New York-based Saatchi & Saatchi CEO, worldwide, Kevin Roberts' new book Sisomo: The future on screen, outlines what he "calls the biggest and most exciting opportunity to connect with consumers since TV." Namely, he speaks about how marketers should and could capitalize on the fact that screens surround us - in-store, in cars, on mobile phones and so on. A term invented by Roberts, Sisomo stands for "sight, sound and motion" and is meant to connote what brings a screen to life. Roberts, who has worked as a senior marketing executive at Gillette and P&G and was also once CEO of Pepsi Canada, has enlisted Brett Channer, CEO/ECD at Toronto-based Saatchi & Saatchi, to act as an early adopter for the rest of the network, because "in places like Canada, this revolution will take place in the year 2006." For his part, Channer says he's already been working towards this goal, and cites the Toyota Uncle Yaris campaign, and a new two-minute Toyota Camry ad that will run during the Academy Awards and push consumers online, as recent examples. Strategy editor Lisa D'Innocenzo caught up with both men in Toronto to hear more. Read More

For a list of the top 30 TV shows for the week of February 13 to February 19, 2006, according to BBM, please click the links below:

National

Ontario

Quebec

Toronto

Vancouver

Montreal-based Yellow Pages Group and publishing giant Transcontinental are set to launch a hybrid guide that combines a glossy magazine with a yellow pages directory in mid-March. Annie Marsolais, director of corporate communications says: "This is a 'guide' - it's not a magazine, and it's not a directory. But it's a brand new thing [combining both]." The guides will be available in the Toronto and Montreal markets, and the first issue will be themed around home renovation specifically. The hybrid pub will be branded as special editions and bundled with Transcontinental titles Style at Home (in Toronto) and Décor (in Montreal). The front half of the book will be dressed as a 100-page glossy mag, with the back half boasting 120 pages of home reno-specific Yellow Page directory listings. Marsolais says 40% of the advertisers signed on to the project are new clients and both companies' ad sales are being kept separate for the editorial section and the Yellow Pages listing, respectively. Marsolais adds: "this provides different, more targeted vehicles for advertisers." The guides will be available door to door (via a list culled from prior research targeting neighbourhoods most likely to do home renos), through subscriptions, and at newsstands. Another guide is slated for September of this year themed around caring for aging parents. Marsolais says the companies will gauge response from the two pilot issues to determine frequency. Read More

MTV is prepping the Masonic Temple in Toronto to house its flagship series, MTV Live. The hour-long show promises to be a live and interactive one, with folks from across the country invited to speak their minds on topical issues in person, via phone, by email and online through webcams, instant messaging and blogs. The all-Canadian MTV Live is positioned to anchor the MTV schedule and will be filmed before a live studio audience from the Masonic Temple. Show elements will include animation, clips from MTV nets across the globe, contests, field pieces and live performances. The show's hosts, launch date and timeslot have yet to be announced.

Calgary-based Corus Custom Networks has launched a Create Your Own Ad service. The service invites Canucks in the western regions to place their own ads on the TV Listings Channel for approximately $20-30 per week for a guaranteed 140 times per week on-air rotation in exclusive rural locations. The web-based ad sales service can be used for selling vehicles, rental properties and small business promos. Online instructions guide would-be advertisers through ad copy to the upload of images and logos.

Couples are getting the makeover treatment at 2 Magazine and brands are invited to come along. The mag's spring issue, slated to hit the stands in March, features products from primary sponsors Club Med, Crest Whitestrips Premium Plus, Redken and Biotherm. "The themes are driven by the location, the season, the primary sponsors, and our readers' interest in certain lifestyle topics. Our readers have a high interest in travel, so the spring 2006 makeover [included] a travel experience to Club Med in Turks & Caicos," says Diane Hall, publisher of 2. Hall says that the mag is currently searching for brand sponsors for its summer installment, which will feature a city versus country theme, complete with road trip, a spa weekend and city nightlife, "providing opportunities for a Canadian resort destination, car brand, oral care, hair, beauty, fashion, sportswear, bottled water, luggage, petrol, etc." She adds that 2 is also investigating a first-time homebuyer's theme. Costs for sponsorship range from $2,500 to $25,000 and the mag guarantees category exclusivity. 2 targets urban couples aged 25-34 with a household income of nearly $90k. Sponsorship deadline for the summer issue is March 31. Read More

The French really like their entertainment as the category takes 50% of the pie in a French versus English market comparison for categories with the most new TV advertisers. Comparatively, the English market's top category was public service at 43%. And in a year over year brand comparison, in both 2005 and 2006, P&G and General Motors, took the number one and two spots respectively for brands with the largest variety of TV ads on the English market for Feb. 10-18. Check out others topping the charts, and which brands had the most new spots. This info was gathered through Montreal-based ELODA's online TV ad tracking, auditing and viewing services. All data supplied is based on the ELODA recording grid.
http://www.eloda.com Read More

Value Village makes the leap up the radio spot 10 charts in Toronto for the broadcast week of Feb. 12-18. The discount department store chain leapt from number 349 to the top of the charts in the brand race for the most spots on rotation. Following at number two is yet another department store chain Sears Canada. In the categories race, restaurants topped the charts with 39 brands taking the lion's share of the airtime last week. Department stores followed at number two. Check out others topping the radio charts by category and brand in the Toronto market for the week of February 12-18.

http://www.mediamonitors.com

Rank by brand

Rank by category

BBC Canada has announced April offerings for wannabe gardeners, daring dressers and time zone-shifting interior designers. The City Gardener debuts April 4 and runs every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday at 12:30. The show features host Matt James as he works his green thumb on neglected, dark and dank outdoor spots. Sunday, April 9 at 9 a.m. sees the debut of The Gardener's Year, a six-ep, half-hour dedicated to guiding viewers through a gardening year, by season. Each episode covers one gardening month. Later, at 5 p.m., Grand Designs Abroad also premieres on the net. The show follows builders as they create their dream homes overseas. Finally, A Week of Dressing Dangerously takes eight fashion daredevils as they shed their regular clothes for a week of sartorial self-discovery. They even got a housewife to dress like a punk rocker. The half-hour show airs Saturdays at 9 p.m., beginning April 8.

Monday, April 3 is kick off day for Food's new series. Just One Bite, a half hour show that teaches families how to create healthy delicious meals airs weekdays at 8 a.m., and 12:30 and 4 p.m. Then, at 9 p.m. the ever-popular Jamie Oliver undertakes a culinary pilgrimage in Jamie's Great Italian Escape. The show follows the Brit chef as he heads to Italy in his camper van to regain his passion for cooking. Meanwhile, Kylie Kwong heads to Shanghai and Hong Kong to dine her way through the East in Kylie Kwong: Simply Magic. The show airs Fridays at 9:30 p.m.

Matchmaker makes its debut on Monday, April 3 on BBC Kids. The show, which airs Monday to Friday at 9:30 p.m., follows folks as they hook up their pals on dates.

APTN has announced the addition of two new series to its roster. Tuesday, April 4 at 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. marks the debut of Nikan, a weekly half-hour, 13-part doc series featuring young Aboriginals from Quebec. And beginning Friday, April 7 at 8:30 p.m., the half-hour Short Cuts will air short films by award-winning Indigenous filmmakers from around the world.

Chris Williams is the new managing director at Media Contacts, the interactive arm of MPG. He will helm the Canadian operations. Williams is stepping into the role once held by Yann Le Roux.

Sympatico / MSN is pleased to announce the promotion of Shira Biderman to senior national account manager, ad sales. Biderman will lead company initiatives around product innovation.