The study – conducted online in June – sought to better understand how users are consuming health content online, also gauging perceptions and attitudes towards health advertisements. It reviewed users’ online behavior regarding medical conditions and diagnoses as well.

Study results revealed that people are using the Internet to take charge of their health and to better educate themselves about conditions and treatment options.

“Health users are increasingly looking to relevant advertisements as decision making tools, when those ad messages are properly connected to the consumer’s need or goal,” said Evan Minskoff, vice president, marketing, the About Group. “Advertisers can reach prospects more effectively when they align messages with content that helps deepen a brand’s relevance to consumers at key moments of need.”

The study uncovered that people are finding health ads helpful in coping with diseases and learning about medication. For instance, 58 percent of respondents said they are looking for pharmaceutical advertisers to provide them with information on possible side effects and drug safety, while 47 percent said they look to ads to help them cope with a condition or disease. Both figures represent at least 100 percent increases over last year’s results. More than half of survey respondents also said they look to health ads to determine drug effectiveness.

Online health ads activate consumers as a result of seeing a healthcare ad online.44 percent researched medication in more detail as a result of seeing a healthcare ad online, up from 36 percent in 2009. 35 percent talked to their doctor after seeing an online healthcare ad. Sixty percent of survey respondents said they took action as a result of seeing a healthcare ad on About.com.

Participants also indicated that printable health tips (40 percent), free trial offers (38 percent), and brief user stories (29 percent), were helpful in health ads in general.

The study revealed differences for ad receptivity by age as well. Thirty-two percent of younger adults (25-54) find stories about people who experience the same symptoms more helpful compared to 27 percent for older adults 55+. Fifty-eight percent of adults 55+ said they are more receptive to ads that have information about coping with diseases and medication side effects/safety, significantly higher than for younger adults.

Almost half of survey respondents said ads that incorporate humor and are visually appealing with a lot of color and pictures grab the most attention.Younger adults 25-54 are more receptive to ads with social elements and Interactive ads, while older adults 55+ are more receptive to video ads.

There is also a significant rise in the use of search engines to find more information about new diagnoses and medical conditions, up to 65 percent compared to 47 percent in 2009.

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The three designs include a paratrooper in freefall, empty-handed Arctic explorers and an unarmed police squad – the insight being that although an FT corporate subscription is a cost to your business, the benefits you get in return are invaluable.

The latest series of the award-winning ‘We Live in Financial Times’ campaign will appear in titles including Management Today, Director, Time, Fortune, Newsweek, Accountancy Age and Legal Week from Wednesday 1 September.

Caspar de Bono, Managing Director of B2B at the Financial Times, said: “Over 800 corporate customers have already decided that the FT is essential. These customers benefit from cost effective corporate rates and the rights to access FT journalism across thirty different platforms.”

Caroline Halliwell, FT’s Director of Brand & B2B Marketing, added: “It is more important than ever for businesses to be equipped with tools that keep them ahead of less well-informed competitors. The question we want our audience to ask isn’t ”can we afford to have a subscription” but instead ”can we afford not to have one”.”

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Steve Netzley, CEO of Euro RSCG Edge said, “The short form DRTV world is changing at an amazing pace.  With the emergence of new devices, from iPads to GPS systems in cars that serve as portals for ads that are designed to change consumer behavior, I knew it was time to raise our level of thinking and approach the space in a new way.” 

Peabody, is a seven year veteran of Euro RSCG Edge and will now work closely with Netzley in her new role. She brings more than 20 years of direct response experience to the short-media group. Prior to Euro RSCG Edge, Peabody was vice president of direct marketing for Murad Skincare and has also served as director of development for World Media TV Productions, and director of development for Western Media/Main Street Media. She launched her career in DRTV in the commerce/infomercial division at The William Morris Agency in Los Angeles.

“Steve has helped shape the evolution of the direct response industry for over 20 years.  As I look toward our future I know our clients will continue to be the leaders in their categories as we plot our course toward a modern, robust and dynamic direct response future,” said Peabody.

In addition to Peabody’s new role, Chad Crammer has joined Euro RSCG Edge as director of client services, short-form media. Prior to joining Edge, Crammer was media director at Mercury Media in Los Angeles.

“Chad is an important addition to the agency and brings a wealth of fresh ideas and success to our all-star team,” said Netzley. “Today marks a new beginning in the evolution of direct response media and Euro RSCG Edge is happy to be leading the charge.”

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Lohan did a photo shoot in Los Angeles on her birthday (July 2) aboard what was once Judy Garland’s yacht, reports styleite.com.

A source says the shoot by Norman Jean Roy was “amazing,” and comprises “some of the most beautiful photos of Lindsay” ever taken. Lohan was dressed in an evening gown, which covered her SCRAM bracelet, and she looks like a glamorous movie star from Hollywood’s Golden Age.

The cover, interview, and shoot were scheduled months ago and meant to coincide with the release of her latest film “Machete”, where she dresses up as a nun.

Apparently Lohan spoke openly with Vanity Fair about her troubled life and her strained relationship with her father, Michael Lohan.

The issue of Vanity Fair will hit newsstands in New York and Los Angeles Thursday

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“It’s something that will be decided by a big CEO sitting in a wardrobe working out budgets, but I’d love to do it again,” contactmusic.com quoted her as saying.

But Cattrall, 54, who recently filmed the character of ex-porn star Linda Romanoli in comedy drama “Meet Monica Velour”, would like to be remembered for “other roles” than Samantha.

“‘Sex and the City’ was crazy and fun and all inhabiting. I’d like to be remembered for being able to play roles other than Samantha,” she said.

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“I have supported research into the cause and treatment of multiple sclerosis for many years now — but when I first saw the proposal for this clinic, I knew that I had found a project more exciting, more innovative and, I believe, more likely to succeed in unravelling the mysteries of multiple sclerosis than any other I had read about or been asked to fund,” femalefirst.co.uk quoted her as saying.

“I have just turned 45, the age at which my mother, Anne, died of complications related to her multiple sclerosis,” Rowling said.

“I know that she would rather have had her name on this clinic than on any statue, flower garden or commemorative plaque, so this donation is on her behalf, too, and in gratitude for everything she gave me in her far too short life,” she said.

The Anne Rowling regenerative neurology clinic will be based at the University of Edinburgh and will carry out research into a range of degenerative neurological conditions and diseases including multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, Huntington’s and motor neurone disease.

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Moore, 47, posed in her bathroom wearing a bikini and a pair of shades, and clicked herself through her iPhone, reports dailymail.co.uk.

Along with the sexy pictures, the mother of three posted: “Maybe this is more like summer!”

Younger stars and socialite stars like Kim Kardashian and Miley Cyrus too have earlier posted photos of themselves in bikinis.

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Microsoft Sites topped the list as the most-visited Internet property with 16.2 million visitors, reaching nearly the entire Internet population in Mexico. The study also found that Mexicans spent more than 60 percent of their time online on communication and entertainment sites, led by Instant Messenger sites which accounted for more than 25 percent of total time spent online.

“Mexico’s Internet landscape continues to flourish as one of the fastest-growing markets in the world,” said Iván Marchant, comScore country manager for Mexico. “In this dynamic digital environment, advertisers and publishers have the opportunity to reach and engage new audiences that are increasingly turning to the Internet as a source of information, entertainment and communication in their daily lives.”

16.5 million people went online in July, an increase of 21 percent from the previous year. Microsoft Sites led as the most-visited destination with 16.2 million visitors (up 31 percent), followed by Google Sites with 15.2 million visitors (up 27 percent). Popular social networking site Facebook.com ranked as the #3 destination, growing more than 200 percent to 11.6 million visitors, becoming the largest social network in the country.

An analysis of Mexicans’ online engagement revealed that Instant Messengers captured the largest share of time spent at 26.8 percent of total minutes, with Windows Live Messenger ranking as the most-visited Instant Messenger destination in the country. At 13.1 percent share of time spent, Entertainment Sites captured the second largest share of overall minutes led by YouTube.com, while Social Networking accounted for 12.7 percent of total Internet time, led by Facebook.com.

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“Internet access, usage and engagement in Latin America continue to show strong growth across the region,” said Alejandro Fosk, senior vice president of comScore Latin America. “As one of the most developed digital markets in Latin America, Chile provides both global and local brands with the opportunity to reach a growing audience of users that are continually turning to the Internet as a source of information, entertainment and communication on a daily basis.”
In May 2010, 7.1 million people age 15 and older visited the Internet from a home or work location in Chile, a 16-percent increase from the previous year, making Chile one of the fastest-growing online markets. Google Sites ranked as the most-visited Internet property with 6.8 million visitors, up 27 percent from the previous year. Facebook.com ranked as the #2 most-visited destination reaching more than 6.2 million visitors, as it surged 41 percent from the previous year as the social networking site continued to gain popularity across the Latin America region. Microsoft Sites ranked third with 6.1 million visitors, an increase of 20 percent, while Terra – Telefonica captured the #4 spot with 4.1 million visitors, nearly doubling its audience base from the last year.

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The deal with the online news portal will make BBC video and text content available to a new audience of 1.6 million users per week.

Visitors to GZT.RU now have access to bbcrussian.com video and text content, updated 24 hours a day, seven days a week, across genres including news, current affairs, sports, the arts, business, entertainment and technology. All videos will carry bbcrussian.com branding.

Sarah Gibson, Head of BBC Russian, says: “Our ambition is to build on BBC Russian’s well-established direct online audience through partnerships with highly-regarded online sites. Our global perspective makes us a unique resource for news consumers in Russia, and this is another way for them to access BBC news and analysis. We see Russian audiences turn to us on big stories, including Russian and regional ones, and we are really pleased to have another way through this partnership to make our content more accessible.”

Sarah Jones, Head of Business Development, Europe, at BBC World Service, says: “The partnership with GZT.RU is an exciting one. It means that regular visitors to the site have instant, easy access to bbcrussian.com video content and text stories. We are committed in extending the reach of our content and delivering to audiences the best of the BBC’s international news, with real depth and breadth.”

Pavel Sukhov, Editor-in-Chief of GZT.RU, says: “The editorial team of GZT.RU highly values the results of the joint project for the placement of video clips and text produced by BBC Russian. GZT.RU endeavours to provide its visitors with a multi-dimensional daily news picture, and an important element of this is the professional video from BBC. Each month tens of thousands of views of the video on our portal demonstrate the huge interest amongst the audience for this offer. We hope to widen the area of our cooperation with the BBC in the future.”

Content from bbcrussian.com can be accessed at GZT.RU from today, Tuesday 31 August.

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