It's mid April, and Mark Kaline already has to start making decisions about the network upfront marketplace. As the chief media executive for Ford Motor Co., Kaline is one of the biggest network advertisers in a business that's going through its own internal turmoil. Domestic auto sales aren't living up to quota, and Kaline has to make some important decisions about how much of Ford's massive marketing budget to put into advertising versus the kind of rebates and financing incentives that help move cars off his dealers' lots. While the incentives often prove effective, every thousand dollars Ford puts behind the discounts takes away from ads that help build its brand and future sales.
展开▼
