The Cole Digest, August 16, 1995

This is the last of three parts of a series on on-line advertising done by my associate L. Carol Christopher. Here's her closing report:

At San Jose's Mercury Center, Ad Director Jean Edwards has her own commendation for creative advertising.

A San Jose jeweler created a virtual store, dubbed House of Charms, replete with stories and reminiscences about his grandmother's charm bracelet (a way of keeping memories and creating a history of oneself to share with others).

The jeweler linked a mystery game to his ad campaigns which will change every two weeks, as his merchandise changes. Edwards suggests that this is not only a "more personal way of doing retailing," but "a reason for people to come back and visit the location."

Mercury Center, the electronic realm of the San Jose Mercury News, is an early pioneer in these efforts.

"We're very pleased with our presence on America Online," Edwards said, "and we've learned a lot from that. We've been able to build on our infrastructure and integrate other products.

"Many publications have start up companies and are not leveraging on what they already have. That's a mistake."

Recently, Mercury Center has gone beyond the boundaries of America Online to establish a direct Internet presence on the World-Wide Web. Mercury Center signed a contract with Netscape Communications Corp. of Mountain View, Calif., to provide the Web server software that makes the Web site possible. The Web site emulates everything from America Online, including its "chat rooms," onto the 'Net.

Edwards figures that the Internet will appeal to daytime users who access the service from work, while the AOL service will be used mostly at night from home.

Most of the on-line advertising at Mercury Center is generated by agencies. A free-lancer designed the House of Charm location after Mercury Center showed him what the Web was about, and went through a few brainstorming sessions to give him the basics on how to use the medium.

"It's the most fun I've had in a long time in retailing," said Edwards. "It's unlimited territory. Imagination is the only limit."

Web advertising changes the way you think about even on-line advertising because the information can reside anywhere, "from the advertiser's computer to somewhere in Finland," said Edwards. "We're just creating traffic to those Web sites."

Anyone, she pointed out, can put up a home page or a Web page. "It's a whole different premise," she continued. "You don't need us in order to publish on the Web. But what you do need us for is to build an audience. People have to know where to go, how to get to your domain. So you have to have links.

"We're in a high traffic location because we update our stories all day long and because we intend to be one of the highest traffic locations on the Web," she said. Consequently, the pointers to the advertisers' Web pages are going to come up more often, and give readers more occasion to access the ads.

Most on-line ad-venturers encourage newspapers to be careful to choose clients who want to learn how to use the medium.

"Create a group of experienced users who know what people like, what is accessed, how it is used," Edwards said. "Work with that knowledge to develop interesting applications from both an entertainment and a content view, something that's both useful and fun. You have to build a rapport with the consumer even if you don't know their identities."

"We're still in R&D -- 1995 is the year to learn what works and what doesn't, how to build the application, how to get the audience to come back to it."

In short, now is the time to determine how to condition digital motorists to keep their eyes peeled for the successors to Burma Shave along the infobahn.

Thanks Carol.

Onward.

\dmc

[THE COLE DIGEST is written by consultant David M. Cole, editor and publisher of the industry newsletter THE COLE PAPERS. The DIGEST is made available to PressLink subscribers every Wednesday at no extra charge. Send comments by e-mail to cole@plink.geis.com. The COLE DIGEST is the property of The Cole Group, a California sole proprietorship. Reproduction in whole or in part without the written permission of The Cole Group is prohibited. Copyright (C) 1995, The Cole Group. Opinions expressed are those of The Cole Group, unless otherwise noted.

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