During the festive season (LNY season in Feb), cost efficiency worsened for most channels due to festive loadings and poor programme performance. Post the LNY season, only Ch U 's cost efficiency improves as compared to December.

Here are some highlights:
1) Ch 5
Viewership is declining and good programming comes at a high cost.

2) Ch U
Cost efficiency is reduced by 15% in March due to stronger programming.

3) Ch 8
CPT has gone up by 8% for March due to lower ratings for 8pm variety show and 9pm local drama

8pm variety shows: "Loving you - the threat of love" and "My Dear Kin" did not perform as well as the previous variety - show "Home Décor Survivor" and "Battle of the Best".

9pm local drama: "Ending Season Happily Everafter" hit only 16% as compared to the usual 19% for other  9pm dramas

Looking ahead, cost efficiency for April is projected to improve for Ch U due to strong programming. Ch 8's new local drama "Homecoming" have potential to score. Ch 5's cost efficiency is likely to worsen as the programme line up and movie titles are weak.

To boost mid year sales, MediaCorp had released their annual Mid Year Packages. In terms of value assessment, here are the highlights:

1) TV Mid Year Packages:
The ROI for the package is the same as this year. For investment less than $200K, it is $1=$1.5 value. For investment more than $200K, it is $1=$1.8 value.
Value for this year is the same as last year.The only difference for 2007 is this year’s package includes Channel U in the bundle.

2) MediaCorp Enterprises Packages - New!
In line with their integrative efforts, MediaCorp has new combination packages that bundle Radio/Magazine/Press @$48,888 or Magazine/Radio @ $28,888 etc. Packages will only be of value to advertisers who utilize multiple touch points from MediaCorp.

3) MediaCorp GSS Package
To tap on the retail frenzy of the GSS, Mediacorp has put together an integrated media package. Pulling together its range of media properties, the GSS package will allow advertisers to launch a marketing campaign across various advertising platforms without having to engage different media companies.

This package is a bid for greater “cross” medium integration using the Mediacorp stable. Though the package is geared at making “integration” across medium more “seamless” for advertisers, it is actually
purely “looping” in different medium to form a campaign. It is not about BEAM which Mediacorp had launched, nor is it about content integration.

Holographic Media is newly introduced to Singapore by Grain and Pixel. This media had been used in Europe and the US for some time already. Using surface mirroring and projections, computer-generated and video images are fired in to create the central image. The image is realistic and it can be interacted with.

This technology allows audiences to view true-to-life human format and huge images of people and objects through its transparent surfaces. It is designed for shows and other venues to draw consumers close to in-store display exhibit.

This form of augmented reality had been used ‘live’ in the 2005 Grammy’s Awards where Madonna performed with The Gorillaz on stage. The Gorilliaz, is a virtual band and they were projected as 3D holographic cartoon characters on stage.

On the advertising front, Lexus employed this technology to launch their 05 IS campaign at Times Square in New York. The tagline was “Why live in one dimension?” Spectators were invited to navigate the “hologram” by means of an interactive facility – car could change colour, spin and one could see it drive. This groundbreaking campaign generated a lot of attention amidst consumers and the industry.

To date, no advertiser in Singapore has taken the plunge yet. With greater technological advancements in the out-of-home (OOH) media landscape, the engagement element frontier would be pushed further.

Site visits:
(a) http://www.eyeliner3d.com/gorillaz_mtv_awards.html
(b) http://vizoo.dk/showreel_wmvs/EPK_FF_Lexus.wmv