It might not be considered polite to bring up within a company, but the sales department has traditionally wielded much more influence than that of the marketing department. And this might be changing, as the marketing folks increasingly become the gatekeepers for individual customer relationships.

For two days about three weeks ago, the press was fixated on a story involving a young girl and the Internet. Someone she met in a chat room lured a thirteen-year old girl away from her home. She was later found strangled to death. Needless to say, the press was rabid with headlines that suggested that the Internet was somehow responsible for this young girl’s death. So it was that the question was raised among some of the digerati: Why does the press continue to malign the Internet any way that it can?

When’s the first time you heard the expression “cross-platform?” To the ear, it’s such a harsh sounding expression. Sounds a little scary too, don’t it? CROSS-PLATFORM. It’s funny how this march-in-step-like term requires the subtlest of talents. Tinker Bell, where are you now, when we need you most?

I'll never forget the first time that Ed beat me at tennis. Essentially, it came down to this: He forced me to play HIS game. I was reminded of that tennis match this past week when I met with a potential client.

Last month, a “news” article by BusinessMedia, “reported” that the OPA Study of Online Ad/TV Synergy was misleading. I found two major things wrong with the article: 1) They did not know what they were talking about and 2) They took their opinion (fueled by a note from ONE “critical reader”) and turned it into “news.” I’ll deal with both of these issues, first the actual research.

A few years ago, the concept of integrated communications began to get really hot, especially as it pertained to the relationship between an ad agency and its clients. As the concept of integration became more popular, we began to see quite a few agencies tout integration as a major selling point. But what does it mean to be truly integrated?

So, the question remains: are we going to continue trying to make the Internet medium look like TV in order to lure dollars away from that hallowed medium? I sincerly hope not. Here's why.

Some say that interactive media has little value. Certainly, some of the deals getting done these days would suggest that price/value equation. Conversely, this week's announcement of the record upfront TV commitments indicates traditional media is seen as possessing great value. The question of whether any of these deals reflect cross-platform media elements comes to mind.

Exaggerated billings claims have been around since before we had the GRP. But the splitting of media and creative, both of whom claim the same number, has made these numbers less credible than ever.