“We have positioned ourselves just like another TV station,” said Jim Gallagher, VP and general manager of Comcast Philadelphia. It is this tactic, he said, that has helped the multiple system operator’s revenues grow in the double digits over the past two years.
Basically, the MSO, with an 82 percent penetration that reaches 90 percent of the designated market area, uses psychographics to help effectively target its clients’ potential customers.
“We really measure the foot and create the shoe that fits the foot,” said Mr. Gallagher said about trying to match just the right promotion with the right advertiser.
“We have 40 wonderful networks that all come to the party with ideas for promotions. We use them all as tools in our toolbox.”
One tool that hit the nail on the head is an upcoming promotional schedule for Borgata, an Atlantic City Casino. In the promotion that will encourage CComcast cable viewers are encouraged to look in their bills for “an exciting offer.”
“The Casino bought a good amount of time on our network. … We are going to promote it across all 40 of our networks,” said Mr. Gallagher said. Apparently, about half of the casino’s budget for this market is now going to Comcast.
Joe Ball, president of American Advertising Services, a Philadelphia-based full-service ad agency, has bought certain Comcast networks for several clients.
“The first thing [Philadelphia advertisers] look for when buying cable is price,” said Mr. Ball said. For first-time advertiser Crawdaddy, a Center City, Pa., restaurant, the agency snatched a 30-second spot for $13.