BY KURT HANSON and JIM PAVILACK
As we prepare for our official PR launch of the Gigabuy, we thought RAIN readers would like to see, and evaluate, the brochure we're preparing for prospective Gigabuy advertisers.

You can view large, legible image files of the four-page brochure by clicking the thumbnail graphics below.

As you may know, RAIN is spearheading an effort to bring together hundreds of Internet radio stations and channels to give one forward-thinking advertiser the chance to purchase a single ad buy across virtually the entire medium of Internet radio. We have tentative verbal commitments from most of the leading webcasters in the industry, and the concept has been received well by the "test subjects" we've shown it to so far in New York City and Los Angeles.

Brochure: Click thumbnails below for larger versions

New webcaster audience size estimates
Please pay particular attention on page 2 of the brochure to our revised estimates of the size of the total Internet radio audience in general and individual webcasters in particular. If your webcast's monthly TTSL is over 300,000, you should be on our list! If we've either overestimated or underestimated your position, please feel free to give us "guidance" to adjust your position appropriately.

Qualitative / Website / Feedback
Thanks to Bill Rose and Diane Williams of Arbitron for their great help in providing the qualitative data presented on page 3 of the brochure!

Also, the official website of the Gigabuy, www.gigabuy.org, is now active (although not quite ready for visits from potential advertisers). We invite you to take a look at the brochure and the website, and share with us your thoughts.

Please feel free to e-mail us at feedback@kurthanson.com or by using the Feedback forms further down on this page. Thanks!

From the Wall Street Journal: "In a bid to be more hip and less patronizing, McDonald's Corp. launched a world-wide marketing campaign featuring MTV-style commercials and a jingle with vocals provided by U.S. pop star Justin Timberlake.

"At a night club here [Munich], McDonald's screened three of the five commercials the chain will show around the world with its new slogan, 'I'm Lovin' It.' Set to a pop-song theme, the fast-paced commercials aim to sell youth and fun rather than just a meal with the family.

"The commercials were shot in 12 languages, marking the first time McDonald's uses a single set of commercials and a single slogan worldwide. Heye & Partner, an agency in Unterhaching, Germany, created the campaign. The agency is part of DDB Worldwide, which is owned by Omnicom Group Inc. of the U.S."

Read this entire piece in today's Wall Street Journal, or online here (subscription required).

From Radio & Records: "Former Infinity Radio President Dan Mason has accepted a position as a strategic advisor for PlanetJam Media Group's StickyFish Loyalty Marketing Service, which Mason calls 'a real breakthrough service for radio. StickyFish is about allowing radio sellers to establish a real and tangible competitive advantage in the market, particularly with local direct clients...'

"In his new role, he'll consult on product strategy, industry awareness and new-market development. Client stations include WHTZ/New York, WUSN/Chicago and KDMX/Dallas, among others."

Read this story in the News section of today's R&R online here.