Google Local now features a click to call option where customers will automatically be connected to merchants through a VOIP call.

I'm surprised that it's taken so long for Google and others to see CtC as a lucrative opportunity. Yes, you can just pick up the phone and dial, but simplifying the step through an anonymous call (I'm assuming caller ID doesn't work over this network. Is beneficial to all parties.

But for large companies that operate call centers and have extensive customer service operations, click to chat would be even more effective. If you at work (ahem) and trying to order a product without success or have question, you can get to your answer via IM and not have to alert others that you are using the phone. Customer service reps can keep up with multiple chats simultaneously, and there's also less of a bandwidth crunch.

It will be interesting to see what other uses for Skype both Google and eBay have in mind.

Found via TechCrunch.

It's no joke, Comedy Central is trying to beat YouTube at its own game.

The Viacom property will allows people to take clips from its programs, including the Daily Show with Jon Stewart and the Colbert Report and post them on user web pages, according to Reuters.

The clips will contain ads, and Comedy Central is considering a way to share the revenue with individuals.

Fans of the shows will be able to create their own "best of" pages to share with their friends and perhaps make a few pennies in the process.

You have to hand it to the folks at Comedy Central. They have been streaming programs online for some time, and they are finding it easier to pull on the rope of users wanting to copy material rather than push back. Since users are going to copy and upload copies of their content anyway, they are smart to make some money in the process.

These features are what MySpace folks want to do with their pages, and setting the content free with embedded ads is the way to.
YouTube might be wise to follow in their footsteps.

No more "Sugar Frosted Fried Lard-O's" cereal commercials during the morning cartoons.

The Better Business Bureau has coaxed 10 food companies including Coca-Cola, General Mills, Hershey, Kellogg, Kraft, McDonald's, and PepsiCo into running 50 percent "healthy eating" ads during TV shows aimed at children.

According to BrandWeek, the initiative "is designed to shift the focus of advertising messages to children and encourage healthier dietary choices and healthy lifestyles."

Government regulations (or the threat thereof) will likely continue to pressure companies to reduce ads that contribute to the pandemic of obesity that starts with the young.

It only makes sense that some guidelines be in place when marketing to kids too young to comprehend the dangers of unhealthy consumption. Parents have the responsibility to control what their kids eat, but reducing the amount of sugary sales pitches will make it less of a battle between children and their parents when it comes to setting the menu.

Here's something you don't see everyday -- a company vehemently opposed to free publicity from major media. Phillip Morris is taking out print ads to ask Hollywood not to roll its own product placement of cigarettes in movies or on TV.

In the understatement of the year, the curiously titled Vice President of Youth Smoking Prevention and Cessation Support at Phillip Morris, Jennifer Hunter said "some studies suggest [movies] may also influence a child's decision to smoke." What an odd campaign to run -- against yourself.

The job interview for that position must have been interesting. "What experience do you have in getting people to stop using the products that your company sells?"

I'm guessing this is to satisfy the requirements of the various lawsuits over cigarettes causing cancer and public awareness. Still, this ranks as the oddest ad campaign we'll see.

The race for controlling the ads that appear on free municipal WiFi services is heating up as Microsoft announced adCenter will power the free internet access in Portland, OR.

In a partnership with MetroFi, Microsoft will sponsor the service that by next year should deliver free WiFi to 95 percent of the inhabitants of the Rose City.

MetroFi currently maintains municipal WiFi networks in Google's backyard at six Silicon Valley and Bay Area locations. The quality of reception is questioned as Google's WiFi network in Mountain View, CA has been experiencing technical difficulties.

Whether or not enough ad revenue can be generated to support the wireless networks is an open question. But appears that in major metropolitan areas you'll be able to browse for free, similar to the TV model.

MSN hopes that local searches will be popular, which makes sense since at least some of the uses will be tourists looking for places to buy.

Despite the headlines about $4 billion in ad money, according to the Internet Advertising Bureau, revenue from online advertising in Q3 was up just 2 percent over the second quarter of this year. While that's a 33 percent jump over a year ago, the rate of growth between quarters has slowed from last year.

Last year online ad revenue grew by 4.7 percent between the second and third quarters, so could we be seeing the brakes slowly being applied to online advertising?

Earlier this month JupiterResearch said that four categories -- media and entertainment, financial services, travel, and automotive -- will continue to represent the majority of spending in online advertising (57 percent) through 2011. Wasn't Yahoo just attributing its slowing growth to financial and automotive spending? Maybe these industries are where the slowdown in Q2-3 spending occurred.

Jupiter says that one quarter of all search advertising will come from media and entertainment, which bodes well for video ads since you would expect them to use rich media ads. Today that's not really happening -- I searched for Bruce Willis on Google, Yahoo and MSN, and got zero rich media ads in return. For shame.

One piece that TiVo hasn't been able to deliver is programming the DVR through the mobile phone, and Gist Communications is beating them to the punch.

This is somewhat limited because you need to have a Windows Media Center PVR, but the company has created an application for most every cell phone for controlling your digital video recording while on the road. The UGuide has a grid for browsing the TV schedule, or lets you search for programs.

Like TiVo the service also suggests programs that meet your tastes. It's in beta now as a free service, but I'm guessing that a pay for service is more likely than trying to make money from ads. Could they generate enough revenue from small ads in between the program listings like TV Guide does now?

The TV revolution will soon be complete, in many ways mirroring the information revolution from the web. Just you can now read most anything (news, reference materials etc.) whenever and wherever you want, the same will be for TV and web video.

Television execs should market their new services as such and embrace all of the partners who are making it all possible.

TiVo today unleashed a barrage of new services that could well determine the company's future.

First, new TiVo software enables any web video content to be transferred to a TV. The software automatically transcodes QuickTime, Windows Media Video, and MPEG-4 video so that it can be shown on a TV. I disagree with their decision to charge for the software -- they should give it away as a product differentiator.

TiVo also announced a "unified" search technology that will enable users to search TV and online content together, starting next year. If they are consistent with their previous interface design, this could truly bring the web to TVs for the first time.

TiVo customers will also be able to publish home videos so that others (by permission only) will be able to watch them through their TiVo boxes. This "custom channel" feature is a limited niche, but for people with distant relatives, it could be enough to get people to buy their service.

Last but not least, TiVo announced it has added web content partners who will make content available to the boxes through the TiVoCast service, including CBS interactive, Reuters, Forbes and Nano. TiVoCast is a good idea, but allowing RSS feeds of ANY vlog or video podcast to be directly sent to TiVo is what's needed. Just like a "Digg or Delicious" button, let's get TiVo buttons on the web.

If TiVo can figure out the right mix between pay-for and ad-supported services, they may yet become the financial star that I thought they would become when I first went to their office 7 years ago. With cable companies offering DVRs at a fraction of the cost of a TiVo, integrating the web and owning search is the best way to differentiate their service. TiVo is making strides towards first-time profitability with ad revenues way up, so there is hope.

KFC has introduced a new logo for the Colonel. It is not exactly web 2.0 but everyone is throwing that term around with chronic misuse, so I thought I would too. While he will maintain his pasty look and black bow tie, he is ditching the classic white jacket for a feminine red apron and a bubbly new font.



This seems to be a trend on the web and major corporations these days as it seems everyone is updating their sites.
While the new logo is nice it doesn't make the chicken take any better, BoJangles is still #1 in my heart.

The folks at ShopLocal.com have updated their site just in time for the prime shopping season. Shop local tracks the IP address to guess your location (they were off by 20 miles for me), or you can manually enter your zip code.

The new site makes it easy to browse circulars for the latest deals by store or by category, and many of the major chains are covered as my recommended local list include more than 40 stores (alas, no Safeway). Being able to customize the list so that only stores I'm interested in appear would be helpful.

ShopLocal generates maps and lets you compare prices between local and online sellers. You can also browse local classified listings and receive offers via email. Having reader reviews would make it even more valuable.

Combining customization with geographic data will help online buying grow from 7 percent of purchase now to about 20 percent by 2010. Now if someone could do a mash-up that combines Froogle and Craigslist, we're really be in business.

If you are jealous of all those brands that NASCAR drivers get to plaster all over their suits, you may go for a battery-powered denim jacket that trumpets "I'm a sellout!"

The Back Lite jean jackets can be a single image or between multiple images, enabling you to flash your corporate message, or any graphic that you'd like.

The jackets use double AA batteries and can stay lit for up to 40 hours straight (just like Courtney Love!).

Just in time for holiday shopping for that special marketer.