

If that's the truly the case, then Twitter might be good advertising for movie goers... but not for some movie makers.

Part of the story, as told last Friday on National Public Radio's All Thing's Considered, is movie fans who see the pictures early and spread "peer reviews" praising or damning the films.

Meanwhile, reuters.com blames Twitter for the quickness of this thumbs up/thumbs down networking, some of which - says Reuters' Alex Dobuzinskis - happens while viewers are still in the theater.

TV's Road to Become Interactive Steers Twitter-ward

Not so long ago, television tried to become a player on Second Life. Anybody here still on 2ndL? Why do I always get the same hands?

And the fantasy world of Second Life wasn't TV's only failure at interactivity. Why?

Andrew Wellenstein, from the Hollywood Reporter appeared on NPR's All Things Considered yesterday afternoon and suggested, "Perhaps there's some fundamental disconnect between the passive experience of watching TV and the interactive nature of the Internet."

Here's where to hear the whole story.

Ad People Pull Together in Tough Times

When I was in New York in late March, I attended two advertising events that strained in different directions as if they were Dr. Doolittles pushmepullyous.

The first was held at a beautiful glassed-in meeting room at the New York Times that honored the 2009 inductees to American Advertising Association's Hall of Fame. This first event was a reception in a beautiful setting (the sun was setting slowly over Manhattan in winter and the renzo Piano glass box that is the NYT headquarters never looked better). I got nice wine and canapes plus a chance to meet and talk with some of 2009's - as well as past HoF - honorees.

These are all people who've been good for advertising and who advertising has been extremely good to (read $).

After 90 minutes among the elite I hailed a cab and went further downtown for an event in an Irish-themed bar on 3rd Avenue sponsored by AdAge "honoring" ad people who had been laid off in the current economic downturn. It was called "This Sucks... Let's Play." The bar was not quite as photogenic as NYT, nor was the event as festive.

These are all people who've been good to Advertising but who advertising has NOT been extremely good to, but had provided a good living, until recently.

I talked to several people who'd been let go before for economic reasons and many of them expressed a desire to finally leave the business and get into something "more stable." A bottom-line loss to the business of advertising.

I knew I'd blog about this sooner or later but didn't really know how to resolve my own conflicts with the two events.

Then, this morning I saw - or rather heard - a resolution. NPR's Morning Edition featured a segment titled "Ad Agency Finds 2 for 1 Deal in Downturn."

As the story states, "Ariel Horn, who runs The Horn Corp., a Manhattan ad agency, has found both a way to help the numerous unemployed ad workers in New York, and a new business model."

Yes, I believe this is what I was looking for.

This may be the business model advertising needs now!

Comments appreciated!

While Commercial Radio Shrinks...

... more American ears tune in NPR.

Here's the story on this morning's Mashable.

Fun facts:
- NPR's daily audience is 11 times the size of USA Today's circulation.
- Almost all news NPR broadcasts is available via an "open scource" policy.

Internet Is Big Deal for Presidential Campaigns

Internet ads to promote McCain and Obama? You bet! Under the radar? In some cases.

Here's an interview with a major player in each camp on their Media Strategy recorded for this morning's NPR program Weekend Edition Sunday: "Subtle Internet Ads Send Targeted Political Messages."

And McCain says he can't send an e-mail... hmmm.

Tracking Neurons To See If Ads Work

When I was at the American Advertising Federation annual meeting a couple of weeks ago I was given a demonstration by a Berkeley company called neurofocus of a device that seems to "read" the brainwaves of a subject who is watching ads. A graph told us which parts of the ad were watched with most interest and/or emotional impact.

Today National Public Radio's Morning Edition broadcast a feature story on the device and the people behind it.

Here's their website, too.

At the meeting in Atlanta, I asked the Director of Events and Digital Marketing (according to her card) if I could bring some students on a field trip to see this thing work. She said OK.

Would you like to go?